Targeted by salacious rumors

"Why do you say that?" Gu Yi could not hold back. Disregarding Lin Yuan's presence beside him, he asked aloud.

He regretted it as soon as he asked, because Lin Yuan's gaze immediately swung toward him.

"I was just a little curious... I've never heard of the Demon Venerable having feelings for anyone." Seeing everyone look his way, Gu Yi turned his head aside awkwardly.

"You wouldn't know this, miss, but the Demon Venerable, Gu Yi, was originally an ordinary disciple of our Illusory Demon Sect. Later, his good looks caught the eye of our old sect leader's son-our current sect leader," the disciple said, lowering his voice.

"Later, our old sect leader died of illness. Our sect leader was so bewitched by Gu Yi that he insisted on making him sect leader, and even gave him superior cultivation techniques, pills, and magical artifacts. That was how Gu Yi became the leader of our Illusory Demon Sect, and eventually became Demon Venerable Gu Yi!"

"What? That's outrageous!" a disciple could not help exclaiming.

"Exactly! Our sect leader was utterly foolish! Entrusting such an important position to a pretty face!" another disciple agreed.

By now, Gu Yi's expression could not have looked worse. He had never imagined these people would discuss him like this, even twisting the facts.

The original owner of his body had indeed been an obscure disciple, but he had later earned the old sect leader's appreciation and inherited his position through his own hard work.

Yet now they were saying he had climbed his way up on his looks. How could he accept that?

Besides, he did not even know any Jing Yuan! The old sect leader had indeed had a son, but he had nothing to do with him. They had never interacted at all!

He had not even known that the old sect leader's son was named Jing Yuan...

His rapid cultivation had not been thanks to pills and techniques provided by some Jing Yuan, either. It had clearly been because he had possessed a system back then, which had devised the most efficient cultivation path for him.

To complete his cultivation tasks as quickly as possible, he had trained through the bitterest winter cold and the fiercest summer heat. How much hardship had he endured?

Now that he was "dead," could others simply spread whatever rumors they pleased?

"Enough!" Before Gu Yi could speak, Lin Yuan spoke first.

His expression was even uglier than Gu Yi's.

"Young Master Lin, why are you angry?"

The Illusory Demon Sect disciple was puzzled. "Everything I said is true. Otherwise, how could an ordinary disciple reach the Tribulation Transcendence Stage in just three years? Besides, everyone in our sect knows about this!"

Lin Yuan's face darkened. "You'd better not let me hear you discussing Gu Yi again."

However, Lin Yuan's words greatly displeased the disciple, who said angrily, "What do you mean by that? Did I say anything wrong? When Gu Yi was with our sect leader, the ecstasy was something else..."

Before he could finish, Lin Yuan's sword was already out of its sheath. The cold blade swept past the Illusory Demon Sect disciple's topknot and sliced off his hair with a swish.

Gu Yi was nothing like that. The two of them had dual-cultivated inside the barrier for an entire year, and before that, Gu Yi had never dual-cultivated with anyone.

"Next time, it'll be your head!" Looking at the disciple who had collapsed on the ground and was trembling in terror, Lin Yuan turned and left, his face grim.

Only after watching Lin Yuan leave did Gu Yi slowly speak. "That man named Gu Yi was a great fiend. Since he's already dead, don't bring him up again. Whether or not he had an affair with your sect leader, this will ultimately affect Sect Leader Jing's reputation."

With that, Gu Yi also turned and left.

He cursed inwardly. He had only come out for a casual stroll today, only to run into something like this.

He truly could not understand why anyone would fabricate such rumors to slander him. And this rumor sounded so absurd that it was both laughable and infuriating.

Gu Yi had originally had a reasonably good impression of Jing Yuan, but now he could not help docking them several points.

Could this man not keep his sect's disciples in line? What kind of people were they? How could they casually spread such utterly groundless rumors?

Still, Lin Yuan's behavior today had left him rather puzzled.

He was the one being slandered, so why was Lin Yuan angry? Had he believed those people and thought Gu Yi had slept with that Jing Yuan and then slept with him, and therefore found him dirty?

At that thought, Gu Yi spat. Who did Jing Yuan think he was? Was he even worthy...?

The day of the beast hunt finally arrived.

The venue was a secret realm exclusive to the Illusory Demon Sect, called the Illusory Beast Purgatory.

Inside this secret realm was a lush forest filled with ancient trees, home to all manner of demonic beasts. It was an excellent location for this hunt.

Gu Yi and Xie Wenyun arrived early to wait at the secret realm's entrance. Before long, Jiang Lingzhou arrived as well.

The secret realm had specific entry restrictions-only those above Foundation Establishment and below Golden Core could enter. As such, Qi Refining Stage disciples and sect elders at Golden Core or above could not accompany them. After all, only a limited number of disciples met the requirements, and the number who ultimately entered the secret realm was a full two-thirds fewer than the number who had originally come.

Not a single disciple Jiang Lingzhou had brought met the requirements for entering the secret realm, so he could only choose to enter with Gu Yi and Xie Wenyun.

That morning, Jing Yuan once again long-windedly stressed that they must not kill one another, and went over a series of other precautions. Only at noon did he officially open the secret realm and allow everyone inside.

About a hundred people entered the secret realm, then split up on their own. Many disciples were eager to get started, hoping to hunt as many demonic beasts as possible.

Gu Yi's group of three, on the other hand, was in no particular hurry.

Jiang Lingzhou was wealthy and lacked no magical artifacts whatsoever, much less coveted anything He Yan owned. As for the chance to have priority in courting, he did not particularly need that either. He followed Gu Yi around every day and already had the advantage of proximity.

Xie Wenyun had even fewer worldly desires. He had entered mainly to protect Gu Yi. Junior Sister Ye was delicate and frail, like a willow swaying in the breeze. If he did not accompany her, what would they do if something happened?

As for Gu Yi, he had entered the secret realm neither to kill demonic beasts nor to compete for first place.

Mainly, he met the requirements and wanted some peace and quiet.

After all, he had received far too many invitations over the past few days. If Jiang Lingzhou and Xie Wenyun both went inside, no one outside would protect him and fend off those sect disciples.

Besides, Jiang Lingzhou and Xie Wenyun had never gotten along very well. Gu Yi was also worried that they would start fighting again once inside!

The three walked for a while without encountering a single demonic beast. After some discussion, they found a clearing and prepared to rest for a bit.