"Xun'er, let's get divorced."
Gu Fei's voice cut through the tranquil air of the bamboo balcony, cold and final. He turned to face her, his eyes unreadable as they locked onto Xun'er, who had just stepped inside, her smile still fresh from whatever joy she'd carried home.
"What did you say?"
Xun'er's golden eyes widened, her fingers freezing mid-motion. For a heartbeat, the world seemed to stall.
"A divorce," Gu Fei repeated, his tone devoid of hesitation.
Once, he had been a man from Earth—until a fatal accident hurled him into the Dou Qi Continent. Reborn as the grandson of the Gu Clan's 8-Star Dou Saint, the Black Annihilation King Gu Lie, he had grown up alongside Xun'er, their childhood friendship blooming into something deeper in the eyes of their clan.
But fate had other plans.
Patriarch Gu Yuan had ordered Xun'er to infiltrate Wutan City, to spy on the Xiao Clan and seize the Ancient Void Dragon's Jade—a relic of unimaginable power.
Back then, Gu Fei had been powerless to stop it. A mere child, his protests meant nothing against the will of the clan.
So he had watched, helpless, as Xun'er was sent away.
Yet in the years that followed, he swore to bring her back.
Through relentless cultivation, he rose to become the Gu Clan's most dazzling prodigy, surpassing even the once-favored Gu Qingyang. His influence now rivaled the elder council itself.
And when the time came, he demanded Xun'er's return—and her hand in marriage.
Gu Yuan, recognizing his strength and status, agreed without hesitation.
But marriage had not bridged the distance between them.
For six months, Xun'er had refused to consummate their union, recoiling from his touch. She treated him with frosty indifference, as if he were a stranger sharing her home.
Gu Fei had tried everything—patience, kindness, devotion—but it was all in vain.
And today, that radiant smile of hers hadn't been meant for him.
It had been for the news Ling Ying brought—news of Xiao Yan.
Xun'er had secretly gifted Xiao Yan a core Dou Technique scroll.
She had even promised him the Golden Emperor's Heavenly Flames, one of the clan's most guarded treasures.
And now, she had arranged a secret reunion in Wutan City.
As her husband, Gu Fei had received nothing—not a single gesture of warmth.
Yet she would give everything to another man.
How could he tolerate such betrayal?
"You… Gu Fei, don't be absurd. We've only been married for half a year!"
Xun'er's voice wavered, her delicate hands clenching into fists.
Gu Fei remained silent, his gaze piercing.
The quiet between them was answer enough.
"No! I refuse!"
Her golden eyes flashed with defiance.
"We've lived peacefully—no arguments, no conflicts! What have I done to deserve this?"
She stepped forward, her voice rising.
"I've done nothing wrong! I won't accept a divorce!"
As the Patriarch's daughter, her reputation was everything. A divorce would stain her honor, inviting scorn and speculation.
She would never allow it.
[Ding! Xun'er's anger surges. Emotion value +100.]
A familiar chime echoed in Gu Fei's mind.
Years ago, after Xun'er left, he had drowned in despair—until the Emotion Upgrade System awakened within him.
By harvesting emotional energy from those blessed by fate, he could grow stronger.
And it was this power that had propelled him to where he stood now.
"Peaceful? Hah."
Gu Fei's lips twisted into a sneer.
"What right do you have to refuse?"
Xun'er had once been gentle, but now, she was ice. Even as his wife, she treated him like a ghost in her life.
"What right?!"
Her composure shattered.
"You can't just cast me aside like this!"
[Ding! Xun'er's fury intensifies. Emotion value +200.]
"Cast you aside?" Gu Fei's voice dropped to a venomous whisper. "You were never truly mine to begin with."
"You—!"
"Tell me, Xun'er. Who were you meeting just now?"
Her breath hitched.
"Ling Ying is my elder! She cared for me when I was young. Is it wrong to speak with her?"
Gu Fei scoffed.
"You weren't speaking to her. You were asking about him."
Xun'er's pupils shrank.
[Ding! Panic and anger detected. Emotion value +100.]
"Lies! Xiao Yan is just… just a brother to me!"
"A brother?" Gu Fei's voice dripped with scorn. "Then why steal the clan's secret techniques for him? Why promise him the Golden Emperor's Heavenly Flames?"
"Why track his every move?"
He stepped closer, his voice a blade.
"And why… have you already planned your next embrace?"
Xun'er's face paled.
Gu Fei had seen enough.
A woman whose heart belonged to another—no matter how beautiful—was not worth his suffering.