The once-empty great hall now held more than a dozen figures.
A closer look revealed that these were the dozen or so people who had escaped from Xinyou earlier.
At this moment, they were all staring at Gu Qingzhi with ill intent.
"We waited three days, and you finally walked right into our net."
"Now that beast is no longer here to protect you, let's see what means you have left to escape."
"Indeed. Let's see where you can run to this time, and whether you can survive under our hands."
One icy voice after another rang out. Knowing she could no longer flee, Gu Qingzhi sat cross-legged on the ground, placed her long zither before her, rested both hands on its strings, and looked at the dozen figures around her.
"You truly are rats from a stinking ditch, more than a dozen of you ganging up on one weak woman."
"You couldn't beat me before, yet now you were willing to lie in wait for three whole days just to catch me."
"Heh. Can such conduct really deserve the title of heavenly prodigies?"
"Lying in ambush and launching sneak attacks—childish tricks."
Looking at the group, Gu Qingzhi spoke coldly without the slightest restraint.
Lying in wait and surrounding someone—those were the tricks children played.
"Hehe, we will not rest until our goal is achieved. As long as we accomplish our objective, that is enough. History is written by the victors."
"That's right. As long as we reach our goal, does it matter how we get there?"
"It doesn't."
"Enough nonsense. Attack together, kill her, seize her Spatial Ring, and avenge the hatred in our hearts."
"Attack. Delay breeds change."
At those words, the powerful cultivators around her all attacked at once.
Gu Qingzhi, meanwhile, began to play her zither