This banquet was originally prepared to welcome the delegation from the Lei Clan.
Now that the Lei Clan members have all left, the banquet itself no longer holds any meaning.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Gu Fei glanced over at Gu Lie.
"Grandfather, your grandson will take his leave first," Gu Fei said with a smile, bowing respectfully to Gu Lie, who nodded back with a smile.
Next, Gu Fei turned to Gu Yuan, bid him farewell, and left the hall.
As Gu Fei departed, he walked resolutely, his gaze fixed straight ahead without sparing a glance at anyone else.
This left Xun Er, who had harbored some expectations, feeling utterly dejected. She had thought that her actions today would surely move Gu Fei, but the scene she had hoped for did not occur.
Gu Fei remained indifferent to her, just as cold as ever, as if they were strangers.
"Is there really no chance left..." Xun Er watched Gu Fei leave the hall, her eyes filled with reluctance.
A sense of grievance welled up inside her, and she almost burst into tears, but in front of the Gu Clan members, she forced the tears back.
After Gu Fei set the example, the others began to leave one by one.
Some who were on good terms with Xun Er wanted to say goodbye as they left, but seeing her head bowed low with a dark expression, they didn't dare ask questions and left quietly.
"Sigh, why do you insist on doing this?" Gu Yuan said, his heart aching as he watched his beloved daughter in such a forlorn state. He felt helpless.
Back then, it was indeed Xun Er who was in the wrong.
But she clearly loves Gu Fei, so why did she...
Although Gu Yuan felt sorry for his daughter, he also believed that Gu Fei's reaction was justified. If Gu Fei were to accept her again, and she repeated her erratic behavior, no man could tolerate that.
Xun Er was his precious daughter, and he would not criticize her too harshly. There were some things Xun Er needed to figure out on her own to truly solve the problem.
"You and Gu Fei have already parted ways, and he already has a wife. You are also an outstanding person with a limitless future..."
"Father, you wouldn't understand!" Xun Er interrupted Gu Yuan before he could finish.
"In this lifetime, no matter what, I will win Gu Fei back!"
Leaving behind these words, Xun Er walked away alone, leaving Gu Yuan standing there.
Watching his stubborn daughter leave, Gu Yuan's expression changed continuously.
"I hope you truly realize your mistakes... Then perhaps there might still be a chance."
...
After leaving the banquet, Gu Fei flew straight back to the mountain peak.
"Father's back!"
As soon as Gu Fei landed on the mountain, Xian Yue spotted him and ran over, jumping into his arms.
Gu Fei lifted Xian Yue, spinning her around in the air.
"Be careful, don't throw her out," Xiao Yi Xian said as she walked over.
"You underestimate me! After all, I am a Dou Venerate," Gu Fei replied with a smile.
Xiao Yi Xian knew that Gu Fei would never accidentally drop her, but as a mother and wife, she made a joke to lighten the mood.
"Where's Zi Yan?" Gu Fei asked.
"She said she was going to get some food and hasn't returned yet," Xian Yue replied.
As soon as she finished speaking, the space beside Gu Fei suddenly split open, and a purple figure leaped out.
"Xiao Yue, did you miss me? Look what I brought you!"
Zi Yan emerged from the void, handing a box of colorful fruits to Xian Yue.
Seeing this, Gu Fei couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
The items Zi Yan had taken out were all high-grade spiritual herbs, likely stolen from the Gu Realm's medicinal garden.
With her strength now enhanced, there was nothing Zi Yan wouldn't do.
"Quick, make me some candy pills!"
Zi Yan took out a bunch of spiritual herbs and fruits, handing them to Gu Fei.
Though Zi Yan had grown physically, her heart was still that of the young Zi Yan.
"Although refining them would remove the impurities, with your current strength, you could easily eliminate the impurities on your own," Zhu Li commented softly from the side.
Zi Yan glanced at Zhu Li and muttered, "These things are too bitter. I don't want to eat them raw; I want them sweet."
Looking at the array of rare herbs before him, Gu Fei knew that one of the medicinal fields had already been ravaged by Zi Yan.
Having broken through to the Dou Saint realm, Zi Yan's spatial abilities had become even stronger, making her a master at locating medicinal materials.
With Zi Yan and Gu Fei back, the mountain peak was quickly filled with a joyful atmosphere, and Gu Fei's previous worries were swept away by the laughter and cheer.
However, this happiness didn't last long, as Zhu Li's face gradually showed signs of concern.
Noticing Zhu Li's change in demeanor, Gu Fei inquired directly, and Zhu Li was straightforward with him.
"Zi Yan has stepped into the Dou Saint realm after absorbing the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit. The dragon tribe is currently divided, and they urgently need the Dragon Emperor to unify the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe and restore its glory!"
"So, I plan to take Zi Yan back to Ancient Dragon Island to inherit the Dragon Emperor's position!"
Zhu Li explained his purpose, clearly anxious to see the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe unified.
"The longer the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe remains divided, the more it weakens internally. This is something the elders of the Eastern Dragon Island do not want to see," he added.
"Elder Zhu Li, Zi Yan is now at the late stage of the Three-Star Dou Saint. The power of the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit still has some residual effects. Why not wait until she breaks through to the Four-Star Dou Saint before returning?" Gu Fei suggested.
Zhu Li fell silent, torn between his desire for immediate action and the current state of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe.
"Zi Yan is the hope for the unification of the Tribe. She cannot be put at any risk. You know the situation in the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe better than anyone. If Zi Yan returns now, will she truly be able to resolve the issues?"
Gu Fei argued, trying to persuade Zhu Li to delay their return, knowing that the three Dragon Kings would likely launch an attack on Zi Yan under the instigation of the Northern Dragon King.
Even if Zi Yan were to reach the Four-Star Dou Saint realm, she would still struggle against the combined assault of the three Dragon Kings.
Moreover, in the original story, the Northern Dragon King, in his madness for the Dragon Emperor's throne, had colluded with the Dragon Tribe's mortal enemies, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe.
He even resorted to the sinister Dragon Transforming Demon Formation, causing great harm to the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe. (TL/n: When the formation is formed, everyone inside, other than the person at the center of the formation, is shattered into pools of blood. Finally, they are devoured and absorbed by the person at the center of the formation. Thus, the strength of that person would soar greatly, but this formation was far too bloody and cruel. Hence, it was classified as a forbidden technique.)
The leader of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe, Huang Tian, had reached the Five-Star Dou Saint realm. With the Northern Dragon King activating the Dragon Transforming Demon Formation, his strength would approach the Six-Star Dou Saint level- forces that Zi Yan couldn't contend with.
Allowing Zi Yan to return unprepared would only put her in grave danger.
As for Gu Fei, he was still only a Dou Venerate. If Zi Yan encountered any danger, he would be powerless to help her.