Ever since he began cultivating from the Nameless Manual, Elder Yan had noticed his mind growing tranquil.
Increasingly tranquil, so tranquil that he seemed ready to withdraw from all worldly strife.
Then he began gazing up at the stars, marveling at the insignificance of life and the boundlessness of the universe.
He felt that everything had lost its meaning.
Even the mightiest cultivators, those Earthbound Immortals powerful enough to live for centuries, were no more than a fleeting instant compared with the eternal universe.
What good would striving harder do for a small fry like him?
He might as well gaze at the stars and admire the universe's grandeur and breathtaking beauty.
He knew in his heart that he could not go on like this. No matter how boundless the universe was, he still had to live in the present.
He knew full well that the Dongkong Sect was weathering troubled times, and this was precisely when it needed him.
The Sect Master needed him too!
He was the Sect Master's most loyal dog!
And there was the Sect Master's Wife!
Without her, there would have been no Elder Yan.
Ah, she was still so beautiful.
Elder Yan wanted to become active again, only to discover that he had fallen into depression.
He remained silent, like a dormant volcano, with no telling when he might awaken and erupt with terrifying power.
Gu Qingfeng discovered that, apart from himself, everyone in the Small Courtyard seemed to have fallen ill.
Zhang Jianqiang had been the first to develop symptoms: he forced the Coachman and the others to rape him, and beat anyone who refused.
Following close behind was the Coachman, Zhang Chao. His fondness for stealing had turned into a fondness for robbery and rape, and at night, he and Zhang Jianqiang