《Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way》 Chapter 1 Cultivation to become an immortal, cultivation to become an immortal. Immortals are heavenly beings in the first place, so who came up with the idea of being able to cultivate Immortality? It turns out that mankind, the so-called superior race, is nothing but an experiment to them. What a joke. Suihan, did you know? The Wayis alive. Ahh! The young man woke up with a start. He panted and licked his chapped lips, then downed the cup of tea next to him. His body shuddered as he felt the cold tea go down his throat. Young Master, did you have a nightmare again? The maid sleeping soundly in the adjacent room had been woken up by the young mans shout, so she had gotten up and walked into his room with a lantern to check on him. When she saw his pale face covered in perspiration, she quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe his face. Im fine. Its an old problem. The young man pushed the maid aside gently and got up. Color slowly returned to his face. He asked softly, What time is it now? The maid carefully wiped away his perspiration, took a look at the sky, and replied, Its somewhere between 3 and 5 am1, so you can still sleep for a while more. The young man took the handkerchief from the maid and gave his face a few quick wipes. Then he said calmly, Never mind, Im going to get changed and sit in the pavilion for a while. Its still early, so you can go back to sleep. A short while later, the young man strolled towards the pavilion with a bottle of wine in his hand. The young mans surname was Gu, and his full name was Gu Suihan. He was seven years away from becoming an adult2. His family had a monopoly over the entire citys rice supply, so even though they werent super-rich and powerful, they were undoubtedly a well-to-do family. The Gu family had three sons and two daughters. Gu Suihan was number four in the family. The eldest had become a court official three years ago and was now the Executive Secretary of this state. The second son was waiting to take over the family business, while the third sister had already gotten married the year before. The youngest daughter was only seven years old this year, so she was at the height of both innocence and playfulness. Compared to all of them, Gu Suihan was more accomplished. He could walk at six months, could read at one, and apparently, he was the one who named himself Gu Suihan at two, which earned him a beating from his parents. Several other incidents would have made others deem him a genius. Still, nobody knew that Gu Suihan had merely inadvertently revealed some of his abilities in his quest to understand this world more quickly. To the people of this world, the name Suihan was synonymous with a prodigy. But to the people on Earth, this name was synonymous with a notoriously vicious and coldblooded wicked man. As for why he was in this worldit wasnt because of some ridiculous transmigration process or because he had been reborn. It had happened because he was conducting an experiment on Earth. Suihan had spent 300 years collecting treasures from around the world and was even willing to wipe out families and massacre cities to do so. After that, he spent another hundred-odd year arranging all these things into a formation that covered the entire continent. He did all this only because he wanted to know if immortals truly existed. The billions of souls that once belonged to a living thing were the energy source for this formation, but all he could see were a few blurry snippets in the long river of history. Yet, this thing that had no beginning or end turned out to be the thing that quietly awakened the young mans understanding of the Way of Heaven. But when it came to a mere mortal like Suihan, someone who had barely any power but desired to understand the truth behind history, the Way of Heaven decided to get rid of him without any hesitation. The result was obvious. The things that Suihan had relied on C those precious treasures and ritual tools that he had taken away by force and the magic weapon3 he had spent close to a thousand years refining C were turned into dust in an instant from the fury of the Way of Heaven. The fact that he was close to becoming an immortal meant nothing in the face of the Way of Heaven. Suihan had no choice but to use his trump card. He self-imploded, abandoning all his years of cultivation, and even endured a searing pain that was a million times more painful than being skinned alive4 or being tied to a burning pole5 as he forcibly tore his soul into eighty-one parts, hoping that it would be enough to fend off the attack from the Way of Heaven for even just a while. After that, the remaining consciousness of his soul, which was barely the size of a palm, was wrapped in a strange piece of animal hide as it rushed into a space-dimension teleporting formation. But that attack that seemed able to pierce through the space dimension was only blocked for a moment before it smashed hard onto the formation plate of the teleporting formation, which destabilized the spatial passageway. Suihan could only hope for the best as he squeezed into the nearest crack in the space dimension. Thanks to that piece of animal hide, Suihan successfully got through that crack and came to this world. It took him a lot of effort to finally find the newborn baby of the Gu family. And just before his consciousness disappeared completely, he took over the babys body. As for the animal hide that had gone through so much danger and disaster to protect Suihans remaining consciousness, it had slowly disappeared into nothingness when Suihan passed through the crack. Gu Suihan put the bottle of wine down on the stone table, wiped a finger against the lip of the bottle to wet it, then drew a few strange symbols. These symbols seemed meaningful yet nonsensical simultaneously as if they contained a strange concept within. These symbols were none other than those on that animal hide that had already disappeared. They were also the reason behind Suihans madness. That piece of animal hide had a few thousand symbols on it, and despite Suihans best efforts, he only managed to find out the meaning of a few dozen of them. None of them seemed connected to one another, and he didnt know what any of them really meant. But when his Master was struggling to survive the heavenly tribulation when he ascended to immortality6, he had clearly seen in his Masters eyes endless despair andgreat sorrow. In the end, his Master had died. While he was supposedly receiving the aura that only immortals had7, his Master had imploded his own soul to barely make a crack in this aura and threw a jade slip8 at Suihan before being completely destroyed. Only one sentence was carved onto the jade slip C Heaven is alive! These three simple words struck terror in Suihans heart then, and one might wonder why. Anyone who cultivated knew that one needed to go through many disasters in life and survive tribulations to attain longevity. Only then would one genuinely understand the Way, untangling oneself from the cycle of cause and effect and living for a long time to come. Longevity did not mean eternal life. But there was no doubt that only the most powerful had the right to pursue a longer life and control more resources. This was a process of endless cycles, yet countless intelligent beings were attracted to it. But if Heaven were alive and sentient, then did that mean that the Great Way and the Way of Heaven that living creatures pursued with all their life was actually nothing but a joke? At that time, Suihan had only reached the Five Qi Condensation level and survived one disaster and one affliction, so he hadnt thought too much about this. He only realized what these words truly meant when he was about to understand the Way and was overcoming the tribulation to become an immortal. The strange animal hide, his Masters look of despair, that mysterious pair of eyes hidden within the heavenly tribulation, and the few blurry snippets he saw in the long river of history that had cost the lives of countless living creatures. All of these had made Gu Suihan deeply wary of this so-called Way of Heaven. But even more than that, he was both terrified and curious. I dont care what on Earth you are. But since I escaped your grasp once, then the day will come when I finally reveal what you really are, murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he subconsciously tapped his finger against the stone table. Whos there? shouted Gu Suihan in a low voice as he narrowed his eyes and flung the bottle of wine towards the shadow hiding in the corner. At the same time, he reached his left hand into his sleeve and wrapped his hand lightly around his dagger. Crash! The bottle of wine broke and a black shadow charged towards Gu Suihan as quickly as lightning. A blade came down, accompanied by a whooshing sound as it cut through the air. Young man, youre not bad. I stopped breathing for just one moment and you discovered me. Dang! Gu Suihan raised his hand to dodge the attack, turned his wrist and leaped into the other partys embrace. The dagger in his hand was now about to slice the arm that the other man used to hold his sword. Heh heh! Youre really not bad. The attacker retreated very calmly but quickly, one arm brushing past Gu Suihans wrist before sitting down leisurely across from Gu Suihan. He poured himself a cup of wine as if the wine belonged to him in the first place and said quietly, No need to panic. I dont mean any harm. The man had merely brushed past Gu Suihans wrist, but that wrist was now weak and aching. But since the other man did not look like he intended to kill him, Gu Suihan kept his dagger away and sat down again. Gu Suihan sized up the man in front of him with only the little light the moon afforded him. In the 15 minutes you spent hiding here, you didnt move at all. Also, theres a lot of bloodstains on you. You dont look like a good man to me. The man was dressed in dark colored fitting clothing, his body covered in several tiny cuts and both his sleeves and shoulders were stained with blood. The man spoke in a nonchalant and calm manner, but Gu Suihan could sense an air of confidence from him. His numb and achy arm also forced him to become more wary of this man. You can stop staring now. Im on a mission to kill a traitor from my sect and we were engaged in a fight earlier. He injured me pretty badly and got away, but I cant be bothered to chase after him. The mans sharp gaze scanned Gu Suihans emotionless face, then laughed quietly as he explained, I came here because I was hoping to catch a couple of fish to eat, then I spotted you coming out here to drink in the middle of the night instead of sleeping, so I got curious. I thought Id just hide here and observe you for a while. A traitor in your sect? Gu Suihan took back the bottle of wine from the other man and asked calmly, Youre from Seven Kill Sect? Youve heard of it? You know quite a bit for your age. What else do you know? Tell me everything you know. Gu Suihan scoffed and glanced at the other man. Your chest is emblazoned with a symbol that shows youre a disciple from Seven Kill Sects Disciplinary Hall. Your fingers are long but you dont have any calluses that most swordsmen would have, which means that youre not actually an expert in swordplay. On the contrary, the technique you used on my arm earlier and the speed at which you retreated just now are what youre truly good at. You look young but your eyes hold discernment; your skin is fair but it is tougher than the skin of an ordinary human. All of these things are more than enough to prove who you are. Oh? So you can still tell even if I didnt have this symbol on myself? The mans interest was piqued after hearing Gu Suihans analysis. There are too many obvious signs. But most importantly, Fenglin Nation is the Seven Kill Sects territory. As long as youve got a brain, you wouldnt dare to go against Seven Kill Sects law and go around killing another person, uttered Gu Suihan as he downed a cup of wine. His words dripped with sarcasm. The other man rubbed his nose embarrassedly for a moment before suddenly asking in a surprised voice, Since you know that Im from Seven Kill Sect, why werent you afraid at all? All ordinary folk, including even the mayor of this city, would have to treat me extra politely. Arent you afraid that I might find you offensive and kill you? Its true that cultivators are a rank above ordinary humans and they can do great wonders at their whim and fancy. However, Gu Suihans expression grew aloof as he said this, only those above Foundation Establishment stage or those whose dantian has reached its maximum level can do such things. But you? Youre really fast, but youve really only just started to refine your blood and bones and you havent even started on your journey to understand the Way, which only makes you a slightly more powerful ordinary person. Why should I be afraid of you? In ancient China, a day was split into 12 two-hour intervals, so they only knew roughly which interval it was based on the color of the sky.? In short, hes 13 years old.? Some novels will translate this as Spirit Tool, which is literal, but it usually refers to an item that is used in a ritual/used as a weapon/used for cultivation/used for refining and it has a life of its own of sorts, or in other words, it has Qi.? This refers to an ancient Chinese punishment where you basically get skin sliced off piece by piece until youre dead.? Another ancient Chinese punishment where youre tied to a hollow brass column that has a roasting fire on the inside and you essentially slow burn to death.? Because immortal cultivation (generally) goes against the Will of Heaven, the Heavens will send down tribulations to oppress high-level cultivators who make progress towards Immortality, often right when they enter a new cultivation stage. Thanks wuxiaworld for writing this in proper English.? Presumably referring to all that lightning the Heavens was raining down on the Master as a tribulation for trying to become immortal.? A small flat piece for writing.? Chapter 2 - Breaking the Karmic Cycle Chapter 2: Breaking the Karmic Cycle Im surprised you know so much about us cultivators. Are you one of those people attempting the disciple selection thats happening in seven days? The man didnt seem angry because he knew that even though Gu Suihan spoke rather sarcastically, he spoke the truth. It hadnt been easy for this man to get a chance to roam about outside on the pretext of hunting down a traitor. He was out here to find out if any talented people were going for the disciple selection in hope of getting close to them. Well see. Gu Suihan nodded calmly, and his unbothered expression clearly puzzled the man. To him, every person dreamed of cultivating the Way and attaining longevity, but oddly enough, Gu Suihan didnt seem interested at all. He was about to ask more when Gu Suihan looked up at the sky and murmured, The sun is about to rise. Then he picked up the bottle of wine and walked away without waiting for a reply. What a strange fellow, muttered the man. He stomped hard on the ground, leaped over the fence with a few steps and disappeared into the distance. Gu Suihan strolled towards the main hall of the house. According to the rules of his family, he had to greet his parents when he entered this part of the house. In reality, his parents and most of the family didnt really like having to interact with Gu Suihan because the look in his eyes made them feel very uneasy. This was a shared sentiment among the family. Gu Suihans father, Gu Qingfeng, initially thought that his son was merely more mature than his peers and favored him at first. But as his son grew older, he began to realize that the look in Gu Suihans eyes made Gu Suihan seem like a very distant stranger. His gaze was calm and aloof, like a god looking down at the mortals he had created. All this time, Gu Suihan spent most of his time alone in his little area on the outskirts of the main manor and everyone just did their own thing without having to cross paths with him. Gu Suihan never asked his family for money either and nobody knew where he got his money from. For some reason, the things he ate and the clothes he wore were always more luxurious than anything his elders had. Of course, it wasnt as if nobody had tried stealing from Gu Suihan. But every time someone tried, that persons corpse would be found hanging at the potters graveyard outside the city. One of those corpses was Gu Qingfengs second brother who was Gu Suihans second uncle. After that incident, Gu Suihan interacted even less with the outside world. Today, Gu Suihan decided to see his parents only because he felt that it was time to cut ties with this bodys family. He had gotten used to being alone all the time and had no plans to support this family nor form his own faction of power. To him, the losses he would suffer from having these things outweighed any benefit they could possibly bring him. His parents were having breakfast in the smaller hall. Gu Suihan straightened out his hair and clothes, then walked in confidently and bowed. Greetings, Father. Greetings, Mother1. When he heard this voice, Gu Qingfeng froze as he was putting food into his bowl. He knew that this son of his would not come here without an agenda. In fact, it was more normal for them to not see Gu Suihan for two or three weeks as long as nothing major happened within the family. Gu Suihans sudden appearance made Gu Qingfeng panic a little. But Gu Qingfeng was mature enough not to let his doubts and worries show on his face. Come over and eat with us. Immediately after he said this, he realized that Gu Suihan was already seated across from him. Gu Qingfeng frowned at this rude behavior and opened his mouth to reprimand Gu Suihan, but in the end, he didnt say anything for some time and just let out a sigh. He asked quietly, Youre here very early. Do you need to talk to me urgently? No. Gu Suihan took one bite of the food, put his chopsticks down, looked at the few people seated before him and paused before continuing, Ill wait until Eldest Brother and the rest arrive. Gu Qingfeng was rather puzzled but didnt think too much about it, thinking that Gu Suihan had something urgent to discuss with them. The last time the family convened like this was when his second brother had been hacked to pieces. Thinking about this made him lose his appetite. He had lived for a few decades and had traveled far and wide, so he had seen a lot of the world. He was a businessman, so there were many underhanded things he had done in secret for the sake of profit as well. But there was no way he was able to continue eating and drinking as if nothing had happened after the murder of an elder like his son did. Once Gu Qingfeng put his chopsticks and bowl down, the entire hall fell silent. Even his wife, Madam Shen, dared not make any noise, afraid to anger her husband, who was now the head of the family. Madam Shen was not Gu Suihans biological mother. Gu Suihans biological mother had passed away from ill health when Gu Suihan was a toddler and had passed away fairly peacefully. Madam Shen was the mother to his eldest brother and sister. But unlike how stepmothers were always portrayed in novels, she didnt bully him just because his mother had passed on. Most of the time, she remained cordial towards him. While the few of them were seated in silence, Gu Qingfengs other sons entered the hall one after another. They were a little surprised to see that Gu Suihan was here as well and made their own guesses about his purpose for joining them at breakfast. Once everyone was gathered, Gu Suihan rapped the table and said flatly, I have 2,000 pieces of gold. The moment he said that the murmuring in the room stopped at once. What did you just say? The eldest brother, Gu Xinran, was gripping the ceramic bowl so tightly that the bowl creaked under the pressure. In comparison, the second brother, Gu Xinqing, didnt seem as agitated. But the fact that he was holding his chopsticks so tightly that they were cracking showed that he wasnt really as calm as he looked. I said, I have 2,000 pieces of gold. Gu Suihan lowered his gaze and scanned the rest of the room with a mirthless smile on his face. I can give it to you, but you must swear that from now on, the Gu family and Gu Suihan will have absolutely nothing to do with one another, and I want my name wiped out from the family genealogy. Everyone automatically turned towards the silent head of the family, Gu Qingfeng. Even though Gu Qingfeng had one foot in the coffin, he was still the head of this family after all. The old man hummed for a moment and tapped the table. He suddenly said, I can choose to disown you, but if you want to be erased from the family genealogy, I will need you to give me a good reason for doing so. To be very honest, the old man didnt want to do this at all. But when he saw the burning gaze in the eyes of his two older sons, he couldnt find it in himself to turn Gu Suihan down. Gu Suihan was not likable in many ways, but he was still his son after all. At the same time, Gu Suihan was offering 2,000 pieces of gold. How much was 2,000 pieces of gold? That was enough to expand the family business that the second son now handled by at least five times. They would even have enough capital to expand their business into a different city. His eldest son could also choose to contribute some to the court and thereby save himself the next 30 years of struggling to get a promotion. I want to cultivate the Way. Gu Suihan wasnt the least ruffled by the old mans question and rolled his eyes. The biggest taboo for a cultivator of the Way is to be entangled in any sort of relationship with others. Even though I have never been close to anybody in the family, family karma is not something you can end so casually. Since Gu Suihan wanted to draw the line so clearly, there was no point in saying anything. The old man opened his mouth but ended up sighing instead. Gu Suihan looked at the old man who seemed like he had aged by another ten years, then got up slowly and said, Since nobody has any objections, lets go to the ancestral hall to get this over and done with. He turned and started walking towards the door. Wait a minute! Just then, Gu Xinran suddenly broke his silence and raised his voice, Number three, how could you even find it in yourself to say such a disrespectful and unfilial thing? Father is getting on in age and its already bad enough that you spend so little time with him. How could you make such a ridiculous request? Besides Besides, nobody knows where those pieces of gold came from either. Im pretty sure a huge sum like that must have come in through illegal means, Gu Xinqing chimed in with a suspicious look on his face. Tsk. Gu Suihan stopped in his footsteps and turned to look at his two older brothers. The covetous look in their eyes gave their hearts away. Gu Suihan snorted and said, So what if the money turns out to be ill gotten gains? Are you going to arrest me and force a confession out of me? Gu Suihan walked right up to his oldest brother and narrowed his eyes as he asked quietly, Would you even dare to do that? You Gu Xinran slammed the table and got up with a start as he shouted angrily, Do you know who I Pak! A palm landed on his mouth before he could even finish his sentence. Gu Suihan slowly withdrew his arm. Of course, you wouldnt dare to. If you really arrest me, nobody knows if that money would eventually end up in your pocket. Besides, are you even sure you can arrest me? A terrifying murderous glint suddenly flashed in Gu Suihans usually aloof stare. Gu Xinrans eyes were bloodshot and his whole body trembled from being too angry, yet he dared not even move an inch. His years of experience as a court official told him that judging from the look in Gu Suihans eyes, making any rash move would resign him to a fate no better than his second uncle. Can we go to the ancestral hall now? asked Gu Suihan quietly as he glanced at his two older brothers, then looked down to hide his piercing gaze. His voice was soft, but it sent chills down everyones spine. The only sound that filled the room was the sound of Gu Xinqing dropping his chopsticks. Gu Suihan looked like he was sending a warning to Gu Xinran, but he was also looking at Gu Xinqing from the corner of his eye. That side glance made Gu Xinqing feel terribly uneasy, especially after making those remarks earlier. He had been too distracted by the prospect of getting more money and he regretted it now. After Gu Suihan announced that he had 2,000 pieces of gold, the first thing that he and Gu Xinran were concerned with wasnt the amount per se, but with how they could possibly get all that money into their own pocket. But the way events unfolded after that snapped both of them back to reality. There were some people and some areas where you had to make sure you never crossed the line with them. Gu Qingfeng had been watching their exchange and suddenly let out a bitter laugh. Come with me, he said, then walked out of the hall with the help of a servant. Everyone filed out of the hall and Gu Xinran was soon left all by himself in the hall. Damn it! Gu Xinran kicked the table over, his eyes red with fury. He clenched his fists tightly and hissed, Gu Suihan, Ill kill you someday! But when he remembered that unfeeling look in Gu Suihans eyes, he wasnt confident anymore. Wait. He said he was going to cultivate the Way. Gu Xinran suddenly realized something. Seven Kill Sect. Gu Suihan must be headed for the Seven Kill Sect. Gu Xinran looked towards the ancestral hall and narrowed his eyes as he fell into deep thought. After he had successfully erased himself from the family genealogy, Gu Suihan felt like the burden on his shoulders had been lifted. He told the old man exactly where he had hidden the gold. Gu Suihan didnt care what the old man did with it and how he was going to split it. Without bidding anybody farewell, Gu Suihan packed a few things into a small bag and left the old estate that he had lived in for the past ten odd years. As he stepped out of the main gate, Gu Suihan randomly thought about what happened earlier at the breakfast table. In particular, Gu Xinrans angry bloodshot eyes and the threatening look on his face. I hope you dont do anything youd come to regret. A nasty smile spread across Gu Suihans lips instinctively. Gu Suihan hadnt said he was going to cultivate the Way as a mere excuse to leave the house. He really did intend to do just that. Even though he had millions of techniques in his memory, this was not the same universe he used to belong to. He was no longer that invincible character he used to be. He had no idea how to cultivate in this world, what the upper limits were, and he didnt even know the rules around here. Thats right. Cultivating the Way used to be called Cultivating the Truth, but it wasnt the same as the stupid cultivation of immortality that those novels liked to write about. At the end of the day, attaining immortality or nirvana was merely one point in the journey to pursue the Way. If one cultivated the Truth and the Way just to become an immortal, then one had it backwards. This universe is set in some ancient Chinese universe, so everything is very stiff.? Chapter 3 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 3: Meet Again Attaining immortality or nirvana was merely one point in the journey to pursue the Way. This was something that Gu Suihan slowly understood after he had reached that stage in his previous life. More importantly, the few symbols he had understood from that piece of animal hide were enough for him to remain on highest alert when it came to these beings called Immortals. But no matter how different the journey could be, the starting point was always the same. Cultivating the Way, or Cultivating the Truth, was basically nothing but the rules to gaining enlightenment. One had to have a good grasp of the rules and eventually break away from those rules amidst the often-confusing journey through the Way. Eventually making it beyond the Way and not getting stuck within the Way was the common goal that all cultivators of the Truth had1. But this process was terribly long and arduous. One wrong step and you would die and lose all the cultivation you had achieved up until then. There was no possibility of reincarnation at all. 80% would be absorbed by the laws of the universe to become part of the Way. The first step in Cultivating the Truth would be to do nothing but continually beat and put your body through suffering in order to open up your spirituality and transform your meridian channels. So, even though Gu Suihan didnt know much about this world, he wasnt going to let that ever get in his way. Besides, it wasnt as if any of these things were a great secret among people. The vast majority of cultivators were the exact opposite C many of them were more than happy to tell others about these fundamental concepts. This helped the cultivators save on spending resources to train new disciples on their foundation and it also helped to filter out those with big dreams but no talent. Of course, Gu Suihan was able to understand this mentality as well. It wasnt much, but the little he knew about cultivation in this world helped him to make an educated guess about the rest2. The result made Gu Suihan breathe a big sigh of relief. The rules of this world were nowhere as complete as Earths. And given Gu Suihans experiences and knowledge, he could even spot loopholes. It looks like even though my conclusion seems almost unbelievable, thats the only way to explain it. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes. The sudden revenge of the Way of Heaven on Earth, that undefeatable power, those extremely detailed rules of the Way of Heaven C all of these were signs that Earth was where the consciousness of the Way of Heaven existed. Or rather, it was a heavily wounded Way of Heaven. This was a power that could make Gu Suihan invincible, but when compared to distant history, the Way of Heaven was nowhere near good enough3. Gu Suihan smirked. Anything that had its mysterious veil removed would lose its sense of mystery, regardless of what it was. No matter how powerful something was, once the mystery around it was unraveled, it wouldnt drive one into despair anymore. Hello, young man. We meet again, a rather flippant voice resounded next to Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan turned to see that it was that Seven Kill Sect disciple who appeared the night before. Whats going on? The man looked quizzically at the little bag that Gu Suihan carried and scratched his head. Did you get chased out of the house? Gu Suihans lips twitched and was about to walk away when he thought of something. He raised an eyebrow and said in a resigned tone of voice, Not just that. Ive been thrown out of the family and my name has even been erased from the family genealogy. Oh my, Oh my. What on Earth did you do? The man clicked his tongue, then looked at Gu Suihan from the corner of his eye with a cheeky look on his face, Was it some family drama like those we read about in history? You argued with your father? Fell out with your brothers? Or He was clearly getting carried away, so Gu Suihan quickly changed the topic. What are you doing out here? The Seven Kill Sect is taking in new disciples, so Im sure youve got plenty to do, right? Arent you afraid that your seniors in the sect will punish you for gallivanting? Uh The man really wanted to tease Gu Suihan some more, but he answered Gu Suihans question anyway, I came out to eat something nice for once. The sect only eats things like Spirit Rice and the flesh of Magical Beasts, and those things are ridiculously expensive. Since Ive finally gotten the chance to get out of there, Im going to treat myself. Talking about the food within the sect clearly upset the young man. He looked like he had really suffered greatly. Gu Suihan merely smiled faintly at him but didnt respond otherwise. He turned and started walking towards an inn. The young man instinctively followed behind Gu Suihan and continued talking, Youre fairly young and it is noon time now. I dont think youve eaten yet. Why dont we get some food together? Its because you dont have any money, right? Gu Suihan stopped in his footsteps and turned to look a little exasperatedly at the other man. Judging from the way this fellow was just wandering the street, constantly looking around and how earnestly he had stared at Gu Suihan, Gu Suihan figured that this fellow didnt have any money on him. Then again, this fellow was supposed to have joined a sect and had already started his journey of cultivation, so he was on his way to join the world of immortals. An immortal wouldnt be carrying loose change around. Ehhow did you know that? The young man was both surprised and embarrassed at the same time as he scratched his head awkwardly. Gu Suihans eyelids twitched. They had just happened to meet once in the middle of the night. How was that enough to safely assume that Gu Suihan would be willing to treat him to a meal? Then again, Gu Suihan had some questions for the young man. After thinking about it for a while, he said, Let me find a place to stay, then well eat. He ignored the gleeful look on the young mans face and continued walking towards the nearest inn. The young man ran after him and said cheerfully, My names Li Rong. Whats yours? Gu Suihan, Gu Suihan responded emotionlessly. Lets go back to the first topic. Why did you get chased out? Did you get into a huge fight with your brothers? Or If you keep up this nonsense, Im not paying for your share of the food. Fine, Ill change the topic. Did someone spot you teasing a nice girl or something? Im changing the braised carp to green vegetables and tofu. No, no! Dont do that! Ill shut up! Waiter, get me a good room upstairs and some food, said Gu Suihan to a waiter as he stepped into the inn. He gave the waiter a few silver coins, then walked towards a table next to the window. They were on the second story of the inn and the table that Gu Suihan was walking towards was the best seat in the house. A thin screen separated the table from the rest of the room, and one could see everything happening outside the inn from the window without any obstruction. But choosing this table threw the waiter into a dilemma. The waiter was hesitant and awkward as he said, Sir, I suppose youve never come to the Stargazing Inn beforethis particular table is reserved for certain special guests, sowhy dont I find you another table instead? I guarantee its a good table too! Gu Suihan just kept walking anyway and said, Li Rong, you have a token from the Seven Kill Sect, dont you? Show it to him. Li Rong looked a little unhappy as he pulled out a white jade token with an intricately carved symbol of the Seven Kill Sect on it. He threw it nonchalantly at the waiter and made a face. Whats this? Someone from the Seven Kill Sect isnt good enough to sit here? Iuh The waiter hurriedly caught the token, afraid that it would be damaged if it landed on the floor. When he saw that the token was genuine, he smiled awkwardly at his two guests and said, Im sorry, sirs, but that seat has been reserved by the disciple of a big shot. Apparently, hes a disciple of a sect called the Vast Sky Sect. The Vast Sky Sect? Li Rong made a chewing action with his jaw, then said with a flippant look, The Vast Sky Sect isnt that great. If he gives you any trouble, tell him to look for me. You wont be implicated, dont worry. The waiter was relieved to hear these words and ran off happily. If anything happened, these cultivators were going to settle it among themselves, and it wouldnt be his fault anymore. After Li Rong sat down, Gu Suihan poured him a cup of tea and quietly said, The Vast Sky Sect is one of the seven major sects in the Luo Continent and its on par with the Seven Kill Sect. Theyre based in a place pretty far away from here and they usually take in disciples from there so that theres no unnecessary conflict. Why are they here too? Li Rong accepted the cup of tea from Gu Suihan and didnt look as annoyed anymore. He wasnt stupid. Gu Suihan had obviously made use of him just now. He didnt realize it at first, but once he did, he got pretty upset. But Gu Suihan had immediately poured him a cup of tea as a way of an apology. That meant that Gu Suihan didnt take him as an idiot who could be tricked into doing his bidding. Brother Gu, you might not know this, but there are countless Ways to follow and every one of them says theyre THE Way. But each ones philosophy is different and each ones method is different too. Besides, living creatures who cultivate the Way are all trying to seek the truth and often plot against each other. The seven major sects have joined hands in fighting enemies before, but most of the time, theyre laying traps for one another. Li Rong narrowed his eyes and took a sip of tea. A mocking smile spread across Gu Suihans lips. He asked quietly, Is that supposed to be how they draw the line between the righteous and the wicked? The line between good and evil? Theres no such thing! Li Rong clearly didnt think this was worth any of his attention. He sneered and said, Whats considered righteousness? Whats considered wickedness? How do you define good? Or bad? It all depends on what others think it is, isnt it? Everyone just wants to make sure that others dont become too powerful, so they fight for their own benefit, then slander others and take the moral high ground. Oh? Gu Suihan looked at Li Rong with some surprise. If thats not righteousness against wickedness, what is? Everyone knows that its safer to take in disciples within your own territory. That way, you wont get traitors or suffer any damages. Li Rong fell silent for a moment and looked like he was struggling to decide whether to explain things to Gu Suihan or not. After a long time, he downed the cup of tea, wiped his mouth, exhaled deeply, and then said, Actually, its really because everyones personalities are different and they dont share the same values, plus every sect teaches their disciples different things. In the past, every sect would get some talented disciples whose personality did not suit the values of the sect. Initially, none of the sects thought this was a problem, until they realized that such disciples were either overtaken by distractions in their mind or they simply didnt achieve anything. It was a waste of their talent and a complete waste of time, so some left their sect and defected to a different one instead. That was when all those high cultivation level elders finally took notice. So, they decided to conduct a joint disciple selection instead, putting each person into the right sect according to both his character and his talent, Gu Suihan finished the explanation for Li Rong. Yes, and no. After hearing Gu Suihans conclusion, Li Rong glanced at him and calmly shook his head before explaining, If your gifting is merely average, you can join any sect, and nobody would really care. Were talking about cultivation sects, not corporations. Sects dont become powerful just because theyve got a higher membership count. Sects will choose to groom talented ones based on their character. After all, spending a lot of resources on grooming a bunch of useless fellows is pointless. Indeed. Looks like the person who came up with this must be very intelligent, Gu Suihan sounded a little impressed. Wasnt that just like those high school examinations on Earth? There were some differences in the details, but the principle was basically the same. You dont say, Li Rong sounded fairly impressed too. Chapter 4 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 4: Disciple Selection Foods here! the waiter called out. Several pretty waitresses approached the table one after another with trays and trays of delicious looking food. In that case, why dont they do it like the schools for ordinary people? They could take in students as young children, split them according to their talent along the way and teach them at that level, said Gu Suihan as he thought about the school system he knew from Earth. And you think these sects didnt think of that? Li Rong snorted in disdain. Someone from the Vast Sky Sect was the first one to come up with that suggestion, but a large majority disagreed with it. As for the reason why, said Li Rong before pausing to pick up a piece of meat and placing it in his mouth, Its because if you do that, the resources will have to be split evenly among each disciple, but not every disciple will yield the same return. Nobody would agree to a loss-making deal. I see. I have learned something new. Gu Suihan downed a cup of wine. Back on Earth, the Way of Heaven had pulled the wool over everyones eyes and led humankind to walk down the path of advancing external forces in order to advance their own individual power. This was unlike how people from the past chose to only make themselves more powerful. Furthermore, a large part of what truly happened in history had also been covered up by these messy layers of rules and norms. As a result, humankind slowly began to think that the immortals, gods, creatures and demons of the past were merely legends and not reality. Using schools, academies and examinations to teach and groom talents was a method only suitable for ordinary people who were stuck in the cycle of birth, aging, illness and death. But in the world of cultivators, every person was born with a different gift and a different personality. Some could attain longevity; some could even change the world and ignore all the rules that held this universe together. And because of that, schools and academies werent meaningful to anybody here. Gu Suihan had asked such a question earlier because he had lost way too many things he learned from Earth. He could only try to guess his way around and take one step at a time. There were just too many things he wasnt used to after suddenly plonking himself in the midst of so many fellow cultivators. While the two of them were deep in thought A slightly displeased voice suddenly filled the air, I was just wondering who would be so bold as to mess with me, Hu Xu from the Vast Sky Sect. So, its Senior Brother Li Rong from the Seven Kill Sect. The two of them snapped out of their thoughts upon hearing that voice. Li Rong looked up at Gu Suihan, only to see that the latter was calmly eating and drinking, as if that person didnt even exist and Li Rongs face lit up. He thought, looks like this fellow is testing how good a disciple from the Seven Kill Sect is. If I appear too weak, then this fellow is going to end up joining another sect. Li Rong had never thought of Gu Suihan as an average person at all. As far as Li Rong could tell, Gu Suihan definitely knew a lot about the world of cultivation. Plus, everything he did followed good logic, and he knew when to be offensive and when to back down, so he wasnt someone easily swayed by his emotions. Anyone who could display such high levels of self-control even before becoming a cultivator was definitely going to go far in the future. But what sort of credentials did Gu Suihan actually have? As a cultivator who used to have a power that could almost match an immortals, even though he had lost almost 90% of everything he learned from Earth, he could still remember a few thousand different moves from various sects. He could think of a few dozen ways to test ones Spiritual Root1 alone. The easiest way to do that was by using his own Spiritual Sense2 to check the other person. Even though it wasnt accurate to the finest details, it was enough to have a good understanding of the persons situation. He had barely managed to escape tribulation and arrived at this world with only 1% of his Spiritual Sense at its peak. Once his Spiritual Sense came into this world, it started roaming the area to look for the best body to take possession of. A good Spiritual Root had nine holes, long enough to be divided into eight sections and sparkle like gold or white jade. According to the way this world rated Spiritual Roots, one that sparkled like gold or white jade was of the Geng Gold3 type. If it was long enough to be divided into eight, it was a grade 8 Spiritual Root. Having nine holes meant that the soul it belonged to held promise. All in all, these properties made it a good Spiritual Root. But that was why Gu Suihan had never been worried about whether he was able to cultivate the Way or not. Joining a sect was meaningless to him. What he wanted to know was whether anything in this world had anything to do with that strange and mysterious Way of Heaven that existed on Earth. Meanwhile, Li Rong had already gotten up from his chair to face the one who had interrupted his meal. He smiled mirthlessly and said, Youre from the Vast Sky Sect? Who are you even? When the other man saw the disdain on Li Rongs face, the kindly smile on his face instantly disappeared. He retorted indignantly, Someone like you wouldnt know who I am. Youre just one of those relying on their fathers fame, so I dont think you have the right to be so proud of it. And so, what if I rely on my fathers fame? You dont even have that, said Li Rong as he made a face. Then he turned to the young lady next to the man and said, Are you from the Wonderful Sound Sect4 or the Yin Principle Sect? Wonderful Sound Sect, disciple of Qingrou Zhenren5, Wanxin greets Senior Brother Li, replied the young lady in a sweet and demure voice. She seemed as gentle as a fragile little flower. Qingrou zhenren? Li Rong immediately put on a serious face and straightened himself up. My father is Xiexin zhenren. Greetings, Junior Sister Wanxin. And what impressive background does this gentleman over here hail from? Senior Brother Li, why dont you introduce us? The man saw that everyone seemed to be ignoring him, so he directed his attention to Gu Suihan, who was still munching away quietly. But Li Rong merely shrugged and looked at the man from the corner of his eyes. Why do you want to know? Its none of your business. Why, you! The man started getting angry. It hadnt been easy for him to get close to someone influential like Wanxin and he had been hoping to use this chance to show off. Unfortunately, he had run into someone like Li Rong, who didnt care about giving him face6 at all and embarrassed him instead. Are you done eating? Gu Suihan was the one asking Li Rong. Li Rong grabbed a chicken drumstick from the table, bit off a large piece and said while chewing, Lets go. Ive lost my appetite after seeing someone from the Vast Sky Sect. What a shame. Gu Suihan randomly threw a gold leaf at the very tense and awkward waiter by the side and said, Dont bother finding me change. Any change can go towards footing the bill for this gentleman and this lady here. Thank you so much, sir! The waiter immediately brightened up and that constipated look on his face vanished. This gold leaf was only about as large as his fingertip, but this was more than enough for 20 meals, never mind two meals. As they walked along the street, Li Rong couldnt help but ask, Why did you ignore that fellow like that? His background isnt as influential as mine, but hes still no ordinary disciple. Arent you afraid that he might make things difficult for you? Afraid? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and asked Li Rong calmly in return, Why should I be afraid? Regardless of who he is, we are strangers after all. Besides, he doesnt know anything about me. Its only a few more days to the Disciple Selection. You think hes got the time and energy to make things difficult for me at this juncture? Youre right. Li Rong suddenly seemed to have remembered what his father told him before leaving, so he said, Good luck to you then. I need to go back first, otherwise my old mans going to tell on me. Li Rong raised his hand to pat Gu Suihan on the shoulder, but Gu Suihan dodged his hand almost unnoticeably. But Li Rong noticed that dodge and realized that his hand was covered in oil, so he grinned awkwardly and wiped it on his pants. He turned to stop at a small roadside stall, grabbed a few candied hawthorns7, then called out to Gu Suihan as if they were best of friends, Hey! Help me to pay for these! I dont have any money! Gu Suihan pulled out a few silver coins and said quietly, I still have other matters to attend to. Goodbye. The seven sects? Tsk. Gu Suihan closed the booklet in his hands. Li Rong had specially delivered this to him personally a couple of days ago and of course, got a free meal out of him at the same time. This booklet didnt contain any classified information. It was just a booklet to introduce the various sects. The booklet listed some of each sects famous techniques as well as a rough comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of each sect. The most famous of the sects were the seven major sects: Seven Kill Sect, War Demon Sect, Falling Star Sect, Vast Sky Sect, Wonderful Sound Sect, Yin Principle Sect and Youthful Clarity Sect. To put it simply, the first three sects were more powerful than the latter four, but not by that much. Otherwise, the first three would have dominated this place by now. Seven Kill Sect and War Demon Sect were famous for their extraordinary fighting abilities. Falling Star Sect was an expert in divination and setting of formations. Legend had it that the Major Mountain Protection Formation was actually the inferior version of the ancient Major Stars Formation. Among the latter four sects, Wonderful Sound and Yin Principle were sworn enemies. Wonderful Sound cultivated with the Way of Daoist Pitches to eliminate extreme emotion, while Yin Principle cultivated with the Way of Decadence8 to pursue fame and power. The Vast Sky Sect focused on cultivating vast amounts of Righteous Qi, claiming that as long as you have Righteous Qi in your heart, you will be able to ward off all demons in the world. This made them sound like a very upright and virtuous group of people, but to put it simply, vast amounts of Righteous Qi was just a way of amassing the faith and hope of ordinary people to make one more powerful. The Youthful Clarity Sect was famous for cultivating weapons. In other words, it was the same as the sword cultivation in those novels from Earth. Please dont think that carrying a sword and calling it your ~*magic weapon of destiny*~ would be considered sword cultivation. And dont harbor stupid ideas about using one sword to rule them all. These were just preferences. Some people liked using sabres, so would you call that sabre cultivation? Some people liked using a three-legged cauldron, so that was cauldron cultivation9? Seriously though, these people were known collectively as weapon cultivators because they were basically trying to merge their mind, bodies and weapon into one, which was a pretty extreme path. Those grandiose ideas about having one sword to rule them all was just something they made up. Not all, but at least 80% of all weapon cultivators were dirt poor. Each one had nothing but one sword and thats how they conquered the world. That makes them sound like really passionate and motivated individuals, but actually its just because they dont have money to buy magic weapons, so they have no choice but to try to refine their weapons to a point where it becomes one with their body. As for why there are more sword cultivators, there is only one reason: swords require less material to make. When Gu Suihan thought about how the novels on Earth described sword cultivation as an invincible concept, he couldnt help but let out a snort. For cultivators, there was no such thing as being invincible within the same realm. There were three thousand realms of existence in the Way, countless rules and regulations as well as millions of spells, talismans, magic weapons, formations and more invented and developed by incredible geniuses over time. The Clackers Bonsai Garden Todays snack recommendation: https://www.calbee.co.jp/en/products/detail/?p=20210304151047 This is how people cheat themselves into thinking theyre eating vegetables through potato chips. MSG: ***** Perhaps I should offer some tea. Chapter 5 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 5: The Back Door There was no such thing as being an invincible cultivator. Even a spoiled child needed a full army to protect him, never mind a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage or even a cultivator with the Three Huas and Five Qis1 who had entered into the Origin Core stage could also get chopped down anyway. Therefore, getting a breakthrough to the next realm was the poorest method of gaining power. Using magic weapons, talismans and other external items were the greatest source of power for cultivators. There was no way some lousy sword or that so-called Sword Spirit could possibly replace any of those things. After reading the entire booklet, Gu Suihan had a good idea of the sects in this world. He had to either enter the Seven Kill Sect or the War Demon Sect. The rest were a waste of time, because what he was looking for wasnt some powerful martial arts technique. He was looking for the long-lost history of the past. These two sects had been around for the longest time, so they probably had several secrets from ancient times. That alone made them much more attractive to Gu Suihan than the other sects. As for how the sects took in disciples, the booklet had included pretty detailed descriptions of the process. One had to be tested for their bones age, then tested for their gift in martial arts, then go through a test of their will and heart for the Way. After all that, you get to choose which sect you want based on your understanding of your true self. Testing for how gifted students were was probably going to eliminate 80% of the people. The rest would have to go through a test for the heart for the Way2. Having a good heart for the Way early on would reduce the chances of running into demonic distractions or obstructions in your cultivation journey3, but that was if and only if you even passed this test. For those who did not pass this test, they could either just return to their own lives and live like normal people or they could insist on cultivating anyway. But choosing to persist in cultivation usually ended in tragedy. Either they ended up being overcome by the demons in their heart, or their Qi got messed up and they died from an implosion. There were people who did manage to make it, but those were few and far between. Immortals. Humans who became immortals. Heaven. Nirvana. The few scenes that flashed by in that long river of history. The living Way of Heaven that Earth unfortunately encountered. Gu Suihan had an unparalleled thirst to know more about these things. But the first thing he needed to do was to become as powerful as he had been before. Without power, there was no point in talking about anything else. There were a couple of reasons why he didnt immediately dive into cultivation after he took over this body. Besides having few resources, the other big problem was that he didnt really understand much about the cultivators of this world. Becoming part of a sect with influence would make things a lot more convenient in the future. The Disciple Selection was happening the next day. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and stared at the candlelight in front of him. His eyes were unfocused, but his mind was busy thinking. Was the aim of cultivating the Way or the Truth really just to become an immortal? After all, he had practically reached the stage of immortality, but the Way seemed to extend much further. In the past, Gu Suihan might have believed in it with all his heart, but now, he sneered at it. Perhaps, he had to ask it himself. After thinking about these things for a long time, Gu Suihan finally put the candle out and went to bed. The next day, Gu Suihan slowly had his breakfast and only strolled out of his room when it was nearly noon. He wasnt in any hurry at all. Over the past few days, Li Rong had been a little doubtful of Gu Suihans potential and had secretly brought Gu Suihan into the sect to be tested for his gifting in advance. The results were very satisfactory, since Gu Suihan had a very good Spiritual Root, which wasnt something you saw every day. Li Rong was just hoping that Gu Suihan would turn out to be a good one too, anyway. If Gu Suihan turned out to be a sham, the people in his sect would just kill Gu Suihan and it would be the end of the matter. And because of these results, an old man named Li Xingwen, who was supposedly one of Li Rongs relatives from his fathers generation, immediately slammed the table and got up, declaring that he wanted to take Gu Suihan in as his direct disciple. Of course, Gu Suihan turned him down. This old man was someone who had been stuck at the Foundation Establishment stage for ages. Not only was his gift for martial arts poor, but he hadnt made it very far within the sect either. Why else would he have been sent to be one of Li Rongs lackeys? And this man thought he had a chance to become Gu Suihans Master? But Gu Suihan was still quite interested in the test of the Heart for the Way. After all, Earth was at a stage where cultivation was on the decline, so he could only observe a thing or two on the 80% of whatever was left of all things. In the end, Elder Li had little choice but to give Gu Suihan a token very unwillingly. This thing was like an exam hall pass. It didnt do much else, but it saved Gu Suihan time on lining up. As for why Elder Li didnt allow him to just join Seven Kill Sect directly, the reason was that there were other people from other sects present as well, since every sect usually kept an eye on each others happenings. But more importantly, nobody could tell exactly what sort of heart for the Way Gu Suihan possessed, and whether he suited Seven Kill Sects mantra: Those who obstruct my cultivation journey shall die. Those who distract me and make my heart waver shall die. I shall become the Great Way. My heart shall encompass the universe. In less abstract terms, the first two lines meant that anybody who stood in their way of cultivation, both physically and mentally, shall be killed without question. The last two lines were about becoming the perfected person, or an immortal, successfully transcending mortality. If Gu Suihan did not match their ideology, values and aims, then it was best for him not to join the sect and in most cases, he would be killed. It was foolish to leave someone who might become your enemy alive. But Gu Suihan was gentle, elegant, polite and extremely well-mannered. He didnt seem the sort who could enter Seven Kill Sect. After packing his things, Gu Suihan sauntered out of the inn very leisurely. The city center was already filled with people, like those parents who had put in their heart and souls into preparing their children for the national high school exams. But the difference was that if their children got into a sect, then even if they were classified as Outer Disciples, they would still enjoy the same social status as a court official. That was very different from the results of passing the national high school exams on Earth4. Why are you so late! Li Rong spotted the strolling Gu Suihan miles away and quickly ran over to drag him aside. Where are we going? asked Gu Suihan puzzledly as Li Rong pulled him far away from the crowd. Li Rong didnt even turn back as he said, Of course were going to wait in line for the third test! You mean, you want to go through the first two again? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow. It was like he had gotten access to the staff only entrance. He didnt say anymore and allowed Li Rong to drag him towards a heavily guarded door in the distance. Hey, why does that fellow get to go in while we line up out here? A fairly honest and earnest looking young man spotted Gu Suihan and immediately cried out to the guards. Youd better behave yourself, otherwise Ill cancel your eligibility, snapped one of the guards in an annoyed voice. He was clearly unfazed by the fact that Gu Suihan had been allowed to cut the line. Whyhow could you Before the young man could finish his sentence, the person next to him clamped a hand over the young mans mouth and hissed fiercely to the young man, Not all people are equal! That young man in front is obviously the son of a wealthy family! Dont go around making trouble unnecessarily! I dont want to be implicated for nothing. After the older man glared at the younger man several times, he turned to smile at the guard and said, Im so sorry, sir. Its my younger brothers first time outside of the village and he doesnt know anything. I hope you wont take it to heart. As he spoke, he secretly stuffed a few silver coins into the guards hand. The guard felt the coins in his hand and his expression became a lot friendlier. He reminded the two men, Just a word of advice. Becoming a cultivator isnt that easy. Some of those rich families have had connections to the best sects since their children were very young, so some people have already guaranteed their place in the sect. Dont create trouble or stir up anything if you can. Shutting up and saying and doing the right things at the right time is the one true way of life. Yes, yes, yes, youre so knowledgeable, said the older brother quickly in order to sound polite. Dont think that Im just trying to scare you two. The guard seemed to have sensed that the older brother wasnt taking his words seriously, so he scoffed and said, For us ordinary folk, if we do something wrong, the court will mete out punishment accordingly. But for cultivators, well, they might have found the way to attain immortality and can change the world with a wave of their hands, but there isnt any real law or rules governing their world. If one of them doesnt like your face, he might just disintegrate you with a slap and nobody would even bat an eyelid. The more na?ve younger brother paled at these words and quietly tugged at his older brothers sleeve as he whispered, Elder Brother, this place is so dangerous, and we could die if were not careful. What will our parents do if we end up dead? Why dont we Shut. Up. The older brother flung his younger brothers hand away and hissed back, If we go back now, well still end up being bullied by all those gangsters in our village. But if we can get into a sect, even an Outer Disciple will be treated with as much respect as a court official. Nobody will dare to bully us anymore! He licked his lips and said a little shakily, Anywayanyway, Im sure these sects have some sort of rules. How could a sect grow bigger and stronger if they just go around killing anybody they dont like? The guard looked at the two brothers with contempt and sighed before walking away as he seemed to mumble, Tsk, there are always these idiots who dont understand exactly how much danger theyre in. Of course, none of this was a problem to someone like Gu Suihan, who had skipped the entire line outside. After walking for some time along the corridor, Gu Suihan and Li Rong finally began to hear the sound of people chatting. How many disciples get selected each time? Gu Suihan suddenly turned to ask Li Rong. Why are you asking? Li Rong was puzzled, but he still answered the question, Its always been a few hundred each time. But most of them are only averagely gifted, so they usually get stuck at the Foundation Establishment stage for ages. Its pretty impossible to get to Origin Core realm if one doesnt have any chance encounter5. Gu Suihan was rather puzzled by this. This wasnt the same as what he remembered from those novels. A Foundation Establishment pill was insanely expensive and getting to the Foundation Establishment stage was as difficult as travelling to outer space. Actually, to put it simply, the Foundation Establishment stage was just firming up ones foundation. The part before this was ones human stage, where you had ordinary joints, bones, skin and organs, and it was best that you never injured any of the vital organs. But with the correct method, you could activate the Spiritual Root within your body, spread the Spiritual Root to all parts of the body and use Spiritual Meridians6 to replace the meridian channels in your body. This process was usually known as transcending mortality or establishing the foundation for you to become an immortal, therefore Foundation Establishment. Reaching Foundation Establishment was hard for two reasons. One was finding a technique to even activate ones Spiritual Root and it depended on how strong a cultivator was in fighting. If a low-level technique could transform a persons meridian channels into Spirit Meridians, that was considered not bad already. Some higher-level techniques were not only able to transform ones meridian channels, but were also able to transform some other smaller channels besides the 12 main ones. The more transformed meridian channels one had, the faster one would be able to absorb Qi and the faster one would be able to cultivate. The Clackers Bonsai Garden Todays snack recommendation: ؐ, Taiwans take on the Japanese senbei or rice crackers, comes in a million flavors now. But I dont think even the original is as salty as before because #healthyliving. MSG: **** Chapter 6 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 6: The Bird that Stands Out Gets Shot First The title means that the bird that stands out gets shot first. This Chinese phrase is similar to the nail that sticks out gets hammered first, but this also means someone who goes first or starts something first will often meet with failure. The second problem people had in reaching the Foundation Establishment stage was the problem of aptitude, because this was something you had to be born with. To illustrate, a good Spiritual Root was like an engine, while a technique to activate it was like its fuel. You could have really high-quality fuel, but if your engine isnt very good, your car can only go so far. Later on, some people eventually thought of using something external to increase the efficiency of the engine, which was the Foundation Establishment Pill. After consuming the pill, the engine would run at a speed above its normal limits for a period of time and help the car to go even further. As for any talk about sheer willpower, Gu Suihan could confidently state that among cultivators, there were some who were afraid to die and some who were timid, but most of them werent going to be the type to pull out at the last minute or hesitate for too long. Why? The answer was simple. Cultivation was like a single wooden log bridge over water. A bottomless abyss was below it and you could only move forward. There was no chance for you to back out or even hesitate for too long. And even if you didnt want to move along, someone would start pushing you from behind until you died. Is it very hard to reach the Foundation Establishment stage? Gu Suihan finally had to ask. Is it hard? Li Rong made a face, then replied, Actually, its not very hard if you are someone like us, gifted, with someone powerful to fall back on, and not lacking in resources. But, for those who have average aptitudes and below, its very hard. As he spoke, he patted Gu Suihans shoulder and said, Were here. Gu Suihan looked up and saw that the city center, which was usually bustling with activity, was now under very strict control. There were at least a few hundred soldiers on guard in the area. And from what he could see, there were a lot of people, but they were more or less divided into four camps. Why four? Because the three biggest sects took one area each, and the fourth area was for the smaller four. This was enough for one to see that even though there were supposedly seven major sects, the smaller four had squeezed themselves into the ranking and should not have been there. But just as Li Rong was about to pull Gu Suihan excitedly towards Seven Kill Sects camp, Gu Suihan tapped his shoulder gently and whispered, Im not part of Seven Kill Sect right now. There are many people from the other sects watching, so its against the rules to go over like that. Li Rong looked like he had just been enlightened and slapped his forehead as he said with a smile, I totally forgot about that! Go wait over there then, Ill go back first. Then Li Rong ran towards Seven Kill Sect without even turning back, and he seemed to look a little sad. Gu Suihan looked towards Li Rongs back and a mocking smile faintly crossed his lips before fading almost immediately after that. If he had allowed Li Rong to drag him to Seven Kill Sects area, he would be labelled as a someone with connections to the sect. If he eventually ended up in Seven Kill Sect, there would be no repercussions. But if he ended up elsewhere, he wouldnt be welcome. In the real world, nobody was stupid. Everyone was clever in their own way. There was no such thing as becoming instant friends or being as close as brothers. That was ridiculous. Even ordinary folk didnt behave like this, what more of cultivators, who could be killed at any moment along their cultivation journey? Gu Suihan sat down at the area meant for those who had passed the first two stages with an aloof expression on his face. The whole area was empty except for him. Not everyone was as lucky as him to have gone through the back door after all. Since he had nothing to do, he closed his eyes and started sensing his own body condition. He had already firmed up his physical body to its maximum, so he had spent most of his time over the past few years trying to repair his extremely damaged soul. Unfortunately, its foundation had been damaged and while the damage wasnt permanent, it was going to take a few hundred years to get it back to where it was. That is unless he got his hands on a ton of Spiritual elixirs, pills and herbs to carefully recalibrate everything again, and either way it was going to be very hard to do this. Perhapshe ought to do something crazy, like rob a bank or kidnap a rich mans kid. Gu Suihan was a little hesitant. He wasnt the type who was good at creating wealth, because he had no patience for accumulating a little at a time. Besides, it was quite risky too. Ill look out for a chance then, he thought to himself as he glanced about at the people from the major sects around him discreetly. As time slowly went by, the number of people in the area he was in began to fill up, but everyone was fairly quiet. Then again, so many people from the major sects were observing their every move, so it made sense that the ones who passed had to watch what sort of impression they gave. Only Gu Suihan went about eating and drinking and doing absolutely whatever he liked to entertain himself without worrying. There were nearly a thousand people within the area now and even though they were all speaking in low voices, the accumulation of their voices eventually made the place become more and more noisy. Their voices eventually started sounding like the buzzing of mosquitoes. At that moment, an old man stood up and coughed twice quietly. His gaze slowly swept across the entire area. His coughing wasnt loud, but it sounded like he was coughing right next to everyones ears. His authoritative gaze was so pressuring that everyone in the area instantly fell silent. The old man nodded slowly, then smiled faintly and said, Firstly, congratulations on making it through the first two rounds. Regardless of what happens in the third round, all of you will at least qualify as Outer Disciples. Immediately after he said that the entire area went into an uproar. It was hard for young people to hold their excitement in, and their first reaction was to talk excitedly to the people around them after hearing such words. Silence! yelled the old man with a frown. His voice boomed like thunder, causing the poor young ones who had yet to start their cultivation journey feel giddy and weak in the knees. Right now, you still have the chance to back out. The third round will test your heart for the Way, and it is difficult for ordinary folk. If youre not careful, you might lose your lives. Even though passing this round would be extremely beneficial to yourselves, you have to be very cautious, or you might find yourself in Huangquan.1 A fairly intelligent looking young man instantly widened his eyes and declared loudly, Were all on a journey to cultivate the Way and were going against the will of heaven in the first place. Theres only going forward and no going backwards C we wouldnt back out now! Before he could continue, another young man with a pretty face and a brocade robe snorted and threw the first man a mocking glance. He said flatly, What ignorance. One needs to decide when to move forward and when to move backward rationally on the journey of cultivation. Not being rash or impatient is the way to go. Their argument made everyone start to worry about things they didnt worry about earlier. They were just ordinary folks after all, so they didnt really know anything about cultivation, and even those with some influence only knew a little more than the others. The arguments on both sides sounded reasonable, which made the entire area start to hesitate on whether to continue this journey or not. Cultivating the Truth, cultivating the Way. What youre cultivating is yourself and the rules. These are all your own choices. Theres no such thing as only forward and no going back or one needs to decide rationally on whether to move forward or backward. Gu Suihan got up and looked calmly at the two young men whose faces and ears were already red from arguing. Gu Suihan turned and asked the old man, Sir, please tell us how this round works. The old man looked up at Gu Suihan and smiled. Its simple. Go in from the entrance behind me and walk all the way to the end and youre done. The entrance behind you? Gu Suihan looked at the translucent whirlpool illusion behind the old man and mumbled to himself, Its just a manmade secret realm. Why the need to make it sound so mysterious? He hadnt activated his Spiritual Root yet, so he couldnt sense any Qi. The only thing behind the old man earlier was a wall but now, it was an entrance to a secret area. Gu Suihan immediately realized that the old man must have used some illusion spell to make everyone think there was a wall, but had now removed the spell. Clearly, this old man had purposely created such an impressive looking illusion in order to show how mighty a cultivator was. The old man was still smiling as he said emotionlessly, All of you have the right to choose whether you want to go ahead or not. It is your own choice. After saying that, he flew back to his own seat and closed his eyes to rest. Gu Suihan stared at the entrance, gripped his long sword tightly, then started walking towards it slowly. When he was still about a couple of meters2 away from the entrance, someone ran past Gu Suihan and dashed into the entrance, as if he were afraid that if he wasnt the first one in, he would lose out on some benefits. But just a moment later, that same person screamed in agony and came flying out of the entrance again, nearly knocking into Gu Suihan in the process. Pfft! Immediately after he flew out, he landed on his face, sprayed a mouthful of blood out and promptly fainted. Everyone finally recovered from their initial shock and looked more carefully at the person who was now lying unconscious on the ground. His previously undamaged clothing was now covered with slits and the skin they could see through the slits were covered with bruises. Gu Suihan was just next to him, so he could also see the mans horrified expression. There were bruises on his face as well and his face looked slightly distorted too. Tsk. Gu Suihan made a face but didnt look like he was going to help at all. And because this fellows body was in his way, he kicked his body aside and didnt even give the poor fellow a second glance. At the same time, he scanned the cultivators among the spectators very quickly from the corner of his eye. He realized that most of them either looked unaffected or looked like they had expected this. A few of them were frowning or had their eyes closed, but he knew that these werent expressions of pity. These were a display of disgust and disdain. Looks like it takes a skill or two to get through this secret realm, he mumbled as he took a step into the entrance as if nothing had happened at all just now. I see, said Gu Suihan to himself as he looked at the completely different world before him. The secret realm he had walked into was not some fancy fairyland or desert oasis sort of place, like some might imagine. This place was spacious but sinister and had no signs of life at all. Any plants and animals that might have once existed were nothing but piles of bones and dried leaves. There was a narrow path ahead where he couldnt see the end of, and a chilly breeze blew from time to time, rattling the bones and making eerie noises that made ones hair stand on end. Gosh, this all looks pretty real. Gu Suihan wasnt the least fearful and even looked around freely, moving the bones on the ground aside as he liked. Oh look, theres really a plaque here. After exploring the area near the entrance for a long time, he discovered the bottom half of a plaque hidden under a small pile of stones. He could tell that there were some ancient words written on it with odd accents on them. Unfortunately, the upper half of the plaque had been shattered to smithereens by an unknown power. The Clackers Shaman Store Todays snack recommendation: Umaib Corn flavored deep fried thing thats all flavoring, MSG, oil and air. Also very cheap. MSG: **** Chapter 7 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 7: The Ghostly Huangquan Road? The only words Gu Suihan could barely make out on the bottom half of the plaque he had found near the entrance to the secret realm were the words for water and road.1 Such a sinister looking place and a stone plaque. Why does this look so much like the way Huangquan Road is usually described? He stroked his chin and murmured to himself, Could Naihe Bridge and the Sansheng Stone be along the road ahead too? According to legend, if you wanted to be reincarnated, you had to walk along Huangquan Road, look at the Sansheng Stone, pick a red spider lily, cross Naihe Bridge and drink Mengpos Soup before you could get to your next life. But some powerful cultivators knew that this legend was actually all real. And even more of them knew that this was like a nail that Buddhism had forcibly wedged into Daoisms door, a method of taking away the power it had from the faith of its believers. Why else would it be so troublesome to reincarnate? The six realms of reincarnation werent like a computer. It wasnt going to show a blue screen of death after too many reincarnations. But Gu Suihan was thinking about something else. This world was definitely connected in a big way to the Earth he had originally come from. Also, those few scenes he had seen in history were beginning to make a little sense. Let me see if Mengpo exists here then. His eyes glinted as he narrowed them. The stone sign for Huangquan Road was already broken. This secret realm was in pretty terrible shape, but one could also deduce that the person who created it might have actually seen what Hell looks like. Perhaps, it was also in shambles and was just as run down. At that moment, he felt like he had found another piece of thread in the huge ball of yarn he had. He had finally arrived at a rough idea of all the things that had stumped him for years. He put those thoughts aside and finally went to look carefully at the place that was supposed to test his heart for the way that was in front of him. As he took a step forward, his shoes came down on the scattered bones on the ground and made creaking and crunching noises. When he did that, it was as if he had flipped a trapdoor switch. The bloodied dry bones that were scattered everywhere slowly began to tremble. A Dry Bones Spectral Formation, a Hells Demons Formation, said Gu Suihan calmly as he looked at the scene before him. Its not bad, but its a pity that whoever set up this formation is not very well versed in formations, so this is like someone who looks at a tiger but ends up drawing a cat. Not very impressive. If the Seven Kill Sect elder sitting outside this secret realm right now heard such words, he would probably have a mental breakdown. This was something that he had created with everything he possessed. Not only could it be used to create and refine puppets2 as well as imprison cultivators, but it could also serve as a private cultivation spot. This had been very hard for him to achieve, and many fellow cultivators had been extremely envious of his achievements. But to Gu Suihan, it was just not bad. Shortly after Gu Suihan gave his scathing review, the dry bones on the ground suddenly flew up and charged at Gu Suihan at high speed, as if they were controlled by an external force. The countless bones quickly put themselves together into a bunch of very strange looking creatures C some had three heads and no legs, some with six arms and three legs. The combinations were endless. These things dont have Soul Fire3? Gu Suihan was a little surprised when he looked carefully at the aggressive and horrifying creatures coming for him. How did something like this end up in the hands of someone who doesnt even know how to do this right? Most items connected to the dark arts would also be intertwined with souls. Given the secret realm he was in, if these creatures were given Soul Fire, they would be at least ten times more powerful. If you threw in a few sentient dead soldier souls, then even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would end up dead. An Origin Core cultivator would have to be mentally prepared before making an attack. Gu Suihan had forgotten one thing. This secret realm was only meant as a test for potential disciples. They werent going to make it a deadly experience. Since these things had no Soul Fire, Gu Suihans plans were dashed. He had initially thought of using some method to forcibly snatch the Soul Fire from these skeletons in order to nourish his own damaged soul. It wasnt going to be enough to help his soul recover fully, but a little was better than nothing. Since youre not that formidable, Im not going to waste time here. Gu Suihan frowned and kicked the nearest monster to him aside, using the force from his kick to propel him forward. He wasnt moving very quickly, but he was very confident and in control of the whole situation. Countless monsters tried to attack him, but Gu Suihan dodged every single one of them, sometimes using the opposing force to help him run even faster. But that couldnt be helped. In his previous life, his cultivation journey had been a tough one. Before his Master died, he had just successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage. In order to reach higher levels, he had no choice but to think of every possible way of snatching, robbing and even killing. He had done every evil deed under the sun in order to attain a power close to an immortal. So, while Gu Suihan could claim to be an amateur in many things, the one thing he was definitely an expert at was running away, committing murder, plotting against others and escaping on foot. These things were so deeply ingrained in him, he never forgot how to do these things. As for these soulless and brainless skeletons, he didnt care for them at all. He had a rough idea of how this so-called test of ones heart for the Way was all about. It was meant to scare you, confuse you and force you to face your fears. In that case, the next stage was probably a delusionary formation, thought Gu Suihan as he continued to move forward swiftly and smoothly like a fish in water. About ten minutes later, the massive numbers of monsters thinned out and only a few stragglers were left wandering about aimlessly. The previous filthy and lifeless ground suddenly bloomed with red spider lilies in random places. But of course, even though these flowers looked like red spider lilies, Gu Suihan plucked one, looked at it, then casually threw it aside. These werent red spider lilies. The red spider lilies that grew in hell were supposed to be able to help you to remember your previous lifetime and the lifetime you just ended after eating it. It could also help to activate your Spiritual Root. But the best effect it had was that you could mix it with other Spiritual Herbs and refine it into a Life Enlightening Soul Cleansing Pill. If you ate this pill while gathering your soul4, it would lower the difficulty by at least 30%, so it was considered an item that could work wonders. But the flowers here were just angels trumpets, flowers with hallucinogenic effects. Besides being used by beginner cultivators to delude their enemies, it was good for almost nothing else. In fact, even ordinary folk used a bit of this to make illegal hallucinogenic drugs. How stingy! grumbled Gu Suihan angrily. His plans to use the things in this realm to strengthen himself had been foiled twice in a row and it put him in a foul mood. But the next thing he saw nearly made him lose his temper. I thought I was supposed to see the Sansheng Stone and water beneath the Naihe Bridge, he thought. What the hell is this?! Gu Suihan looked at the rundown wooden bridge ahead of him, the completely dry riverbed below it and the ugly rock next to it and couldnt help but curse. To be fair, the person who created this secret realm did a good job of making the atmosphere really terrifying and creepy. An ordinary person would probably have been frightened out of his wits. But who was Gu Suihan? Gu Suihan was someone who had nearly attained immortality back in the day. Even though cultivation was on the decline, he had stolen many items that were valuable to his cultivation journey. He had never seen such a pathetic and stingy set up in his life. Questioning Your Past Formation and Spiritual Root Awakening Illusion Formation. Gu Suihans eyes were bloodshot, and he spat hard as he snapped, What is this garbage? Its just a lousy formation to make a person enter into a dreamlike state! And a formation to make one become deluded about themselves! Some test of the heart this is! This time, Gu Suihan didnt even have any curiosity left in him. He stepped onto the bridge and entered the first formation about his past, breaking the formation instantly as he sliced an apparition of his dead Master without hesitation. After that, he kicked the rock that had the words Sansheng Stone on it and something seemed to appear in his heart. A voice suddenly called out to him from inside, You. Why do you want to cultivate the Truth? Of course, its because Gu Suihan nearly let slip his answer but snapped out of his daze almost instantly. He stared straight at the plain looking rock and said, What are you? Im the one inside your heart to Go to hell. Gu Suihan smacked his palm against the rock and the rock made terrifying screechy noises. I cant believe a spirit that a secret realm just produced knows how to act all mysterious and godlike. Howhow did you know that? The voice was very surprised. This person didnt have any Qi at all and as far as the voice could tell, this persons Spiritual Root had not been awakened either. In short, this boy was just an ordinary human. How did he know so much? Why not? Gu Suihan scoffed frostily. And you even asked me why Im cultivating the Truth. If I told you, would you even understand? Gu Suihan suddenly narrowed his eyes and said, No, youre not a spirit from this secret realm. Otherwise, you wouldnt be so weak. Besides, why are you hiding on this lousy rock? His voice suddenly grew hostile, Youd better come clean with me. What are you? The rock suddenly stopped speaking, as if it was truly a non-living thing. Tsk, playing dead? Gu Suihan wasnt going to just let things go like that. He pulled out the dagger he carried with him all the time. Several Daoist scriptures were carved into the handle, while the jagged edged blade gleamed a greenish color. There were four indentations along the blade that were meant for collecting blood. It was clear that this thing was not something that any ordinary person would come up with. Only an asshole who constantly plotted against others like Gu Suihan would have thought of this. Gu Suihan had spent several thousand pieces of gold to get this from a secret black market. That black market specialized in selling items from cultivators. Gu Suihan had managed to buy this mostly because the stall owner didnt know that this was actually a piece of Blood Marked Steel5 and was simply selling it as an abandoned sword. Gu Suihan brought it back, removed some impurities and turned it into a dagger. Even though it wasnt some magic weapon or spiritual item, this was a practically indestructible and formidable weapon for someone who hadnt reached the Foundation Establishment stage yet. He had also specially coated it with the poison from Soul Breaking Grass. The poison didnt make a difference when killing an ordinary person but stabbing this into an unsuspecting cultivator would seal up the other partys Qi instantly, making him revert to an ordinary person for that moment. It was a low level but extremely effective weapon. The Clackers Shaman Store Todays snack recommendation: Lime Black Pepper Potato Chips I take a bit of issue with the delectable crunch in their description, because the seal on these packets are not always the best. But the slight sour and spicy taste makes you forget the crapload of salt in it. MSG: **** Chapter 8 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 8: Cheating Craaack! Gu Suihan exerted some force and stabbed his dagger into the rock. The smooth surface of the rock started making ear piercing cracking noises and the formation lines all over it were completely destroyed. Stop, stop it! The voice suddenly started pleading with him. If my guess is correct, your actual body is hiding inside this rock. The person who created this secret realm didnt do a thorough check when he chose this rock and threw you into this place. A faint smile spread across Gu Suihans lips. But now, Im even more curious to find out exactly what you are, since you actually managed to attain intelligence. The voice suddenly fell silent again, as if it was wondering whether to tell Gu Suihan or not. This made Gu Suihan even more puzzled now. He had checked this thing and was sure that this thing had only attained intelligence not very long ago. Otherwise, it couldnt be so weak that it couldnt fight back at all. But that didnt make sense either. How did something that just attained intelligence have such a high IQ? This thing was smart enough to know how to tempt others. It never crossed Gu Suihans mind that it could be some bullshit like a magic weapon, a Daoists soldier1 or a divine-level item. Only a dumb person would hope for something this good to fall from the sky. Spit it out! I dont have a lot of time to waste here, said Gu Suihan with a murderous looking expression on his face. I dont know what I really am either! By the time I gained intelligence, I was already inside this rock, a trembling reply came from the rock. Ill do you a favor and help you to see exactly what you really are, said Gu Suihan before turning his dagger around to knock the handle against the already cracked rock. Dont worry, I wont damage your actual body. Craaack! The rock finally crumbled under the impact of Gu Suihans knock and fell to pieces. Gu Suihan pushed away the pieces of rock and stared speechlessly at the thing in front of him. How did I become so broken the voice suddenly rang out from the thing among the broken rock pieces. It was broken alright. From what Gu Suihan could see, this should be a knife. Or to be more accurate, this was a knife that was only left with half its blade. The thick layer of rust on the blade told him that this knife was already extremely damaged. He could still see several mysterious Daoist runes on the handle even though it was badly tarnished. Dang! Dang! Gu Suihan ignored the cries of the knife and used his dagger to hit the thick layer of rust, only to find that the rust wasnt budging at all. When did you become intelligent? asked Gu Suihan with a frown as he looked more carefully at the broken knife. It thought for a while, then answered, I got here shortly after I attained intelligence. Thats odd, mumbled Gu Suihan to himself. Even a 10,000-year-old magic weapon thats in one good piece would never attain intelligence, what more one thats so badly broken. Could this thing really be a Daoists soldier? Gu Suihans voice suddenly went up in pitch as he said the last sentence out loud. His voice was filled with shock. But he immediately shook his head after that and threw that option out. Daoist soldiers were able to fend against Qi attacks from other powers, could last for almost all eternity and could naturally produce Daoist runes. Even if 100,000 years passed, they wouldnt end up half broken and rusty like this. After a short pause, Gu Suihan shook his head again and muttered to himself, Never mind, Ill look at it again later. As for how the rest of the potential disciples got through the third round with all these delusionary formations, that had nothing to do with Gu Suihan. In his opinion, none of these stages mattered at all. He then stuffed the broken knife into his bag and ignored the angry protests of the latter. Let me out! I dont want to leave with you!! The knife shouted angrily from inside the bag, and it even started moving slightly. After a while, Gu Suihan couldnt stand its constant whining anymore, so he flung the bag onto the ground and stepped on it, then said with a mirthless smile, I know what youre thinking about. Youre hoping to trick some fool into thinking that youre some magic weapon and treat you like a treasure, arent you? Dont you dare think that I cant do anything about you. If you prefer, I can always erase your intelligence right now. Youre just an ordinary person who hasnt even activated your Spiritual Root! How are you going to erase my intelligence? the knife snorted disdainfully. I could use my blood in a Daoist rite or use my Spiritual Sense to crush it. Its so easy to get rid of your intelligence. Gu Suihan didnt even have to think very hard. This was all very simple to him. In fact, he knew many more ways to get this done. Youyoure just an ordinary man! You cant possibly have Spiritual Sense! Thats something that only cultivators that have fused their soul can do! The knifes confidence began to chip away when he heard Gu Suihan talk about these methods with such familiarity. Gu Suihans gaze grew sinister as he threatened the knife, Thats not for you to know. Behave yourself and you might get a chance to reincarnate into a higher being and even get the chance to cultivate. OtherwiseI think you know whats coming. The knife instantly shut up and behaved itself after that. It wasnt smart, but it wasnt stupid either. Gu Suihan picked up his bag again, then looked at the scene behind him, as if he was trying to engrave it into his memory. After some time, he finally sighed and walked into the whirlpool illusion in front of him. The sudden burst of light forced Gu Suihan to shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw a large face moving about in front of him and his first instinct was to slap it. Pak! The sound of his slapping was followed by a familiar sounding yelp. When he could see more clearly, he realized that Li Rong was clutching his cheek and glaring at him angrily, so he explained, I couldnt see clearly just now, so I didnt realize it was you. He spoke with very emotion and clearly didnt sound like he was going to apologize at all. Why, you! Li Rong was so angry that his lip trembled, but he couldnt get a single word out. Gu Suihan knew Li Rong was going to harp on this, so he quickly changed the topic and asked, Where are we? Arent we supposed to come out from the same place we went in? Li Rong held his anger in and said in a sullen voice, This is where everyone gathers after youve passed the round. For convenience, theyve set the exit to be on this end. The entrance is over there. I see. Gu Suihan looked like he had just been enlightened as he looked over at the queue in front of the entrance in the distance. The number of people who chose to try this round wasnt that many. Only about 20 odd of them were waiting around the entrance. When does this end? Gu Suihan watched the crowd for a while and realized it took about ten minutes for each person to get through, so he said impatiently, Cant the sects make a few more of such places or get everyone to go in at the same time? This is taking way too long. Li Rong nearly jumped up. You think secret realms are just randomly lying about on the street waiting to be picked up? Look, if Disciplinarian Zhang hadnt happened to have time, you wouldnt even get the chance to pass through this secret realm! And youre grumbling? What an ignorant prick! So how does the test usually go then? Gu Suihan was a little curious. Li Rong glanced at the testing area, then said, Other disciplinarians will have to set up a formation of sorts. But this particular secret realm is more realistic. After saying that, he clicked his tongue and turned back to Gu Suihan to ask, I heard that Disciplinarian Zhang included a number of goodies in there. Did you get anything out of it? Gu Suihans expression instantly fell as he whispered, Goodies, my ass. There was nothing inside and even the riverbed was completely dry. I only got a few angels trumpets. You want them? He pulled a few flowers out from his bag and stuffed them into Li Rongs hands. Li Rong was a little embarrassed and quickly flung the flowers aside as he laughed hollowly, I guess Disciplinarian Zhang was afraid that young and inexperienced to-be cultivators like you might accidentally damage his things. Hahaha After laughing stupidly for a while, he realized that Gu Suihan didnt care for it at all. He couldnt help but narrow his eyes and quickly look at where Disciplinarian Zhang was seated. A look of disappointment flashed in his eyes. The sky was beginning to darken as evening approached. Everyone who wanted to go through the third round had finally completed their turn. But compared to Gu Suihan, who had emerged completely unscathed and unaffected, everybody else had their clothes torn badly and bruises all over their faces. The few who had their clothes in one piece were still shaking from fear. When put together, Gu Suihan quickly stood out among the rest. Many cultivators from the various sects eyed him strangely and the creator of the secret realm, Disciplinarian Zhang, was peeking at Gu Suihan with the strangest look. If not for the fact that everybody else looked so scared and pathetic after coming out, he might have thought that something had gone wrong with the way he had set up the realm. But even if that were so, he was still surprised by Gu Suihans expression. Alright, is that all? The old man who gave the instructions for the round slowly stood up and declared with a smile, From the looks of it, these are the only ones who managed to clear the third round. I have a question! A young lady suddenly stood up and shouted. Everyone turned to look at where the voice came from and realized it was the same girl who had done very well for the test of their aptitudes. She was also the second daughter of this citys castellan. Unfortunately, her clothing had been torn in several places and one could see some skin peeking from the holes, which made everyone unsure of where to look. Yuaner, dont be rude! someone bellowed angrily. Everyone turned to look and saw that it was the citys castellan, Nan Yuntian. He was frowning and looked exasperated. Its alright, if she has a question, she can ask it. Disciplinarian Zhang waved his hand and smiled at her. Young lady, whats your question? Nan Xingyuan put a hand on her hip as she pointed a finger at Gu Suihan furiously. I suspect he cheated! Oh? Disciplinarian Zhang frowned as he glanced at Gu Suihan, then continued to ask Nan Xingyuan, Why do you say that? His voice remained as gentle as usual, but if one looked carefully, you would notice that there was some displeasure in his eyes. The Clackers Shaman Store Todays snack recommendation: Classic Honey Dijon I definitely recommend the salt and vinegar one as well (even though a caf barista warned me THREE times that its very sour. Nonsense.), but the honey dijon is an old favorite too. MSG: **** Chapter 9 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 9: Sheer Audacity There were a few reasons why Disciplinarian Zhang was unhappy. It wasnt so much because Nan Xingyuan had accused Gu Suihan of cheating, but that an ordinary young woman had spoken up so loudly and angrily in front of cultivators. That alone was very rude of her. But the bigger reason why he was unhappy was that by claiming that Gu Suihan had cheated, that was saying that he, as the creator of the secret realm, had failed in his job. If not for the fact that she was the daughter of the city castellan, he would have killed her with one slap. He wouldnt bother wasting time on her. One is usually the boldest when young. Nan Xingyuan got excited that Disciplinarian Zhang was willing to listen to her and completely ignored her fathers warning look as she quickly replied, All of us are hurt or suffered some damage in one way or another, but hes come out completely unscathed. That doesnt make sense. Perhaps he is well versed in martial arts? Disciplinarian Zhangs voice sounded unfriendly now and the smile on his face had disappeared. And why didnt we see him when we went through the first two rounds? Is this fellow Before she could finish her sentence, Nan Yuntian shouted, Enough! Yuaner, youre being very rude! Apologize to Disciplinarian Zhang right now! No! I refuse! Nan Xingyuan became even more indignant as she continued in a loud voice, I know this fellow. Hes the third son of the citys rice seller, Mr. Gu. Hes reeked of herbs and medicine since he was a child, so everyone knows this fellow has a weak body and falls ill all the time. Plus, he coops himself up at home and never goes out. How could he be well versed in martial arts? Also, as far as Ive heard, this fellow suddenly left the Gu family a few days ago and even severed ties with the entire clan. Hes even wiped his name out from the family genealogy. After that, Nan Xingyuan marched over to Gu Suihan and stood arrogantly in front of him as she scoffed. On top of all that, I heard he gave his family a few thousand gold pieces before leaving, and nobody knows where that money is from. I suspect that he has something to do with the ship that was ferrying our taxes to the government a few years back that got robbed. Are you done talking? asked Disciplinarian Zhang emotionlessly. His expression was frosty. Nan Xingyuan finally realized that Disciplinarian Zhangs attitude towards her wasnt quite what she expected, and she answered a little fearfully, Yes, Im done. Would you like to defend yourself? Disciplinarian Zhang turned to ask Gu Suihan. No. She suspects that I bought my way in, so you can just test me again and well know if I did that or not. As for the ship robbery, how could you say such things without any evidence? You dont even know for sure if I really gave the Gu family those gold pieces. Gu Suihans expression remained calm, but there was a mocking in his eyes as he glanced at Nan Xingyuan. Ho! What confidence you have! I have a witness who can testify that the gold was indeed found in your room. Ill call him over if you dont believe me, said Nan Xingyuan as she narrowed her eyes and smiled frostily at him. Just like how we need to eat our rice mouthful by mouthful, we should settle one matter at a time. Nan Yuntian felt a little more assured when he saw how confidently his daughter was accusing Gu Suihan. If she was this confident, then she probably wasnt too far from the truth. Arresting Gu Suihan and finding the missing gold from that ship would earn him a lot of credit. Nan Yuntian was very tempted by that thought, so he said, Lets see how gifted he is first. In his mind, Gu Suihan might be well versed in martial arts, but he might not really have the aptitude for it. There was no other reason why he would have bought his way through the first two rounds. As for why Gu Suihan still looked so calm, Nan Yuntian just assumed that Gu Suihan was putting on a strong front. Ill have to trouble you, Elder, Nan Yuntian said to an old man from Falling Star Sect with a nod. The old man shrugged, glanced at Nan Yuntian a little sympathetically, then pulled out his Spiritual Compass and walked towards Gu Suihan. Nan Yuntian was a little confused as to why the old man had looked at him like that. He had no idea that Gu Suihan already had his Spiritual Root tested before all the representatives from the various sects, including this particular elder. And worse still, Gu Suihans Spiritual Root had turned out to be much better than Nan Xingyuans. Hello, young man. I hope you dont mind going through the test again, said the Falling Star Sect Elder to Gu Suihan with a hearty laugh. Of course not. Im sorry that I have to trouble you again, said Gu Suihan with a smile. But he didnt look apologetic about it at all. The old man pressed his fingers together and filled the Spiritual Compass with Qi, which made the Spiritual Compass float in the air. The old man then used his other hand to gently brush past Gu Suihans back, then pinched something and placed it on the floating Spiritual Compass. A blinding flash of gold instantly shot out from the Spiritual Compass. One section of the Compass was divided into the five elements, and the part that represented the gold element sparkled very brightly. The rim of the Compass had several slots to indicate the level of aptitude and the first five slots were filled up very quickly. It slowed down after that, but everyone could still see that the next one was being filled up, and then the next. It finally stopped at the eighth slot and the whirring sound of the Compass slowly became softer and softer. Ooh Many people in the crowd gasped. It was clear that Gu Suihan was very gifted. The maximum was nine slots, and every three slots was a separate classification. Gu Suihan was an Eight Gold. One could even call him a genius. Nan Xingyuan was also considered a genius at Seven Fire. Gu Suihan was only one slot higher than her, but the difference was significant. He might be gifted, but its too bad that his morals are poor, and his character is questionable. How could such a person become a cultivator? Are all cultivators like him? Nan Xingyuan was a little embarrassed that Gu Suihan had turned out to be gifted, but she still tried her best to stand her ground. But once she said that many of the cultivators who werent concerned with this matter at all started to look a little upset. Nan Xingyuans words were too much of a sweeping statement. Even though the world of cultivators often said that they believed in the survival of the fittest and didnt care for the weak, the reality was that these same cultivators also paid a lot of attention to how ordinary people viewed them. For example, the Seven Kill Sect was actually a sect that practiced dark arts, but ordinary people viewed the sect as an even more upright and just sect than the Vast Sky Sect, which was a sect that valued good morals and proper techniques in their cultivation. Humph! How dare this young woman spout such audacious words, said a middle-aged cultivator from Vast Sky Sect flatly as he narrowed his eyes at Nan Xingyuan. A young cultivator standing next to him suddenly whispered into the older mans ears and the older mans furrowed brows relaxed. Then he declared, But shes right. The Vast Sky Sect will not take in such a person. Gu Suihan had noticed their interaction. In fact, that young cultivator was the same one he ran into at the restaurant that day who argued with Li Rong. This fellow had probably gone to investigate Gu Suihan and was now trying to trip Gu Suihan over. Sir, this is the gold that was found in Gu Suihans room. Several city guards walked in with a number of large copper chests, which clinked loudly as the chests swung in tempo with the guards footsteps. Gu Suihans expression shifted a little, not because he was guilty and afraid, but because he was getting angry. He finally understood why Nan Xingyuan was suddenly trying to make things difficult for him for no reason and why the gold had been brought in at such impeccable timing. Excellent. A job well done, all of you. Gu Suihans expression slowly calmed back down again. He looked down so that his eyelids would cover the frosty and murderous look he had in his eyes. Nan Xingyuan had spotted the change in Gu Suihans expression earlier, so she scoffed smugly, Ive got both the criminal AND the loot here. Do you have anything else to say for yourself? So, what if I did it? And so, what if I didnt? Gu Suihan looked up and gave her a nonchalant smile. Humph! If you did it, then you can forget about becoming a cultivator! Youll just go straight to jail! Nan Xingyuan stared at his smile and continued in a gleeful tone, And so what if you didnt do it? Thats impossible. Ive even got a witness here. Why do you want to see him? No need. Gu Suihan shook his head and said calmly, I admit that I did it. But so what? Dont forget, my Spiritual Root is better than yours, so there will be sects that would want to take me in. Gu Suihan raised his chin. Besides, by doing this, youre actually bringing harm to the city castellan. His last sentence was filled with mocking. That tone and that unbothered smile on his face could really piss someone off. Haha! Young man, do you really think thats how the court works here? Nan Yuntian let out a hearty laugh. Do you really think that this entire world belongs to cultivators? His laughter was filled with glee. But of course it was. He had been stuck in this awful city for years, and now, he had finally found a way to get a promotion. Of course he was happy. Does the court have the power to strike fear in the hearts of cultivators? This time, Gu Suihan was really puzzled. He had always thought that cultivators were the leaders of this world. But according to what Nan Yuntian said, there was something greater than the cultivators. Was there some other power that he didnt know about? A demon tribe? The celestial palace? Or something else? muttered Gu Suihan to himself as he narrowed his eyes at Nan Yuntian. Why do you want to know? Nan Yuntian noticed Gu Suihans puzzled expression and laughed. Theres more than just Qi in this world. Theres also faith, destiny and karma. These are things you will never understand. For us who cultivate in the Truth, we focus on cultivating the heart and mind. If our heart and mind become damaged, then all the cultivation weve done before will be destroyed overnight, Li Rong whispered into Gu Suihans ear. But there are some cultivators who believe that strengthening themselves and becoming capable of things beyond what is humanly possible is the way to surpass oneself. Most of such cultivators focus on cultivating their physical bodies. Isnt that just physical cultivation? Gu Suihan still didnt understand. There werent a lot of cultivators that focused on cultivating their physical bodies, but there were still quite a number of them. Li Rongs gaze became a little shifty upon hearing Gu Suihans question, then he continued, Its not the same as physical cultivation. After physical cultivation, your body might be strong enough to hold up against magic weapons and spiritual weapons, but those at high levels of physical cultivation will still have to end up focusing on the cultivation of their souls. When he got to this point, Li Rong seemed to have thought of something and suddenly shuddered. There was a look of disgust in his eyes as he said, Nan Yuntian is referring to the type of physical cultivator who doesnt mind cultivating their own soul into their bodies to become one. And by doing this, one would need to consume a large number of precious treasures and resources, and even snatch Qi from others to maintain their bodies. And when they finally reach the stage that is almost equivalent to our Origin Core stage, they would also need countless amounts of Vow Power1 to feed their bodies. Most of the time, such cultivators end up with a lot of bad karma. They might be successful in their cultivation, but it is at the expense of the fortunes of countless others. He will be invincible amongst others who are at the same level as he is, but they will need to consume a lot of things. Their biggest weakness is their lifespan. The Clackers Temple Trinkets Todays snack recommendation: Kappa Ebisen Another Calbee favorite. Theres a less salt version, BUT WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING. MSG: ***** Chapter 10 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 10: Fighting with Fists Is the Way to Go Lifespan? Gu Suihan was beginning to understand what Li Rong was talking about. Thats right. As cultivators of the Way, we are willing to go through three disasters and six afflictions or go through heavenly tribulations1. We dont care if we can eventually live our days relaxing in nothingness or if we can live long lives. At the end of it all, we still have to return everything to the universe. We are to bring happiness to the world and break the karmic cycle. Li Rong frowned and looked a little frustrated as he went on, But there are always some people who cultivate in order to attain more power. But the things they do make them seem like an ant trying to shake a tree as they dream of using the power from all living things to add to their lifespan. Such people have pitted themselves against the Way of Heaven, so their cultivation journey is usually filled with difficulties and sometimes, disasters come knocking on their door. Humph, you must be joking, young man. Nan Yuntian scoffed when he heard the way Li Rong had described such cultivators. It doesnt matter if youre cultivating in the Way or if youre trying to attain immortality. Arent cultivators in the Way like you also doing something thats against the will of Heaven? Hoho, thats not how it goes, said the Seven Kill Sect Disciplinarian Zhang as he looked at Nan Yuntian from the corner of his eye. Cultivators of the Way like us are seeking longevity, cultivating our hearts and minds and aiming to surpass all tests that come our way. If we achieve our aims, we will definitely give back to the universe. But those like you who only care about cultivating in the way of martial arts are after something that is truly against the will of Heaven. You start wars and court disasters for no good reason and desire to reverse the Way of Heaven. We cant possibly compare to such a mindset. Cultivation of the Truth can shape your character, but the Way of Martial Arts can defy heaven. Nan Yuntians expression was icy as he sneered, Only martial arts can enable one to surpass this universe! Strength is the basis of all things! Martial arts can grant you power over the mundane world, but you will not be able to live leisurely for a long time to come. You will not escape death. Disciplinarian Zhang scoffed in contempt. Did you think you could make that person appear over such a small thing? What a joke. Why, you! Nan Yuntians face reddened with anger. Fine! It is true that I am not confident of being able to make that person appear, but I am no pushover2. As far as I know, you were lucky enough to somehow break through to Origin Core stage just a few years ago, werent you? Are you sure youre able to protect this boy from me and get him back in one good piece? Nan Yuntian got up with a start and his robe started flapping wildly even though there was no wind. The entire arena fell completely silent from this sudden display of might. The illusion of a ferocious lion slowly emerged from behind Nan Yuntian and even its soundless roar was able to strike terror in the hearts of people, while the clouds in the sky trembled and disappeared. Nan Yuntian now resembled a hungry lion, a furious and powerful one. So, we still have to fight, I see. Disciplinarian Zhang flipped his long sleeves back and stood up as he scoffed, You really want to go to the point of no return? As he spoke, he used one hand to summon the secret realm back to himself, made a seal with his hands and filled the entire city center with a ghostly Qi. It was still daytime, but everyone immediately saw the sky darken as countless vengeful souls and ghosts who had died a wrongful death appeared and started howling. A Ghost Controlling Flag appeared in his left hand from nowhere. The inscriptions on it flashed faintly and Yin Qi surrounded it. The image of a palace in ruins was printed in the middle of the flag, and anyone who gazed upon it would feel like they had fallen into hell. The whole atmosphere was both sinister and eerie. Haha! Elder Zhang, this boy isnt part of the Seven Kill Sect yet, so why do you even bother? The middle-aged man from Vast Sky Sect burst out laughing, then stood up and continued, Besides, since when was the Seven Kill Sect qualified to represent every cultivator in the world of cultivation? Tsk! And since when did the Seven Kill Sect have to check with any of you before deciding what to do? Disciplinarian Zhang glanced at that middle-aged man without hiding any of his disdain. The middle-aged man was furious, but Disciplinarian Zhang ignored him and suddenly turned to ask Gu Suihan, Young man, you can see whats going on for yourself. Are you willing to join the Seven Kill Sect? It was obvious whose side it was better to stand on. Gu Suihan wasnt an idiot and wasnt going to pretend he could fight all these people either, so he immediately bowed and said, Your disciple, Gu Suihan, greets Disciplinarian Zhang. Haha! Excellent! Disciplinarian Zhangs anger was slightly appeased, and he smiled as he said, From now on, you shall be a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect. After he said that, he turned to look back at the middle-aged man from the Vast Sky Sect as he smirked, Hows that? Ive got a reason to fight now, dont I? The middle-aged man remained silent with a frosty look on his face for a long time before finally hissing, How shameless. As tensions continued to rise, the disciplinarian from the War Demon Sect had no choice but to try to mediate the situation. Were all cultivation sects and we cross paths very often as a result, so why make things so ugly for one another? In my opinion, since this boy has already joined the Seven Kill Sect, our friend Disciplinarian Zhang is naturally obliged to protect him. The Castellan can get Disciplinarian Zhang to make compensation after this. Anybody sharp enough would see immediately that the War Demon Sect was in the same camp as the Seven Kill Sect and sided with the Seven Kill Sect in everything, but Nan Yuntian couldnt do anything about this. Once Gu Suihan agreed to join the Seven Kill Sect, Nan Yuntian knew the game was up. After all, even if he didnt fear the revenge that the Seven Kill Sect would exact on him for this, it wasnt worth fighting both the Seven Kill Sect and the War Demon Sect together. If he insisted on fighting them even after he had been offered a peaceful alternative, the retaliation he would suffer later was not something that he as a castellan could deal with. This situation made Nan Yuntian feel an overwhelming sense of hatred for the calm and collected young man, so much so that Nan Yuntian really wished he could kill Gu Suihan right now. Sir, Miss has already become part of the Seven Kill Sect. Do not forget that place. Its only a few more years until the awakening, isnt it? I think its better to let this go for now, otherwise you might implicate Miss. The voice of an official who had been standing quietly behind Nan Yuntian all this time suddenly rang inside Nan Yuntians head, his words filled with confidence in Nan Xingyuan. Nan Yuntian shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. He said quietly, I know what to do. Dont forget how you ended up in this state back then, Disciplinarian Zhang suddenly said to Nan Yuntian with a disdainful look as he narrowed his eyes. So what? Back then, he was only short of one step. If your sects hadnt suddenly appeared, he wouldnt have failed! bellowed Nan Yuntian in a rage. The ferocious lion behind him roared as well. If we didnt do anything, did you think you would still be in charge of this place? The disciplinarian of the War Demon Sect couldnt help but glare furiously at Nan Yuntian. Back then, he was the one who had nearly destroyed the despot of this place. If he had just been addicted to massacring and doing whatever he wanted, the sects would not have bothered to do anything about him. As long as he wasnt targeting them, they couldnt care less. Unfortunately, the invincible power he had only gave him even more ambitious dreams C he wanted to destroy this world. That desire alone was enough to rile up all the sects. In any case, his appearance caused martial artists like you to be opposed by the rules of this universe. This is an irrefutable truth. Why else would you have allowed your children to enter one of our sects in order to cultivate the Truth and seek the Way? The disciplinarian from Fallen Star Sect had his eyes half closed as he continued in a neutral tone, The Way of Martial Arts is on the decline right now and martial artists have been facing a lot of difficulties. I believe you would know a lot better about this situation than we do. A few moments after hearing those words, Nan Yuntian suddenly withdrew his fury and sat down again rather indignantly. His voice was solemn as he said, While that is true, I still find it difficult to accept. Disciplinarian Zhang looked at Nan Yuntians somewhat lonesome figure and sighed quietly as he looked up at the sky, then kept away his Ghost Controlling Flag. He said, Lets get down to business properly. With regard to Gu Suihan, I dont think its as simple as the ship getting robbed, right? And what else do you think this entails? Nan Yuntian looked up and scoffed, Its been a few centuries since the royal court has seen such an audacious figure. A few hundred court officials died from that incident. Did you think that this little bit of gold is enough to draw the attention of the royal court? Nan Yuntians eyes reddened as his frosty gaze passed over Gu Suihan. Then he continued, What the royal court is concerned about is that someone actually challenged their authority in public. If they dont make a thorough investigation, more such acts of rebellion will occur in the future. That wouldnt be the real reason why your superiors are so angry. Disciplinarian Zhang made a face. He clearly didnt have any regard for the authority Nan Yuntian was talking about. It must have been something more important. Something related to your superiors. He didnt utter the last bit. To him, as long as it was something that was bad for the martial artists, cultivators like himself would lend their support. After all, nobody wanted what happened back then to happen again. As he thought about these things, Disciplinarian Zhang suddenly glanced at Gu Suihan standing behind him with a glint in his eyes. Perhaps it was because of the attitude of the sects and their disdain for martial artists, but Nan Yuntian clearly realized that he wasnt going to be able to arrest the person involved in this case. His heart slowly calmed back down, but his expression remained as nasty as ever. Several hours later All the remaining young men and women either chose or were allocated to the various sects. The most shocking part was that Nan Xingyuan ended up standing among the new disciples of the Seven Kill Sect, despite looking terribly unhappy about it. The thing youre holding onto is like a hot potato in your hands. If you dont hand it over now, you will end up suffering from dire consequences beyond your imagination, Nan Xingyuan whispered into Gu Suihans ear as she glared fiercely at him. Perhaps Gu Suihan had finally gotten annoyed with her. His arm suddenly shot out and grabbed hold of her slim neck. She stared back at him in shock as he quietly said to her, Did you think your father would be able to protect you for the rest of your life? His voice was very soft, but very steady. Just like the hand around her neck. Youyou wouldnt dare! Nan Xingyuan squeezed these words out even though she was about to choke and stared at Gu Suihan with a mocking look in her eyes. Gu Suihan looked down as if he was thinking about this, then calmly said to her, I wouldnt dare to. Before Nan Xingyuan could say anything, he went on, But how can you be sure that I will cooperate with any of you? His expression was still as calm and collected as always, but Nan Xingyuan could see contempt in his slightly upturned lips and an aloofness in his eyes that never seemed to disappear. If you dont hand it over, you will die. The family you once belonged to will also be implicated. Nan Xingyuan suddenly felt fearful, because she realized that Gu Suihans expression had never changed at all. His expression seemedlike a mask you could buy off the street3, just that it was a little less stiff. The Clackers Tea Party Todays snack tea recommendation: Chrysanthemum Tea After so much MSG, have some tea. I dont know why the summary box in wiki says steep in 100 deg C water. DO NOT DO THAT. YOU WILL COOK/BURN THE FLOWER(S) AND MAKE THE TEA BITTER. Chapter 11 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 11: Threaten? Nan Xingyuan instinctively turned her head away so that she didnt have to see Gu Suihans irritating face. She had always thought that Gu Suihan had suddenly decided to erase himself from his clans history because he didnt want to implicate them. Otherwise, why would he do such a thing at such a coincidental time? How did you know about these pieces of gold? Gu Suihan suddenly asked her a different question and withdrew his hand from her neck. Do you thinkId tell youandgive you a chanceto silencethat person? Nan Xingyuan doubled over and panted heavily to catch her breath as she answered Gu Suihan. Its someone from the Gu family, isnt it? No. That means it is. I just said it wasnt them! Why are you so certain? asked Nan Xingyuan in a dejected voice. Gu Suihan turned to look towards Nan Yuntian in the distance, and said quietly, It doesnt matter exactly who it is. Only a few of them know about the gold anyway. I just wanted to confirm if the person who did this was a Gu. Nan Xingyuan was just a young lady after all. She was considered a bright girl among her peers, but she was no match for a centuries old monster like Gu Suihan. To Gu Suihan, the exact person who betrayed him didnt matter. Since there were only a few suspects, he just had to kill them all. There was no need to go through the trouble of finding out exactly who it was. Many of those standing near Gu Suihan and Nan Xingyuan had noticed their conflict, but none of them tried to talk them out of it or separate them. In fact, they slowly inched away from them as inconspicuously as possible, as if the two of them carried a contagious disease of sorts. Do you seriously think the Seven Kill Sect will be able to protect you? Nan Xingyuan rubbed her sore neck and felt a little fearful as she took two steps away from Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan didnt speak anymore and just glanced at her quietly with a distant look in his eyes. Nan Xingyuan finally realized that this fellow had never been afraid of such things. Or rather, he had never worried for his own safety. He wasnt going to take a meaningless threat to heart at all. Thats the end of this matter, lets go. Disciplinarian Zhang flew over and raised his hand to make a small boat appear from nowhere. The boat was covered with a dizzying number of inscriptions and the boat itself glowed faintly. The bottom of the boat exuded terror inducing Yin Qi as frightening looking ghosts and spirits floated about, howling and shrieking. But all of them were trapped under the boat by those inscriptions and they could only thrash their translucent sharp claws about futilely. When Disciplinarian Zhang saw how the sects disciples seemed afraid, he couldnt help but let out a scoff as he boarded the boat first. Then he turned to the new batch of disciples and said flatly, This is going to take several hours, so hurry up and get on the boat. Humph! Nan Xingyuan glared fiercely at Gu Suihan, then hopped onto the boat with an unfriendly look on her face. Find a chance to kill all those people from the Gu family. Dont leave anybody behind, Gu Suihan calmly turned to say to Li Rong. I know youre capable of getting this done. Ill owe you one for this. With that, he picked up his robe and leaped into the boat. Li Rong narrowed his eyes for a short while, then hopped into the boat with a calm expression on his face before saying to Disciplinarian Zhang, Senior Uncle Zhang, Uncle Li has another matter to attend to since hes here, so hell return to the sect by himself later. Disciplinarian Zhang seemed to have guessed what was going on, so he glanced thoughtfully at Gu Suihan, then turned back to reply to Li Rong quietly, Sure. Tell him to be cautious. Li Rong bowed in response, then quietly motioned to Li Xingwen to carry out Gu Suihans request. After Li Xingwen disappeared out of sight, a smile reappeared on Li Rongs face as he stood next to Disciplinarian Zhang. He would occasionally glance at Gu Suihan, but his gaze now carried some wariness and shock. A few moments later, Disciplinarian Zhang suddenly seemed to have recalled something and turned to look very solemnly at everyone in the boat. Nobody is to talk about what happened today. I dont want any rumors that might hurt the sects reputation to roam around. Anyone caught talking to someone else about today will be handled in accordance with the sects disciplinary rules. Nan Xingyuan suddenly felt an uneasiness in her heart, but she couldnt place a finger on it as she looked a little suspiciously at Disciplinarian Zhang. After everyone had gotten onto the boat, a bright light shot out from the Ruyi Scepter1 in Disciplinarian Zhangs hand that enveloped the entire boat. He waved his sleeve gently and everyone felt like they were floating. By the time they snapped out of their surprise, they realized that the city they were in earlier was now only as large as their hands. A large majority of them had never flown before, but they had heard about it on the streets as well as from wandering martial artists who didnt belong to any sect and had even dreamed of being able to fly after listening to the stories of others. However, they werent really mentally prepared for what it was like, and the experience really shocked them. Most of them looked terrified and even those who were bolder were still pale faced. Those who were more on the timid side were already crouching next to the wall of the boat and didnt dare to look down at all. Besides the Seven Kill Sect disciples, Nan Xingyuan and the other new disciples also felt equally uncomfortable. The thought of all those vengeful spirits trapped under the boat sent a chill down their spines as well. It was only natural for anybody in such circumstances to feel nauseous. Except for a centuries old monster like Gu Suihan, that is. Disciplinarian Zhang and the rest who were more accustomed to flying were also surprised by Gu Suihans reaction. Li Rong remembered the first time he took this boat. Everyone on the boat felt some discomfort to a certain extent. After thinking about it for some time, all of them could only conclude that Gu Suihan was truly an audacious character, and they began to feel some admiration towards him. Little did they know that actually, Gu Suihan was still thinking about the conversation that transpired between Nan Yuntian and the others earlier and had arrived at some preliminary guesses about this world. Interesting, thought Gu Suihan as he looked into the distant sky. In that case, cultivators of Truth are still the leaders of this world, but there are also who have inherited an ancient method of cultivating physically. Could the Way of Martial Arts have something to do with the Barbaric Race? Or the long-lost Wiccans? I dont know what you took from that ship besides the gold that makes that old fart2 in that palace so fixated upon it, but it cant be anything ordinary, Disciplinarian Zhangs voice suddenly rang in Gu Suihans head. Im not after that thing, but you must remember that you must not let anybody else know about this matter, or else great disaster will befall you. Gu Suihan nodded almost unnoticeably as he looked gratefully at Disciplinarian Zhang. But he was actually snorting in disdain on the inside. Disciplinarian Zhang sounded like he was giving him kindly advise, but it was really as good as a threat. If Gu Suihan had been any other ordinary person, he would probably have secretly surrendered the item in fear to Disciplinarian Zhang to save his own skin. However, in Gu Suihans opinion, Disciplinarian Zhang had handled this matter rather poorly. More importantly, there was no way Gu Suihan was handing it over to Disciplinarian Zhang or the sect itself. If he gave it to the former, he would get a few words of encouragement and be able to do what he wanted under Disciplinarian Zhangs name, so he would have an added layer of protection. If he gave it to the latter, he would probably receive a huge number of resources as a reward. In comparison, doing this was much more worth it than the former. But the main point was that Gu Suihan needed this item for something else that was much more important, and he wasnt going to give it up for such little benefit. Disciplinarian Zhang, on the other hand, was a little pleased when he saw Gu Suihans expression and felt that Gu Suihan was a boy who knew how to do the right thing at the right time. Looks like the thing that made Nan Yuntian nearly start a fight and fall out with all the sects is going to fall into my pocket real soon, he thought merrily to himself. This thought made Disciplinarian Zhangs expression soften. Several hours later, the flying boat began to slow down, and Disciplinarian Zhang said, Were almost at our destination, so all of you, get yourselves ready and make sure you dont embarrass me. His words clearly gave the bored and listless people in the boat an energy boost. Even though they werent sure what he meant by not embarrassing him, everyone got rather excited anyway. Oh my god! How is that possible?! That couldnt have been done by a human! Several exclamations suddenly filled the air. Gu Suihan looked out and saw a huge mountain ahead of them that looked about a thousand meters high or so. But what made everyone exclaim was that the three words Seven Kill Sect were carved into the smooth side of the mountain that faced them. The strokes were thick and magnanimous, yet aggressive at the same time. It was as if the strokes could stab your eyes if you stared at it for too long. After taking a quick look at it, admiration flickered in Gu Suihans eyes as he thought, the person who wrote these words has a level of cultivation in the Way of the Sword that is above most people. Its just three words, but one can see more than ten ways in which he had understood the Way of the Sword. The blade was thick and steady, with a fierce and murderous aura and covers such a large area. This is not something someone can achieve in a short time. In fact, its almost a miracle. These words were inscribed here by one of the first disciples of the Seven Kill Sect several centuries ago. He could split a mountain in half, write such words and kill with just one swing of his sword. Definitely a legendary figure from those days, one of the disciples explained smugly to the new disciples. It took him ten years to reach the Foundation Establishment stage and a century to reach the Origin Core stage. There was nobody before him who could achieve this, and none after. Theres still nobody who can surpass him today. What happened in the end? asked several of the newbies curiously with looks of admiration on their faces. In the end? The disciples expression fell as he sighed sadly, In order to save a person, he was willing to be trapped for centuries. He was doing that for a fellow disciple he loved, I suppose? said one of the young ladies in a besotted voice as she stared admiringly at the mountain. Psh! Li Rong couldnt help but scoff. A disciple he loved, my foot. You mean the person wasnt? She looked rather disappointed. He did it for his Master, Xuran zhenren, said a tired voice from behind. Everyone turned and realized that it was actually Disciplinarian Zhang, who had been silent all this while. There was a conflicted look in his eyes as he stared at the mountain before them. Xuran zhenren was one of the seven leaders of the Seven Kill Sect, but it was found out by accident that he had deep ties with the Vast Sky Sect, and he had leaked several of our secrets to the Vast Sky Sect, so our sect suffered great damage. The sect leader then was furious when he found out about the leak and ordered a thorough investigation, almost going as far as casting a Soul-Searching Spell on everyone. But in the end, this man took the rap and agreed to guard the Demon Abyss for 300 years as his punishment. This was just so that Xuran would be able to go through the reincarnation cycle without having his soul torn apart. The Clackers Seaweed Fanclub Todays snack recommendation: Tao Kae Noi. Its so full of seaweed tasty you totally forget the salt. Also extremely addictive, regardless of which flavor or form you prefer. Okay, except their weird attempt at tempura. MSG: **** Chapter 12 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 12: Entering the Sect At that time, the sect agreed to this arrangement because Xuran had contributed greatly to the sect before this. However, Xurans Spiritual Root was still destroyed, his memories wiped out and he was sent back to live among ordinary humans again. But the Vast Sky Sect was still worried and was afraid that Xuran might spill some secret of theirs, so they sent someone to kill him after Xuran had lived as an ordinary person for just a few days. Thankfully, I got there in time and snatched Xurans soul away from the other party. I suppose Xuran must have reincarnated several times by now. Everyone exchanged glances after hearing Disciplinarian Zhangs recount and their faces were filled with even greater admiration and respect for this legendary senior. Everyone except Li Rong. His expression remained almost entirely unaffected except for that tiny bit of disdain as his lips curled upwards very slightly but this disappeared almost immediately after that. But Gu Suihan had caught it from the corner of his eye. Hurhur, a touching story about a Master and his disciple? Willing to stand guard for 300 years? Gu Suihan scoffed inwardly. Li Rongs smirk was the best proof that this was bullshit. But Gu Suihan didnt care about this stupid touching story and just sighed along with everyone else. What really caught his attention was Disciplinarian Zhangs vague mention of the Demon Abyss. When Disciplinarian Zhang was recounting his story, Gu Suihan could hear a difference in his voice when he uttered these two words. There was a sigh in his voice, but there was also terror. He had said these words fairly quickly, but Gu Suihan had spotted Disciplinarian Zhangs left-hand trembling slightly behind his back. Demon Abyss, thought Gu Suihan? Interesting. This place is not as simple as it seems. When he looked up again and stared at the tall mountain peak in front of him, he had a playful look in his eye. Alright now, weve arrived, Disciplinarian Zhang suddenly called out and broke the silence as well as Gu Suihans train of thought. Let me warn you right now, memorizing the sects rules will not do you any harm. Most of the disciples just disregarded these odd words. Most of them were here with other aims, such as which technique to choose once they were formally part of the sect, how to curry favor with their seniors and so on. Only a small group of brighter ones seemed to have caught on. They looked at the little lab mice discussing the future excitedly with sympathy in their eyes. It isnt always peaceful within the sect. Even though you can get somewhere if you can fight, most of the time, youd need this, Li Rong whispered into Gu Suihans ear as he pointed at his own head. If youre in a really sticky situation, just use my name. After that, he patted Gu Suihans shoulder, then said to Disciplinarian Zhang, Senior Uncle, do we return to the sect right now? Or should we His voice trailed off hesitantly at the end, as if he was in a difficult position. Disciplinarian Zhang looked like he had remembered something bad, and his expression looked almost as constipated as Li Rongs. Its an order from the Sect Leader, so theres nothing I can do about that. Lets go. At most, well quickly finish this job and come back. I dont think those children will get into much trouble so fast. He sighed as he subconsciously touched the ring pouch around his waist and kept it away discreetly. But Li Rong had noticed his actions and despised Disciplinarian Zhang inwardly for being timid. But he too, quickly removed his storage ring and hid it in an inner pocket of his clothing. Just then, a gold beam shot out from the sky, swooshing loudly as it cut through the air. Li Rong instinctively frowned as he put his fingers together to make several gestures before catching hold of the item that fell from the sky. After looking at the words on it, he immediately held it out to Disciplinarian Zhang hurriedly, as if it was burning his fingers. What has happened? asked Disciplinarian Zhang puzzledly as he took the item from Li Rong. Everyone was a little frightened from the sound the item made, but they were also very curious, so they took a step forward and stuck their heads out, hoping to catch a glimpse of what it was. There was nothing else in Disciplinarian Zhangs hands besides a thin piece of jade. It was made from high quality white jade and the border was engraved with an intricate design. But nobody could read the words written on this jade slip. Its not up to us now, said Disciplinarian Zhang with a bitter laugh after he read the words on the slip. Before anybody could say anything, the jade slip suddenly gave off a bright light and slowly floated up to the front of the boat as it exuded a faint, cold and sinister air. It kept swaying in the air, as if it was hurrying the rest to follow it. Weve got to play by ear and get out of this as soon as possible, muttered Li Rong with a frown. Thats right. Disciplinarian Zhang nodded. The Ruyi Scepter hooked on his belt suddenly made a buzzing noise. It shot out a light screen that instantly enveloped the boat, and the whole thing moved towards the jade slip. The faint blue screen blocked the strong winds easily and rode on the wind to move faster and faster. Shut your eyes and focus! shouted Disciplinarian Zhang at the new disciples with a frown when he noticed that all of them were just watching with wide eyes and gaping mouths. His voice flooded their eardrums and snapped them out of their daze. None of them dared to continue staring after that. They obediently sat down in a lotus position and focused their attention on their inner being. That dizzying scene in the sky was simply too terrifying to watch anyway. After a few moments, everybody began to feel the ground beneath them shake before finally feeling a great sense of stability, which made all these young men and women who were flying for the first time nearly burst into tears of relief. Disciplinarian Zhang, youre finally here! Before Disciplinarian Zhang could keep the flying boat away, a middle-aged man in black robes came running over. Everyone else is already here except you. Theyre all waiting for you to make a decision. Hmm? The man in black robes went straight to the point as he used telepathy to speak, Shes inside waiting, like she does every year, but He hesitated before continuing, Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin are here as well. It looks like theyre not going to let her have her way anymore. Disciplinarian Zhang narrowed his eyes out of habit, fell silent for a while, then said, Did the Sect Leader or anybody else pass down a message regarding this matter? Yes. The man in black robes froze for a moment, then pursed his lips before saying, The Sect Leader said to let them go ahead and make a fuss if they want. As long as they dont cause any major issues. Major issues? Disciplinarian Zhang carefully considered these two words as he thought to himself with a scoff, the Sect Leader is a really unscrupulous one. So, what should we do now? The man in black robes was getting antsy. Disciplinarian Zhang pondered this matter for a long time before responding in a solemn voice, Since the Sect Leader has put it this way, it means that he has already thought this through very carefully. We just need to follow his orders. Then he secretly gave the man in black a look. After their eyes met, they both smiled mysteriously. Disciplinarian Zhang, your efficiency has really gone down the drain in recent years, a strange effeminate voice rang out. Everyone turned to realize that the one talking was a young man with delicate features and narrow eyes. Hoho! Disdain filled Disciplinarian Zhangs heart for a moment when he heard these words, but he kept a smile on his face as he said, Im an old man stuck at the Origin Core stage for several decades now, so I dont have the youthful energy that you have. Im old, Im old. The new disciples couldnt help but exchange glances. This young man must be someone much higher up the ranks since he could speak to the disciplinarian like this. I saw Senior Brother Fei speaking to you just now, so I suppose you already know about the Sect Leaders stance. The young mans expression was nasty as he continued in his shrill voice, In that case, then please hand the evaluation book to us so that we can look at how this batch is more gifted than others. Here you go. Disciplinarian Zhangs lips curled into a slightly contemptuous smile as he flung a thin booklet at the young man. I suppose theres nothing else you need? I still have other matters to attend to, so Ill take my leave. The young man didnt seem to have heard him and just waved his hand before reading the booklet in his hands carefully. Disciplinarian Zhang glanced at the new disciples and thought, does the Sect Leader think the sect isnt messy enough? Then, he flew off into the distance. Qingyuan, wheres the evaluation book? A young lady in her teens walked out and snapped at the young man, Miss and the rest are getting impatient already. Youre so slow. She took the booklet from the young man, turned to the new disciples and said, All of you, come with me. She didnt wait for anybody to respond and turned to walk back to where she came from. Her flippant attitude made Qingyuan fly into a rage. He suddenly ran over to block her way and threatened her, Youre just a young girl. How dare you disregard me like this? But the young lady wasnt afraid of him at all. She even took a step closer to him and scoffed in his face, So, you think youre something just because youre from the Four Directions Court? If Miss were here, would you still dare to say something like that? She shoved Qingyuan aside and walked off with a smug look on her face. Humph! Qingyuans face was all red and the veins on his neck bulged angrily. A moment later, he narrowed his eyes as he calmed back down, then followed the young lady back. Interesting. Gu Suihan had a strange smile on his face as he watched their little spat. Lets go. Li Rong patted Gu Suihans shoulder and sighed heavily. Gosh, why are they all here at the same time? According to the rules, the Way Seekers Alliance should be here first. Huh? Gu Suihan didnt understand what Li Rong was talking about and looked at Li Rong puzzledly. Li Rong looked dejected as he explained, The sect has Seven Peaks, and each peak is in charge of Seven Councils, and each council is in charge of their own disciples. There are 99 direct disciples, 999 internal disciples and I dont know how many external disciples there are. But there are always some with their own ambitions, so they either take the initiative or they are forced to come together and form a group. The three largest groups are backed by high-ranking disciples, and they always take in the cream of the crop of new disciples. Before this, they had always observed the rules. Whenever we take in new disciples, the three major factions of power would take turns to come here and pick who they want. I dont know why both the Way Seekers Alliance and the Four Directions Court are here at the same time. I suppose the Nobles Clan is here too. Chapter 13 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 13: Allocation? Choosing a Side? So, which one are you from? Gu Suihan suddenly asked Li Rong. Me? Li Rong was a little taken aback by this question. He scoffed and said, Why should I be part of any of them? Gu Suihan suddenly stopped in his footsteps, looked straight into Li Rongs eyes and said calmly, To choose a side. Hoho, Li Rong laughed like he didnt mind going either way. Sometimes, its good not to take sides. He said this with a shocking amount of confidence. Gu Suihan stared hard at him, then continued walking. Do you think I need to choose a side? I dont know, Li Rong replied without hesitation. Hoho, Gu Suihan responded with a faint laugh and didnt ask any more questions. He looked in front and said, I think were here. After everyone had walked down a long and narrow path, the path took a sudden turn and opened up to a much larger area. The first thing they saw was a colossal stage made from black metal. There were a lot of dents and craters on the surface, and one could even see some drops of dried blood. The stage put an invisible pressure on everyone. If one used Spiritual Sense to check the stage, they would realize that a faint black mist was swirling around the sides of the stage, and one could even vaguely make out shrieks of despair and pitiful cries. Gulp! Everyone couldnt help but gulp as they stared at the metal stage and the people on it fearfully. The stage had been split into four sections and a group of people each took up a section. A clear line was drawn between each section and the situation was so tense, it felt like the people on stage might fight each other if they were even just slightly provoked. Theres something off about this metal stage. Gu Suihan had a grim look in his eyes. Anybody who stays here for too long will definitely fall severely ill. If your health is already weak, it wouldnt be strange if you ended up dying right here. Gu Suihans soul had been badly damaged, so in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, he had hidden 99% of his soul inside his consciousness so that it could recuperate in peace. This made him seem like an ordinary person with a slightly more powerful soul, and there were some things that he couldnt see even though it would be very obvious to a cultivator, so he could only guess based on his experience. Ill go over there first, you take care of yourself, whispered Li Rong. It was hard to tell what he was thinking about. Since everyone is here, thenLord Fang and Senior Brother Wang, both of you should talk about whats going on today, a light and pleasant voice tinged with some ennui and charm rang in everyones ears. Gu Suihans gaze flickered as he looked for where the voice had come from. A small and simple pavilion had been erected on the left side of the metal stage with thin see-through curtains hanging from all four sides. Through the sheer muslin, he could see a blurry figure in a semi-reclining position on a wide chair made from white jade. The corners of the curtains flew up a little when the breeze blew past and seemed to tempt one to keep looking. Is that the Miss the young lady earlier was referring to? As Gu Suihan thought about this question, his eyes casually caught sight of a familiar figure next to the pavilion. It was the young lady who had gotten into an argument with that young man named Qingyuan earlier. Weve changed the rules this time. Surely you know about that, right? A young man in fitting robes laughed heartily as he leaned against a large sword. The Sect Leader has given instructions, so the rest of us have to listen to what our elders have instructed us to do. I hope you can understand, Miss Mo. Lord Fang is right. We didnt have a choice at all, said an elegant man on the other side as he smiled brightly. Humph! Miss Mo frowned slightly as a frosty look shone in her watery eyes. Well compete based on our abilities then. Alright now, since youre done discussing, lets take a look at the evaluation book first, then proceed with what we need to do. An elder sat in the fourth area, which was where Li Rong was. The elder narrowed his eyes, coughed quietly, then said, According to the rules of the sect, new disciples will be allocated to one of the four Compounds based on how far along you are. The four Compounds are split into North, South, East, and West. The East Compound will be for those with high levels of aptitude and have reached the Perfect Physical Realm. The West Compound will be for those with high levels of aptitude but have not reached Perfect Physical Realm. The South Compound will be for those with mid-levels of aptitude and the North Compound for those with low levels. After he finished speaking, he wrapped the table lightly with his knuckles, closed his eyes and said no more. Li Rong took his cue from there. He took a step forward and said in a loud voice, Hurry up and stand according to the four categories as described. Make sure you stand in the correct area. If anybody is found to be pretending to be what youre not, we will break your Spiritual Root so that you can never cultivate again, and you will remain here as a servant. There were indeed some disciples who had thought of pretending to be at a higher level than they really were in order to gain access to better resources, but once they heard what Li Rong said, they shuddered and threw that thought out before quietly moving to stand where they ought to. After 15 minutes, nearly a thousand of them finally got themselves in place. While getting into place, heckling, pushing, mocking and nasty words were exchanged. Gu Suihan obviously stood in the area for the East Compound. He looked around him and realized that there were barely a hundred people in his area. On the contrary, at least four or five hundred stood in the North Compound area. Shortly after everyone took their places, the young man named Lord Fang lightly picked up his huge sword and set it down on the floor again. BAAANG! A deafening boom resounded in everyones ears and made everyone fall silent immediately. A few moments later, the echo from that boom finally faded. Lord Fang chuckled and looked at where Miss Mo and Senior Brother Wang were before saying with a smile, Im sure youve finished looking through the evaluation book. What do you two think? Hoho, Senior Brother Wang chuckled. Junior Brother, this is something we ought to take more time to settle. I just did a count. Weve taken in 972 disciples this time. Nine of them have a level Seven gift, four of them have a level Eight gift, two of them had a special type of Spiritual Root. That makes 15 of them. How about five each for the three of us? Psh, a scoff came from behind the sheer curtains of the pavilion. Senior Brother, what amazing math skills you have. And exactly which five are we talking about? Senior Brother Wangs expression stiffened but he said in a nonchalant voice, The Way Seekers Alliance has the greatest number of women, so your group is more well versed in the cultivation methods suitable for women. There are three girls at level Seven, so its best that they all join your Alliance. Haha, I agree with Senior Brother! said Lord Fang with a hearty laugh. According to the evaluation book, there are two among the level Eights who are very strong and the moves they used during the test were filled with big movements, so I think theyre most suitable for the Nobles Clan. What do the rest think? Miss Mo glared hard at Senior Brother Wang from behind the curtains and said in a mocking voice, Humph. You make it sound like its already cast in stone. Ive got the most ladies, so if these young men here are looking for a partner, I can introduce someone to them. Does that mean all of them should join my Alliance? The elder who had had his eyes closed all this time suddenly coughed, perhaps because the three leaders were going too far in their arguments or perhaps because waiting for them to settle this was just taking too long. When everyone had fallen silent, the elder sat up and said calmly, There is no point in talking so much. It depends on where the disciples wish to go. Tell you what. Each of you shall make an offer or use some other method to persuade these children. Even if you manage to persuade all of them to join you, nobody will be able to complain about that. Quarreling like this in broad daylight is so unbecoming. Whats happened to the authoritativeness and prestige of being a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect? Yes, Elder. All three of them instinctively glared at one another and responded with a bow while sighing inwardly. If it were some other elder, they could have completely ignored his opinion, but they couldnt ignore this one. This elder was the one who was in charge of the library, which also meant that he held great power in the sect. Nobody knew why the Sect Leader had put him in charge of the new disciple selection this time around. Dangg! Lord Fang tapped a finger on his huge sword to catch everyones attention, then said with a smile, Greetings, junior brothers and sisters! If you join the Nobles Clan, level Sevens get five Spiritual Stones a month, level Eights get 15 Stones a month. I also have connections to the disciplinarians of this sect, so I can provide some benefit in that area as well. You could even get a discount on the number of contributions you need to make in exchange for cultivation techniques. After he finished his speech, he smiled and walked back to where the rest of his group was standing. The Four Directions Court will give six Stones to level Sevens and 16 Stones to level Eights. The rest is about the same as what Lord Fang offered. But we also have a secret realm that can save everyone some cultivating time and resources. Senior Brother Wang beamed from ear to ear as he looked at the slightly annoyed looking Lord Fang. This secret realm was the Four Directions Courts trump card and was also a big reason why the Four Directions Court had become so powerful. How petty. A chuckle came from behind the sheer curtains. Suddenly, the pavilion disappeared, and everyone could see a woman wearing a chiffon cape semi-reclining on a wide chair as the long train of her dress reached the floor. Her sleeves had been rolled back to reveal two fair and smooth arms. The breeze blew at the corners of her skirt from time to time, making her cheeky feet play peek-a-boo shyly. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail with some stray strands in front tucked simply behind her ear, giving her an air of lazy elegance. A sly and intelligent glint flashed in her watery eyes now and then. Her lips parted slightly as she said, Greetings, my new junior brothers and sisters. My offer is simple. The Way Seekers Alliance will give you twice the number of Spiritual Stones the other two have offered. You will get to use the Cultivation Room within the sect one additional time per month. On top of that, I can introduce you to someone nice too. After she finished saying that, both Senior Brother Wang and Lord Fang couldnt help but exchange a sad smile. Never in their lives would they have imagined that Miss Mo would use her beauty and feminine charm to get new disciples to join her team. Neither of them was able to do such a thing, after all. Chapter 14 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 14: Give Up Little Mo, stop using your feminine charm on the children! They are to become the future pillars of the sect. What are we going to do if you corrupt their hearts and minds? The elder had a twinkle in his eyes as he shook his head in exasperation. All of you, hurry up and make your stand. Dont just stand there and hope that your seniors will make a better offer, no such thing will happen. The elder scanned the new disciples calmly with his cloudy eyes, which put pressure on all of them for some reason. I want to join the Way Seekers Alliance, a young man with an alert look in his eyes standing next to Gu Suihan in commoners clothing took a step forward and declared his intention without hesitation. You have made a wise choice, my dear junior brother. Ill take care of getting you a partner, alright? Miss Mo covered her mouth as she laughed, her laughter sounding like pearls falling into a bowl, bright and pleasant. She motioned to her maid to bring the young man over to stand behind her and even patted the young mans shoulder as a form of encouragement. I will join the Four Directions Court, spoke a young man as he stepped out. I will join As the new disciples came forward one by one to express their intentions, the three leaders began to smile to themselves at the same time. Perhaps it was just a coincidence. Or perhaps it was the will of heaven. The two disciples who had special Spiritual Roots took turns to explain that they had already been taken in as a disciple by elders in the sect. They just needed to activate their Roots and would become a direct disciple to the two elders. The two elders in question were from the Third Peak and they never bothered themselves with joining any clique because their method of cultivation was different from the rest. Other elders backed them, so they never lacked resources. Also, they insisted on remaining neutral, like Li Rongs father. This piece of information disappointed the three leaders, but there was nothing they could do about it. After Nan Xingyuan chose to join the Way Seekers Alliance, the disciples were split evenly among the three groups. Each group had one level eight and three level sevens. The only person who hadnt chosen any team yet was Gu Suihan, who was still busy reading the sect rules at the back of the crowd. Who else is there? The three leaders counted their new members and realized there was one person who was unaccounted for. Theres still Gu Suihan. Li Rong looked carefully at the crowd and solved the mystery for them. The three leaders instantly flipped open the evaluation book in their hands. Gu Suihan. Gift: Eight Geng Gold. Aloof and distant mind. Vicious and ruthless personality. Suspected to have been heavily involved in the robbery of one of the Royal Courts tax ships from a few years ago. Severed ties with his clan later. Character needs to be further examined. After they all read the evaluation of Gu Suihan, different expressions spread across their faces. Hoho, this person is a little too aloof and unfeeling. Miss Mo laughed faintly and left first without even talking to Gu Suihan about joining her team. Hes too heartless, so thats not in line with the beliefs of the Nobles Clan. Lord Fang closed the booklet in his hands, laughed heartily and walked away as well. He has moral issues, so he will not fit well with us. Senior Brother Wang hesitated for a moment, but still left with a sigh anyway. The three of them were concerned with slightly different things, but the result was the same. Or perhaps it was because they all felt that it was better that all three factions were balanced in terms of power and potential talent, so they decided to just leave Gu Suihan out altogether. In that case, please return to your respective Compounds for now. Details are inside the Sect Rules booklet, said the elder in a slow voice as his eyelids drooped. Youre dismissed. Li Rong made a face as he tried to look through the crowd and finally spotted the calm faced Gu Suihan with a small bag in hand. Oh dear, nobody wanted you! Li Rong stood next to Gu Suihan and teased him, Poor thing! Your life is going to get more difficult in the future. Huh? Gu Suihan finally snapped out of his daze and asked in a confused voice, Whats going on? Did you not notice what happened just now? exclaimed Li Rong in shock as he widened his eyes at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan looked puzzledly at Li Rong and started making his way towards the East Compound as he asked, Notice what? Li Rong was speechless. He stared at Gu Suihan for a few moments before finally uttering, Just now, the Four Directions Court, the Nobles Clan and the Way Seekers Alliance came over to take disciples under their wing. You didnt say which one you wanted to join, and they already had all the disciples they wanted, so they all eliminated you without any discussion. Oh. Oh?! Li Rong raised an eyebrow and felt like he really couldnt understand Gu Suihan. I didnt intend to join any of those groups in the first place, said Gu Suihan with a calm look on his face. Its better that they eliminated me. At least I wont end up offending anybody. Hur hur, Li Rong laughed hollowly when he heard Gu Suihans answer. Do you really think youve not offended anybody? Before Gu Suihan could answer, Li Rong went on, Out of all the high-level gifted disciples, youre the only one with no family or faction of power to support you and you dont have any additional resources from elsewhere to help with your cultivation either. Besides, in order to play safe, they might decide to join hands and make your life difficult from time to time. And you think youre going to be fine? Oh, Gu Suihan continued to respond as calmly as before. Li Rong was about to explode from his frustrations when Gu Suihan said, Ill just kill anybody whos in my way. Do you really think that the sect works the same way as the rest of the world? Or do you think that the world of cultivation works just like the world of ordinary folks? Li Rong felt that Gu Suihans thinking was too simple. Gu Suihan finally stopped walking and turned to look at Li Rong. Do you really think that Im easy to bully? Or that Im very stupid? Well Li Rong didnt know what to say to that. As they stepped into the East Compound, Li Rong brought Gu Suihan around as he introduced the place, The four Compounds are built on the same mountain. The East Compound is on the peak, the West Compound is just above the halfway mark, the South Compound is just below the halfway mark and the North Compound is at the foot of the mountain. He paused for a while to pull a water bottle out from his bag, took a few sips and continued, The East Compound has the best of everything. You could say people live like kings here. Spiritual Rice comes with every meal and sometimes theres Magical Beast meat for sale. The North Compound gets it the worst, and theyre just a little better than ordinary folks in the mundane world. If the difference in the conditions of each Compound is so vast, what will motivate the poorly ranked disciples to cultivate? Haha! Li Rong laughed loudly. I suppose you still remember that stage made from black metal we saw earlier, right? Gu Suihan nodded, so Li Rong continued, That stage is the only proper way for lower ranked disciples to move up the ladder. Your batch and anyone who joins the sect within a three-month period will get a chance to take on this challenge after three months. Each disciple will get a chance to challenge someone and two chances of being challenged every month. The disciples also have to follow other rules depending on which Compound theyre from. For example, disciples from the North can only challenge those from the South. Those from the South can only challenge those from the West. Those from the East like us can be challenged three times a month and we get the chance to turn down one of them each month. If thats the case, where do we find the time to cultivate? Hoho, did you think these challenges are just a way to mark your attendance and comes with nothing else? Li Rongs lips curled into a slightly scornful smile. A challenger must prepare something as a bet and this bet is decided based on the prowess of both parties. There are disciplinarians from the Discipline Hall looking into this, so nobody dares to make empty promises. Also, as disciples from the East Compound, we get some special privileges. We get to enter the library twice a month and we also get to use the Cultivation Room twice a month. Anybody from the East and West Compounds gets to kill someone once if they are challenged. The last sentence made Gu Suihans nonchalant expression finally look slightly surprised. Li Rong didnt seem to have noticed the change in Gu Suihans expression and just continued talking, So, thats what Im really worried about. Youve been eliminated by the three major factions, so they would probably have two ideas on what to do about you. The first one is to talk to you in private and secretly get you to join them. If you refuse, then theyll join hands to make someone from the West Compound challenge you. Or worse, someone from the East Compound would purposely lose a challenge so that they get transferred to the West Compound, then theyll wait till next month to challenge you and kill you. Whatever for? Because youre easy to bully. Also, the annual number of internal disciple vacancies for those who have leveled up are very few. And you think Id get stepped on? Gu Suihan asked. No. Quite the opposite, in fact. Surprisingly, Li Rongs expression became solemn as he retorted, I dont know your exact prowess, but the one thing that this world doesnt lack are geniuses, and the scariest people in the world are the geniuses groomed by the biggest factions. You dont know if anybody youve killed has any connections with the top brass or if it will implicate someone else. Once you leave the East Compound, successfully reach Foundation Establishment stage and become an internal disciple, revenge seekers will rain down on you like fire and brimstone. And why are you so worried about me? Gu Suihan asked quizzically. Er Li Rongs expression suddenly became very awkward. Well, actually, besides finding you a pretty decent person, the more important part is that my father was the one who instructed me to leave the sect this time because I was supposed to have a really big chance encounter, but but you didnt end up running into any chance encounter. The only thing that happened was that you got to know me and now you think that Im that chance encounter. Gu Suihan was mildly amused. Thats right. Li Rongs expression grew solemn again and the determined look in his eyes surprised Gu Suihan for a moment. A moment of silence later, Gu Suihan smiled and said, In that case, Ill give you that chance encounter. Oh? If my guess is right, the chance encounter youre looking for is a way to perfectly start absorbing Qi and awakening your spirit, isnt it? Gu Suihan casually sat down on a nearby bench. Thats right. Ive never been short of Spiritual Stones and access to any resources, and the sect has countless cultivation techniques available to all disciples. But when it comes to absorbing Qi and awakening ones spirit, you have to rely entirely on yourself. Theres no way any external force can help you with it, said Li Rong with a sad sigh. The awakening of ones spirit is basically the activation of ones Spiritual Root. But how much Qi the Spiritual Root absorbs and processes the Qi will depend on ones level of giftedness. Once Qi is absorbed into the body, it will transform ones internal breath and strength completely into ones pneuma. But because the quality of your internal strength and pneuma are too poor, the pneuma that your internal strength created is only a fuse of sorts. At this point, you will need to rely on an external force. As long as there is sufficiently concentrated Qi for you to absorb, you will succeed in absorbing it. But here comes the next problem. Most people think that they just need to absorb Qi, but they forget how much their bodies can take. Very often, even after theyve absorbed everything they can, they realize that the Qi theyve absorbed isnt enough to completely hone and refine all the meridian channels in their body. Chapter 15 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 15: Ignorance? Gu Suihan clicked his tongue, then looked straight at Li Rong as he said, As such, besides having enough Qi, high level spells and resources, the most important thing is to have some techniques. Li Rong stared strangely at Gu Suihan. It was his turn to ask quizzically, Arent you just the son of a well-to-do businessman? Why are you so familiar with cultivation? Why dont you guess? Gu Suihan smiled faintly. Ill tell you about the techniques another time. You havent reached the peak of Physical Realm yet, so its going to take at least another month for you to start absorbing Qi and awakening your spirit, said Gu Suihan with absolutely no evidence or logic to back this statement up. What the Li Rong suddenly realized that he had been played out by Gu Suihan. He should have just not said anything or finished saying everything. Whats with him stopping halfway?! You must understand that the most important thing to a cultivator of the Way is his state of mind and foundation. Being in a rush to do anything will certainly result in disaster, said Gu Suihan in a rather stern voice. While he wasnt wrong, Li Rong still felt like Gu Suihan had done this on purpose. But after looking at Gu Suihans expression that remained as flat and unexciting as the bottom board of a coffin, Li Rong wasnt really sure if his guess was right or not. I need to go back to tell my father that Im back, said Li Rong as he stood up and did not pursue this matter further. Also, according to the rules, the top three residences within the East Compound belong to the three major factions. Dont try to go in there and end up getting chased out. Li Rong then turned and left, but he still had a puzzled look in his eye. The more time he spent with Gu Suihan, the more he realized how mysterious this fellow was. Forget it, Ill go ask Father. He would know whats going on. Li Rong shook his head, then stuck a talisman on himself. His movement suddenly gained speed and he disappeared in a flash. Psh. Gu Suihan looked at the flying dust in the distance where Li Rong had been, and his lips curled into a mysterious smile. Since we will eventually have to fall out with one another sooner or later, why should I bother telling you everything? Gu Suihan started walking towards the most luxurious residential area situated at the innermost part of the East Compound. What are you going to do? Gu Suihans bag moved a little as a bright childlike voice spoke from inside. It was the broken knife that Gu Suihan had forcibly removed from the secret realm. What am I going to do? Gu Suihan broke into a smile. Im going to teach some people a lesson. The knife was a little shocked and asked, But didnt that fellow earlier say that you can only challenge someone else after three months? There was a glint in Gu Suihans eyes when he heard those words. Three months? Thats for disciples from a lower level who want to challenge those from a higher level. Those have to wait for three months. But you can fight anybody within the same Compound anytime. The only rule here is that you cant kill anybody randomly. Who are you? Several young men were talking to one another at the entrance to the residence when one of them spotted Gu Suihan walking in and yelled at him angrily. Cant you read the sign? Another one glared fiercely at Gu Suihan and pointed to a wooden signboard next to him. Residence for disciples of the Way Seekers Alliance Unauthorized persons are not allowed here Hoho, Gu Suihan made a face and broke the sign with a kick in front of their horrified faces. I give all of you ten seconds. Get out of here. Im taking this place. The high and mighty aura Gu Suihan had since he was a child was fully unleashed in this moment. I see that someones here to make trouble, sneered another man with more mature features. Miss Mo is having a meeting inside right now. If you leave now, we will not pursue this matter. Otherwise, thats the end of a peaceful life for you. Of course, he could sense the confidence in the way Gu Suihan spoke. Anyone who dared to make trouble for the Way Seekers Alliance had to be pretty capable in the first place. But he wasnt worried, because the leader of their Alliance was now speaking to the new batch of disciples inside. Every external disciple of Seven Kill Sect knew that the leaders of the three major factions were internal disciples and were backed by a number of powerful yet mysterious people. You have three more seconds. Gu Suihan merely raised an eyebrow. Go and look for Miss Mo, the three of us will try to stall him, the mature looking one gave the other disciples these instructions in a low and grim voice. Tianyu, do we really have to bother being so careful around this boy? One of them was unhappy that the mature looking one was taking this so seriously. But after he saw the latter staring so intently at him, he swallowed the rest of what he initially intended to say and quickly ran in to look for Miss Mo. My friend, how should I address you? Tianyu looked at Gu Suihan and placed one palm against the other fist. No need. We can just fight. Gu Suihan smiled. Dont worry, Im a new disciple so you dont have to be worried. Tianyu immediately raised an eyebrow at this, but he was also secretly relieved. Tianyu, dont waste your breath on him anymore. The other young man was getting impatient and gave Gu Suihan a threatening smile. Just cripple him and throw him out. He then patted Tianyus shoulder with his left hand while drawing his long sword out of its sheath with his right. Meet your maker, punk! Gu Suihan scoffed, then the bag he had been carrying all this while suddenly opened. A meter-long sword met the other mans long sword and slid down the sharp blade, sending sparks flying towards the other mans sword hilt. The other man had no choice but to pull back and the initial disdain in his eyes slowly faded. He rotated his wrist left and right, as if he was drawing flowers with his sword, fiercely attacking Gu Suihans vital areas like a venomous snake sticking its tongue out repeatedly. Not bad, murmured Gu Suihan to himself. At the same time, he suddenly let go of his sword, took half a step forward, dodged the other mans sword, and grabbed hold of his own sword again. There was an ear-piercing swoosh as Gu Suihans sword was suddenly unsheathed and reached for the other mans wrist. The other young man had no choice but to pull his own sword back to fend off the oncoming blade while he tapped the air with one of the fingers on his left hand. It was clear that he was aiming an attack at Gu Suihans dantian, which would essentially make Gu Suihan unable to cultivate. But Gu Suihans sword suddenly turned the other way, dodging the other mans sword and aimed for the other mans lower half. What on earth?! The young man was horrified as he suddenly felt a wind coming towards his lower half and he instinctively stabbed his own sword into the ground. Dangg! The loud swoosh of Gu Suihans sword hit the other mans sword. Why, you! The young man cursed Gu Suihan inwardly for being so vicious. If he had reacted just half a second too late, he would have lost a leg by now. Watch out! someone exclaimed from behind him. The young man hurriedly looked up only to see a mirthless smile on Gu Suihans handsome face. Gu Suihans sword moved like an apparition as it brought both a frightening murderous aura and the rebound from hitting the other mans sword, moving towards the young man, and silently sliced through the young mans shoulder. The young man felt an unbearable pain in his shoulder and shouted in pain before stumbling backwards. What a vicious move! Tianyu ran forward to help the young man up. When he looked at what was left of the young mans shoulder, he yelled angrily, Were all disciples of the same sect! Why did you have to be so brutal? Thats the endIm done for The young mans gaze was lifeless as he stared at his severed arm lying several meters away from him. His face was as white as a sheet. Han Qing! Dont worry, Ill ask Miss Mo to join your arm back to your shoulder, Tianyu held back his rage and consoled his friend softly. But he knew that these were meaningless words of consolation. It wasnt hard to join the arm back to its owners shoulder. The difficult part was joining the broken meridian channel back to the rest of the bodys meridian channels. This could only be done with the help of some rare treasure, which were items that external disciples like themselves would never even come across in their lives. Even if Miss Mo had any on hand, she wouldnt bother using it on a low-level disciple in such circumstances. Whats happened? a fairylike voice wafted over from afar. The familiar voice made Tianyu, and his friends, pause for a moment before a look of relief covered their faces. Miss Mo, this young man came here to make trouble for no apparent reason. Han Qing, myself, and the rest tried to persuade him against doing anything rash, but he destroyed our signboard and even sliced off Han Qings arm. Miss Mo, please help us! Tianyu immediately put all the blame on Gu Suihan. He was not that simpleminded after all. There was a frosty glint in Miss Mos watery eyes, but she smiled and said, My dear junior brother, how has the Way Seekers Alliance offended you? Why did you have to attack a fellow disciple so ferociously? Gu Suihan merely smiled as he looked at the beautiful woman before him who seemed angry yet calm at the same time. He flicked the blood on his sword off and responded in a quiet voice, According to rule number 21 of the sects rules, internal disciples are not to interfere in any conflict between external disciples. Besides, nothing in the rules states that this place belongs to the Way Seekers Alliance, right? When he heard this rather ridiculous sounding defense, Tianyu couldnt help but take a step forward and retorted, But everyone in Seven Kill Sect knows that this area belongs to the Way Seekers Alliance. How dare you Shut up, Miss Mo cut him off sternly, then broke into a smile again as she said gently, That is indeed the rule here. So, Im not able to do anything about today. Miss Mo Han Qing fell into despair. He thought that Miss Mo would avenge him by incapacitating the evil Gu Suihan without needing any reason. He didnt expect her to react this way. Shut up. After being interrupted by her juniors so many times, Miss Mo became a little irritated with them and her gaze instantly turned icy. I have my own way of dealing with this matter. Dear junior brother, what is your business here? Miss Mos voice had become more hostile than before. She was clearly running out of patience. Gu Suihan shrugged and said calmly, Among the residents of the East Compound, the disciples in the top three residences get the greatest number of Spiritual Stones every month. He didnt say much, but the meaning he implied was clear. It wasnt as if there was no infighting within the East Compound. In fact, it was quite the opposite. All three major factions of power were here, so the competition was even stiffer and fiercer. It was hard to understand why the sect allowed such a thing, but there was a difference in status depending on which part of the East Compound you stayed in. For example, the three residences that Gu Suihan was standing in front of were not only the best in terms of the environment, but they were also given the best treatment. Their monthly supply of resources, such as Spiritual Stones, were around one and half times that of the other residents in the same Compound. The three factions purposely claimed this area not just because they were fighting for resources, but more to increase their status and prestige in the eyes of the external disciples. Thats it? Miss Mo was a little surprised. She thought that someone from the Nobles Clan or the Four Directions Court had instructed this boy to make trouble here. She didnt expect the only thing he was after to be these additional Spiritual Stones. Then why didnt you go to the residences of the Four Directions Court or the Nobles Clan first? Tianyu was still fuming. Did you think the Way Seekers Alliance disciples are pushovers? Chapter 16 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 16: Extortion Pushovers? Gu Suihan scoffed. The contempt in his eyes was unmistakable. All of you think youre somebody really important, huh? The three major factions of power? Haha! He wasnt laughing very loudly, but everyone could hear the disdain in his laughter very clearly. You Ive come here only because one of the new disciples that the Way Seekers Alliance has taken in this time has a feud with me. His gaze moved past Miss Mo to land on Nan Xingyuan, who had just come outside with the other new disciples. Everyone could see that Gu Suihan was looking at one particular person, so they all turned to look at the slightly confused Nan Xingyuan. Gu Suihan, its you! Nan Xingyuan stared hatefully at the smiling Gu Suihan from a distance. She hissed through gritted teeth, You cant fight for no reason within the sect, so what are you trying to do? I see, so you are Gu Suihan. Miss Mo looked a little surprised and she asked, And what feud do the two of you have that makes our junior brother here unable to let go of it? Nan Xingyuan noticed Han Qing groaning in pain on the ground and her heart sank. She didnt expect Gu Suihan to actually launch an attack. She quickly explained what happened to Miss Mo via telepathy. So, thats what happened, thought Miss Mo, But since thats the case, his actions arent actually considered overboard, and it would be best to reach an agreement and settle this matter as soon as possible. But if he decides not to accept my offer while Im being nice, thenIll have to get nasty After thinking it through, she looked up and smiled. In that case, as a senior sister, let me apologize on her behalf and well let this case rest. How about that? If I incapacitate your dantian and just say Sorry about that!, would you accept it? said Gu Suihan with a mirthless smile. He certainly didnt care for her apology. What do you want then? Miss Mo spoke with a sweet smile on her face, but her gaze was filled with hostility. If my guess is right, this girl has already been given a place within this residence, right? This block here can take five people, I hear. Gu Suihan did not answer her question and turned to comment on the luxurious residential area behind her instead. Based on the way Gu Suihan was behaving, it wasnt hard for everyone to tell what he was up to. He was here to milk some benefits for himself. Nan Xingyuan gave the pretentious looking Gu Suihan a dirty stare. You can forget about it! This residence belongs to the Way Seekers Alliance! If you know whats good for you, then leave as quickly as you can. Otherwise She didnt have to finish her sentence. The threat implied was clear. Miss Mo shut her eyes and took a deep breath, then said calmly, Name your price. Miss, we cant just let him have his way! exclaimed Tianyu anxiously as his heart sank. If they made an exception for Gu Suihan this time, what were they going to do if another person came forward to do the same thing? If this kept happening, the Way Seekers Alliance would lose all its prestige and would not be on par with the other two factions anymore. I know what Im doing. Miss Mos expression was very serious. Hes just an exception. After all, hes a new disciple who hasnt even spent a day in the sect, yet he knows all the rules and even remembers the obscure ones. Im very sure someone is giving him instructions. We have to give in this time. If we allow Gu Suihan to saunter into our territory as and when he likes, then that would truly be a loss in prestige and authority. Indeed, indeed. Gu Suihan was surprised at how accurately Miss Mo had analyzed the entire situation. Threatening to take over the Way Seekers Alliances residence was just a red herring. So was the whole thing about settling his feud with Nan Xingyuan. Nan Yuntian, Nan Xingyuan and their entire family were doomed to die sooner or later. He didnt have to spend so much effort and risk having to offend the Way Seekers Alliance to pick a fight with Nan Xingyuan. He was here for a completely different reason. He was banking on the Way Seekers Alliances culture of protecting their members to get some resources for himself. When he saw that Miss Mo was ready to give in to his demands, he decided to stop beating about the bush and said with a smile, 500 Spiritual Stones, ten bottles of high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills and one magic weapon. Hows that? No. Miss Mos eyes bulged as she glared furiously at Gu Suihan. Youre asking for way too much. 100 Spiritual Stones and three bottles of pills. No more than that. Gu Suihan smiled even more brightly to reveal his pearly whites. 300 Stones, five bottles of pills and one magic weapon. Ill promise not to tell anyone about what happened today. Swear by the Way that you will not tell anyone about what happened today, said Miss Mo as she breathed heavily in anger. Her full bosom heaved and coupled with her angry, reddened cheeks, she looked even more alluring than usual. Tsk, Gu Suihan stared blatantly at her chest, then swore by the Way solemnly when Miss Mos expression grew even more furious. Give the things to him and make sure he leaves. Miss Mo was clenching her teeth so tightly that they chattered, as she glared fiercely at Gu Suihans annoying smiling face. A green beam of light appeared after she waved her fair wrist and she flew into the sky, disappearing out of sight almost instantly. Thanks for the generosity, said Gu Suihan cheekily as he snatched the bag out of Tianyus clutches. Meanwhile, Han Qing had already fainted from losing too much blood. Take him away, dont let him die, said Miss Mos maid emotionlessly with a frown. After that, she left as well. Oho, this was unexpected, murmured Gu Suihan quietly on his way out. And now, its time to actually find a place to stay. Youre really shameless! That complaint came from the broken knife inside Gu Suihans bag. You dont know anything, sneered Gu Suihan. Youd better behave yourself. Ive got a million and one ways to discipline you if you dont. He randomly found a residence and settled in. The East Compound covered a vast area, but few disciples lived in it. The total number of new disciples each time combined with any disciples who didnt make it to the next stage was only one or two hundred. Up to five people could live in one residence and each disciple was entitled to two servants. And even so, there was still a lot of space available. The residence that Gu Suihan had chosen had nobody else but himself. After he hung up the sign to indicate that someone was staying in this residence, he started walking towards Fortune Court. Fortune Court was where the disciples came to collect their benefits. Each disciples monthly supply of Spiritual Stones, rewards from the sect for certain contributions and other items were all dispensed from here. What a coincidence, said Gu Suihan after he walked in and noticed a few familiar faces. Humph! The smile on Tianyus face instantly faded when he saw it was Gu Suihan. He scoffed and walked away in response. Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by Tianyus reaction at all. He turned to one of the staff at Fortune Court and said, Give me everything Im entitled to for the month and two maids. He then handed over his disciple token to the staff. Please wait here. The staffs heart skipped a beat when he saw the token and he had a much more polite expression on his face. He behaved like this because the residents of the East Compound were held in much higher regard compared to those from other Compounds, especially new disciples who were allocated directly to the East Compound right from the start. Such disciples were geniuses with high levels of giftedness and the staff couldnt afford to offend them. Before long, the staff came back with two maids. Will these two do? They were just sent here last month, and nobody has picked them yet. He motioned to the two maids to quickly bow and greet Gu Suihan. Greetings, Young Master, said the two maids in a demure and sweet voice as they bowed. Just then, a nasty and demanding voice called out, Im taking these two. The entire place fell silent as everyone turned to see a heavyset man in an expensive brocade robe and a gold belt around his waist, who looked every bit like a stereotypical nouveau riche. Everyone in Fortune Court instantly had a look of disgust on their faces. At the same time, some of the disciples who had been around longer exchanged anxious glances and secretly took several steps back. You over there, pick another two for him. The nouveau riche had a snobbish look on his face as he peered down at Gu Suihan from the corner of his eye. Senior Brother Li, this gentleman here is a new East Compound disciple, the staff whispered into the mans ear. He was now in a very difficult position. Oh? Li Xianming frowned upon hearing these words. He had noticed that one of the maids had a body of inner charm1 and that would be highly beneficial to his cultivation. He hadnt considered Gu Suihans status at all. But the staffs warning was not to be taken lightly. The fact that Gu Suihan was from the East Compound made this situation a little trickier. Im sorry about this, junior brother, but I feel an affinity with these two maids, so could you let me have them? Li Xianming quickly made a decision to smile and ask Gu Suihan nicely as he placed one palm against his other fist politely. How many Spiritual Stones are you willing to give me in exchange for them? asked Gu Suihan flatly. I Li Xianming was fuming inside. They were both East Compound disciples and the fact that he had apologized was already a compromise on his part, but Gu Suihan obviously didnt care for it at all. Hohohow about ten Spiritual Stones? You must understand that even East Compound disciples only get 30 Spiritual Stones a month after all. Ten stones? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and snorted. A body with inner charm is only worth ten stones to you? Are you dumb? Look, junior brother, Id advise you to tone it down, otherwise disaster might befall you when you go out. Li Xianmings expression fell as he threatened Gu Suihan with a frosty smile. Im offering you ten only because youre a fellow East Compound disciple. If you werent, you wouldnt even get one. Gu Suihan suddenly marched towards the other man, his footsteps making a dull echo resound throughout Fortune Court. He observed the other man more closely and said, You havent even reached the Perfect Physical Realm yet and your rank of aptitude2 barely made it to seven. Havent you spent many years cultivating? Where did all of that go? You little bastard! How dare you insult me! Li Xianming flew into a rage and his eyes gave off a sinister glint. Im going to teach you how to respect your seniors today! He suddenly closed the folding fan in his hand, then stabbed it in the direction of Gu Suihans chest at high speed. At the same time, he pulled his left hand back into his large sleeve and pinched his fingers together in a particular way. Pak! Gu Suihan flicked his fingers, pushing the folding fan aside and allowing his fingers to head straight for Li Xianmings forearm like a venomous and scheming snake that was ready to swallow its victim whole. Humph! So, thats all youve got! The smile on Li Xianmings face grew sinister as he suddenly thrust his hidden left hand out of its sleeve again and shouted, Murderous Qi of Dark Yin! Diffuse! What?! When did this fellow master the Dark Yin spells? Tianyu and the other disciples watching the fight from outside Fortune Court were immediately in shock. The Clackers ShadyShadyShady Izakaya Todays snack recommendation: Shiokara. Most people have alcoholic drinks or plain rice with this, but I like it straight. Umami: ********** Chapter 17 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 17: Hes Dead? Everyone standing outside Fortune Court watched as a gray cloud of Murderous Qi shot out from Li Xianmings sleeve. The cloud flew towards Gu Suihan and burst just before hitting Gu Suihan. Prepare to die, little brat! Ive contributed enough to kill someone without repercussions now! Li Xianming had a murderous look on his face as he rotated his folding fan several times, sending out several silver needles that glistened with a murky green liquid. The needles were clearly laced with poison. Murderous Qi? Gu Suihans expression turned sinister as the intention to kill finally filled his heart. Its so cold. Thats a lot of Murderous Qi. Everyone already standing outside moved even further away as the inside of Fortune Court was quickly engulfed in a gray smog. Gu Suihan wasnt able to dodge the onslaught of needles in time, so he raised his arms to wave his sleeves in order to blow most of the needles away. After that, he brought his shoulders low and suddenly charged at Li Xianming like a tank. Anybody who had read enough books on martial arts on Earth would probably immediately exclaim, Thats the Mountain Leaning Technique!1 But Li Xianming took one look at Gu Suihans small and skinny frame and scoffed in disdain. Murderous Qi of Dark Yin! Corrode! Swooshing noises filled the air as the Murderous Qi surrounding Gu Suihan suddenly gathered together again. The particles tried their best to penetrate Gu Suihans body but all they managed to do was to eat away at the clothing covering his upper body. Several tiny black dots appeared on Gu Suihans clothes, but the particles could go no further. How can this be? Li Xianming was shocked, but he didnt slow down just because of that. He flung the folding fan aside, touched the bag hanging on his belt and retrieved a handkerchief about the size of his palm. Vast Net of Chaos! Capture! The handkerchief started flapping even though there was no wind and increased exponentially in size before flying towards Gu Suihan. This was a low-grade magic weapon that he had used a large number of Spiritual Stones to purchase. It was pretty powerful, since it was able to lock a persons internal energy for a few seconds, which also made it more of an auxiliary weapon rather than a main weapon. And because Gu Suihan was able to match his moves, Li Xianming instinctively assumed that Gu Suihan was at Half Step to Qi Absorption like he was. At this stage, the body had very little Qi but still hadnt processed most of it into pneuma yet. To him, that was the only explanation for why Gu Suihan had been able to hold up against his Murderous Qi attack. What an idiot. Gu Suihan suddenly stopped moving and a dagger appeared in his hand. Li Xianming paled in horror as he watched Gu Suihan use that to not only cut right through the Vast Net of Chaos but also to stab Li Xianming in the chest. Thats enough! an elderly voice suddenly rang out. The voice seemed to carry some sort of power that stopped Gu Suihans dagger from stabbing deeper into Li Xianming. You got lucky. Gu Suihans expression was nasty, and he whispered into Li Xianmings ear, Youd better watch out otherwise disaster might befall you when you go out. The Murderous Qi that was swirling within Fortune Court also slowly gathered together again and flew back into Li Xianmings sleeve after that elderly voice gave that shout. Now that their vision was no longer obscured by the gray smog, everyone outside realized that the previously pompous Li Xianming was now slumped on the floor, his hair in a mess and his face as pale as a sheet. His robe was stained with blood and his empty gaze truly shocked the crowd. Gather your things and get out of here right now. I will not make you compensate for damages this time, said the elderly voice again. This time, it sounded a little more upset. I take my leave. Gu Suihan bowed politely, then waved his hand at the two absolutely terrified maids who were hiding by themselves in a corner to follow him out. As he walked past Li Xianming, he silently moved his fingers a little before marching out of Fortune Court with an unfeeling and ruthless look on his face. At the same time, Tianyu and the rest who just witnessed this fight were so relieved that Miss Mo had settled the matter earlier by just giving Gu Suihan what he wanted. Getting on the wrong side of such a vicious opponent was definitely going to end in tragedy. Father, I have returned. Li Rong was standing politely in front of a middle-aged man and telling him everything that happened when he had left the sect. After he was done reporting, he said a little hesitantly, I feelthat theres something a little odd about Gu Suihan, but I just cant seem to place my finger on it. Xiexin Zhenren slowly sipped his tea, then said with a faint smile, Ronger, that Gu Suihan is hiding a number of secrets. Just that ship robbery case alone is problematic. Did you really think that old thing, Nan Yuntian, would get so uptight over some missing gold pieces? What else could there be? Li Rong was still confused. These tax ships do not only ship annual taxes back to the Royal Court. Rare and precious treasures from officials from all over the country are also included. Most importantly, the old fellow in the palace needs the power of faith and destiny. Li Rong gasped and exclaimed in astonishment, You mean, destiny and faith can be gathered together and shipped like an item? Xiexin Zhenren laughed loudly and said, Youre still young, so this doesnt make sense to you. But these are extremely important to that old monster in the palace. Hes counting on those to extend his lifespan. So should we A frosty glint flashed in Li Rongs eyes. No, dont. Xiexin Zhenren waved his hand to dismiss his sons suggestion and looked intently at Li Rong. What you need to do right now is to remain on good terms with Gu Suihan. You must maintain your friendship with him and never become enemies with him. Even if you want to proceed, you have to wait until that matter is over. Xiexin Zhenrens expression was very solemn now. That matter. Li Rong seemed to have recalled something and a mocking smile spread across his lips. Go back to your residence for now and remember what I said. Your son will take his leave now. Li Rong bowed and left the room. Xiexin Zhenren was left all alone again on the peak of the mountain. After a long time, he slowly put his teacup down again and murmured, Gu Suihan? I hope you survive for as long as possible, sincefish will only surface if the waters are muddy enough2 More than a month later, all the administrative matters required to settle the new disciples in was completed and everything was slowly moving along as planned. Disciplinarians came to the four Compounds to give lectures. It felt as though the entire mountain of external disciples was covered by dark clouds and the air was filled with tension. It was like the calm before a storm. Senior Brother Gu! called out a young girl as she ran after Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan turned around and asked the girl, Is Li Rong looking for me? Yes, Young Master is asking you to go over to his place, he says its urgent, the girl spoke rapidly as she nodded. Ill go over right now, Gu Suihan looked down for a moment to think, then answered her after that. He used his Qi to make his body lighter and arrived at Li Rongs residence within seconds. Li Xianming is dead, was the first thing Li Rong said the moment Gu Suihan walked in. Oho. Gu Suihan looked surprised and asked, Whos Li Xianming? How did he die? You dont know? Li Rong scoffed. He was very sure Gu Suihan had something to do with this. No. Gu Suihan looked both confused and completely innocent. Humph! Li Rong scowled as he said in a dejected voice, Whether you had anything to do with Li Xianmings death doesnt matter, as long as nobody thinks it could be you. Whos backing him? Gu Suiran asked suddenly. He didnt look the least panicky. It really wasnt you, thought Li Rong as he glanced at Gu Suihan. Nobody significant, but his younger brother, Li Xianlong, is also an external disciple. Less than half a day after Li Xianmings death was confirmed, Li Xianlong was mysteriously transferred to the West Compound, said Li Rong with a solemn look. It didnt take a genius to realize what was actually going on. Why was Li Xianlong defeated and transferred to the West Compound so suddenly? It clearly had something to do with what happened to Li Xianming when he fought with Gu Suihan. Even though that elder within Fortune Court had done something to stop the fight, he was still too late. Gu Suihans dagger was already two inches deep into Li Xianmings chest by that time. If Li Xianming werent fat enough, he would have died there and then. At the same time, Gu Suihan was laced with Soul Breaking Grass. On stab was all it took to forcibly stop Qi from circulating within even a cultivator at Foundation Establishment stage. The body would go into a chaotic state within an hour. Li Xianming had only just cultivated the Murderous Qi of Dark Yin into his body at that time. He had barely started on his cultivation journey and so his dantian wasnt stable to begin with. So, after Li Xianming got back to his residence and realized he still couldnt sense any Qi within his body after eight whole hours had passed, he began to really panic. Because of his anxiety, his severe injury and his unstable dantian, the tiny bit of Murderous Qi he had cultivated sadly vanished into thin air. This realization almost broke Li Xianming. After thinking about it for a long time, he finally decided that he would rather spend all the Spiritual Stones he had saved up on his younger brother, Li Xianlong, to kill Gu Suihan than to let this go. Unfortunately for Li Xianming, his younger brother had received a mission just a few days earlier and was only going to return more than a month later. But nobody realized that something had landed on Li Xianming when Gu Suihan seemed to casually flick his fingers as he walked past Li Xianming on his way out of Fortune Court. Li Xianming left the sect to look for his younger brother and was attacked by a magical beast on the way there. Li Rongs lips twitched, and he looked disdainful as he said, Almost none of his body was left. If Li Xianlong hadnt used his familys secret technique to forcibly take hold of his older brothers soul and keep it from harm, nobody would have found out that Li Xianming was killed by a Steel-backed Demon Monkey. Of course, that wasnt all Li Xianlong must have seen when searching his brothers memories. He probably saw Li Xianmings feud with you. So, you think Li Xianlong suddenly got himself transferred to the West Compound so that he could wait a month to challenge me and have an official reason to kill me and avenge his dead brother? Gu Suihan calmly finished saying everything else that Li Rong was trying to tell him. Li Rong saw Gu Suihans completely unaffected expression and couldnt help but say sarcastically, Youre not done with classes yet, and while you can look for techniques in the library anytime, you and I know that nothing good comes cheap. Good things always come at a price. Besides, are you sure that you can even master a technique well enough within a month? Dream on! Your level of aptitude is high, but you know very well that being gifted is not always enough. And now, you think you will survive Li Xianlongs attacks when youre only in the Perfect Physical Realm? Youre just building castles in the air. Li Rongs heartless words clearly did not harbor any hope that Gu Suihan would be able to defeat Li Xianlong. I wont say too much since you cant dodge this one. Maybe its one of the three disasters and six afflictions you have to suffer. A few moments later, Li Rong realized that Gu Suihans face was still just as expressionless as before, which both worried and exasperated him at the same time. Heres detailed information on Li Xianlong. You can have it. Youve gone a little too far now, said Gu Suihan quietly. He picked up the few sheets of paper on the table and left. Li Rong was left by himself to sit next to the pond in the huge courtyard. He frowned and murmured, If you werent still of great use to me, I wouldnt have to be so careful. The Clackers ShadyShadyShady Izakaya Todays snack recommendation: Hotaru Ika. Seen those photos of fluorescent blue sparkles in the Sea of Japan before or got a Firefly Squid in Animal Crossing? Good news! YOU CAN EAT EM TOO! Umami: ********** Chapter 18 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 18: Evaluation It was already past midnight. But the room was fully lit as Gu Suihans two maids stood nervously next to him and waited for any instructions he might have. Member of the sect for seven years, at Perfect Physical Realm, cultivates in Jinxed Sun Sword Technique and True Fire Body Training Technique. Allocated to the South Compound when he first entered the sect, made it to the East Compound within three years, known to attack viciously. His moves are varied, and he is not the most agile, but he has a lot of strength. He is suspected to be cultivating some sort of technique that refines the body and his defense techniques are fairly powerful. According to current estimates, he has at least three magic weapons. His actual fighting prowess could be ranked within the top 50 among his peers. Gu Suihan frowned as he read through these things, sorting out the information silently and making plans. Trained in sword techniques, a little clumsy, vicious. Most people with Fire Spiritual Roots have violent tendencies. His magic weapons can be ignored. Nobody knows how many trump cards he really has. If I fought him in my current state, I would definitely lose. If Im not careful, this body might even be destroyed in the process. The moonlight shining in through the window was gentle, but the look in Gu Suihans eyes was chilling. He decided that he couldnt put this off any longer. He had initially hoped to understand more about this world from the lecturers and make plans later, but things didnt always go as planned. Hurhur. Gu Suihan let out a snort when he recalled what Li Rong said about Li Xianmings cause of death. Attacked by a magical beast? Seriously, this was a plan with so many loopholes. The powder that Gu Suihan had flicked onto Li Xianming was Shadow Tracking Powder, which was something that could be used to locate ones whereabouts. Gu Suihan had initially intended to use this powder to keep tabs on Li Xianming, then find a chance to kill him off. He didnt expect Li Xianming to leave the mountain the very next day. If I remember correctly, a Steel-backed Demon Monkey prefers to remain in the depths of a forest where its very quiet and they always move as a group. Why would there be only one of them? Young Master, if that is so, could it be that someone wants to frame you for it? a clear voice rang out beside him. The two maids who had returned to the residence with Gu Suihan didnt have names, so he named them Lihua and Taohua. I wouldnt believe it if anyone insisted that this was just a coincidence. Gu Suihan turned to look at Taohua, the one who spoke up earlier. Who is trying to frame you? Gu Suihan fell silent for a long time before quietly saying, The Way Seekers Alliance. Meanwhile, in a luxuriously built residence. Miss Mos eyes were half closed as she leaned lazily against her chair and casually glanced at the very tense Nan Xingyuan in front of her. Look at what youve done. Miss Mo spoke in a quiet and calm manner, but the anger was apparent in her words. I was in the wrong. Nan Xingyuan was feeling pretty terrified right now. It never crossed her mind that her seemingly perfect plan would be uncovered almost immediately by Miss Mo. I got a disciplinarian to find out these things for me in secret. You can take a look at it yourself, said Miss Mo. Gu Suihan: joined the sect for a little more than a month, Spiritual Root and mental resilience tested to be at high levels. Perfect Physical Realm, expert in knives. Meticulous character, vicious in attacks. Suspected to have heavy involvement in the Royal Court tax ship robbery that occurred some years ago. After that incident, he was often seen going in and out of the black market. In less than three days after he entered the sect, every relative in his fathers bloodline died. No reason was found. Not a single one was spared. On very good terms with Xiexin zhenrens son, Li Rong. Judging from the incident at Fortune Court, he seems to have cultivated a body refining technique before. Then take a look at this as well. A mocking smile spread across Miss Mos lips as she flung a booklet onto the floor right in front of Nan Xingyuan. The evaluation book? Nan Xingyuan was surprised. After she spotted the smile in Miss Mos eye, she quickly opened the booklet. Spiritual Root at Level Eight, high grade Geng Gold, aloof person. Can be extremely obsessed. Although he knows when to attack and when to retreat, his personality is still very extreme and does not conform to social norms. Has no emotions or attachment to other people. In short, he is someone with no heart. Do you know what it means by he is someone with no heart? Miss Mo patiently waited for Nan Xingyuan to read everything carefully before posing her this question with a raised eyebrow. N-no, I dont. Nan Xingyuan was a little confused and unsure. No hatred, no greed, no infatuation. No regard for rules, the Way of Heaven or deities. Lives only for his own obsessions. No emotions, no attachment, no morals, no ethics. Thats what it means when someone is described as having no heart. Miss Mo was a little perturbed as she went on, In an ordinary persons society, such a person would become the favorite of the authorities if he became a court official. If he became a military general, he would be sent all by himself to a territory outside the country. Such a person does not respect nor fear anything at all. They are very frightening people. Nothing is perfect in this world. Nan Xingyuans gaze remained obstinate. He must possess some flaw. He kills without batting an eyelid, has no compassion, no loyalty and is a very careful person. Miss Mo didnt disagree with Nan Xingyuan and looked down at the young and slightly childish girl standing in front of her. His biggest flaw is how obsessed he can be. Im not blaming you for doing something you shouldnt have. Miss Mo sat up and said emotionlessly, Such a person should not exist in the first place. Hope slowly filled Nan Xingyuans face. Miss Mo scoffed. What makes me angry is the fact that you dont understand who youre up against, yet you went ahead to do something that raised the alarm, thinking you were very clever. So, you thought you had a perfect plan? Did you know that Steel-backed Demon Monkeys are actually magical beasts that only move in groups? Did you know that these beasts naturally stay in the depths of the forest and hardly come so far out? Did you know that even though someone might be dead, there are countless ways to gather the pieces of his soul together and search it for things that happened during his lifetime? Her tone and expression were very harsh by the time she got to the last sentence. There were many times she wished she could just slice Gu Suihan to pieces. That fearless and complacent look in his eyes, his willingness to kill without hesitation and the brazen way he extorted those things from her back in the East Compound made her gnash her teeth in anger. She was already at the Mid-phase Foundation Establishment, owned plenty of magic weapons and the like, and she had mastered a few dozen spells and techniques too. But what was the use of all that? She was merely an internal disciple of the Seven Kill Sect. She didnt dare to go against the sect rules at all. Rules 21, 31 and 37 of the Seven Kill Sect state that internal disciples cannot protect external disciples, cannot interfere in a fight between external disciples and cannot use their status to pressurize external disciples. Miss Mo let out a long sigh and said quietly, Thats why I didnt dare to do anything the last time. ThenMiss Mo, what should we do? asked Nan Xingyuan after she had wiped her tears away and calmed back down again. Miss Mo gave Nan Xingyuan an approving look and said, Now that this has happened, there is no way we can come to a truce with Gu Suihan. Ive already sent compensation to Li Xianlong for the failure of your plan, and he has also agreed to challenge Gu Suihan next month and kill the boy. What if he fails? What if he fails? Miss Mo raised an eyebrow. He wont fail. You only live once. Do you think hell still be alive if he fails? Besides, even if he fails, we will have many chances to try. Miss Mo smiled faintly. In short, Li Xianlong was merely going to serve as a yardstick to measure Gu Suihans abilities. It would be best if he succeeded in killing Gu Suihan, but it didnt matter if he failed either. Go back and continue cultivating, all of you dont have much time. Its almost time for that thing She looked rather tired after saying so much and waved a hand to dismiss Nan Xingyuan. But Nan Xingyuan was still thinking about Gu Suihan and hadnt noticed exactly what Miss Mo was saying at the end. After Nan Xingyuan left, the maid next to Miss Mo asked, Miss, why do you pay Nan Xingyuan so much attention? Nan Xingyuan? Miss Mo smiled faintly. Im not concerned about her. Im concerned with what Gu Suihan is holding onto. Gu Suihan? The maid was confused and didnt understand how this was somehow connected to Gu Suihan again. Xiaomei, think about it. The fleet that was robbed back then had a total of eight ships, but only two were actually robbed. Why just those two? And the craziest part was that nobody else on the other boats noticed anything. Miss Mo closed her eyes and enjoyed letting her maid massage her back. More importantly, how did the things on those two boats get shipped away? And why did the old fellow in the royal palace get so angry when he heard that the ships had been robbed? Because cultivators were involved. Thats how the things got shipped away. As long as they set up a formation, nobody else on the other boats would detect anything, right? As for why that old fellow would get angryIm sure its because he feels that the robbery of a tax ship is an embarrassment to the monarchy. Hoho. Miss Mo made a few pleased noises, then said with a laugh, High level martial artists must have been protecting those tax ships, so its not possible for anybody to have set up a formation without anybody noticing at all. So, its impossible that a cultivator was involved, since martial artists can sense Qi movement as well and would have smelled something fishy. As for why Im very certain that this thing is with Gu Suihan, its because my cultivation technique surprisingly has zero effect on him, so Im sure something is protecting him. He was merely an ordinary person before joining the sect, so how could he be able to deflect my Mara Charm Spell completely? The maid didnt know what to say after hearing Miss Mos analysis. She stuttered as she said, Butbut isnt that a bit of a reach? Maybe he got lucky and managed to buy some magic weapon from the black market? The Mara Charm Spell is silent and almost impossible to detect. To hold up against it, you must either have one of those magic weapons that only an Origin Core cultivator is able to use or a rare spiritual item that is meant to defend oneself from this particular type of spell. Otherwise, you could also be born with some technique, or you have incredible willpower, oryou have Vow Power from the masses. Miss Mo continued to analyze the situation carefully, Even if that boy has very good luck, the chances that he finds a magic weapon of sorts is almost zero. Hes only at the Perfect Physical Realm, so he wouldnt have any techniques that would help him. Willpower is something that works only on someone at the same cultivation level as yourself. In that caseits got to be the last one. Miss, you still havent told me how Gu Suihan managed to rob the tax ships, said Xiaomei mischievously. You naughty little girl! How dare you laugh at me! Miss Mo looked a little upset as she pressed her maid against the floor, and they continued to tease one another. Chapter 19 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 19: Bone Breaking As time passed, many of the new disciples began to confirm what they wanted to cultivate. Some chose to cultivate the sword, the saber or spells. Others chose to cultivate the body, or magic or even more than one type. There was a huge variety among the disciples. Im really not sure if cultivating this technique is a blessing or a curse. Gu Suihan was now sitting in the meditation room in a lotus position. After he thought about it that night and recalled everything he had gone through, even before for a long time, he finally decided to cultivate this technique. In his previous life, he had concluded that the Way of Ruthlessness was the one that was closest to the Way of Heaven. Later on, after his Master died while trying to escape a Heavenly Tribulation, he felt that the Way of Massacring was the true character of the Way of Heaven. In the end, when he destroyed the world and slaughtered all creation, he saw those mysterious eyes. Those emotionless eyes that seemed to have gone through a multitude of vicissitudes. That was when he realized he had been wrong. He had been wrong about everything. I dont live to become an immortal and I dont want to become a demon. All I want is to ask you, what is the Way? Gu Suihans eyes seemed to shine brilliantly as he looked into the distant skies, as if he was going to soar through the endless nothingness to see that blue and green planet, as well as that pair of eyes filled with nothing but mystery. Back when Gu Suihan lived in a time when cultivators were on the decline, he had practically learned everything that would help him become strong or that would increase his chances of survival. It didnt matter what it was. He learned everything from the 18 main forms of martial arts1 of the mundane world to the various spells and techniques from both the holy and demonic schools of cultivation. As long as he had use for it, he would learn it at any expense. The Extreme Ra-Asu Breach was the name of the technique he had chosen to cultivate in. He had found it way back when he annihilated a sect. It was a cultivation technique that mostly refined the body. Why did he choose it? Because it was a powerful technique. A very powerful one. But it was also very dangerous. If he wasnt careful, he could shatter his meridian channels and explode his Spiritual Root. Gu Suihan had a Geng Gold Spiritual Root, and unlike those of the other four elements, his was not suitable for magic because there were too many limitations. That was why most with Geng Gold Spiritual Roots chose to cultivate weapons. But while one could get very far in this method of cultivation, they were often reined in by the otherworldly magical powers the other four elements were capable of. Most who chose to cultivate the body had Earth and Gold Spiritual Roots, but there were still obvious drawbacks. This was also the biggest point of frustration for Gu Suihan. If he had a Water type Spiritual Root, he could have cultivated in the Blood Demon Heavenly River technique. If he had an Earth type Spiritual Root, he could have gone with the World Filling Soil Breach technique. If he had a Fire type, he could go with the Burning Heaven Illusion technique he cultivated in his previous life. Compared to the cultivation of the body that could enable him to shatter nothingness with one move and break through thousands of spells with the wave of his hand, he was more interested in the cultivation of magic, which could cause the weather to change with just one word or turn the world upside down with one action. As for why Gu Suihan never considered cultivating a weapon, the reason was simple. Cultivating a weapon had even more limitations. After all, unless the cultivator was born into a family of cultivators, nobody would have access to some sort of divine weapon or magic weapon for you to use in your cultivation right from the start. Of course, one could also choose to refine ordinary swords, but it would require so much time and effort to refine the sword. On top of all that, the difference was that cultivation of a weapon aimed to combine the weapon with ones very soul. That would give the cultivator the best attacking powers and agility. But that came with a problem of its own. Besides that one weapon, weapon cultivators could forget about trying to refine other weapons that were at the same level. One could just use some other weapon that wasnt refined, but they werent very useful if you were fighting against a powerful Origin Core cultivator. Thankfully, this Extreme Ra-Asu Breach wasnt a very extreme sort of technique purely for refining the body. More importantly, one had to kill a lot of people in the process of cultivating this technique. In any case, he wasnt afraid of launching massacres. He wasnt the one who was going to die anyway. This made Gu Suihan finally decide on cultivating this particular technique. It was better than the other impressive sounding but downright garbage techniques such as Mount Shu Sword Control or extreme techniques like Space Shattering Punch. The Extreme Asura Breach was the best one out of the very few techniques suitable for a Geng Gold Spiritual Root. What about the other techniques? It was too bad C he had only heard of them and didnt know anything else about them. There was the legendary Innate Five Element Geng Gold Breach and the Yin Yang Differentiating Geng Gold Technique. These were famous techniques from ancient times and had already disappeared completely by the time Gu Suihan was alive on Earth. Taohua, run a bath for me. I want to bathe, said Gu Suihan emotionlessly. The first step in cultivating was to make sure that every meridian channel in his body was unblocked and linked to one another. Gu Suihan was thankfully already at the Perfect Physical Realm, so most of his meridian channels had already been unblocked. Since this wasnt too difficult for him, he only took three days to complete this step. After he was done doing that, he could proceed to the next step, which had to be done in the Cultivation Rooms that the Seven Kill Sect provided for its disciples. He removed his filthy and smelly garments to take a bath. Any remaining grime and scum on his body was quickly scrubbed away by his maids. Young Master, Xinger came earlier with a message from Young Master Li. He wants you to get ready as soon as possible because there isnt much time left. Gu Suihan nodded nonchalantly as he put his clothes back on and wasnt very bothered by this message. Li Rong was sending this message because he wanted Gu Suihan to owe him another favor. He was going to either get rid of Li Xianlong, or at least try to buy some time for Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan packed the few hundred Spiritual Stones he extorted from the Way Seekers Alliance as well as his benefits for the two months, which added up to around 600 stones or so. This should be enough, Gu Suihan thought after a quick calculation. He had already sold off the magic weapon he got from the Way Seekers Alliance. This was something they had given him begrudgingly, so it was definitely something lousy. There was no point in keeping it. What Cultivation Room class do you want to use? The sleepy young man snapped impatiently at Gu Suihan when he noticed that Gu Suihan didnt seem to be paying attention at all. Im an East Compound disciple. What class am I entitled to every month? Gu Suihan snapped out of his thoughts and smiled apologetically at the sleepy young man. Youre from the East Compound? The sleepy young man became more alert and spoke in a serious manner, You are entitled to a class A room, and you get to use it for 24 hours. As an East Compound disciple, you get to use it twice a month, so thats 48 hours a month in total. Is there anything better than that? Youre just a newbie who isnt even at Foundation Establishment stage, so using a better one is a waste, said the young man in shock as he tried to dissuade Gu Suihan. But the disregard in Gu Suihans expression annoyed the young man, so he said, Well, yes, theres a better one, but its meant only for internal disciples. But since youre from the East Compound, youre allowed into the First-Class Cultivation Room for half the usual time. Here are tokens for two months. Ill take the First-Class Cultivation Room. Gu Suihan handed over his tokens. Youre going to regret not listening to me, I tell you, grumbled the young man before taking the tokens from Gu Suihan with a sigh. After he had recorded Gu Suihans tokens down, he pulled out a jade token from under the table and said, Walk down this corridor, its the eighth room. Also, youve got two months worth of time, but dont come out late! The jade token will tell you when times almost up! If you dont come out within 15 minutes, youll lose a day next month!! yelled the young man loudly from behind as Gu Suihan walked off without even turning back. The room itself was barely larger than one square meter. Runes were carved into all the walls around him, and they sparkled with a gentle glow. The concentration of Qi was so high that Gu Suihan felt as though he was surrounded by mist. Heaven and Earth Qi Gathering Formation? Gu Suihan was surprised when he looked at the rather familiar looking runes. He reached out to touch the drenched mat on the floor and was even more surprised. The concentration of Qi was so high that it wouldnt be wrong to say that this tiny room was like a slightly subpar version of a Heavenly Abode2. After he was done marveling at the place, he threw the mat to one side, then took out a few dozen Spiritual Stones in order to set up a formation within the room itself. He had no idea that the sect forbade anybody from setting up formations within their Cultivation Rooms. The Heaven and Earth Qi Gathering Formation was connected to the Spiritual Meridian that was right beneath the mountains of the Seven Kill Sect. If they allowed disciples to set up a formation here and cause irregularities in the flow of Qi as a result, it might also result in unforeseen circumstances, which could be disastrous for the sect. As the misty Qi slowly gathered within the Qi Gathering Formation that he had made and even condensed into droplets of Qi, Gu Suihan couldnt help but feel shocked. The Spiritual Meridian beneath this place was definitely good stuff. Even a really massive Spiritual Meridian couldnt give off such powerful Qi. The Qi was condensing rapidly enough to become a fragrant little pond now. Gu Suihan quickly removed all his clothes and lay on top of the Formation. Extreme Ra-Asu Breach. The first step was to unblock all his meridian channels, and now, the second step was to crush all his bones. He had to literally crush his bones into powder, then make use of the connected meridian channels and acupoints in his body to recreate his bones from scratch. That was how the name of this technique came about. Asura transformed the bones, Rakshasa refined the soul3. The word extreme was meant to describe how cruel and extremist this technique was. After he had quietly executed the technique three times, he suddenly felt an unbearable pain seared through his soul. Starting from his hands and feet, his strong and sturdy bones began to make this spine chilling, soft rattling sound before they slowly became nothing but shards. Then it moved onto his legs and arms. The sound never stopped, and the pain felt like leeches on his bones, eating away at him. Finally, a look of great determination shone in Gu Suihans eyes. The heavily damaged Spiritual Sense that he had hidden deep inside his subconscious burst forth from within, hastening the process of shattering the bones with a force as mighty as a thunderstorm. Bam! Clang! The sound of study bones snapping, and shattering echoed throughout the Cultivation Room. Gu Suihan was now like a bag of water that had no frame whatsoever, a shivering piece of fats and flesh lying on the floor. By the time he executed the technique for the seventh time, he had become nothing but a clump of flesh sprawled on the floor. His face was pale, and veins bulged prominently from his forehead. Soul leaves the body. Qi circulates, Gu Suihans eyes were bloodshot as he opened his mouth to chant these words silently. In the next moment, it was as if a storm was billowing through the entire Cultivation Room. A Spiritual Sense that seemed as great as a deity suddenly exploded, forcing Gu Suihans fragile soul to exit his body. This is definitely not a technique thought up by humans. Gu Suihans soul was encased by his Spiritual Sense as he looked down at the pile of flesh on the floor. Should he give up? He struggled to reach a decision. While cultivated, he realized that this technique wasnt meant for humans to cultivate at all. The way it pierced into his heart and the pain caused by the continuous attacks on his soul was not something that sheer willpower could overcome. Saying mind over matter was just something people made up to comfort themselves, after all. But this was different. This was a pain that even he, a cultivator who almost became an immortal in the past, couldnt endure. The Clackers Snack Sampan Todays snack recommendation: Amplang. This carries an odd bitter taste that some people dont fancy, but I LOVE IT SO MUCH. MSG: ***** Chapter 20 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 20: Mutation Since Ive already come so far, I might as well give it a shot. Even if it fails, Ill just look for another body to take over. Gu Suihan decided to go all out. Body is the target. Soul to return. The Spiritual Sense that filled up the entire Cultivation room immediately brought Gu Suihans soul back into his body. By the time he had to go through the ninth execution of the technique Gu Suihan looked more like the spirits of those who had died wrongful and tragic deaths C he was bleeding from every orifice and even his eyelids were torn. He looked like he had been possessed by a demon. Craaaackcrussshhhcreaaak He made several unintelligible shouts and as he shouted, his swollen head started to flatten, like a balloon that was losing air, before finally falling silent again. Asura shapes the body. Rakshasa solidifies the soul. Deep within his subconscious, Gus soul had already spiraled into confusion. As a result, this soul had no choice but to use Gu Suihans Spiritual Sense to forcibly awaken the sleeping consciousness of the real Gu Suihan Back when Suihan had taken over this body, he had locked the baby Gus soul deep inside his consciousness and injected a little of his own soul, leaving the rest of his damaged soul to quietly recuperate. But now, it had become too hard for Gus soul to hold the fort on its own. He had no choice but to awaken Gu Suihans soul and force it to merge with his. I see. Gu Suihans actual soul looked through the past ten odd years of his lifes memories and was rather astonished. I got into the Seven Kill Sect? An orthodox sect that cultivates the Truth. And I know martial arts too? The more Gu Suihans actual soul saw, the heavier its heart became. It looked at the confused other soul before it and fell silent for a while. The only way to survive was to merge both souls and take back this body. There was no other way. Well just go with that then. Gu Suihan let out a long sigh, swallowed the other soul and took control over the clump of flesh on the floor. Extreme Asura Breach, ninth time. Shatter the bones. Rebirth. His Spiritual Sense trembled and for that moment, the highly concentrated Qi inside the Cultivation Room was instantly sucked dry and the clump on the floor slowly started swelling up. Craaackcraaaack A skull, a backbone, a pelvis. The bones that had been shattered to almost nothing but powder, were now slowly coming back together under the guidance of his Spiritual Sense. It took some time, but the dry and formless pile of flesh on the floor slowly took the shape of a man again and his limbs began to tremble. Gosh. No matter how powerful Gu Suihans will was, there was no way it could come out of this retransformation unscathed. Ten odd years of recuperation have gone to waste, Gu Suihan sighed and shook his head as he felt like his soul was now as shapeless as water again. He now felt some displeasure with the soul he had swallowed. Gu Suihan had initially intended to remain within this body to recuperate as an ordinary person and even if the body he had taken over died, he could just take over another. Recuperating like this was a very slow process, but he didnt have a choice. Who knew if there was something powerful and dangerous in this world? After what happened the last time, he wasnt taking any chances. The image of that mysterious pair of eyes was still deeply embedded in his mind until now. A formless pressure continued to surround him. So, even though he was now in a different world from before, Gu Suihan was still not confident of facing those eyes. But this isnt a bad thing either. The world of cultivators has a lot of good resources, so Ill heal up a lot faster too, thought Gu Suihan. The other soul was also himself after all. Getting upset with it was the same as getting upset with himself. He snorted quietly in self-deprecation. After his memories had all merged, Gu Suihan frowned. He didnt expect so many people to know about that ship robbery. Things were going to get messy now. At that time, Gu Suihan had sensed that there was something inside the ships that was useful to the recuperation of his soul. When night fell, he lurked near the ships, then sent his soul out all at once, wiping out everybody on those two ships in an instant. To his surprise, he found a large amount of Vow Power. Someone had used a magic weapon to seal all of it in. There wasnt much time, so Gu Suihan threw it into a magic storage bag and also took the chance to carry off as much gold and silver as he could. The story behind this magic storage bag was that he had happened to nick it from one very unfortunate cultivator. This man was supposedly an external disciple of one of the sects and had been chased out of the sect after he had spent more than ten years without any progress. Gu Suihan had overheard the cultivator drunkenly bragging about his halcyon days and all the valuables he had in a restaurant, so Gu Suihan quietly killed him in the night. Sometimes, blessings and curses didnt come from a higher power. There were times when people brought these things upon themselves. Too bad for this cultivator. Itll be the next month in just a few days, thought Gu Suihan with a sinister glint in his eye. Li Xianlong, was it? Hur hur. The soul that had been swallowed was Gu Suihan as well, but that soul with just a tiny bit of Suihans soul was still a little more humane, or perhaps, a little kinder. Right now, Gu Suihan was the same tyrant who wiped out whole clans for no reason, who slayed enough people at one time to fill a field and who massacred so many that there was sufficient blood to cover an entire continent. Its the body of an Asura, alright. Gu Suihan sighed and made a face after he checked the inside of his body. His external appearance hadnt changed much, but his bones were nothing like a humans now. They were shaped at an angle and intertwined with one another like the roots of a very old tree. His shoulder alone consisted of more than ten bones twisted together. His ribs were even thicker and sturdier than before. Im glad that my meridian channels and acupoints have not been affected. From the looks of it, Im at least five times stronger than before. Gu Suihan looked more pleased when he felt the energy surging through his body and the sound of air blasting when he swung his arms. He wiped away the dried bloodstains on himself, put his clothes back on, then sat in a lotus position to convert as much of his internal energy as possible. Boooom It was as if his meridian channels were like a great river or a huge waterfall C they were a lot wider than before. The energy that filled his dantian was like a ferocious beast that rushed towards the Spiritual Root in his spine. But after he watched as that outburst of internal energy turned into almost nothing after passing through his Spiritual Root, Gu Suihan twitched his lips in dismay. He made use of his technique to quickly suck up the Qi within the Cultivation Room. The concentrated Qi flowed through his Spiritual Root, and he led it towards his dantian. He had done this so many times and was so used to it already. The Qi started spinning slowly within his dantian. He used a special technique to make it slowly spin faster and faster until it slowly became a whirlpool. As the amount of Qi increased, the whirlpool became larger and larger, and more and more intense. After some time, the middle of the whirlpool began to solidify and formed one drop of golden liquid. That was what he was aiming for. He quietly directed the remaining Qi into that droplet, and as that droplet grew bigger, the thick Qi in the Cultivation Room stopped gathering and the runes slowly dimmed. Is my time up? Gu Suihans eyelid trembled slightly as he looked at the empty Cultivation Room. There was only enough liquid to fill up one third of his body, which wasnt enough to convert the amount his meridian channels needed. Also, he was only left with fewer than 100 Spiritual Stones. He did a rough calculation and estimated that he would need at least another 2,000 odd Spiritual Stones in order to complete this process. And that wasnt even taking into consideration that this Asura body he had now might need more than usual. What was Nuwas1 aim when she created humans? This question suddenly popped up in his mind for no reason. Was it really like what that piece of animal hide said? That humans were just an experiment? What was the experiment about? Gu Suihan felt like he had a clue of sorts but couldnt quite pin it down. It had been nearly 1,800 years since he first started his journey of cultivating the Truth. Back during the Xijin era2, he was only your average cultivator. The Xijin era was less than a century away from the well-known Three Kingdoms period3, but Gu Suihan knew well that the people in power back then were not merely intelligent strategists. For some reason, Gu Suihan felt a chill rise from within his heart. He remembered the last bit he had seen among the few blurry scenes revealed in that long river of history. It was a man dressed in the emperors Dragon Robe4 and a sword on his belt. The imperial seal rested on his left hand5 and a number of court officials and military generals stood behind him, but Gu Suihan couldnt make out their faces. There was also an army so vast that he couldnt see where the soldiers ended. Beneath that mans feet was a majestic and awe-inspiring city that looked like a black gigantic beast. Gu Suihan could vaguely make out several people standing in the city, raising their arms high. And there were also those deep and mysterious eyes on that mans face. When his recollection reached this point, Gu Suihan shivered all over. He was 80% sure that that man was that tyrant who had unified a country at the expense of millions of lives. The First Emperor6. That monstrous looking city was Xianyang7. Gu Suihan murmured to himself, He burned books and executed scholars, Epang Palace8. He amassed much gold, searched for ways to attain immortality from other countries, yet the dynasty collapsed in his sons generation9. His face turned paler and paler. I see it now. He was seriously trying to go against Heaven. And now, Gu Suihan had only one question: Did Ying Zheng10 succeed? Everything started because of me, and all creation shall call me the Emperor. Haha! The First Emperor, the First Emperor. Its no wonder that cultivators regard your name as a taboo, he muttered quietly. He then kept his thoughts away, packed up his things and walked out of the room. The Clackers Tea Party Todays tea recommendation: Pu-Erh. Not everyone likes fermented anything, but I like my tea as black as can be, as aged as can be. Some people have a lot of trouble sleeping after taking this, butnot me. Clacker CliffsNotes The Qin dynasty marks the start of the Chinese imperial system that went from 221 until the declaration of the Republic of China in 1912. The first ruler of the Qin dynasty as well as the very first ruler of China was: Real name: Ying (surname) Zheng (given name); some call him Zhao (his birthplace) Zheng Before Ying Zheng came along, the rulers of various territories were called Kings. But Ying Zheng wanted to be different, so he coined the term huangdi, or Emperor. This term would eventually be used until the monarchy was overthrown. Emperors wore Dragon Robes, or a golden robe that had a huge dragon embroidered on it. He was also known as Qin Shi Huangdi, or literally, the First Emperor of Qin, shortened to Qin Shi Huang. The capital city during his reign was Xianyang. He also ordered an imperial seal to be made, or the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. Known as a tyrant/dictator guy, he was known for a few things: a. Burning of books: supposedly he felt that certain types of books (poetry, history other than Qin, philosophy) might teach the people to compare or come up with their own ideas, so he burned em all. But this story, while famous, is possibly untrue. *shrugs* b. Killing of scholars: apparently after two alchemists tricked him, he buried a whole bunch of scholars alive. Also, while this story is famous, it is possibly also not true or not entirely true. c. Epang Palace: he wanted to build a real fancy palace, so construction started while he was emperor, but did not finish even after his successor died, since the dynasty fell after that and the half finished palace supposedly burned down. d. Qin Er Shi: His son succeeded him as emperor, but Qin Er Shi, or Second Generation of Qin, was a lousy emperor, controlled and eventually forced to commit suicide by his eunuch. One more relative of Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne after Qin Er Shi died, but Ziying was just trying to hold the dynasty together and surrendered to rebel troops after just 46 days as king, so Ziying is not considered an emperor of the Qin dynasty. e. Possibly the most famous part of all was how Qin Shi Huang was extremely afraid of death, constantly searching for ways to extend his life, including a belief that there was such a thing as an Elixir of Life. But of course, extending life or cheating death, goes against nature, or in those times, the will of heaven. Hold ALL of this information about Qin Shi Huang for the rest of the book. HOLD IT ALL. Chapter 21 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 21: Conflict It was noon on a cloudless day. The sleepy young man in charge of the Cultivating Rooms had fallen asleep at his station. But perhaps he had heard Gu Suihans heavy and tired footsteps, so he opened his bleary eyes and mumbled, Oh, youre exactly on time. Return the jade token to me. He took the jade token from Gu Suihan, then threw Gu Suihans disciple token back at him. Young Master, youre back! Taohua brightened up and quickly ran over to help carry the little bag that Gu Suihan was holding, then followed behind him and said, You must be exhausted after cultivating for so long. I have prepared some warm water. Would you like to take a bath? Yes, replied Gu Suihan instinctively. He had already calmed back down. Taohua stood by the bathtub and said, Young Master, Li Xianlong came to the East Compound yesterday to officially challenge you to a duel. He wants you to go to the black fighting arena in the middle of the mountain in three days time. The challenge invitation has arrived, huh. Gu Suihan shut his eyes and tapped his finger slowly against the side of the tub. What are the stakes? Its a mid-grade magic weapon, I think its a spear. Hes also thrown in 100 Spiritual Stones and three bottles of Core Refining Pills, Lihua quickly replied as her eyes shone with envy. Spiritual Stones were worth at least a hundred pieces of gold after all. Taohua, go to the West Compound tomorrow and tell Li Xianlong that besides Spiritual Stones, I wont accept anything else, said Gu Suihan with a scoff after thinking about it for a moment. But Young Master, thats a mid-grade magic weapon. Apparently, that spear has six magic formations inside it, as well as two attack spells, protested Lihua as she blinked her large eyes. Thats exactly what Li Xianlong is trying to do. Gu Suihan adjusted his position. Some other person might be tempted by the mid-grade magic weapon since it sounds pretty promising. I suppose most would want the spells, but they dont realize that spells require a lot of magic energy to execute. At this stage, disciples would always feel that they have insufficient magic energy. Theyd wish they could break one point of energy into half and make them two points instead. He ate a grape that Taohua fed him and continued in a slightly garbled voice, And when the spells fail, Li Xianlong would increase his chances of winning by at least 20%. He knows that Im good at using anything with a blade, yet he wants to give me a spear. What a cautious man. What are we going to do then? Taohua began to panic. To maidservants like Taohua and Lihua, once they completed their training, the next thing they hoped for was to get a good employer. Gu Suihan had been a fairly good employer so far. He hardly enforced any rules on them, never shouted at them and while he teased them from time to time, he never went too far. All of this made the two frightened, unsure maids feel that Gu Suihan was actually one of the nicest people in the world. But at the same time, if anything untoward happened to Gu Suihan, then the best-case scenario would be that they would be allowed to return to their families. However, if an enemy decided to seize this chance to take revenge, the two girls wouldnt be able to defend themselves at all. They would be at the mercy of others. Dont worry. Gu Suihan casually patted Taohuas delicate hand and said flatly, Ive even dared to offend the Way Seekers Alliance, so why should I be afraid of one Li Xianlong? Psh. Young Master, youve offended the Way Seekers Alliance? Lihua paled instantly. Yes. Gu Suihan nodded nonchalantly and said, You dont have to worry. If I didnt say so, you wouldnt have known either because nothing bad has happened, isnt it? Its fine. I believe in you, Young Master. Taohua raised her fair little face and nodded vigorously as she looked admiringly at Gu Suihan. At night, Gu Suihan quietly got out of bed. He glanced emotionlessly at the maids sleeping soundly in the next room and a disdainful smile spread across his lips. He leaped out of the window and ran swiftly but silently to the West Compound. Once he got there, he located the residence he was looking for and sniggered to himself as he stood in front of the door. He didnt bother concealing himself in any way and pushed the wooden door open. The creaking of the door was especially loud in the middle of the quiet night. Who is it? hissed the person who was supposed to be asleep in the room. At the same time, a gleam shone brightly as it made its way towards Gu Suihans face. Youre Li Xianlong? Gu Suihans voice was so clear and calm, he didnt sound like someone who was getting attacked. Another gleam lit up the room as Gu Suihans blade met with Li Xianlongs, creating a clanging noise. With the help of the moonlight, Li Xianlong finally realized who was in his room and exclaimed, Youyoure Gu Suihan? Hoho. Gu Suihan kept his sword away and sat down slowly at the table in the room. Brother Li, relax. Why dont you take a seat? Lets have a chat. Alright. Li Xianlongs expression was solemn and was rather surprised at how calm Gu Suihan was, but Li Xianlong didnt panic. Instead, he sat down confidently across from Gu Suihan, stared at his visitor for a while, then lit a candle and waited for Gu Suihan to state his business. Both parties were silent for a long time. It was as if they were using the flickering of the candlelight to observe each other and predict what the other was thinking about. After some time, Gu Suihan leisurely poured himself a cup of tea that had already gone cold and said flatly, If my guess is correct, someone came to look for you before this. People come in and out of the West Compound every day. Im not sure exactly which person youre referring to, said Li Xianlong in a low voice as he raised an eyebrow. Im talking about Gu Suihan suddenly leaned forward and whispered, a person who wants me dead. I have no idea who you are talking about. Li Xianlong remained tight-lipped. What do you think of the duel were going to have in a few days? Gu Suihan switched the topic and didnt pursue the question further. Li Xianlongs expression finally shifted slightly. He went into deep thought for a moment, then said, I was 80% confident, but now, Im only 70% confident. After the exchange earlier, he looked at Gu Suihan in a slightly different light. Gu Suihan had used a thin sword to block the attack from his heavy sword, yet Gu Suihan blocked it with such ease and the impact had pushed Li Xianlong back. Gu Suihan didnt even look like he had used any effort. As a result, Li Xianlong thought a little more highly of Gu Suihan now. Just a little. Thenwhat about now? Gu Suihans eyes suddenly gleamed as he scanned Li Xianlong. Li Xianlong was instantly taken aback. He felt all his hair stand on end and felt as though Gu Suihan could see right through him. His first reaction was to place his heavy sword in front of him to protect himself. Youve actually awakened your Qi absorption abilities. When Li Xianlong finally realized what just happened, he was even more flabbergasted. You possess a high level of aptitude, but youve only been here for less than three months. Where did you get so many Spiritual Stones from? Li Xianlong slowly put his weapon down, sat up straight again, and accepted the cold tea that Gu Suihan offered him. Gu Suihan just smiled and didnt say anything. I came back a few days ago to find that my older brother had died. The Way Seekers Alliance said that you might have killed him. Li Xianlong decided to come clean. Im very curious. You know that this is not possible. So why are you still doing this? asked Gu Suihan quietly. After a moment of silence, Li Xianlong murmured, I need closure with this case so that I can be accountable to the family. How much? Gu Suihan suddenly asked from nowhere. 200 Spiritual Li Xianlong blurted out a response halfway and suddenly realized what was happening and stopped himself quickly. He spat, You tricked me. At the same time, he was really astonished at how sensitive Gu Suihan was. It only took such a short exchange for the latter to guess that the Way Seekers Alliance was involved in this. Gu Suihan was more intelligent than most, so he quickly realized that he wasnt as confident in winning over Gu Suihan as before. But actually, Gu Suihan was also marveling at how quickly Li Xianlong had reacted. Gu Suihan had secretly used a spell on Li Xianlong just now. Any ordinary person affected by this spell would become terrified and spill the beans on anything he asked. But Li Xianlong was more aware of such things than Gu Suihan had expected, so his plan had failed. At the same time, Li Xianlong had let slip enough for him to confirm his guess about the Way Seekers Alliances involvement. Brother Li, it seems like youre not very well versed in obscure magic techniques, said Gu Suihan with a smile. And so what? said Li Xianlong sullenly. SoI wonder which senior helped to search the memories of Li Xianmings soul for you. Are you saying that Li Xianlong was about to fly into a rage when his eyes flickered and he slammed the table. Do you mean that the Way Seekers Alliance is behind this? How are you so sure? Are you trying to push the blame to someone else? His words were nasty and sounded like he was pushing Gu Suihan into a corner, but he was already beginning to believe Gu Suihans side of the story. Ive only just joined the Seven Kill Sect, and thats the only enemy I have here. Gu Suihan looked down at his teacup. But if my older brother managed to look me up, I would have taught you a lesson anyway. Why would they want to kill you? Gu Suihan looked up at Li Xianlongs murderous stare and said flatly, If your older brother had told you to teach me a lesson, thats all you would have done. You wouldnt have tried to kill me either. I possess a high level of aptitude and I stand a chance of reaching the Origin Core Stage. Nobody would want to offend such a person for no good reason. No, wait, theres another problem. Li Xianlong shook his head and said, If the Way Seekers Alliance wanted you dead, they could have bribed someone else from the West Compound. There are others who are stronger than I am. Why would they want me to do this? Because youre the only one who would go all out to do it. Li Xianming is the son of the official wife. Youre the son of the concubine. Thats why. Why are you here then? Are you here to beg me for mercy? Li Xianlong glared furiously at Gu Suihans mocking smile and yelled, Its too late! Gu Suihan merely gave Li Xianlong a withering look and got up. Im just here to tell you that even if you do end up killing me, youre still going to die. Besides, do you even have any confidence that you can kill me? Hahaha! His laughter was calm and controlled, but the sound of it still struck terror in Li Xianlongs heart. He gripped his sword tightly and thought of brandishing it several times. But each time, he would realize how lacking he was and decide against it. He watched as Gu Suihan walked out of the room and didnt say anything. As he watched Gu Suihans smile fade as he walked away, a voice suddenly seemed to say to him, And now, how confident are you? Three days after Gu Suihan paid Li Xianlong a visit. It was the day of the fight. Somehow or another, the entire mountain of external disciples had found out about the fight. The story about how Gu Suihan had planned the murder of Li Xianming quickly went from rumor to truth. Before he knew it, Gu Suihan had already become known as a very scheming and vicious young man. Of course, this was the Way Seekers Alliances way of taking revenge. As the rumors spread, it also resulted in making everyone ostracize Gu Suihan. Everyone either chose to stay far away from Gu Suihan or would remain on high alert if they had to be around him. Unlike how Gu Suihan took his time with everything, Li Xianlong arrived at the Black Arena very early. He closed his eyes and held his sword up without moving at all, like a large spear that could pierce the skies. Its already past 11 am. Why isnt Gu Suihan here yet? The crowd waiting to watch the duel started whispering among themselves. Nasty opinions and doubtful voices arose from the crowd from time to time. Those were obviously people planted by the Way Seekers Alliance to stir up trouble. I think that Gu Suihan has gotten scared. His Spiritual Root is considered a really good one, but he hasnt had that much time to cultivate, so he cant possibly be a match for Li Xianlong, said one of them loudly. But he HAS to come, right? If he doesnt come, he will automatically be considered the loser and will be transferred down to the West Compound. I dont think hed be able to accept that, someone else disagreed. What do you know? The first person scoffed and said, Even if he comes for the duel, will he be able to win? If he doesnt come, at least hed keep his life. If he comes, hes dead meat. Chapter 22 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 22: How Is This Possible Many of the other spectators agreed that Gu Suihan would definitely die if he showed up to fight. Besides having spent much less time in cultivation compared to Li Xianlong, Gu Suihan had also killed Li Xianlongs older brother. There was no way Li Xianlong was going to let Gu Suihan off. At the same time, even though some also agreed that not turning up would be the wise thing to do, they would despise Gu Suihan if he really chose to save his own ass instead of fighting. Hes here! Hes here! someone in the crowd suddenly exclaimed. Everyone turned and saw Gu Suihan walk calmly towards the Black Arena with a sword. Hoho, hes pretending to be calm! Those planted in the crowd sneered at him. Almost nobody believed Gu Suihan would survive this duel. After all, Li Xianlong had been part of the sect for several years now and was a really good swordsman. He had slaughtered almost every challenger who had come his way. He hardly ever lost a fight. West Compound disciple, Li Xianlong, officially challenges East Compound disciple, Gu Suihan, for 300 Spiritual Stones, announced a disciplinarian seated on a chair by the side of the arena. He was refereeing the duel today. According to the rules, Gu Suihan is not allowed to decline. Both parties will fight until either one party dies, or admits defeat. Do you think he will win? Miss Mo suddenly appeared behind Li Rong. Hur hur. How would I know? Li Rong laughed faintly as he rubbed his nose. But alarm bells started ringing deep inside his heart. It had only been a few months since he last saw her, yet she had improved by so much. Was she on her way to the Mid Foundation Establishment stage already, he thought? I think he can win. Miss Mo took a few steps forward to stand next to Li Rong. Hur hurperhaps So, how confident are you now? asked Gu Suihan with a smile as he stood within the arena. Li Xianlong slowly opened his eyes. They sparkled brightly for a moment before he slowly reduced the intensity of his gaze. 50%. Or maybe 40%. Why did you still come then? The Way Seekers Alliance sent word to me yesterday. They said that if I kill you here, theyll add on 500 Spiritual Stones. Li Xianlong looked down and decided to come clean. Tsk. Gu Suihan looked mildly surprised. How generous. I almost feel like chopping my own head off and giving it to her, he said as he looked down at the two watching him and smiled brightly as he stared blatantly at Miss Mos full bust. Humph! Miss Mo could tell what Gu Suihan was thinking about, so she took a deep breath and glared at him fiercely as she hissed, This boy! Zzzzing! An ear-piercing noise filled the air as Li Xianlong dragged his heavy sword across the black arena made from metal, causing dazzling sparks to fly everywhere. Rise of the Golden Sun! All the disciples watching felt as though they could see a three-legged crow1 glowing with the heat of the sun flying straight for Gu Suihan. Flames shot up from the sparks and a wall of fire instantly appeared in the already heated arena. There was a loud crack and an ear-deafening clang as a brilliant gleam met the flaming three-legged crow head on. Gu Suihans sword moved so quickly, it looked like a blur to everyone else. Hes so fast exclaimed the crowd as they watched Gu Suihan cover more than ten meters in a split second. Some of them hadnt even realized what had just happened. Warring Crow Soaring Wings! Li Xianlongs eyes widened and his expression was threatening as he switched the direction of his heavy sword from thrusting it upwards to sweeping it sideways instead. The impact of suddenly changing directions clearly didnt cause Li Xianlong any harm. Lines and lines of flames leaped up from around Li Xianlong. His heavy sword was as red as a branding iron, giving off a horrifying amount of steam as he thrust it towards Gu Suihans waist. Gu Suihan stepped lightly on his toes, brought his sword down low as he crouched on the floor. But before Li Xianlong could display any glee on his face, he realized that Gu Suihan was wriggling across the floor at top speed like a snake, quickly making it through the flames. Step on the Wind! Chase the Shadow! Li Xianlong suddenly transformed into a strong gust of wind. His body whooshed loudly as he flew towards Gu Suihan, who had just gotten up again. The speed and strength of the wind that Li Xianlong had conjured up seemed both invincible and unstoppable. Not bad. Gu Suihans lips twitched as he suddenly lowered his body, then turned his waist when Li Xianlong was just a few inches away from him. Unfortunately, Li Xianlong still managed to burn a large hole into the clothing around Gu Suihans waist. Seeing that Li Xianlong had his back turned towards him, Gu Suihan turned to thrust his sword swiftly and powerfully toward Li Xianlongs back. Cries of a Ghost! Li Xianlong felt a chill down his spine and immediately turned his heavy sword upwards and held it up behind his back to act as a shield. Zzzzing! Gu Suihans sword glided across Li Xianlongs blade, making sparks fly in all directions. Humph! His attack failed, so Gu Suihan scoffed as he gave Li Xianlong a good kick instead. Pfft! This unexpected force from behind made Li Xianlong stumbled several steps forward before a large amount of blood sprayed out from his mouth. He was furious as he wiped away the blood around his lips. What a strong body you have, he muttered as he glared hatefully at Gu Suihan, while Gu Suihan stood where he was and kept his sword away. The same could be said about you. Take another move from me, said Gu Suihan with a smile. Fall of the Immortal! Gu Suihan pointed his sword downwards, making the tip of the blade scrape noisily against the metal surface of the arena and leaving a long line behind him. His expression was serious as he suddenly brought it up and rotated his wrist, his frosty gaze reflected in the blade as he lowered his center of gravity and charged forward. In that instant, everyone lost sight of Gu Suihan. Hes there! someone shouted. Gu Suihan had appeared right next to Li Xianlong in an instant. The glint of the sword tip made Li Xianlongs pores open. Before he could react, he felt a terrible pain in his torso. But when Gu Suihan tried to brandish his sword again, Li Xianlong had already swung his heavy sword down powerfully toward Gu Suihan. Since it was not possible to attack Li Xianlong, Gu Suihan swiftly slammed his left foot against Li Xianlongs knee, using it as a springboard to leap away from the attack. Not bad. Li Xianlong glowered at Gu Suihan as his left hand gently touched the wound inflicted by Gu Suihan. Thanks for the compliment. My turn: Blazing Sun in the Sky! Li Xianlong gave a shout as his left hand wiped his sword down and his heavy sword trembled with a soft buzzing sound. A meter-long flame suddenly shot out from the hilt, and the blazing flame was so hot that parts of it turned white. It was as if Li Xianlong was holding onto the sun itself, the heat rising so rapidly that the black metal was beginning to melt. Ride the Wind! Catch the Sky! he yelled as he ran on air, defying gravity as he charged towards Gu Suihan. Gu Suihans expression finally budged when he saw Li Xianlong come towards him like a powerful three-legged crow. He couldnt dodge this attack at all. He simply couldnt. Hes going to die, said Miss Mo flatly with a mysterious look in her eye. Li Rong turned to look at her in surprise and caught sight of the incomprehensible look in her eye. He couldnt help but go into a daze for a moment. Miss Mo looked like a gorgeous lotus flower, an otherworldly and aloof sort of beauty. Nothing is confirmed until the fight ends. Since I cant dodge it, then I wont. Gu Suihans look hardened as he suddenly raised his left hand swiftly. Everyone watched as a gleam of green tore through the air towards Li Xianlong. Tch. Thats it? Li Xianlong snorted when he realized that the thing coming toward him was just a dagger. If it were some arrow or spear capable of piercing walls, he would definitely dodge it. But this dagger was only a few inches long. It might not even be enough to pierce through his skin. Li Xianlong gave a loud shout and spat out some saliva at the same time. The shout carried the saliva far enough to hit the side of the dagger, breaking the blade off. Li Xianlong then turned to stare down at Gu Suihan with a triumphant smile. What on earth That was the only thing everyone could say as they stared in shock at Li Xianlong, while even Gu Suihans lips twitched slightly. You mean thats even possible?! exclaimed Li Rong as his eyes and mouth widened. Incredible! Miss Mos eyes were equally wide. It should still work, thought Gu Suihan. Worldly Passions! Gu Suihans hair flew wildly as he slowly sliced the air in front of him with the remainder of his dagger with a calm expression on his face. This slash seemed to not only cut through the air but also cut right through Li Xianlongs subconscious. As that blade of Gu Suihans sword came down slowly like the way a child pretended to be a swordsman, Li Xianlong felt his mind waver violently. In the next moment, Li Xianlong roared in horror, How can this be?! To him, Gu Suihan had transformed into a genial woman who looked exactly like his late mother. A faint chanting started to fill the air, a chanting that was gentle, familiar, and filled with love. My son, put your sword down and go home with Mother, the womans gentle voice rang in his ears. Longer, come home with Father. Were not going to stay here anymore. That voice belonged to his father. As long as Im around, nobody will be able to bully my precious brother! That voice belonged to his older sister, who got married and moved out years ago. No!! Li Xianlong looked like he had gone completely insane. His eyes were bulging as he stared furiously at where Gu Suihan was standing and roared, My heart for the way is as strong as a rock! These are just illusions! How is it able to affect my mind? Begone! Disturb me no more!! The voices ringing in his head seemed to have gotten a fright and sounded even more anxious now. But Li Xianlong ignored the voices and desperately tried to use every technique he knew to drive those voices away. Blood began seeping out from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth as the magic energy in his body gushed into the heavy sword in his hands. World of Brilliance! The heavy sword had transformed into a huge ball of light that was too bright for anyone to look at directly. The terrible heat it emitted burned anything it touched to a crisp. Lowly brat, meet your maker! As he roared, the ball of light boomed like thunder and fired a beam of light toward Gu Suihan. The Clackers ShadyShadyShady Izakaya Todays snack recommendation: Ankimo. The monkfish looks crazy but its liver is YUM. Umami: ******** Chapter 23 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 23: Got Lucky Gu Suihans face was deathly pale and his swaying body looked like it might collapse if the wind blew too hard. His eyes had lit up when he realized that Li Xianlong had clearly been affected by the illusions. But just a few moments later, he watched in horror as Li Xianlong gathered every ounce of energy he had and flung his entire sword at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan had no choice but to abandon the already broken dagger in his hand as a maniacal look spread across his face. Unravelling the Extreme, Rebirth of Rakshasa and Asura. The silence was deafening. The heavy sword had been flung out with such force and the great ball of light around it had crashed onto the metal arena, yet neither produced any noise. Everyone saw nothing but a bright flash of white before them. They couldnt see nor hear anything else. Almost half a minute later, the crowd slowly realized that the bright flash was fading. Several moments later, their eyes didnt hurt anymore. But their jaws dropped when they saw the scene before them. The gigantic fighting arena had become nothing but a puddle of liquid. The barriers around it were the only remaining indicators that this was once a fighting arena. Wherewhere are they? someone asked in a trembling voice. He wasnt the only one trembling in fear after what he just witnessed. Everyone was still in shock. Even the referee was still too stunned to say anything. Li Xianlongs last move had been terrifying, but Gu Suihans earlier slash had also been too much for the referee to handle. At the same time, while Li Xianlongs last move had been really powerful, it had its own drawbacks. The referee would have chosen to quickly kill Li Xianlong while he was still confused by the illusions and voices in his mind. I th-thinkI think theyre bothdead? someone stammered as he gulped. Li Xianlongs over here! another person cried out. Everyone looked over immediately and found that Li Xianlong was lying motionless on the floor. The referees expression was grim as he quickly walked over to where Li Xianlong was and used his Spiritual Sense to check his condition. A few moments later, his expression dimmed as he shook his head. Hes dead. He died from exhaustion. Also, because he forced his dantian to control such a tremendous amount of power even though it was only in its beginning stages, his soul couldnt take it and has shattered beyond repair. Oh no Several gasps filled the air. Does that mean I won? a hoarse voice called out. Everyone had assumed that both parties had died, so when they heard a familiar voice, they snapped out of their shock and ran over to where the voice was coming from. You didnt die? The referees lips twitched as he stared at Gu Suihan lying on the ground, his clothes all tattered and his breathing as shallow as a spark that was about to be snuffed out. I saw a lot of things in this duel. Miss Mo slowly recovered from the upheaval in her emotions and sounded a little tired. Li Rong folded his hands behind his back and stared blankly at Gu Suihan as the referee led him away and murmured, And I learned a lot of things too. They looked at each other and saw the same frostiness and grimness in each others eyes. Five days later. Young Master, Ive brought back your allowance for the month! Taohua pushed the door open and skipped in. Gu Suihan nodded with a faint smile. He took the things from her and motioned for them to leave his room. After the two maids had left, Gu Suihan stopped forcing himself to look pale and color instantly returned to his cheeks. His injuries had actually already healed a couple of days ago. He had the body of an Asura, which meant that his recuperation rate depended on how strong his physical body was. Even though Gu Suihan looked like he was in terrible shape that day, a large majority of his injuries were superficial. His soul was embedded deep within his subconscious and protected by his Spiritual Sense, so it didnt get hurt very badly. But even with the damage being limited, the time it was going to take for his soul to recuperate was extended, which made Gu Suihan sigh inwardly. As for why he was pretending that he hadnt recovered from his injuries yet, it was because he wanted everyone to think that he was so badly injured that he would take at least a month to recover. This extra time would help him with his plans. Lihua, from today onwards, both of you are not to come anywhere near this area unless I give you permission to do so. I have gained some insight from the duel that day and I will be in seclusion starting today. I might take a few days, or I might take up to a month before coming out again. Yes, Young Master. The two maids happily left him alone. After all, that meant that they had at least a few days of freedom. Everyone on the mountain knew that these two girls were Gu Suihans maids and were falling over each other to get close to them, so nobody would make things difficult for them even if Gu Suihan shut himself in. Inside his room, Gu Suihan smirked at the bottle in front of him. Someone wanted to teach him a lesson before he had even done anything. The bottle contained a Core Healing Pill. As the name suggests, it was a pill that was meant for recuperation. But there was one catch C this pill must not come into contact with white nephrite jade1, or else it would become a Spiritual Declining Pill. If one took that pill, you would be able to heal quickly from your injuries, but would also damage your Spiritual Root at the same time. The world held a million and one possibilities, so such a strange occurrence wasnt particularly surprising either. There were stranger things than this. For example, there was the Heart of Heaven Pill that was meant to heal injuries to ones mind. If the alchemist placed just one additional stalk of green chiretta during the pill refining process, it would become a Mind Declining Pill, which was a pill that even immortals didnt dare to consume. Also, if one killed an Origin Core stage cultivator and took his dantian out, then washed it with Holy Soul Water before giving it to a cultivator at a lower cultivation level, the cultivator could refine it and his own dantian would reach a very early Origin Core stage. Who could be behind this? murmured Gu Suihan as he observed the white nephrite jade bottle and the reddish pill inside closely. Several possibilities appeared in his mind, but he eliminated them one by one. Nan Xingyuan? She wasnt that bold and didnt have the resources nor the connections needed to plant such a thing within Fortune Court. The Way Seekers Alliance? Miss Mo? Gu Suihan frowned. This was possible, but not very likely. If she wanted to make things difficult for him, she wouldnt stoop so low. She had plenty of disciples at her beck and call anyway. She could have easily found herself another Li Xianlong. He wasnt like the main character of a game who went around finding trouble for himself all day, making the gods angry, offending all the humans, and viewing the world as his enemy. In fact, Gu Suihan had joined the Seven Kill Sect for less than six months and the only people he had offended were the Way Seekers Alliance. To be more specific, he had only offended one Nan Xingyuan. As for the resthe really hadnt actually offended them. Disciplinarian Zhang. This name suddenly popped up in his mind. But he quickly threw that thought out as well. Disciplinarian Zhang could have summoned him directly and dealt with him in any way he wanted. Why bother going through the trouble of doing something so stupid? Since he couldnt figure it out, he decided to put this matter aside for the time being. He flung the bottle into his magic storage bag, then looked at the broken knife he had taken out of the secret realm back when he first joined the sect. This thing had been with him for a long time, but he hadnt seen anything else in it, so he had just left it aside all this time. He had even forgotten about the spirit inside it. Squeak or something, snapped Gu Suihan impatiently as he slammed the knife against the floor a few times. Squeeeak! The poor knife was rudely awakened and quickly did as his evil owner instructed. Gu Suihan didnt do anything even after the knife had squeaked in reply. The room remained silent for a long time. When the spirit was on the verge of a nervous breakdown from waiting for a response, Gu Suihan suddenly said, Do you want to become a human? Im talking about becoming a real human. Wh-what do you mean? The spirit was a bit confused. It understood what Gu Suihans first question meant, but what was the second statement about? What did he mean by a real human? Gu Suihan smiled mysteriously. A real human C an ordinary person with desires, emotions, friends, family, love, joy, and sadness. But on one condition. That is, I will wipe out all your memories. He paused, then emphasized his main point, I will wipe out everything. You wont just lose them. What do you want to do? The Spirit tried to find out what Gu Suihans plans were before making a decision. Gu Suihan didnt respond to that question either and went on to the second option the spirit had, The other way to become a real human is to replace the soul of an existing person with you. But youre just the spirit of a non-living thing, which means that your soul is made from only one component, unlike a human soul that has three Hun and seven Po. In that case, Ill have to separate your soul into ten parts and insert you piece by piece into the body. Its not a very dangerous process, but itll hurt. Separatemy soul?! The spirits voice began to tremble and stutter when he heard what Gu Suihan said. Well, theres one more option. Gu Suihan clicked his tongue and said a little reluctantly, I can draw you out from this broken knife and cut your ties to it completely. But that way, youd become a wandering spirit and you wont be able to become a human anymore. Ill think about it, said the spirit quietly after some time. Gu Suihan glanced at the broken knife on the floor for a moment, then went on to do other things. He had good reasons why he wanted to remove the spirit from inside the knife. After that duel with Li Xianlong, all his weapons were broken and he needed a new one. This broken knife had been made from Dragon-Marked Gold. It no longer carried any spiritual power and the magic formation runes carved into it were almost beyond repair, but it was a very suitable weapon right now, given Gu Suihans current level of cultivation. The Clackers Hipster Hideout Todays snack recommendation: Salted Egg Potato Chips. So expensive, but so tasssstyy. Also, heart attack in a bag. I warned you. MSG: ***** Chapter 24 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 24: Scheme Perhaps its time for me to get some Contribution Points, murmured Gu Suihan with a frown as he looked at the big fat zero inscribed on his disciple token. The biggest difference between himself and other disciples was that he didnt lack techniques. His experience over nearly two millennia was what he relied on the most. Ever since the lectures at the Compounds ended, he had gone to the Cultivation Library and borrowed two books just to look like everybody else. If he wasnt spending time cultivating, he was at the Main Library reading up on the history of this era, hoping to find some clues. Disciples were allowed to go into the Main Library anytime they wanted since this library didnt carry any books about techniques and the like. On the contrary, the Cultivation Library had a full collection of everything that the Seven Kill Sect had taught their disciples since they were founded. Each disciple was allowed into the Cultivation Library a certain number of times a month. If you wanted to go in more often, you would have to accumulate enough Contribution Points. Not only were these Contribution Points useful for gaining entry into the Cultivation Library, but you could also exchange them for pills, herbs, magic weapons, Spiritual Stones, or magic treasures. There was also a long list of rare natural resources you could exchange these points for. With that in mind, Gu Suihan got up and decided to go out and take on some missions in order to gain some Contribution Points. Hmm? He suddenly stopped and pulled out an ordinary-looking statue from his magic storage bag. He stared at it for a long time and didnt say anything. This was the item he had taken from the tax ship. Perhaps it was an item that Disciplinarian Zhang and the rest sought after. Vow Power. This statue had the Vow Power of everyone living within a state. If a cultivator in the Way of the Gods or one of those martial artists doing physical cultivation got their hands on this, they could become a god. You would only be a Soil God and not even a City God1, but the Way of the Gods was always the hardest at the beginning. Having this little statue would save one so much time. I need to get rid of this sometime soon. Bringing it around all the time like this only brings me trouble. He frowned deeply at the statue. This statue was good stuff, but it was useless to him. There was no way he was going to cultivate in the Way of the Gods. It was such an unstable job. Besides getting yourself stuck mostly where you became a god, you also had to deal with the messy wishes of your worshippers. Otherwise, if none of your worshippers wishes came true, they would stop believing in you. Once that happened, your cultivation level would start backsliding and you might even stop being a god after some time. But there was also no way Gu Suihan was going to just give this away for nothing in return. That was out of the question. This thing could sell for a lot of money. His initial plan had been to shut himself in so that he could separate the spirit inside the knife from the knife itself, but since it was still taking some time to decide, there was nothing he could do about it. While he was still deciding exactly what he should do next, Taohua suddenly called out to him from outside the room, Young Master, Young Master Li is waiting in the guest area by the door. He says its very urgent and wants you to come out as quickly as possible. Gu Suihan looked up with a start as he raised an eyebrow. Ill be out in a minute. If this matter wasnt urgent, I wouldnt interrupt your recuperation process like this. I hope you can understand, said Li Rong when he saw Gu Suihan walkout. Oh? Gu Suihan motioned to Li Rong to sit, got Taohua to get Li Rong some tea, then asked, Whats the matter? An elder is gathering disciples from the East Compound with a mission, said Li Rong as he frowned and tapped his fingers on the table. It wasnt really anything out of the ordinary since you could go ahead and ask anybody to do whatever. But this elder has been given the authority to do so by the Peak Leader of Peak Six. The elder has to gather five fairly capable external disciples, or he will be disciplined. What has that got to do with me? asked Gu Suihan. All the external disciples knew that he was supposed to be injured. The result of that duel was that Li Xianlong was dead and Gu Suihan was badly injured. Li Rong scoffed and said with some disgust in his voice, It didnt have anything to do with you initially, but someone told the elder about you, so your name appeared on the list. He really hated tattletales. Who did that? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes to conceal the piercing and murderous gaze he had. He bent down to blow at his hot tea and said slowly, You mean I have to go even if Im injured? That elder is from Peak Six, otherwise known as the Pill Furnace Peak, so theyre in charge of providing all the pills for the sect. He heard that you were injured, so he doesnt mind giving you a Spiritual Multiplier Pill. Wow, how generous, Gu Suihan scoffed. Spiritual Multiplier Pills were usually meant to heal the injuries of cultivators at the Origin Core Stage. One pill cost 300 Spiritual Stones, or 50 Contribution Points. What does he need us to do? Why is it worth so much effort on his part? asked Gu Suihan quietly after thinking about this matter for a while. Li Rong massaged his temples, then said with some annoyance, A disciple stole one of the three Seven Kill Spiritual Transformation Pills that the elder refined. After the elder reported it to the Disciplinary Hall, someone found out that the thief has some connection to the Vast Sky Sect. So this is no small matter. Is that elder stupid? Gu Suihan insulted the elder without hesitation. This is a problem for cultivators at the Origin Core stage to fix. It has nothing to do with a bunch of low-level external disciples. Besides, a traitor in the sect will affect the two sects directly. And theyre going to count on a bunch of kids who arent even at Foundation Establishment stage? You dont say, Li Rong clearly shared the same sentiments. Apparently, the sect already sent a few direct disciples out to kill the person from Vast Sky Sect, but theyve been held up by the folks from Vast Sky Sect who were supposed to meet with the traitor. Li Rong downed the rest of his tea and smacked his lips before continuing, That traitor had no choice but to continue on his way. Hes got a bunch of servants with him, but theyre all below Foundation Establishment level. There are about seven or eight of them in all. So, wouldnt it be better to send internal disciples at Foundation Establishment after them? Its probably an agreement between Vast Sky Sect and our sect to settle this problem with disciples who are not as powerful as the thief. The thief is only at the Half Step to Foundation Establishment Stage and hasnt completely transformed his meridian channels yet. Li Rong looked very unhappy by this point. So Is your name on that list too? Gu Suihan felt a sense of schadenfreude when he saw how unhappy Li Rong looked. Li Rong noticed Gu Suihans smirk and became even more annoyed. Lets go then, said Gu Suihan with a long sigh. Why are we even involved, Li Rong continued to grumble as he got up and shook his head with a miserable expression on his face. Youre Gu Suihan? said a middle-aged man with shriveled skin and a perpetual worried look as he stood at the entrance to the East Compound. That is correct, said Gu Suihan politely as he cupped his fists to greet the elder. The Elder couldnt help but frown at how sickly Gu Suihan looked. He asked, Have your injuries gotten better over the past few days? How long more do you need to recuperate? Thank you for the concern, elder. I have been pretty badly injured, so I will probably take another month or so to fully recover, said Gu Suihan in a slow and pained manner. Oh dear! The elder let out a long sigh, then said, If Li Xianlong hadnt died, he would have been a good candidate for this mission. Butsigh You can have this Spiritual Multiplier Pill. It will help you recover faster. The elder frowned even more deeply, making his already wrinkled face seem even older as he sighed. But Gu Suihan didnt take the pill from the elder and frowned as he said hesitantly, Its not that I dont want to help the sect, but even if I did have the heart to do so, I dont have the ability to do so. Why do you say that? The elders face fell. If you do a good job this time, I will reward you with other things. The elder had clearly thought that Gu Suihan was trying to negotiate for some additional benefits. As the elder spoke, he enveloped Gu Suihan with a thin layer of pressure, which was a hint to Gu Suihan that if Gu Suihan continued trying to find excuses, the elder would teach him a lesson. Gu Suihan immediately became terrified and bowed low as he said, Please dont take it wrongly, elder. Let me explain. I had been lucky enough to survive that duel with Li Xianlong some days ago, but the weapon I had been using all these years was also destroyed in the fight and Ive been spending the last few days trying to rest and recuperate. So, even if you give me a pill to help with my recuperation process, Im still going to have a lot of trouble fighting if I dont even have a weapon. Is that really what happened? the elder turned to ask the other four external disciples he had gathered suspiciously. Its true, elder. Sigh! The elders lips twitched for a moment before the elder pulled a sword out very reluctantly from his magic storage bag and passed it to Gu Suihan. This was a weapon I had actually spent some time and effort in obtaining for that ungrateful traitor. You can have it. But that means you wont get anything else after you complete this mission. Thank you, elder, Gu Suihan thanked the elder in a sincere voice as he bowed low. According to our intel, that traitor is trying to head back to Vast Sky Sect and he has already reached Blizzard City, so you have to move fast. Itll be best if you bring that traitor back alive, but if he tries to resist, just kill him, instructed the elder very sternly. Yes, elder, responded all five of them as they solemnly placed a palm against their other fist politely. After the elder disappeared out of sight, Li Rong suddenly spat and said, What a wily old fox. Hello, my dear junior brothers. My name is Feng Ran, and I hope we can support each other in this journey, said the young man in blue robes with a friendly smile as he stood next to Li Rong. My name is Zhou Haotian, said another young man emotionlessly with an aloof expression. My names Wang Xianxian, looking forward to working with everyone, said the third young man whom Gu Suihan did not know. He was short and small-sized and had a rather cheeky countenance. Im Li Rong, I think everyone knows that. And this is Gu Suihan. Since everyone was friendly and they were going on a mission like this, they automatically looked out for one another. Besides, they had no conflict of interest, so the five of them got along quite harmoniously. As they chatted a bit more, they pasted a Wind Blast Talisman on their legs, activated it with Qi, and flew towards Blizzard City. Blizzard City was about 200 kilometers from the Seven Kill Sect, so it wasnt too far. They could reach it within a day or so, so the five of them werent in too much of a hurry. When the sun was about to set, they took a break and decided to find somewhere to spend the night in the forest. Li Rong, why did you insult Elder Wang after he left in the afternoon? Did you notice something? asked Wang Xianxiang as he continued roasting a pig over the open fire. Before Li Rong could answer, Feng Ran said, Somethings fishy, as he used a dagger to cut slits into the pigs skin so that it would cook more evenly. The Clackers Dodgy Chinese Takeout Todays snack recommendation: Chinese Pig Ear Salad. Sorry to everyone who doesnt eat pork (or ears), but reading these guys roasting a pig just makes me crave this eaaaaarsss. Filled with collagen and cartilage. Excellent crunch. Umami: ******** Chapter 25 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 25: Afraid to Take a Gamble Firstly, how did a disciple who isnt even at Foundation Establishment manage to steal something like a Seven Kill Spiritual Transformation Pill? Secondly, how did he manage to run out of the sect without anybody noticing? Those are the only things I can think of at the moment. Feng Ran looked rather grim. Gu Suihan looked at Feng Ran in surprise, then added, Thirdly, Elder Wang is suspicious too. Elder Wang? Wang Xianxian was shocked. What do you mean? Im not sure if everyone observed Elder Wangs behavior closely earlier today. Gu Suihans bright and alert eyes stared at the fire in front of him and said in a slightly mocking voice, He didnt seem anxious at all. He didnt behave as if he was afraid that he might be punished by the sect at all. He didnt even arrange something like a Demon Bat to help us to fly even faster to catch the thief. Im sure all of you know what a Seven Kill Spiritual Transformation Pill is. If you take this pill, you get a 20% chance of increasing your Spiritual Roots rank by one level. Even though a person can only take it once in his lifetime, a pill outside the sect could be sold for this amount. Gu Suihan stuck two fingers out. Thats right. Itll cost at least 200,000 Spiritual Stones. It wont go below that, said Li Rong very seriously as he narrowed his eyes. Also, his attitude was very strange. Gu Suihan pushed at the sticks in the fire to make it burn a little brighter. Why was he so insistent that I come along? If I had refused, Im sure he would have forced me to join the team. But why? Maybe its because you offended someone or a faction of power struck a deal with him. This is just a guess. Zhou Haotian glanced emotionlessly at Gu Suihan. No, thats not possible. Li Rong suddenly shook his head and said confidently, Because Ive noticed one thing. What? Zhou Haotian frowned puzzledly. Have you noticed? None of us here are backed by any of the major factions within the sect, said Li Rong quietly as he looked at all of them. His words had been spoken softly, but they caused an upheaval in everyones hearts. Are you saying that Wang Xianxians expression dimmed as he squeezed the words out of his mouth, They are the ones behind this? Besides the Way Seekers Alliance, the Nobles Clan, and the Four Directions Court, who else could it be? Feng Rans tone grew icy. Besides, judging by Junior Brother Gus case, its clear that theyve joined hands in planning this. Ive killed someone from the Nobles Clan outside the sect before. Junior Brother Gus feud with the Way Seekers Alliance is no secret. Junior Brother Li has the support of Xiexin Zhenren, but Xiexin Zhenren has always refused to take sides, and many others have followed suit. I have a feud with Senior Brother Wang from the Four Directions Court. Wang Xianxians expression grew nasty. Zhou Haoran gripped his sword tightly and said in a sinister voice, I was from the West Compound initially. I made it to the East Compound after I killed someone from the Way Seekers Alliance. After everyone spoke honestly about their past, their guess was confirmed. This horrified them even more now. So, the thing is, did this pill theft even happen? said Gu Suihan quietly. There was a small uproar among the rest as they quickly turned to look at Li Rong since he was the most well-connected among them. But Li Rong laughed bitterly and shrugged. Things happened so quickly that Elder Wang didnt give me any time to investigate. How am I supposed to know anything? If this theft didnt happen and was just an excuse to trick us into leaving the sect, then Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he pulled out the Spiritual Multiplier Pill from his magic storage bag and said quietly, there must be something wrong with this thing. But what about the part about being authorized by the Peak Leader? Zhou Haoran suddenly piped up. Elder Wang had shown all of them the Peak Leaders seal earlier that day. He couldnt have been bold enough to replicate that seal. Wang Xianxian stopped turning the pig and looked at the forested area around them as if the trees were filled with secret traps that could kill them. If we die, who would know? What are they trying to do? Nobody had any answers, but their hearts felt even heavier now. All of a sudden, they looked up at one another and said at the same time, Its the internal disciples vacancies! Wang Xianxian grinned and reflected the passing lightning in his teeth. Everyone, were clearly going to die if we continue. Since they came together to plan this elaborate scheme, Im sure they must be pretty confident that we wouldnt end up working together like this. Why dont we go separate ways? Stay alive and well make plans later. Hahaha! A Ghost Controlling Flag suddenly appeared in Feng Rans hand and he cackled, This feud has turned out to be worse than I imagined. This must be one of my three disasters and six afflictions. Everyone, take care. Ill treat all of you to drinks another time. After he said that, his body moved flexibly like a willow plant and was carried by the wind deep into the forest where he disappeared. Everyone, take care. Too bad about the pig. Wang Xianxian wiped away the oil on his hands and licked his lips as a bloodthirsty look flashed in his eyes. He kicked up a storm of fallen leaves and disappeared as well. Till next time. Zhou Haorans sword buzzed quietly as he took a few slow steps, then seemed to float in the air as he continued walking with steady steps. He too disappeared after a few steps. Li Rongs expression was threatening, unlike his usual friendly demeanor. He let out a sinister and hair-raising laugh, then said, Ill pay you a visit next time. A tiny sedan carried by eight extremely tall jiangshi1 appeared from nowhere. Li Rong hopped into the sedan and they flew into the distance. So, everyone has their own special technique, huh? Gu Suihan sighed and looked thoughtfully at the swaying trees of the forest. A frosty and chilling look spread across his handsome face. Perhaps were doing more than just working with one another. Let me leave them with a little surprise. I hope they dont disappoint me! Gu Suihans voice slowly faded. The fire illuminated Gu Suihans almost ghostly face before he disappeared in the wind. Nobody thought about what would happen if they had guessed wrongly. Or what would happen if the theft was real. They didnt want to think about those possibilities and they werent going to take such a gamble, because their lives were at stake. They couldnt afford to take this gamble. Before long, the clear night sky was covered with dark clouds. The rolling of thunder from time to time and the howling of the strong winds were foreboding, a sign of bad things to come. Within the sect, two rare guests had appeared at one of Miss Mos luxurious buildings. One was Lord Fang of the Nobles Clan, Fang Suyu. One was the leader of the Four Directions Court, Wang Aolin. The last person at the table was the owner of the building and the leader of the Way Seekers Alliance, Mo Yuluo. All three of them were sitting quietly on cushy chairs, drinking tea in silence as they fell into deep thought. Nobody made any sound at all. Just then, the jade slip on Mo Yuluos table started trembling slightly. The sound was very soft, but it was enough to make the two men turn their heads to look at it. Theyve arrived? asked Fang Suyu expressionlessly as he removed the foam layer from his tea. Mo Yuluo scanned the jade slip with her Spiritual Sense and nodded. Wang Aolin rapped his knuckles on the table decisively and said, Lets begin. Do you think theyd guess what were trying to do? said Mo Yuluo in an enchanting voice as she looked admiringly at Fang Suyu with her mesmerizing eyes. But Fang Suyu merely glanced back at Mo Yuluo and was completely unaffected by her gaze. He snorted and said, I cant believe you have the guts to use your Charm Technique on me. Youve really overestimated yourself. Mo Yuluo pouted unhappily, then stopped exuding her charm as if nothing had happened at all. Her expression reverted to normal and she went back to looking like an unapproachable deity, elegant and pure. However, her sudden and drastic change didnt surprise the two men at all. They were used to her antics. She was ever-changing and it was impossible to predict her mood. Thats not quite possible, Wang Aolin disagreed. Gu Suihan and Li Rong are on fairly close terms, but the rest dont know each other at all. Why would they suspect anything? Just the reasons given for this mission are enough for that Gu Suihan to hazard a guess, said Mo Yuluo as she chuckled. Her cat-like eyes were curved lazily, like a kitten that had just woken up. Fang Suyu fell into deep thought, then sounded a little guilty as he said, Its my fault. Things happened too quickly for me to come up with a more detailed plan. Who would have known that the Sect Leader would just double the number of vacancies for internal disciples? I dont know what hes thinking about at all. The Sect Leader has his own reasons, Im sure. Besides, dont you think that the world of cultivators has been a little too boring for too long? said Wang Aolin in a mysterious voice. It seems like its almost time for that thing to appear, said Mo Yuluo as she laughed quietly. She looked at the dark skies outside and said pointedly, Is this the calm before the storm? Wang Aolin looked at the lightning that tore through the skies and said, Perhaps the calm part is already over. Dark clouds covered the land and the continuous rumbling of thunder sounded as though a terrifying dragon with the ability to break anything in its way had appeared, letting out ear-deafening roar after roar. Meanwhile, on Peak Four, at the edge of a cliff. A table, a cup of tea, and a person remained there. Hoho, all of you are getting rather bold now. Xiexin Zhenren looked out at the billowing clouds in the distance expressionlessly as he murmured, But thats not a bad thing idea. You could even consider it the dessert before the meal. Lightning lit up the sky, as well as the faint smile on Xiexin Zhenrens lips. It was both sinister and fear-inducing. Theres some light in front. It must be them. Several young men were exchanging comments as they quietly walked through the forest. They used their Spiritual Sense to scan the area to check if there were any traps. Lets go, there doesnt seem to be any traps. Lets just attack them straight up, said one of them with a fierce look on his face before charging at the fire in the distance. Tianyu, be careful! someone called out after him before motioning to the rest to catch up. How boring. The two right at the back looked annoyed as they followed behind Tianyu. They seemed to move slowly, but they always made sure they were no more than six meters away from him. After Tianyu got closer to the fire, his expression fell. There was nobody around the fire at all. But the mess that was left behind showed that the five of them hadnt left too long ago. Theyve left no longer than an hour ago. There are no signs of an altercation. A small-sized man among them looked at the scene before them with a grim expression as he carefully analyzed the situation. They didnt leave together. They went separate ways as if they knew that we were coming. They left in quite a hurry, eating just a bit of that pig before running off in different directions. Everyone looked at the almost untouched pig roasting over the fire and the messy footprints around them and agreed with the analysis. The small-sized man was a little smug, but he quickly added in a serious tone, However, it might not be them. It could have been some other disciples. The Clackers Dodgy Chinese Takeout Todays snack recommendation: Cantonese Roast Pork Belly. WHY ARE THEY STILL TALKING ABOUT PIG. Umami: ******** Chapter 26 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 26: The Chase Before the small-sized man could continue his theory about how the mess in the forest might have been left by other disciples instead of Gu Suihan and the other four, a hoarse and grating voice suddenly cut him off. Its them. I sense the Spirit of the Sword in the east. Zhou Haoran is a cultivator of the sword, isnt he? The eyes of the owner of the voice lit up. He took a few steps forward, took a deep breath, then exhaled deeply. Theres some Ghost Qi in the south. That must be Feng Ran. There are deep footprints over here and a stench that still lingers. That must be Li Rongs. The small-sized man narrowed his eyes at the two rows of footprints in the mud that measured inches deep as he stood atop a tree branch and shuddered. So, weve got a confirmation on where three out of five of them went and weve got two more. One of them should have gone north. His expression was a little conflicted because he simply couldnt find any traces of a fifth person. If he didnt know there were five people beforehand, he would have never believed it. The last one went in there, said the one with a raspy voice flatly as he glanced at the small-sized man. Lets finish off this roast pig first then. The small-sized man came forward, used a dagger to cut off one of the pigs front legs, and started chomping on it. He even took a few bottles of wine out from his magic storage bag and gave them to his companions. A much larger-sized man broke the seal of his wine bottle, took a few swigs, then sat down in front of the fire. He pulled off one of the back legs and took a big bite. His expression as he ate clearly showed how yummy the roast pig was. The smell of the roast meat made everyone feel really hungry. The rest of them exchanged glances before dividing the pig up with a smile. It was past midnight and they were all famished. The gloomy weather made them feel rather moody as well, so the prospect of delicious food lifted their spirits. Hmm, is this pig actually a magical beast? Why does it contain so much spiritual energy? mumbled the burly man to himself as he continued munching on the pork with a puzzled face. Spiritual energy? The two who remained a distance from the group in front thought about these words for a moment. One of them suddenly seemed to remember something and his face paled as he exclaimed, That meats poisoned! Immediately after he said that he appeared almost in an instant beside the fire and hit the wrists of the two who had already started eating the meat. The sheer force made them stumble and drop the meat in their hands. He ignored their shocked expressions and bellowed fiercely, Theres poison on the skin, so spit everything out now! Pfft! Both of them immediately punched themselves in the abdomen, causing their stomachs to churn violently. They started gagging and began vomiting all the meat they had just eaten. After that, the small-sized man grabbed a bottle of wine and rinsed his mouth thoroughly before panting and said, That was close! What poison was it? It was that Spiritual Multiplier Pill, said the man who warned them as he ran a finger gently across the pigs roasted skin. His gaze hardened as he said, Gu Suihan crushed that Spiritual Multiplier Pill he received from Elder Wang and smeared it all over the pig. Their faces instantly fell when they heard those words. The two who had eaten the meat instantly sat down to circulate their internal Qi in order to purge the poison. That little bastard deserves to die, spat the small-sized man as he stared fearfully at the roast pig. Lets split up, said the burly man with a sullen expression. Monkey, you can go after that Feng Ran. Hes a cultivator in the Way of Dead Spirits, so be careful. The small-sized man nodded and took a few steps back silently, then turned to swing from branch to branch like a monkey. His speed was exceedingly fast. Tian Yu, you can go after Zhou Haoran. The burly man looked up at the sky, then said frostily, Ill settle Li Rong. Chuan Xin, Gu Suihan went deep into the forest, so Ill leave him to you. You two, go after Wang Xianxian. Lets go! The burly man had a murderous look as he scanned the rest of his companions before cracking a smile, Im pretty sure the fellow who smeared poison on the pig was Gu Suihan. Chuan Xin, you know what to do. Chuan Xin nodded politely and the spear in his hand made a slight buzzing noise as it vibrated. He was the one who had figured out that the pig had poison on it. This group of men werent worried about failing in their mission. They were all at the Foundation Establishment stage and were now officially cultivators who were recognized by fellow cultivators. They were a lot more formidable than Gu Suihans group, who were still trying to activate their Qi. They werent just stronger, but they were practically from a different world altogether. Gu Suihans expression was calm as he pursed his lips and continued traversing deeper into the forest in silence. His movements were like an agile cheetah, elegant while still maintaining his speed. To be completely honest, Gu Suihan really didnt want to fight if he didnt have to. He was at a very awkward stage in his cultivation right now, since he was still in the midst of activating his Qi. Unlike many other cultivators, he didnt have the luxury of time to amass enough resources to convert all his meridian channels into Spiritual Meridians in one shot. Thanks to that duel with Li Xianlong, he had no choice but to take the risk of forcibly converting some of his meridian channels in order to increase his chances of winning. He had done this so that he would be able to use certain techniques that should have been above his level. His original plan was to win the duel, then coop himself up inside his residence to take his time to focus on cultivation until he had moved past this awkward stage. He didnt expect this fake mission. Not all of his meridian channels had been converted to Spiritual Meridians yet, so he had both some internal energy and some magic energy inside his body. If he had to use everything he had to fight, it might cause some confusion within him. The Way Seekers Alliance. Ha! muttered Gu Suihan under his breath as the look in his eyes grew more and more frosty. This obvious attack on him was making him harbor even more hatred towards that faction. It had been such a long time since he was last schemed against like this. The murderous spirit that had fallen asleep for many years was beginning to fill his heart again. The intense violent tendencies he had from his previous life returned to him. Gu Suihan suddenly came to a halt and he looked around him with a stern expression on his face. He had sensed a murderous intent. It was very faint and faded almost immediately, but he had still picked it up. The noise from the wind had died down and the thick trees of the forest looked like sinister monsters whenever a bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Their branches swayed menacingly without making any noise. It was so silent, that you could hear a pin drop. Gu Suihan couldnt move. He knew that the moment he moved, that would become the other partys chance to strike. The other party would definitely attack hard and Gu Suihan wasnt sure if he would be able to dodge it or defend himself against it. Meanwhile, Chuan Xin stood on top of a tree several meters away with a relaxed look on his face and his long spear in hand. His tall stature was well hidden by the dense branches of the tree and his eagle-like eyes glinted dimly in the dark. Hoho, youre an internal disciple alright, Gu Suihan suddenly started speaking and broke the tense atmosphere surrounding him. Chuan Xin narrowed his eyes and the gleam in his eyes was hidden. He replied in a low voice, How do you know that? The silence following Chuan Xins words made Gu Suihan feel even more under pressure. He swallowed and said, Its been one whole hour since I left that place and Ive covered at least 15 kilometers, yet you were able to catch up with me in less than 15 minutes. I suppose youve got to be at least at Foundation Establishment. Are you at the Beginner Stage? Intermediate stage? Or the Advanced Stage? As he spoke, Gu Suihan took the chance to quietly turn around and stared straight toward where Chuan Xin was hiding with his sharp eyes. Hoho! Who cares which stage Im at? Either way, youre going to die a painful death, said Chuan Xin in a sinister voice as his gaze intensified. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and said in a mocking voice, Spiritual Multiplier Pills are really good stuff. A pity I wasnt able to have any, unlike the rest of you. What a pity. So it was really you! Prepare to die! Chuan Xin gave the blunt end of his spear a kick, sending it swooshing loudly towards Gu Suihans head like an angry dragon. Woong! That was the sound of a bowstring quivering. Chuan Xin saw something black shoot towards him at high speed. He had a disdainful expression as he swung his spear out gently. Sparks started flying from the tip of his spear as it broke the oncoming arrow into several pieces easily. Thats all youve got? he said with a smirk as he looked towards Gu Suihan, who was about 15 meters away from him. Nobody could see the grim look in Chuan Xins eyes in the darkness. Well, its enough. Gu Suihan smiled faintly as he kept his bow away, pulled out a sword, and disappeared promptly after that. Chuan Xin frowned as alarm bells went off in his head. He sent his Spiritual Sense out like a huge wave of water, covering more than 30 meters in an instant, and was able to sense even the slightest movement within this radius. Whoosh! His spear suddenly spun and flew towards an empty space on his left, sending leaves and small stones flying. Danggg! A thunderous blast filled the air as two weapons met. Not bad. A bit of blood dribbled out from Gu Suihans mouth and his face was a little pale. Chuan Xin had a modest look on his face as if he was a child who had just been complimented by his older siblings. But of course, that was only what his expression looked like. In reality, his spear was still repeatedly darting out from under his arm like the tongue of a venomous snake. Gu Suihan raised his sword up horizontally to meet the spear again and again, setting off brilliant sparks in the middle of the dark night. Youre not bad too. Chuan Xin was still smiling as he stretched his left arm out. Blade of the Wind! Bam! There was a dull thud as Gu Suihan suddenly fell flat on his face, crashing heavily to the ground as some of his hair was cut by the passing force sent out by the spear. The force brushed past him and broke all the trees behind him into several pieces. Chuan Xin grinned and brought his spear down repeatedly towards Gu Suihan as Gu Suihan remained on the ground. The bright red tassel near the tip of the spear swished in the air as Chuan Xin brandished it. The color was eye-catching and dazzling, like a peony blooming in the middle of April. Gu Suihan kept his body straight as he nimbly avoided every attack the spear made towards him and thrust his sword toward Chuan Xins abdomen. But Chuan Xin wasnt bothered by this attack at all and murmured, Vajra. A golden beam of light shot out from his body and protected Chuan Xin. Gu Suihans sword made ear-piercing noises as it hit this protective barrier. Scattered Clouds! Chuan Xins spear shot out countless shadows that shot through the air, surrounding Gu Suihan. The tip of the spear gave off Qi from time to time and aimed for Gu Suihans vital areas. Ding! Ding! Dang! Ding! A flurry of clangs filled the air and was accompanied by flying pieces of cloth now and then. A moment later, Gu Suihan used the force from the collision between his sword and Chuan Xins spear to help him fly several meters backward so that he could escape the onslaught of attacks. Chapter 27 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 27: Trump Card Are you still good to fight? A mocking look flashed in Chuan Xins eyes as he glanced calmly at Gu Suihan as if he wasnt the one who rained attacks on Gu Suihan just moments ago. Gu Suihan, on the other hand, was standing with his clothes in tatters, revealing his muscular body. The hand he used to hold his sword was trembling nonstop, and the occasional flash of lightning illuminated his pale face. Hoo Gu Suihan could taste some blood as he exhaled deeply and suppressed the outflow of his Qi and blood that was moving wildly within his body. Still good to go, said Gu Suihan as he licked his dry lips and focused his eyes on his enemy like a wolf hunting down its prey. A drop of rain fell onto the tip of Chuan Xins spear. Then lets do this for real. Chuan Xin had a faint smile on his face, but his half-closed eyes helped cover the increased cautiousness in his eyes. The Wind Gathers the Storm Clouds! The gloomy clouds in the sky immediately started circling Chuan Xin, gathering a mighty wind that roared furiously through the surrounding trees and making their branches crackle as they bent from the increasing pressure. It looked like the world was about to end. Gu Suihan coughed quietly, then slowly raised his sword to stare at the modest-looking young man standing just meters away from him with a grave expression on his face. The Thunder Dragon Peeks Through the Clouds! A thick and brilliant bolt of lightning suddenly shot out from the whirlwind of dark clouds, roaring furiously like a dragon in the air as it circled Chuan Xin indignantly. Compared to that lightning dragon that could definitely kill him, Gu Suihan looked so small and frail as he stood in front of it. His sword buzzed quietly as its runes began to flash continuously, covering the entire blade in a golden glow. The magic energy from within his body continued to surge into the sword, and his quenched and refined meridian channels even started throbbing loudly inside him. Another drop of rain fell as if to give the two men one last warning before heavy rains poured down on them like a river flowing from the sky. And as if the rain was their signal, both shouted at the same time: The Thunder Dragon Shocks the World! Fall of the Immortal! Once Chuan Xin completed his incantation, the angry giant dragon circling him finally rushed into his trembling spear, and Chuan Xin thrust it towards Gu Suihan with a hand covered in bulging veins. DANNNNGGG! An ear-deafening blast filled the air, turning everything around it into ashes. Countless trees and other forestation instantly turned to dust. Time seemed to stop once more as the entire place fell silent again. It lasted for mere moments but felt like an eternity. The sound of bones breaking broke the silence as Gu Suihan flew a few hundred meters backward, leaving a faint trail of blood in the air as it sprayed from his mouth. His sword rang loudly as it spun in the air for some time before silently returning to its sheath. Chuan Xin was still standing where he was. His face was a little pale, but his clothes looked just like they did when he first caught up with Gu Suihan, except they were all drenched by the rain now. He frowned as he felt the damage done to his subconscious. Gu Suihan wasnt even at Foundation Establishment yet, so how did he have a skill that could attack another persons subconscious like that? As the rain continued to pour down, he felt a dull ache on the side of his face. He reached up to touch his cheek and realized that it was a cut that was bleeding slightly, but it was merely an inch long or so. You are not bad at all. Chuan Xin could still feel the pain from the cut as he walked toward Gu Suihan, who had struggled to get up and was now leaning against a burnt tree. If someone other than myself was sent after you, you might have made it back to the sect alive. Chuan Xin chuckled as he disregarded the dirt on the ground and sat down, casually stabbing his spear into the charred soil next to him. Tell me, why the hurry? Gu Suihans head was bent, and his weak voice remained as calm as ever. There was no context to his question, and it would have sounded random to anyone else but not Chuan Xin. Gu Suihan had a feud with the Way Seekers Alliance, and there was no way a new disciple like him could possibly go up against an entire faction of power. For as long as they wanted to, the Alliance could use any other permitted method to get rid of him. Doing that would have both gotten rid of Gu Suihan while increasing their own prestige. So, Gu Suihan couldnt understand why the Alliance would resort to doing something that was against the rules like this. Seven Kill Sects rules were stringent, and the very first one disallowed disciples to kill another at a lower level of cultivation. You could only do it at a place where it was allowed, and you had to have a proper reason for doing so. For example, nobody cared if the external disciples got into a huge fight and a few dozen of them died. The sect wouldnt even ask about it because they were all at the same cultivation level, and killing each other was allowed. But if an internal disciple decided to step in and kill an external disciple, that internal disciple would face a minimum punishment of five years at Demon Abyss. In fact, it would be a miracle if that disciples life was even spared. This plan to wipe out the five of them seemed quite elaborate, but there were still too many loopholes. If any one of them managed to return to the sect alive and reported it, then it didnt matter who was backing these internal disciples. Once they were identified, they were probably doomed to die. Chuan Xin frowned as he remembered what the burly man had said before they embarked on this mission. He remained silent for a few moments before saying in a low voice, Things have changed. We received news that the number of vacancies for the next round of internal disciple selection has increased by twofold. He felt that a worthy opponent like Gu Suihan deserved an honest answer and did not deserve to die miserably with regrets. After saying that, he didnt say anymore. Gu Suihan got it now. It was only two more months before the internal disciple selection. Besides those disciples who were utterly hopeless, the rest who stood a chance mostly belonged to the three major factions of power, and even those who didnt were on friendly terms with them. As a result, any external disciple who was formidable and had a feud with any of the three factions instantly became a target. On top of that, since all their targets were not on some mission outside of the sect, the three faction leaders came together to form this hasty plan. Since you already know the reason, you can go ahead and pull your trump card out. Chuan Xin got up and pulled his gleaming spear out from the ground. He knew that Gu Suihan was stalling for time because he had one last move up his sleeve. But Chuan Xin wasnt afraid of anything Gu Suihan could possibly do to him. Their difference in cultivation level was too significant, so any attack from Gu Suihan would just feel like a tickle to him. Hoho. Im sure you already know by now that I have a habit of smearing poison on skin. Gu Suihan looked straight at Chuan Xins calm expression and glanced at the small cut on Chuan Xins cheek. Thats why I was sent to come after you, said Chuan Xin disdainfully. I have a special sort of Spiritual Root, a Jia Wood type that corresponds to thunder, so my body naturally repels any evil, poison, and vile spirits. Ive already broken down the poison you applied to me into harmless substances. If thats your trump card, then prepare to die. Why do you have to put yourself through such misery? Gu Suihan sighed heavily before slowly raising his head. Chuan Xin wasnt sure why, but he suddenly felt a terrible uneasiness in his heart and thrust his spear towards Gu Suihans chest immediately. Youre too late. Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by this attack at all. He quietly opened his eyes to reveal a strange pair of eyes. Chuan Xin felt his heart sink in the next moment before everything went black. A Spiritual Sense that seemed as vast as the sky and as heavy as the Earth suddenly came crashing on him from above. Howhow can this be?! Chuan Xins eyes were filled with indignation and terror at the same time as his once straight and tall body instantly collapsed to the ground limply like a marionette without strings. The spear he had thrust towards Gu Suihan stopped just two inches short of Gu Suihans chest and wasnt able to advance any further. As if it could feel the death of its owner, the spear suddenly let out a sad wail and fell lifelessly onto the ground. COUGH! Gu Suihan suddenly coughed violently and spat out a large blood clot. He laughed bitterly at himself and muttered, This body is seriously too weak. Id only used one-tenth of my Spiritual Sense, and my body couldnt even bear it for long. Gu Suihan had chosen to forcibly wipe Chuan Xin out because he didnt really have a choice. If he allowed Chuan Xin to kill this body, he would have to find another body to take over and start this process all over again. He quietly retracted his Spiritual Sense and sealed it off again before letting out a massive sigh of relief. He had chosen against doing this right from the start because he didnt expect Chuan Xin to be someone with such a unique Spiritual Root, and worse still, the thunderstorm was a perfect match for his Spiritual Root type. On top of that, it took time to break the seal on his Spiritual Sense, and there was no time to do that while they were fighting. If Chuan Xin hadnt been so complacent and allowed him to stall for time, he would probably be dead by now. After pausing to think for a while, a slightly murderous smile slowly crept across Gu Suihans lips. The Way Seekers Alliance? The three major factions of power? All of them had to die. Anybody with even the slightest connection to them had to go too. Every single one of them. Whoever blocked his way had to die too. Nobody in the forest witnessed the faint reddish glow that quietly surrounded Gu Suihan. It was the glow of Murderous Qi that could strike terror in the hearts of man, an aura of pure violence formed after massacring countless living creatures. You! You shall not live either! Gu Suihan fixed his gaze upon the sects highest and most majestic peak. That was where You Hantian, the Sect Leader of the Seven Kill Sect and Peak Leader of Peak One, resided. Chapter 28 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 28: Undercurrents The rain wasnt showing any signs of stopping at all. The leaders of the three major factions of power suddenly felt an uneasiness in their hearts. Did they fail? wondered Wang Aolin out loud. Mo Yuluo crossed her legs and said somewhat randomly, The wind has gotten stronger, and its a little chilly now. In that caseitll depend on the individuals capabilities, murmured Fang Suyu as he narrowed his eyes. Time slowly ticked by as the large raindrops continued to fall on Gu Suihan. Its time to go back, he said to himself. He pulled off his torn and tattered clothes, allowed the rain to wash all the blood and dirt off himself, then activated a Water Repelling Talisman to create a sizeable dry space before putting on clean clothes. He looked at Chuan Xins lifeless body not too far away from him and smirked. After he removed Chuan Xins storage ring, he used his Spiritual Sense to scan it, wipe out the seal that Chuan Xin had used, and put his own seal on it before taking a look at what was inside. Clothing and other useless items were instantly turned to powder. There was a bottle of Energy Burst Pills and three bottles of Core Refining pills, which were all good for cultivation, so he was pleased to find them. The ring also contained more than 300 low-grade Spiritual Stones and seven mid-grade Spiritual Stones, which wasnt too bad. But what surprised Gu Suihan was that Chuan Xin didnt keep a single technique or spell inside this ring at all. Or rather, more accurately speaking, there wasnt a single piece of paper inside the ring. One required high levels of Qi to write on jade slips, so anybody below the Origin Core stage would never choose to use jade slips to take down notes or pass messages. That would be ridiculous. As a result, cultivators at this level would prefer to write everything on paper instead. What a careful person, said Gu Suihan, shaking his head as he decided to not bother looking anymore. He was interested in the technique that Chuan Xin had used in the fight earlier. The duel had been made exceptionally difficult, primarily because of the weather. The thunderstorm had increased the damage that Chuan Xins thunder-related technique could cause by at least 30%. Techniques that made use of natures forces existed for cultivators at the Origin Core and Origin God realms. Still, there were very few meant for someone at merely the Foundation Establishment stage. That was why he was hoping to find some records of this technique, but unfortunately, none were found. Gu Suihan started coughing a little, so he quietly used a technique to slowly suppress the mess of magic energy and air inside his body. He couldnt help but frown in annoyance. He had suffered a lot of damage from this battle. On the surface, he looked pretty okay. But his meridian channels and Spiritual Meridians were covered in wounds, and the pain from the two energies clashing inside his dantian was unbearable. Suddenly, Gu Suihan thought of something and pulled Chuan Xins body out of the storage ring. He stroked his chin and took some time to think. He had initially planned to bring this corpse back with him to turn it into a fighting puppet since the body was at Foundation Establishment while it was still alive. As a puppet, Gu Suihan could just send it out to fight on his behalf, and the enemy could smash it to pieces for all he cared. But he had just recalled that he could actually use this corpse as a way to recover from his injuries faster instead. He had learned this technique after he killed a powerful adversary in his previous life. He could absorb the flesh and blood of a dead person to help his internal injuries heal more quickly. This technique was useless in repairing or improving the soul, but it was a valuable technique to know in the circumstances like these. Ill just give it a shot. Otherwise, I might not survive the next battle. Gu Suihan frowned slightly at this thought. He had no idea if the Way Seekers Alliance had any other plans up their sleeve, so he had to try and remain at tip-top condition until he had at least made it past the Qi activation stage. He would be able to defend himself once he reached Foundation Establishment. There was an icy glint in his eyes as he started executing the technique and placed his right hand on Chuan Xins chest. His hand was immediately filled with a tremendous suction force that caused everything within the corpse to be sucked into his hand and congregate at his heart. Chuan Xins body began to dry up in just a few moments, and his skin began to peel and disappear into the wind. In just 15 minutes, the body crumbled and turned into nothing but ash. On the contrary, Gu Suihans pale and sickly complexion began to regain its pinkish glow as the immense Qi and blood from Chuan Xins Foundation Establishment stage body flowed into Gu Suihans body nourishing his dry and broken meridian channels. Hoo Gu Suihan suddenly expelled a smelly, brownish-black cloud of air from his mouth before he slowly stopped his process of conditioning his body. Chuan Xin had been at the Foundation Establishment stage for more than a decade, so the immense amount of internal energy, blood, and Qi his body had was not only able to help to heal Gu Suihans injuries, but it had also helped to improve his body condition. He was now short of converting a few smaller meridian channels before making it past the Qi activation stage and into the Foundation Establishment Stage. The process of cultivation requires mostly time, resources, and the honing of skills to reach the next stage. As long as the difference in the level of cultivation between two people wasnt too significant, everyone was pretty used to being challenged to fights with others who were just a phase or two away from each other. The Qi activating stage was almost no different from Foundation Establishment, with the most significant difference being how much magic energy one had. If Gu Suihan had converted all his internal energy into magic energy, he would have been on par with Chuan Xin. But if an Origin Core cultivator fought a Foundation Establishment cultivator, there was no chance the Foundation Establishment cultivator would win. Origin Core cultivators would have survived one disaster, two afflictions, gathered three huas and three po by the time they reached that stage in order to form their core. They could even paralyze a Foundation Establishment cultivator with one look. So, you were definitely dead meat unless you had a large army of Daoist Soldiers that could take the Origin Core cultivator down in one fell swoop. So, even after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, Gu Suihan wasnt going to attempt trying to kill Disciplinarian Zhang or anything like that because the difference in stages was too significant. He had Suihans soul and Spiritual Sense as his trump card, but it was so severely injured after just wiping out a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Chuan Xin. An attempt on an Origin Core cultivator like Disciplinarian Zhang was out of the question. For now, Gu Suihan was just going to stall the greedy Disciplinarian Zhang for time. If he had to, hed back off and avoid Disciplinarian Zhang if he could then kill him after he had formed his core. Righteousness, dignity, face, and other intangible things like these were worthless to Gu Suihan. The most essential thing in life was to stay alive. Once one was dead, you would have nothing left. He looked down at the dried-up clothing and the ashes left of Chuan Xin, then raised a hand to disperse everything into the forest. The rainwater slowly washed everything into the ground, and they disappeared from sight. External disciples were like trash to the sect, and nobody in the sect cared if they died, but they bothered about internal disciples. Every internal disciple had a Soul Lamp which would go out if the person it was tied to died. And because it contained a little of that persons soul, it would be able to find the rest of its body. That would be a big problem for Gu Suihan right now. Once he could sense that the Water Repelling Talismans power was fading, he quickly prepared himself mentally and returned to the sect with a calm expression on his face. Several days later. Gu Suihan had returned to the sect on that same day and went about doing whatever he was supposed to like nothing had even happened. For some reason, the entire mountain of external disciples seemed to get along in harmony, with the exception of that black stage that was meant for duels in the first place. It was covered in blood every day, and members of the sect had to throw out several dead bodies a day. Feng Ran returned the day before. His face was terribly pale, and the Ghost Controlling Flag he had that was once alive with Ghost Qi was in tatters. His body was also covered in dozens of wounds so deep that one could even see his bone. This morning, Li Rong returned. His fancy little sedan had been badly damaged, and he was only left with three out of eight jiangshis. The three of them were either missing an arm or a leg, while Li Rong himself nearly lost an arm. Then just moments ago, Wang Xianxian appeared at the entrance to the sect, his body all covered in blood. He stumbled back to his residence and promptly fainted. Three external disciples famed for their viciousness had returned with severe injuries and were on the brink of death. That news alone created an uproar within the four Compounds. Anybody smart enough turned their gaze towards the three major factions of power. These factions were like sleeping monsters that could cause great damage if awakened, so the more intelligent disciples knew that the factions must have been involved in some or another. If only one person returned like this, one might think this person had gone on a challenging mission. But the three of them were all lone rangers who didnt belong or care about the three major factions. That was food for thought. And while everyone was still murmuring among themselves about this matter, another shocking piece of news came from the internal disciples side. Four internal disciples had died, and their Soul Lamps had gone out. It was confirmed that the souls of all four disciples had been destroyed beyond repair. Everyone was quickly able to put two and two together. The thought of what must have transpired sent shivers down their spine. They immediately stopped thinking about this matter and shut up. During this time, many disciples decided to lie low in case someone tried to kill them. They had to quietly spend more effort cultivating to wow the sect when the internal disciple selection came round. They were going to be like those carp that made it past the gate and transformed into a dragon.1 The Clackers All-You-Can-Eat Aquarium Todays snack recommendation: Jellyfish. Oh, jellyfish, so pretty but so yummy. Umami: depends on what you eat it with Editor: Please thank TL-san for their work and helpful snack recommendations! Chapter 29 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 29: Revenge Feng Ran had randomly called together his fellow forest survivors for a drink. I dont think youve called us here just to drink, right? said Li Rong quietly as he used his left hand to get some food for himself since his right arm was all bandaged up. Feng Ran smiled gently and didnt answer the question. Instead, he switched the topic and said, Its only a few months to the internal disciple selection. What do all of you intend to do? I dont really intend to do anything. Im still recuperating from my injuries, so Im in no shape to compete with anybody, said Wang Xianxian after taking a sip of wine. The indignation in his eyes disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. Hoho. Gu Suihan just chuckled, as if he hadnt been part of the group that had nearly been killed just days ago. His expression was one of complete indifference. Everyone took note of each others different reactions. For a while, there was no other sound at the table beside the sound of eating and drinking. Nobody wanted to be the first to speak up and nobody wanted to be at a disadvantage, so staying silent was the best option. After some time, Feng Ran remarked casually, In half a months time, the three major factions of power are going to send some people out to check out a secret realm. Crack! The chopsticks that Wang Xianxian was using suddenly broke into two. Li Rongs calm expression disappeared as he grabbed his cup, downed the wine inside it, then crushed the cup to powder. Gu Suihan paused for a moment as he reached for some food, but everything went back to normal almost immediately after that. This is our only chance. Feng Ran then closed his eyes and sat down on the floor without saying anything else. After a brief moment of silence, Wang Xianxian narrowed his eyes and said quietly, How can we be sure that this isnt a trap? Everyone slowly turned to look at Feng Ran. They were obviously interested in finding out why he was so confident. The sect is going to send the mission out soon. Im quite close to someone in there. The three major factions of power have taken in several gifted disciples this time round and their cultivation speed is pretty fast since they have the support of their factions. They have no lack of techniques and weapons, but the one thing they lack is actual fighting experience. The leaders of the factions have used their connections to find out about this mission early and have decided to send their newbies out on this mission to hone their fighting skills while the four of us are still recuperating from our injuries and would be in no state to interfere with this matter, said Feng Ran as his eyes suddenly widened and revealed the murderous intent in his heart. The disciples higher up arent going to do anything about it? asked Li Rong cautiously with his head bent. Feng Ran sniggered. This is a low level secret realm, and even though it contains some treasures, its not like a high level secret realm that can be brought back for refinement. None of the higher level disciples are interested. Besides, apparently the three leaders have already told the rest of the internal disciples that this secret realm is theirs. Any internal disciple who dares to interfere will be punished by them. Oh wow! How scary! said Wang Xianxian sarcastically with a disdainful look. Perhaps theyre pretending its merely to gain fighting experience in order to trick us into going, muttered Li Rong. Soeven though other disciples outside those factions might not interfere, said Feng Ran with a serious face, it doesnt mean that the leaders themselves arent going to be part of it. So, please consider these things carefully. Gu Suihan chuckled. If its really for gaining experience, then they might not be part of it. After all, if someone at the Foundation Establishment stage goes, then their disciples wont get to gain any experience. Also, theyve probably guessed that we might go. They might be hoping that wed be a great knife sharpener for their disciples. A knife sharpener? Everyones expression instantly fell. Ive lost a number of jiangshis and I need to gather some materials to make new ones, said Li Rong before disappearing almost immediately. Wang Xianxian licked his lips and said, Ive heard that those people have a lot of money. He downed the wine in his cup and left quickly, but there was a murderous aura around him as he walked off. Let me know when its happening, said Gu Suihan as he smiled gently at Feng Ran. He was smiling, but his smile was so mirthless, that it could strike terror in ones heart. Hoho, Fang Suyu, murmured Feng Ran as he sat back down at the table all by himself. After leaving, Gu Suihan did not return to his residence. Instead, he headed straight for an area outside of the Compounds where disciples would put up their wares for sale. It was very common for disciples to quarrel, fight and end up killing someone. But the sect ignored all of this because there were simply too many external disciples for them to watch all the time. The disciples were not allowed to kill another person within the Compound, but nobody cared about what happened outside the Compound. Because it was a dangerous place that wasnt under the protection of the sects rules, anyone who set up shop was either someone with a powerful backer or someone who was formidable enough to protect themselves. Gu Suihan had to get rid of a few things to get enough Spiritual Stones to buy a few things to arm himself with. He laid an old piece of cloth on the ground, emptied his storage ring out on it, and displayed the items randomly. Then, he closed his eyes and rested while waiting for someone to come by. The items displayed on the cloth included Chuan Xins spear, the sword Elder Wang gave him, three mid-grade magic weapons he found inside Chuan Xins storage ring, and a few bottles of pills like Core Refining Pills, Qi Gathering Pills, and so on. Ill take everything for one Spiritual Stone, said a gruff voice as he flung a Spiritual Stone at Gu Suihan. Everyone in the vicinity watched as a greedy-looking muscular man reached for the things on the ground. As he stretched his left hand out towards the items, he kept his eye on Gu Suihan and gripped his club tightly, ready to attack anytime. Gu Suihan looked really surprised that he was getting such a customer. Didnt this man notice that there were high-grade weapons here? These werent things that an ordinary person could offer, after all. In his opinion, this muscular man was either a really formidable fighter or just downright stupid. He decided it was the latter. Everyone was still focused on the muscular man when they suddenly realized that Gu Suihan had disappeared. Before they realized what was going on, a familiar but terrifying cracking sound hit their ears. The head of the muscular man went flying and blood spurted a few meters into the air. Everyone gulped and subconsciously touched their own necks in fear. Even if Gu Suihan didnt know who that muscular man was, it didnt mean that nobody else knew who he was. That fellow was notorious for being a vicious one. He was at the Perfect Physical Realm and was a mean character, so he always got his way. Nobody expected him to lose his head over bullying a newbie. They started wondering if this newbie was from the East Compound. While they were still speculating, an even more terrifying thing happened. Gu Suihan grabbed the muscular mans head, touched it gently, and started chanting, then grabbed hold of the dark gray cloud that came out of the mans head. The gray cloud screeched and wailed before Gu Suihan swallowed it emotionlessly. Thatsthat was Wang Hans soul exclaimed one of the onlookers in horror as he shuddered. Oh my god Heshes from the East Compound. Thats Gu Suihan, the same one who killed Li Xianlong, another onlooker said in a trembling voice as he suddenly recognized Gu Suihan. Everybody instinctively took a step back. But they slowly calmed down again when they saw that Gu Suihan wasnt going to attack them. Gu Suihan ignored the crowd as he removed the muscular mans magic storage bag, emptied its contents onto his own cloth, then shut his eyes again. The marketplace slowly went back to what it looked like before this incident. Disciples continued to promote their items and others came to haggle over the prices. But all of them continued to secretly discuss Gu Suihan among themselves. Most of the time, disciples got excited when a disciple from the East Compound came to sell things here because they usually had better quality items on hand. But after Gu Suihan had killed his first customer so swiftly just now, nobody dared to look at what he was selling. After some time, someone finally couldnt resist the temptation. After all, the magic weapons that Gu Suihan was selling were high-grade items that could increase ones fighting prowess by at least 30%. He-hello there, how much are you selling this for? asked a disciple with a West Compound token politely after he cautiously inched towards Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan opened his eyes slightly to see that the disciple was pointing at the Qi Gathering Pills. There are ten pills in one bottle, all high grade pills. Each one will cost 15 Spiritual Stones and there are three bottles in total. You can have them all for 420, said Gu Suihan quietly. The pills werent worth very much so he didnt mind selling them a little more cheaply. The spear and the sword were the more valuable items. Ill take them all then! The disciple was very excited to hear this price because Gu Suihans offer was not only reasonable but also on the low side, which made him feel relieved. He was hoping to amass as many pills and Spiritual Stones as possible so that he could complete the Qi activation process in one shot. But of course, if Gu Suihan asked for a lot, he wouldnt have a choice but to pay the price, since he didnt want to die. After the transaction was made, Gu Suihan peeked into his storage ring. He had about 700 odd Spiritual Stones already, so with this additional 420, he had about 1,200 Spiritual Stones. He was still a long way off from his target. As for those mid-grade Spiritual Stones, he had already used them up. Now, he was really just a small step away from fully activating his Qi. He just needed to cultivate for a few more days and he would probably be able to convert all his meridian channels to Spiritual Meridians in preparation for the Foundation Establishment stage. Once the other disciples saw that someone had managed to successfully buy something from Gu Suihan, they confirmed that Gu Suihan was serious about selling his wares and swarmed toward his little stall to ask about the various items for sale. If you dont even have 500 Spiritual Stones in your pocket, you can get lost now, Gu Suihan answered their questions impatiently. He was so annoyed that such a large crowd had suddenly come his way and tried to bargain with him. These? he said as he pointed at the muscular mans items, you can have these for 200 Spiritual Stones. Chapter 30 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 30: A Threat Someone snapped up the muscular mans things in an instant once Gu Suihan said that he was selling them all for just 200 Spiritual Stones. If he had bothered to sell them one by one, he might have gotten a little more than 250 Spiritual Stones for them. But Gu Suihan couldnt be bothered and he didnt even know if he was going to come to this place again, so he found it easier to just sell everything off cheaply now. After Gu Suihan told those with less than 500 Spiritual Stones to get lost, a number of disciples moved away. Those who stayed behind were mostly eyeing the magic weapons. These three are mid grade magic weapons with five magic formations inside that are connected to one another. Theyre considered some of the best among mid grade weapons, so its 500 each. If you think its too expensive, get lost, said Gu Suihan as he slowly pointed out the three weapons he got from Chuan Xins storage ring. Ill take the sword for 1,500, said a man in a black robe and a hood over his head. Everyone instantly fell silent and turned to look at who just said that. Their expressions changed dramatically as they wondered to themselves, Whats going on? Is there a gathering of the most formidable disciples we didnt know about? Why are they all here? The man in a black robe was Zhao Wei, a disciple from the East Compound who was well known for being unbridled. He took on sect missions all the time and spent most of his time gaining experience from outside the sect, so he was a fairly formidable fighter. You can have it for 1,300, said Gu Suihan lazily. This sword was worth just a little more than 1,300 Spiritual Stones at best, but this man was offering 1,500, which meant that he had other intentions. But Gu Suihan didnt want to owe him anything. As the saying goes, no stranger is nice to you for no reason. He remembered that phrase well. Everyone else stared at Gu Suihan in shock and wondered if there was something wrong with Gu Suihans brain. Someone was offering a higher price and not only was Gu Suihan refusing to sell at that price, but he also insisted on selling it at a lower price. Zhao Weis expression fell. He had seen how Gu Suihan had killed the first man without hesitation, but this weapon was something he really needed, so he hoped to offer a higher price in order to become friendly with Gu Suihan and make Gu Suihan feel indebted to him. Unfortunately, Gu Suihan was more willing to lower the price than to befriend him in any way. Alright, thanks then. There was a gleam in Zhao Weis eyes as he threw a bag at Gu Suihan and stretched his right palm out. The sword flew up from the ground and into his right palm as if his hand was a magnet. He scanned the sword with his Spiritual Sense and a tiny look of glee lit up his face. He nodded slightly at Gu Suihan, stared a little more intently at him, then squeezed his way through the crowd. After some haggling, Chuan Xins spear and remaining weapons were sold. Gu Suihan now had more than 5,000 Spiritual Stones and could finally buy some things of his own. The sword that Elder Wang gave him wasnt too bad, but he didnt fancy the magic formation runes carved on the inside, so he decided to just sell it off as well. After walking a long way, Gu Suihan finally reached the sects official shop. Peak Five was in charge of making equipment, so not only did they sell magic weapons and spiritual weapons, but they also sold various treasures. But most of the time, it was the disciples who provided them with the treasures needed to custom make a weapon along with some craftsman fees. The magic weapons and spiritual weapons were mostly sold to external and internal disciples. One could use Contribution Points in exchange for these items, or they could use Spiritual Stones or rare natural treasures to pay for these weapons. It was more expensive to pay in Spiritual Stones and rare treasures, but at least that helped the sect to take back some of the resources spent on the disciples, so this was a supported mode of payment. Gu Suihan wasnt here only to make a spiritual weapon. He had many other important things to do as well. He looked at the seven-story building in front of him and raised an eyebrow. He hoped the people inside could make what he wanted. Once he stepped through the door, a young man rushed over and asked very enthusiastically, Hello, sir! How can I help you today? We can make bespoke1 items, but we have some ready-made items for sale as well. We also provide full repair services. Is that all you have? Gu Suihan frowned as he observed the items in the shop. The weapons looked pretty, but they were all low-level magic weapons. For example, the sword on his left only had one Frosty Formation and one Illusion Formation set of runes carved on the inside. Yet the meter-long sword gave off a chilly glow as the blade itself was slightly bluish, with a carving of a dragon and phoenix in the middle plus a garnet embedded in the hilt. The sword looked dazzling yet powerful. No sir, youre mistaken. The young man instantly realized that Gu Suihan was not one of those low-level cultivators who wanted a weapon to show off, so he quickly added, These are targeted at the new disciples allocated to the North and South Compounds. The mid-grade magic weapons are on the second story, while the high-grade magic weapons are on the third story. Spiritual weapons are on the fourth floor. Thats where all the good stuffs at. As the young man spoke, he glanced almost unnoticeably at the jade token hanging from Gu Suihans waist and thought, hes from the East Compound? Ive never seen him before. Is he new? I can get something custom made here, right? Gu Suihan followed the young man upstairs and looked around at the same time. Of course, replied the young man immediately before looking a little hesitant. Butthe weapon refiners only do bespoke spiritual weapons. They dont accept orders for magic weapons. He thought that as a new disciple, Gu Suihan would have a few hundred Spiritual Stones at best. Most of the time, only disciples that had been around for several years would custom make a weapon after saving up a large number of Contribution Points. Thats good to hear. I do intend to custom make a spiritual weapon, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile. Dont worry, just go ahead and tell me how much it costs. The young man nearly rolled his eyes. How could a new disciple possibly afford this service? But of course, he didnt dare to say any of this out loud. He replied honestly, It starts at 2,000 and increases depending on what other special requests you have and how difficult it is to make. Sounds good, said Gu Suihan with a pleased smile. He didnt look embarrassed or awkward like the young man had expected. The young man brought Gu Suihan to a waiting room and excused himself quietly. This wasnt a place where he dared to even speak loudly. Weapon refiners were all Advanced Foundation Establishment or even Origin Core cultivators with very bad tempers. A few moments later, an old man strolled in leisurely with a zisha teapot in hand2. His steps were steady and he carried himself like he was a deity of sorts. What sort of spiritual weapon do you want? List all your requests. Do you want us to provide the raw materials or are you going to provide them? The old man didnt look too happy. He had been pondering a difficult question earlier and had just begun to solve it when he was told that a disciple from the East Compound wanted to make a bespoke spiritual weapon and that this disciple was actually a newbie. He was annoyed but this was his job, after all, and so he had no choice but to set the question aside for the moment. But he also took his time and let Gu Suihan wait. In his mind, a new disciple with more than 1,000 Spiritual Stones was already a surprise. A good spiritual weapon cost nearly 10,000, and it was common for really high grade or rare ones to cost a few hundred thousand. No way a newbie disciple without any backers would have that many Spiritual Stones on themselves. Gu Suihan noticed the old mans annoyed expression, but his smile remained as bright as ever as he replied, I need you to make me a sword. To be very specific, I need a weapon base. So dont carve any formation runes on it. A spiritual weapon without formation runes? What is that even? The old man started to get angry, believing that Gu Suihan didnt know anything and was wasting his time. He was determined to teach this boy a lesson later. That was against the sect rules, but making things difficult for a newbie wasnt very difficult for him. I said, I just want a weapon base. You dont get it? Gu Suihans expression fell as he was losing patience. This old man was only at Beginner Origin Core and he had arrived at this stage by force, damaging his Spiritual Root in the process, so he was probably going to breathe his last in a few years time. Gu Suihan was far more fearful of Disciplinarian Zhang, all because Disciplinarian Zhang was going to live for a few more centuries as long as nothing untoward happened to him. But this old man? He was just someone who was about to die. The old man glanced at Gu Suihan and scoffed. Im an Origin Core weapon refiner, so making me refine a weapon base is an insult to me. You want me to make one? Sure. The starting price will be at 10,000 Spiritual Stones. If you cant afford it, scram. He could afford to throw his weight about. After all, an Origin Core cultivator could crush a cultivator who wasnt even at Foundation Establishment as easily as crushing an ant. Hoho, Gu Suihan chuckled. He retrieved a jade slip from his sleeve and placed it on the table as he said in a mocking voice, Who do you think you are? Youre just a useless old fart whos about to die and you think youre something? According to rule 52 of the sect, if you use your level of cultivation to force me to do something for your own benefit, I can report you to the Disciplinarian Court as long as I have proof of such behavior. The punishment will vary according to the crime. In less serious cases, you will lose your status, any job you hold within the sect, and complete sect missions as an offender until you have amassed 1,000 Contribution Points. In serious cases, your level of cultivation will be wiped out and you will be sent to the mines to be a miner for the rest of your life. The old man lost the arrogance he displayed earlier and glared angrily at the jade slip in Gu Suihans hand as he cursed inwardly. This boy is so scheming, he thought. Gu Suihan had purposely agitated him so that he would say something that went against the sect rules and used an Image Capturing Formation to record everything. Gu Suihan smirked and rapped his knuckles against the table. Well, was I right in saying that? The old man suddenly felt a shiver down his spine when he saw that smile. He was livid as he hissed back, You did that on purpose. You purposely agitated me so that you could catch me slipping up and Id do whatever you want me to. You want me to make you a weapon for free, dont you? The Clackers (Extra Premium Super Luxury) Tea Party Todays tea recommendation: Dongfang Meiren. The best one I bought was a competition winner that cost US$55 for 150g. Expensive but sooooo good. But still not as expensive as a zisha teapot. Class: ********* Chapter 31 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 31: Muddy the Waters Hoho, Gu Suihan chuckled and grinned at the old mans rather nasty expression. So what if Im trying to do that and so what if Im not? In any case, this thing is with me. He waved the gleaming jade slip in his hand at the old man gleefully. II dont believe you! I dont think you would have known this would happen! Im sureIm sure that jade slip doesnt have anything in it! yelled the old man furiously as he suddenly slammed the table and leaned towards Gu Suihan. But the slight tremble in his voice revealed the fact that he wasnt really all that sure. Well, of course, you could take a gamble, said Gu Suihan as his smile faded in an instant. You could bet that theres something in here and Id report it to the Disciplinary Court. Or you could bet that theres nothing inside and refuse to accept my order. Why you The old man unleashed a pressurizing force and it filled the entire room. A three-legged Mixed Elements Cauldron appeared in the old mans hand. Are you not afraid that you might not make it out of this room? Of course Im scared! Gu Suihans voice sounded really frightened, but his expression was still just as emotionless. Im soooooo scared. The old man was a little relieved to hear these words, but before he could even crack a smile, Gu Suihan continued, If someone who isnt even at Foundation Establishment stage like myself can cause an Origin Core weapon refiner to die with me in a fight, then I think its still worth it. Gu Suihan stood up, ignored the cauldron in the old mans hand that was still increasing the pressure in the room, and patted the old man on the shoulder as he whispered, Dont you think so? The room fell deathly silent except for the sound of the old man breathing heavily in anger. Fine. What do you want? Ill try my best to give it to you. But you must give me the jade slip after that. The old man sat down dejectedly and slumped back in his chair. He decided to give in. Gu Suihan was right C he couldnt afford to take this gamble. He knew that there was no hope for him to advance any further in his cultivation, but if he took care of himself, he might live for a few more decades. So all he wanted was to live the rest of his life peacefully. Its not as if this thing can be eaten anyway, scoffed Gu Suihan. Do a good job of what youre supposed to do and Ill give it to you. You dont have to worry about that. So, what do you want me to make? Like I said, I just want a customized weapon base, said Gu Suihan with a frown. The old man was still confused by Gu Suihans request but decided not to ask about Gu Suihans intentions. Do you have any special requests? Gu Suihan started smiling again when he saw that the weapon refiner was turning cooperative. He took a piece of paper out from his storage ring and gave it to the weapon refiner. There are detailed measurements on this paper. The measurements must be followed perfectly. I cant afford any part to be even one millimeter off, do you understand? Got it. What materials do you need? asked the old man quietly as he slowly calmed himself down. For this part, use Demon Meteorite. For this part, use Dragon Tooth Blood Ore. For this part, use Blazing Sun Gold, said Gu Suihan as he pointed to the different oddly shaped parts on the paper. Finally, he pointed to the largest and longest part and said, For this part, use Mara Ore1. The old man followed Gu Suihans finger as he pointed to the various parts and couldnt help but gasp inwardly. He still had no idea exactly what Gu Suihan was ultimately trying to create since they looked like nothing but a bunch of spare parts to him now. But the last part looked like a blade of sorts. There are many parts but they arent difficult to make. Theres no need to carve any Dao or formation runes, so Ill add in some Heavenly Spiritual Ore, so the weapon can have some sentience. It wont make much of a difference in terms of time or cost, said the old man as he frowned and thought hard. He decided that he had to throw in something valuable, or else Gu Suihan might not give him that jade slip. Okay. Also, add some Soul Breaking Grass to the blade, added Gu Suihan calmly. I should be able to get this done in ten hours. You can wait here. The old mans expression was still nasty as he picked up his beloved zisha teapot and walked out again. I really have to thank you. Gu Suihan looked fairly relaxed now. Who was he thanking? Of course, he was thanking the one who made the sect rules. If the sect rules werent so strict and specific, he wouldnt have been able to extort Mo Yuluo the moment he joined the sect or stall for time with Disciplinarian Zhang. He most certainly wouldnt have gone ahead to offend an Origin Core cultivator like this either. And if the sect rules werent so harsh, the leaders of the three major factions of power wouldnt have had to craft such a lousy plan to find an excuse to get Gu Suihan and the rest out of the sect grounds in order to assassinate them. In Gu Suihans opinion, Seven Kill Sect was considered a rather fair organization. The strict sect rules ensured that the sort of unhealthy competition and conflict that would have normally occurred between disciples was completely avoided. If you wanted to fight or kill someone, you had to pick someone at your own level. You could challenge someone of a higher level than yourself, but you were not allowed to bully anybody at a lower level than yourself. The other thing that kept everyone in their own place was the formation of the Seven Peaks. The entire sect was split into seven divisions and each one took charge of one area. Peak One was in charge of teaching techniques, Peak Two was in charge of disciplinary matters, and Peak Three was in charge of sect missions. Peak Four was in charge of all the older disciples who couldnt advance any further in their cultivation, so most of them were deacons and elders. They were also in charge of the Main Library. Peak Five was in charge of weapon refining and treasures, Peak Six was in charge of growing ingredients for making pills and other such items and Peak Seven was in charge of human resources and other administrative matters. What was the most important thing to a sect? Techniques? Spells? Treasures? Weapons? Spiritual Meridians? Spiritual Herb plantations? None of those were the most important. The most important thing to a sect was a secret realm or a separate self-contained world. That was the most basic yet important way for the sect to protect anything important to the sect, or anything that the sect needed to pass on to their disciples. If the sect was ever in danger, they could seek shelter in this self-contained world and shut off access altogether. That way, unless you were someone who was willing to ignore the rules and had the ability to break worlds and shatter space, there was no way you could get in. If you wanted a technique or something like that, you could snatch or steal it from someone else. But a self-contained world was a precious and irreplaceable safe haven for the sect. So, regardless of how many factions existed within a sect and how hard they fought each other, they would become united if the sect were threatened. That was what made a sect stand strong throughout millennia. Some of the novels in Gu Suihans previous life liked to write about factions of power that killed others for no reason, schemed against others all day long, and were never fair in their treatment of others. But in reality, such an organization would end up doing themselves in before long. That was no way to start a sect of any kind. Also, if one had a faction to fall back on, then at least you had something to cling onto or rely on for additional support. If you didnt belong to something like that, you were doomed for sure. Those stories about some wandering cultivator who didnt belong anywhere, killing random people at will and hatching clever plans against others, were absolute garbage. Major factions of power had control over most resources, so there was almost nothing left for anyone else. How could someone become powerful like that? Gu Suihan had suffered too much like this in his previous life. That was why he decided to find a way to join Seven Kill Sect. At least he would have something to fall back on while he was still weak. As he continued thinking about recent events, he suddenly remembered how one of his maids had brought back those poisonous pills from Fortune Court the day before he had left for that fake mission. His expression grew grim. It wasnt done by one of the three factions. If they did that, they wouldnt have given me that Spiritual Multiplier Pill before the fake mission started, murmured Gu Suihan as he ran a finger around the rim of the cup. Its not Disciplinarian Zhang either. But I dont know a lot of people and these are the only ones I have a feud with so far. If its not them, then the one who did it isnt an enemy. He narrowed his eyes and quietly tapped the rim of his teacup. Is it him? Gu Suihan suddenly thought of someone. But why? After thinking about it for a long time, he decided to just give up. He didnt have enough clues to be sure, but he was sure that whoever did it, definitely had a motive in mind. All Gu Suihan had to do now was to slowly wait for this persons motive to be revealed. In fact, that was all he could do. Next, he started thinking about the secret realm that Feng Ran had talked about. There were several issues at hand. The first problem was how Feng Ran didnt have a lot of details and just mentioned this in passing before keeping quiet again. Feng Ran didnt even say where this secret realm was and just went on to say that the three major factions were going to let their new disciples go in and gain experience. If that were the case, the sect needed to arrange for some sect members to receive these disciples and lead them into the secret realm. Once one left the sect grounds, you could run into disciples from anywhere, including those who didnt belong to any sect. If the secret realm wasnt somewhere hidden, there would definitely be a lot of such wandering cultivators hoping to sneak in along with those new disciples. What did Feng Ran intend to do if that happened? When disciples went out as a group to a specific venue in order to gain experience, the sect would send out one or two deacons to follow them. These deacons could ensure their safety as well as gain something along the way. So, there was no reason why there would be an exception this time around. In fact, the three factions would probably send one deacon each or even an internal disciple from their own faction. In the Seven Kill Sect hierarchy, internal disciples were pretty much on the same level as deacons and elders, since there was no official distinction in their status. Internal disciples were usually formidable fighters who hadnt reached their full potential yet, while deacons and elders were usually already at the Origin Core stage, but they were either suffering from some illness or werent left with very long to live. So, they could be considered to be at a similar level. All the new disciples would leave the sect as one group, so it would be impossible to do anything then. After all the new disciples entered the secret realm, their chaperones would remain outside to stand guard. Gu Suihan and the rest werent even at the Foundation Establishment stage yet, so they wouldnt be able to fight the chaperones and force their way in. But once the new disciples completed their run inside the secret realm and returned to the sect, they wouldnt be able to do anything either. There was only one way to do this. They had to find a way to get themselves into the secret realm. Gu Suihan lowered his head to hide the frosty glint in his eyes. They had to muddy the waters to catch a fish! He wondered what the rest were planning. Chapter 32 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 32: Strange History Just then, the weapon refiner walked swiftly toward Gu Suihan and placed all the random parts that Gu Suihan had ordered on the table with a curious look on his face. Ive finished making everything you wanted according to your requests. The measurements are accurate and I didnt add any runes at all. You can check them over. Gu Suihan was fairly surprised since it had only been six hours. He didnt expect this old man to work so quickly. He nodded slightly and gently touched the parts to feel the iciness they emanated. Actually, the old man had finished making these parts a long time ago. But he was really curious as to what they could be, so he sat down by himself and tried to put them together in order to figure out what Gu Suihan had designed. He had seen and made weapons that needed to be assembled, but he had never seen a request for such parts before. It was all very strange to him. Are you very curious about it? Gu Suihan looked up at the old man as he shot something out from his hand. The old man looked a little awkward as he caught the item deftly. It was the jade slip that Gu Suihan had used to blackmail him. He looked up in surprise at Gu Suihan, because he thought that Gu Suihan might find some other excuse to continue blackmailing him. He didnt expect Gu Suihan to really keep his word. Ive never accepted such a strange request before and this cost quite a bit, so its only natural that Im curious about it, said the old man after clearing his throat as his hand quietly crushed the jade slip to powder. Ill show you then, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile. His fingers moved a little and the old man watched with wide eyes as those strange and seemingly random parts started to come together in Gu Suihans hands. The old man was at the Origin Core Stage, so his eyes were sharp enough to catch every movement that Gu Suihan made, regardless of how fast or complicated his moves were. A few moments later, a very odd-looking saber was assembled. The blade itself was a meter long and had a channel for collecting blood on both sides. The sharp edge was jagged, but the teeth were barely visible. The spine of the blade was straight and flat. The hilt was 30 centimeters long with a long screw-shaped extension at the end. This all looked frightening. Whats this for? The old man was as curious as a child as he pointed at the cross-guard. A vicious-looking creature was wrapped around one end of the blade, creating a division between the blade and the hilt. The thorny and uneven surface gave off an aura of violence. Gu Suihan smiled without saying anything and continued to admire the weapon in his hand that looked ready to slay the first person it met. His eyes sparkled and he looked like he was reminiscing as he murmured, Not bad, not bad at all. A brief moment later, Gu Suihan gave a pleased nod. His storage ring gleamed and neat rows of Spiritual Stones instantly appeared on the table. Dont be angry, we were both at fault here. I had no choice but to threaten you earlier, I hope you understand. Gu Suihan gently put the saber back into its scabbard, downed the rest of his cold tea, and left. What a strange boy. The old man snapped out of his daze and looked at the gleaming Spiritual Stones on the table with a faint smile. When Gu Suihan handed him the strange but extremely detailed blueprint earlier, he realized that Gu Suihan wasnt a clueless newbie as he had assumed. In fact, Gu Suihan knew way too much. That was how Gu Suihan had managed to trap him earlier. Then again, this wasnt really a very serious matter anyway. Once Gu Suihan paid him the agreed number of Spiritual Stones, the old man didnt feel so aggrieved anymore. When it came to creating and refining spiritual weapons, magic weapons, or even treasures, refiners had an unwritten rule among themCwhich was to always leave a back door. All refiners would secretly include some hidden weakness of sorts when fashioning a weapon so that they didnt end up getting killed by the very thing they made. Gu Suihan, on the contrary, was actually going to refine the weapon himself. Or rather, he was going to engrave the runes he wanted himself without the help of anybody else so that he would get exactly what he wanted, without someone else including an intentional fault or finding a way to counter his attacks. But that posed a new problem. Gu Suihan wasnt even at the Foundation Establishment stage, so there was no way he could start a fire that could create any of those parts with the ores he wanted to use. He didnt even have those raw materials on hand, so he had no choice but to resolve this problem by getting someone at the Weapon Refinery Court to make this weapon for him. It took a large amount of Spiritual Sense to engrave runes onto a spiritual weapon. The Spiritual Sense that someone at the Foundation Establishment stage had could only cover a 30-odd meter radius wasnt enough to do such a thing. But Gu Suihan had something else that nobody else knew about. His biggest trump card was Suihans Spiritual Sense. Suihans Spiritual Sense was actually at the Divine level, which was a Spiritual Sense that only a cultivator at the Nascent Change stage and above could possess. And of course, the biggest problem of all this was that Gu Suihan lacked money. If he wanted a ready-made weapon, his 5,000 odd Spiritual Stones were nowhere near enough. After he returned to his residence, he instructed Taohua and Lihua not to disturb him because he was going into seclusion. Then, he walked straight into his meditation room and didnt come out again. Miss, Gu Suihan went to the Weapon Refinery Court just now and told us that he was going into seclusion for several months. Lihua scribbled these words on a small piece of paper, hid it in a secluded area outside Gu Suihans residence, left a small marking, and left. Hes gone into seclusion? Mo Yuluo sat on her bed and stared quietly at the note in her hand. Xiaomei made a guess, After that duel with Li Xianlong, his weapon was destroyed and even though Elder Wang gave him a new sword, he sold it quickly after that. I suppose he was afraid that there was something wrong with that weapon. Thats why he went to get a new one from the Weapon Refinery Court. Hes gone into seclusion in order to refine the weapon, I think. No, that doesnt sound right. Mo Yuluos long eyelashes fluttered as a puzzled look flashed in her eyes. If that were so, he wouldnt go into seclusion for months. He would miss the secret realm expedition thats happening in a few days time and hed miss his chance to take revenge. Orcould he have bought something thats really difficult to cultivate? Xiaomei made a face before finding another possibility. Mo Yuluo gave her a cheeky smile and said, Xiaomei, why are you being so silly? Why dont you ask around for the answer? Theres no point in just sitting here and speculating. Xiaomeis eyes lit up and she exclaimed, Youre so clever, Miss! Why didnt I think of that? Ill go find out more right now! She sprinted out from Mo Yuluos room. Is he just lucky? murmured Mo Yuluo to herself as she ran her fingers across the note in her hand. Less than 15 minutes later, Xiaomei came running back into the room again, panting heavily as she said, Miss! Miss! Gu Suihan seems to have gotten a custom-made weapon base and didnt let the weapon refiner carve any runes on it. I think thats what happened! Hes going to carve runes on the weapon himself! Thats why he needs to go into seclusion for several months. But since hes not even at the Foundation Establishment stage yet, several months might still be insufficient for his Spiritual Sense to get anywhere. Xiaomei plonked herself at the table without caring about her crude posture and poured tea from the teapot directly into her mouth. The puzzled look in Mo Yuluos eyes slowly faded and her rose petal-like lips curled upwards into a faint smile. He should count himself lucky. Xiaomei nodded in agreement when she heard what Mo Yuluo said. This small distraction made her loosen her grip on the teapot, so the tea flowed down her neck and into her deep cleavage before she realized how hot the tea was. She started shouting in shock and instinctively pulled her top open to look down, exposing a tempting patch of fair skin. News must have spread by now, muttered Gu Suihan quietly with a disdainful look on his face. He played with his new saber for a while before taking it apart again. He placed everything neatly on the floor, sat down in a lotus position, and sent his consciousness into his subconscious. He stared at the myriad of runes before him for a while before slowly undoing the seal. He initially thought that his damaged soul would slowly recover with time. It was going to take a really, really, long time, which might have made someone else give up in despair, but not him. He didnt mind. He had all the time in the world. But after he entered the Seven Kill Sect, he realized that this world was not that simple. The level of power that one could attain in the world of cultivators was way higher than what was available to him when he was on Earth. An extended period of development had caused the various aspects of this world to become highly distinct and different from Earths. The difference between things like the cultivation of magic, the cultivation of the body, the cultivation of weapons, or even the basic things that all cultivators ought to know (like refining pills, refining weapons, and creating formations) were also separated very clearly from one another. This world seemed to be like a game, systematic and structured. But these cultivators who were supposedly on the road to understanding the Way didnt seem to realize this at all. Its just like how Earth was when I left. A mysterious pair of hands made it move along, murmured Gu Suihan as he thought about those numb, ignorant humans on Earth who lived in a daze all their lives, as well as that depraved society that they were a part of. This world, on the other hand, didnt see becoming an immortal or a buddha as their end goal of cultivating the Way. It wasnt to be able to roam the lands as they liked or to explore the skies. It was to reach the Upper World. What place was the Upper World? He had no idea. The elders who gave the new disciples lessons didnt seem to have any details either, but thats where all of them wanted to be. These were aspects of this world that revealed themselves after he had secretly done research over time. This world was so much like Earth, and it was equally uncanny. The most uncanny part was how it also had a history that seemed to have been formatted. He had initially thought that the planes created by the rules of this world were meant to imitate what the Way of Heaven used to be. But the little loopholes that revealed themselves along the way overturned his opinion. What was the Way of Heaven? He didnt have any answers to that. But he knew that it, or he, was a strict, perfect, and detailed being. This imitation was too underdeveloped in comparison. It was nothing compared to that creepy and mysterious pair of eyes on Earth. The Upper Worldis that the world of immortals? Gu Suihan was still very puzzled. Or is it referring to the pioneers back then? All this thinking came to nothing, so he eventually stopped trying to think. He didnt have enough clues to work with, so speculating wildly like this would only serve to confuse himself. It was more urgent to settle the other matters at hand. Chapter 33 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 33: Traitor Suihans Spiritual Sense suddenly flowed out and filled up the entire meditation room. Gu Suihan picked up the pieces on the floor and filled them with energy. His Spiritual Sense was still recuperating, so it was only as good as the Spiritual Sense of an Origin Core cultivator. But the difference was in the quality. For instance, you could have a kilogram of cotton and a kilogram of steel. They shared the same weight, but if you threw the former at someone, it would just feel like a tickle. If you threw the latter at someone, that person would die. He already knew what he wanted to engrave on this weapon, so it only took him a little more than two days to carve rows and rows of mysterious and incomprehensible runes with the help of Suihans Spiritual Sense. Once he put the parts together again, the saber that was once lifeless and silent started to hum quietly. The runes came to life and began to glow brightly, and the entire room was engulfed in a sinister and terrifying aura of sheer violence. The last step was to give the weapon a soul. This was the biggest difference between a magic weapon and a spiritual weapon. A spiritual weapon, like its name suggested, was a weapon that had a spirit of its own, sentient to a certain extent. A magic weapon was merely made from better material and was a weapon that was able to unleash magic power based on the runes inscribed on it. The former was able to move in sync with the owners mind, so it was easier for the owner to learn how to use it well. It could also eventually gain intelligence and be able to cultivate as well. The latter, on the other hand, wasnt as advanced. It still needed the owner to fill it with magic energy that would activate the runes inscribed on it and unleash an attack. So, unless one tied a magic weapon to himself, drenched it in his blood, and used blood to refine it for many days, there was no way it would reach the same level as a spiritual weapon. Gu Suihan bit his tongue hard enough for it to bleed. As he sprayed blood out of his mouth, his hands moved swiftly to form several hand seals in a row. The saber buzzed and trembled as his blood transformed into one symbol that gave off a menacing air. His eyes lit up as he chanted, Mark of Blood, Soul of Heaven and Earth! The symbol caused the air around it to warp and ripple, and Gu Suihan sent it into his new saber with a concentrated amount of ruthlessness. Boom! Boom! Boom! The quiet room echoed with the sound of the blade hitting the walls. It resonated loudly and carried a dense amount of Murderous Qi. Gu Suihan watched as his saber flew about and breathed a small sigh of relief. He was glad it worked. The blood he sprayed out of his mouth earlier had included the murderous and violent energies within him that had almost solidified into an actual block. Gu Suihan did not only want to create a spiritual weapon but a spiritual weapon that had Murderous Qi. Then again, if it failed, then so be it. It was just a spiritual weapon, so it wasnt a big deal to him. But Gu Suihan wasnt leaping for joy either. Back on Earth, many materials needed for such weapons were hard to find or even impossible to find. Without the right raw materials, even the most highly skilled weapon refiner in the world wouldnt be able to make anything. On the contrary, he was now in a world where the world of cultivators was well and alive. In fact, the world of cultivators was doing very well and was even growing still. Besides, he had to buy the weapon base from the Weapon Refinery Court since he couldnt make one himself, and he had to use Suihans Spiritual Sense to carve runes on this weapon too. So, being able to refine a spiritual weapon wasnt anything to shout about. Focusing all his energies on doing this for two days straight was already tough enough, and it didnt help that using Suihans Spiritual Sense consumed a lot more energy than usual. He was thoroughly exhausted, but he forced himself to stay awake in order to seal Suihans soul before finally lying on the floor to get a good nights rest. The sun shone brightly and there were no clouds in the sky. It was less than three days to the secret realm expedition. The mission to check out a secret realm had been put up on the sect missions board and it had already been taken. All the disciples knew that this mission had been jointly taken by the three factions, and had already been warned not to interfere, so all they did was curse the factions in their hearts, sigh sadly, and go their own way. On this day, Li Rong finally asked his father for an iron jiangshi that was at the Foundation Establishment stage. Feng Ran had spent a huge number of Contribution Points to repair his tattered Ghost Controlling Flag. Wang Xianxian looked at the item in his hand and snickered sinisterly. They had all gotten themselves ready, thirsty for revenge. The three leaders were also smiling when they heard the news. Their trap was working. The smell of scheming was in the air. Gu Suihan quietly adjusted his breathing and did his best to keep the surging magic energy in his body within his dantian. After that, he exhaled deeply. He opened his eyes and two beams of light shot out from his eyes, illuminating the entire meditation room. He had finally finished converting all his meridian channels, so he was now ready to move on to Foundation Establishment. Countless novels and historical records on Earth wrote about how one needed to take a Foundation Establishment Pill in order to have a higher chance of successfully reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. Gu Suihan scoffed. That wasnt how it really worked. The Foundation Establishment stage, as the name itself suggested, merely marked the starting point of a persons journey as a cultivator. Foundation Establishment Pills were for those cultivators with poor levels of aptitude who werent able to stabilize their bodies. These pills were a way for them to forcibly make a breakthrough in their cultivation. If ones body were stable and healthy, the chances of failing to move to the next stage were very slim. But of course, it wasnt fair to compare them with someone with an eighth rank Spiritual Root like Gu Suihan. For an ordinary person, the process went like this: they had to learn martial arts in order to produce internal energy, pneuma, and all that. Once he reached the Perfect Physical Realm and successfully activated his Qi, it was time to convert all of these energies into magic energy. The aim was to nourish the meridian channels enough to convert them into Spiritual Meridians. After that was done, the way to get to the Foundation Establishment stage was to convert this magic energy into spiritual energy that matched ones Spiritual Root type. This step was very difficult. Just like how one folded a sheet of paper, folding it once or twice was easy, but folding it five times or more got more and more difficult. That was what the process of converting was like. It was like turning a pot of water into a bowl of soup, then boiling it longer to thicken it, and finally removing any impurities to get the essence. Once one successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage, the next step was to absorb Qi to strengthen the concentrated spiritual energy one had. As for the period between Foundation Establishment and Origin Core, it was basically nothing but a time of accumulation. As long as you had enough money to keep eating spiritual fruits and knocking back fancy pills, it wouldnt really take that long to reach Advanced Foundation establishment. Gu Suihan slowly executed his Extreme Ra-Asu Breach, pushing the surging magic energy within him into his spine and sending it towards his Spiritual Root. After he had gone through the difficult process of converting it and compressing it, wisps of spiritual energy would go through all the meridian channels in his body and finally settle down in his dantian. Gu Suihan carefully controlled the movement of magic energy to his Spiritual Root while leading his spiritual energy to his dantian at the same time, cutting the conversion time by half. His incredible willpower ensured that his magic energy was converted to the purer spiritual energy without taking a break, filling up his dantian quickly. This process was finally complete after two days. Gu Suihan shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. He could feel the difference in the energy inside his body now and that made him smile. He could finally breathe a big sigh of relief and his tensed body began to relax as well. The stale and sourish stench coming from his body made him scoff in response. He stood up and did some stretching, his joints and bones cracking with energy as he did so. As spiritual energy flowed through his body, he trembled slightly and felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. All the filth his body had excreted and his clothing had turned into a fine dust. The dust floated slowly onto the floor, covering his white cushion in a layer of gray. He pinched his fingers together and chanted a Dust Removal Spell. A breeze blew through the meditation room, picking up all the dust from within the room and gathering it into a black compact ball that was about the size of a fist. That secret realm expedition is happening soon, isnt it, he thought. He wondered if Feng Ran had left any messages for him during this time. But before that, he had to settle another matter. He put on a new robe, kept away the broken knife that was sitting lifelessly in a corner of the room into his storage ring, then picked up his new saber, which he had named Red Dust. A murderous feeling filled his heart as he felt the iciness from the saber. Gu Suihan sent out his spiritual energy and it pushed the stone door of the meditation room open. Taohua, Lihua, come here. Young Masters out! The two maids were playing with the water at the pond when Gu Suihan called out to them. Taohua hopped to one side, dodging Lihuas secret attack. She giggled and said, Sister Lihua, wed better go over. We should, Lihua quickly replied. She ran after Taohua and lowered her face slightly to hide the puzzled look in her eyes. Gu Suihan leaned against his chair and looked at the two slightly unkempt maids silently. Mara was on the table and he tapped his index finger gently against its hilt, making a regular clinking sound. After a moment of silence, Gu Suihan smiled faintly at the two nervous and fearful-looking girls and said, Do the two of you want to become cultivators? The room was instantly filled with the sound of two people breathing heavily in excitement. They almost squealed as they nodded their heads vigorously. Alright. So, tell me. Which one of you gave away information about me? Chapter 34 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 34: Unpredictable Taohua and Lihuas faces paled instantly after Gu Suihan asked which one of them betrayed him. Their hearts pounded fearfully as they felt like the Young Master they had become so familiar with seemed like an asura now. The elegant and quaint study had suddenly transformed into a battlefield, strewn with dead bodies with blood flowing like a river. The stench of their own blood filled their nostrils as a murderous force weighed heavily on them from above. Young Master, II dont know what you mean Taohuas large and watery eyes blinked, her tears pouring down her cheeks. The veins on her face contrasted greatly with her fair skin and blood began to ooze out from her slim body. She was trying her best to hold up against the murderous force coming down on her, but it wouldnt be long before her body turned to mush and her soul shattered. Oh? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and looked a little curiously at her, surprised by her willpower. Young Master, ever since you took me in, youve always treated me with respect. You dont have a lot of rules, youve never hit me, scolded me, shouted at me or even intended to treat me as a human cauldron, so Im more than grateful to you! I couldnt possibly betray you! As Taohua spoke, her white clothing slowly turned pinkish and drops of blood rolled down her skirt and onto the floor. Blood was also slowly seeping out from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Her gaze had lost its focus but she was still hanging on and barely managed to finish speaking. Gu Suihan shot a white beam into Taohuas dry and cracked lips and said quietly, That might be the case for you, but I dont know about her. He shifted his body and turned to Lihua, who was hanging her head in silence. Taohua was already delirious and was about to collapse when the pill that Gu Suihan had shot into her mouth brought her back from the brink of death. A warmth flowed through her and swiftly brought life back to her body which resembled a ceramic doll covered with cracks. She suddenly felt like her body was lighter and her surroundings became brighter as the room looked like how it normally looked again. The stench of blood she smelled earlier was gone and it was replaced by the faint smell of lavender. That was the first time she realized how wonderful it was to be alive. Treading on that line between life and death had truly terrified her. She collapsed in exhaustion and relief onto the floor, slowly turning her head to look at Lihua, who was already drenched in her own blood. Taohua had a look of horror on her face. She never thought that the one who shared so much joy and laughter with her, the ever gentle and well-mannered Lihua, would actually turn out to be the traitor that Gu Suihan was referring to. After a few moments of silence, Lihua raised her head to reveal her face which was already covered in blood. Her lips curled upwards into a sad smile, which made her look more like a vengeful spirit. Her hoarse and screechy voice matched her countenance as she whispered, How did you find out? Taohuas teeth chattered as she looked at Lihua and her heart sank in disappointment. Gu Suihan smiled faintly, making his emotionless face seem so genial. I wasnt sure at first. I just found it strange that others seemed to know exactly where Id been and everything Id done. While I was in seclusion this time, I decided to check the residence with my Spiritual Sense and I couldnt detect your presence even though it was already the middle of the night. The only people in this residence besides myself are the both of you and Im a paranoid person to begin with. The answer became very obvious. Lihua looked at him in shock and her lips moved as if she wanted to speak, but she ended up sighing instead. Then she said, What would you do if it turned out that neither of us betrayed you? Or what if I absolutely refuse to admit to it? She stared straight into his eyes as she waited for an answer. Taohua too looked up curiously at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan looked back at their hopeful faces and said quietly, Then Ill just kill both of you. The two girls felt nothing but terror as Gu Suihan continued to smile as gently at them as before. Youve betrayed me. Even though I dont know who youve been reporting to, its probably someone from one of those factions of power, or Gu Suihan turned to look out of the window and scoffed. So, its better that you die. As if it had received a command from Gu Suihan, the saber that had been sitting harmlessly on the table suddenly came out of its sheath and drew a crescent in the air. Taohua watched as the strange saber cut through Lihuas neck and lopped her head right off without even making a sound. But that wasnt the end. She continued watching in pure horror as the saber started making a sucking noise as if it was drinking from Lihuas body. Lihuas lifeless body trembled slightly and her previously smooth and supple skin started to wrinkle as her blood and flesh were sucked completely dry. Her black and shiny long hair now looked like withered grass. All of this happened in seconds, but it felt like centuries to Taohua. The only thing left of Lihua was a dark gray cloud vaguely visible among the clothing on the floor. You can take a look at this technique manual. I need to settle some matters, so if anybody asks, tell them Im still in seclusion. Gu Suihan threw a thin book at Taohua, who was still reeling in shock on the floor. Then, he picked up his sword and left. Sis Taohua stared at the remains on the floor with tears in her eyes as she instinctively curled up and sobbed soundlessly. Now she knew why Lihua had asked that last question. The two of them were pretty girls since they were young children and were sent to this sinister and frightening place that was dark all the time. They were trained very strictly and if they dared to protest, they would be whipped. Taohua had seen so many other little girls like herself being whipped to death. Lihua had been a big sister to her, taking care of her and even getting punished on her behalf. Later on, they were sent to the Seven Kill Sect where they were warned about several rules that they needed to follow. They began praying hard that they would get a decent master. Gu Suihan was like a beacon of light to the two of them. He was mild-mannered and treated them with respect. Even when they did something wrong, he never shouted at them or reprimanded them. He didnt even need them to sleep with him, which was something that most maids were expected to do. They were grateful for that, but also a little disappointed. But today, Taohua finally understood what the warning of those elders who taught them the rules around the sect really meant. The elders said that cultivators were unpredictable people. Their lives were unpredictable since they could die at any time. Their moods were also unpredictable. Everything about them was unpredictable. Lihua wasnt able to tell anybody about how Ive come out of seclusion, so, should I continue with this, thought Gu Suihan as he suddenly stopped walking and looked up at the sky. There was a hesitant look in his eyes for a moment before he turned around, returned to the meditation room, and waited for nightfall. Taohua, you can use my disciple token to attend some classes on cultivation and learn some basics. Ill teach you how to get started as a cultivator later, Gu Suihans gentle voice resounded in Taohuas ears through the thick stone door. Yes, Young Master. Taohuas face was still pale as she looked fearfully at the door. She bowed politely and scuttled off. Inside the meditation room, Gu Suihan was thinking about what he ought to do next. If he wanted to move from Foundation Establishment to Origin Core quickly, he would need a lot of pills and Spiritual Stones. He was still a long way off from what he needed. Remaining as an external disciple wasnt going to get him anywhere, but if he became an internal disciple, then the three major factions would have even more ways to get back at him. He needed a better plan. A plan that did not hinder his progress but avoided the revenge schemes of his enemies. He started wondering who was going for this secret realm expedition. But nobody was willing to talk about this. It was likely that they were all going to head to the secret realm at the same time, and each faction was going to send an internal disciple at the Intermediate or Advanced Foundation Establishment to go along and hold the fort. Perhaps there was something he could do here. His eyes suddenly lit up. Feng Ran hadnt sent out any message yet, so he was probably going to wait for everyone to set off for the secret realm first before making plans. In that case, he could just ignore them and go ahead first. The sky dimmed and the silvery moon appeared among the clouds, its faint moonlight illuminating the land below. Its time. Gu Suihan opened the door to his meditation room and looked into the distance. He was as silent as a ghost and as nimble as a leopard as he easily avoided all the external disciples who were still wandering about outside at that hour. He moved like a gentle breeze and quietly infiltrated the extremely luxurious residence that the Way Seekers Alliance had reserved for themselves in the East Compound. He hid in a corner and scanned the entire residence slowly with his eagle-like eyes. That one. He focused his gaze on a very silent and peaceful room less than 50 meters away from him. If it wasnt illuminated by the fluorescent rocks inside, it would have looked as sinister and terrifying as a haunted house. Chapter 35 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 35: Disguise After observing the room in the distance for a long time, Gu Suihan eventually shook his head. He didnt want to risk it, because that room seemed rather strange. Hmm? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes slightly. He noticed a familiar figure walk past and disappeared again. That was Nan Xingyuan. She was a new disciple and at a very low level of cultivation, so theoretically speaking, she would not be allowed to cultivate in this area. There was only one possibility. She was here to meet with a man. What could possibly make her pay such a price to do such a thing? Gu Suihan snorted quietly and snuck his way to the little courtyard just next to where he was. Spiritual Snake Navigator! Wind gathered beneath his feet, helping him to swiftly move around the poorly setup formations. As he leaned gently against the room door and heard the light breathing of the people inside, he relaxed a little. He had been afraid that the room was empty, which meant that he would have to find a different place and risk exposing his presence. Illusion Walk! Gu Suihans body instantly became as thin as a sheet of paper, enabling him to slip right through the gap between the door and the door frame. If someone were here to witness this, they would have thought they had just seen a ghost. After barely managing to control his spiritual energy, Gu Suihan breathed a sigh of relief mentally. This spell seemed useless most of the time, but sometimes it was really useful to have. It wasnt easy to execute, but he was glad it didnt fail. He narrowed his eyes and silently observed this residence he was in. The two servants in the adjacent room were sleeping soundly, so he quickly knocked them out by running his fingers across their necks and walked into the main bedroom without bothering to conceal his footsteps. He stood next to the bed and looked down at the person on it. Who are you? The person on the bed was already awake. He had been rudely awakened by Gu Suihans obvious footsteps. But Gu Suihan didnt respond immediately. His eyes lit up as he sized up the man in front of him very carefully before saying in a relieved voice, Youre at the Perfect Physical Realm but youve yet to activate your Qi. Not bad. The person on the bed pulled his blanket aside, sat up, and leaned against his headboard as he said in an agitated voice, Who on earth are you? Dont you know that this residence belongs to the Way Seekers Alliance? Dont bother raising your voice, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. This place is surrounded by a Soundproof Formation, so nobody will be able to hear you. How clever. The mans heart sank but he didnt show any of his fear on his face. Gu Suihan casually thrust his saber into the wall next to the man, picked up his robe, and sat down on the bed before gently speaking, Youre one of this years new disciples, right? Are you going to be part of the secret realm expedition? The mans expression shifted slightly as he replied in a stern voice, So what if I am? Youve snuck into my room and youve even used a spell to hide some of your features so that I wont recognize you. Im sure youre up to no good. I want you to do me a favor, said Gu Suihan with a wide grin as he ignored the other partys accusations. Youre hoping that Id tell you where the secret realm is? The other man scoffed. Too bad for you. Im too far down the hierarchy, so I dont even remotely know where it is. Gu Suihan sensed something wrong, so he shot his left hand out, grabbed the other mans left elbow, then tapped the mans forearm with his fingers several times. He smiled faintly and said, My friend, Id advise you to cooperate with me. Otherwise, you might not get to keep this arm. It turned out that the other man had secretly taken out two talismans with his left hand. One was a Fiery Explosion Talisman and the other was a Heavenly Pitch Talisman. The former could ignite a huge explosion, while the latter sent out invisible sound waves which could damage ones mind and cause dizziness if one wasnt alert enough to hold up against its effects. Fine. The other man paled as he glanced down at his left arm to find that all his Qi was really stuck at his elbow and even though his forearm looked perfectly fine on the outside, the meridian channels in his forearm had shrunk significantly. He started feeling afraid as he realized how vicious this intruder was. I just want you to wear this thing, said Gu Suihan as he took a small jade pendant out. He sounded like he couldnt bear to part with it as he said, It wasnt easy for me to get this made, so I hope youll protect it well. You The other man glared at Gu Suihan angrily and gritted his teeth. He glanced at the jade pendant and said, Youre asking me to betray the Way Seekers Alliance? Hmm? The image of Nan Xingyuan walking past earlier flashed in Gu Suihans mind and he smiled as an idea struck him. He patted the other mans shoulder and shot him a friendly smile as he said, Everybody chooses to do only whats beneficial to himself. Thats human nature. Im not asking you to betray anybody. I just want to ensure Nan Xingyuans safety, thats all. Her father is not one to be trifled with, after all. Nan Xingyuan? The other man paused before suddenly realizing who Gu Suihan was talking about. Oh! I see! You dont have to worry about that then. But why dont you pass this pendant to her directly? Why Please dont be mistaken, were not in a relationship or anything like that. But Ive spoken to her father, Nan Yuntian, before and I received a letter from him telling me to protect Nan Xingyuan from harm in secret. This really wasnt something Gu Suihan thought hed ever say, but he continued with this narrative anyway, But as you know, internal disciples like myself have very little contact with external disciples. I just found out that the new external disciples are going to be sent to a secret realm and I think it could be fairly dangerous, so Ive decided to protect her secretly. Then I wont owe her father anything. I see. The other man frowned, but when he remembered how difficult and unreasonable Nan Xingyuan could be, he could suddenly see why Gu Suihan was doing it this way. So, he said in a solemn voice, Ill promise to do this for you. Dont worry, once all of this is over, Ill make sure youre rewarded handsomely, said Gu Suihan. You can have these pills first, just in case they come in handy. His storage ring gleamed and he retrieved a bottle of Body Stabilizing and Qi Nourishing Pills. The other man was stunned to see these pills. This pill usually cost 20 Spiritual Stones each, so one bottle was worth 200 Spiritual Stones, which made it quite expensive. Seeing the storage ring on Gu Suihans hand also dispelled some of the suspicions he had earlier. I hope you wont take what I did earlier to heart, I didnt really have a choice. Once the other man accepted the bottle of pills, Gu Suihan ran his right hand across the other mans left arm to restore it, then pulled his saber out of the wall. The other man watched in shock as Gu Suihan slowly turned into nothing but a flat shadow that slipped back through the gap between his rooms door and its door frame. Whatwhat on earth is this spell? Thatsamazing. Hes an internal disciple alright. The mans heart pounded in fear as he was both in awe and afraid of what Gu Suihan was capable of. Gu Suihan weaved in and out of the residences and finally made it out of the Way Seekers Alliances territory. As he exhaled deeply, he also felt a sense of relief. His initial plan was to force the other man to consume a Qi Dispelling Pill and threaten to withhold the antidote unless the man did what he wanted. But he suddenly thought of Nan Xingyuan, so he decided to use her as an excuse and even made up a story about himself. He had purposely allowed the other man to see that he had a storage ring. Storage rings were usually worth a five-digit figure, so unless you were given one by the sect for being one of the best internal disciples, the only other way to get one would be to save up and buy one. So when the other man saw that Gu Suihan had a storage ring, he believed Gu Suihans story about him being an internal disciple and all that. As for the option of killing the other man and replacing him during the expedition, this was something that didnt even cross Gu Suihans mind. There was a gigantic formation that covered all of the Seven Kill Sect and operated 24/7. Members of the Disciplinary Court used this formation to watch the disciples every move. Others might not realize how powerful this formation was, but an experienced ancient like Gu Suihan certainly knew. This formation was based on an inferior version of the Heaven Reaching Blood Demonic Formation of the past. But even if the current formation were only one hundredth the strength of the original, it was still an extraordinary formation. The next day, Gu Suihan hid and quietly started sensing where that jade pendant was right now. The signal that the jade pendant sent out was very faint. Northeast, he murmured as he suddenly opened his eyes. He had changed out of the usual garb that the Seven Kill Sect disciples would wear. He had also cast a Bone Shifting Spell on himself so that his face and body shape changed slightly. Even his saber now looked like a sword instead. As he looked towards the northeast, he made a hand seal to move his Qi, sending his body flying into the air. He dodged the tree branches expertly like a raptor gliding through the air. In theory, a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage could fly. But doing so consumed too much spiritual energy, so most of them preferred to stick a Lightweight Body Talisman to themselves if they needed to move quickly. But Gu Suihan had other plans in mind, so he had no choice but to take the risk of flying in order to get ahead of the new disciples. Even so, Gu Suihan still decided to be cautious and stuck a Faint Shadow Talisman on himself so that his body would not be so easily spotted flying in the sky. Chapter 36 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 36: Careless Senior Brother Mu, are we there yet? Nan Xingyuan was bored as she randomly drew circles in the ground with a little wooden stick and looked up at the yummy-looking rabbit in front of her. The young man who had been asked this question many times carefully balanced the rabbit over the fire and said with a faint smile, Weve got about 350 kilometers to go. Well get there by tomorrow afternoon. Okay then, mumbled Nan Xingyuan unhappily. She quietly glanced at another reticent young man seated beside the fire and whispered to Senior Brother Mu, Senior Brother, what do you think that person was trying to do? Everyones expression shifted slightly at these words and looked at Senior Brother Mu for an answer. That man snuck into Junior Brother Zhaos room in the middle of the night and gave him a jade pendant, claiming that Xingyuans father had instructed him to protect her in secret. But there are too many questionable areas and I dont think this intruder can be trusted at all, said Senior Brother Mu thoughtfully as he pushed at the crackling fire. He continued, Junior Brother Zhao has done a good job in making the judgment call to tell us about this secret enemy among us. This fellow was so sneaky, so Im sure he must be Feng Ran or one of those fellows. Theyre probably hoping to follow us and find out where that secret realm is, then cause chaos. What do we do now? Junior Brother Zhao looked fairly uneasy. He didnt mean to talk about this at all, but things didnt go the way he had planned. He had been too careless and just stuffed the jade pendant into his belt. Senior Brother Mu had a very sensitive Spiritual Sense and noticed something wrong with the jade pendant immediately, so he had no choice but to tell Senior Brother Mu exactly what happened. And after they checked with Nan Xingyuan, she confirmed that this person didnt exist. If there was someone looking out for her in the sect, she wouldnt have joined the Way Seekers Alliance in the first place. This whole thing was clearly a trap. Senior Brother Mu sorted out the details he had and told the other disciples from the Nobles Clan and the Four Directions Court so that they could analyze this together. There werent a lot of internal disciples who would dare to do such a thing. Besides, after you eliminated those who were in seclusion and those who were out on a mission, you werent left with many who could even do this. They quickly narrowed their options down to Feng Ran and the rest. Mo Yuluo was very certain that Gu Suihan was still in seclusion and wouldnt be able to come out for the next few months, so they eliminated him first. Everyone was on high alert now. Even though Senior Brother Mu was an internal disciple at Foundation Establishment, he couldnt possibly protect so many people at once. Dont worry, said Senior Brother Mu slowly as he pulled off one of the rabbits legs. They dont know where the secret realm is, and weve also split the key to opening the secret realm into three parts, so each faction is holding onto one part. It might be a small secret realm, but it would carry quite some treasures. Theyre just hoping to haul some treasures for themselves, or try to ambush us when were on our way back. But theres no way either of these things will happen. There are three internal disciples here and they have barely just activated their Qi, so the difference in our Spiritual Sense is tremendous. As long as all of you are careful and stay close to me, youll be fine. Nan Xingyuan immediately moved a little closer to him secretly and looked like she was scared and worried. He raised an eyebrow at her, then said gently, Dont worry. His large hand squeezed her slim waist almost unnoticeable. Everybody more or less knew about Nan Xingyuans relationship with Senior Brother Mu, so they werent surprised by his gesture and merely scoffed inwardly. Senior Brother Mu looked like an elegant, gentle, and well-mannered person, but he cultivated with a dual cultivation technique. And because he was much more powerful, Nan Xingyuan might end up losing everything she had to him instead of gaining from cultivating with him in this manner. Gu Suihan was hiding in a spot several kilometers away from them with a grim look on his face. The jade pendant he had given to Junior Brother Zhao not only had a fraction of his Spiritual Sense to enable him to keep track of their whereabouts, but he had also set up an Eavesdropping Formation around it so that he could listen in on their conversations as well. To his dismay, they had been very careful and hadnt revealed anything about the location at all. And now, he just learned that one needed keys to activate this secret realm. He had no choice but to change his plans and end up following behind them instead. This secret realm is more complicated than I thought. Gu Suihan leaned against a branch and stroked his chin. According to what he understood of these things, a secret realm was usually formed when the barrier between two different spaces collided, and an entrance would appear purely by chance. Any number of people could enter it, as long as it didnt go beyond what the secret realm could take. But a secret realm could also have another sort of entrance. Someone could use a spell or something similar to make a mark in the space where the secret realm was and combine it with something else, thus requiring a key of sorts to unlock the seal. As long as one knew the method to open it, the entrance would be forced open and become a teleportation gate to the secret realm itself. Hoho. So what if its complicated? If I cant get in, Ill just trap all of you inside. Gu Suihan smirked as he glanced frostily towards where Nan Xingyuan and the rest were. A black pearl about the size of his fist appeared in his hand. It was covered by a protective faint glow, so nobody would know that this was actually the most destructive weapon a low-level cultivator could use C the Expanse Bomb. This bomb worked more or less like a hand grenade, except that the inside wasnt filled with gunpowder but with the vicious Dark Yin Demonic Qi. A whiff of this stuff would kill an ordinary person instantly. If a cultivator couldnt dodge it in time, then in the best-case scenario, the cultivators physical body would get eaten away partially. In the worst-case scenario, the cultivator would die. This was something that Gu Suihan had carefully crafted. Getting the Dark Yin Demonic Qi had been the hardest. He had found it inside a low-grade magic weapon that another external disciple was selling, so after he extracted it from the weapon, he refined it and put it into this bomb. And as if the Dark Yin Demonic Qi werent enough, he had also mixed in crushed fragments of Spiritual Loss Stones before finally casting a seal over the whole thing. This was meant to be his trump card in case his life was endangered, but it seemed like he would most likely have to use it now. Hmm? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow when he sensed that he had lost contact with the bit of Spiritual Sense within the jade pendant. Someone had probably crushed that jade pendant to pieces. Someone had probably discovered the Eavesdropping Formation around it and decided that they had to destroy this jade pendant immediately instead of using it to lure its maker out. Now, they would think that Gu Suihan would be unable to track down where they were, and everything would go back to the way it was meant to be. But while Gu Suihan was mildly surprised at first, he quickly calmed down again. He hadnt been relying on the jade pendant in the first place. He had just been using it in hope of gathering some useful information along the way. He had planted a tiny bit of his Divine Sense on Junior Brother Zhao. It was hiding among his clothes. Divine Sense was at a much higher level than Spiritual Sense and Senior Brother Mu was only at Foundation Establishment. It was impossible for him to detect Gu Suihans backup plan of using Divine Sense to keep tabs on them. Senior Brother Mu, whats wrong? Nan Xingyuan sensed that his arm had tensed up slightly and his expression no longer looked as gentle or as confident as before. I was careless and actually allowed the scheme of a bunch of ants work, snapped Senior Brother Mu frostily as his gaze lost some focus. There was actually an Eavesdropping Formation around that jade pendant. In other words, the other party had been able to watch our every move and hear everything we said. What a brilliant move. Junior Brother Zhao gulped and asked cautiously, What are we going to do now? Doesnt that mean our plans have been exposed? What do YOU think? huffed Nan Xingyuan as she glared at him before leaning in Senior Brother Mus embrace again. It is what it is. Sighing in regret is not going to make any difference. Senior Brother Mu calmed down a little when he felt Nan Xingyuan in his arms, but his voice was still steely as he said, Ive crushed that jade pendant, so now neither of us knows where the other person is. I didnt say anything about the location of the secret realm and theyve lost our position for now. So to play safe, we need to leave this place right now. He then got up with a start and unleased a pink Qi that smelled faintly like osmanthus. The Qi blew through the fallen leaves, swiftly covering the area they occupied and erasing all traces of their presence. His storage ring gleamed as a gigantic jade Bagua Mirror1 flew out and floated in the air. He said to the other disciples, Hop on. We need to leave now. Everyone nodded and took a seat on the mirror without daring to move at all. Senior Brother, arent we going to inform the Nobles Clan and the Four Directions court about this? someone asked meekly. Inform the other two factions? Senior Brother Mu scoffed as he glanced at the disciple who spoke up. Put aside the problem of whether the other two groups would listen or believe us. Letting Feng Ran and his comrades wear them out a little isnt a bad thing. This secret realm is supposed to be a tiny one that the sect discovered, but you and I know how important the items inside are. Once everyone is inside that secret realm, were going to have to fight hard to get what we want and some will inevitably get injured. So if Feng Ran and his comrades tire the other factions or even kill a few of them before we get into the secret realm, the Way Seekers Alliance will be at an advantage. Senior Brother Mu patted the mirror, causing it to buzz and tremble as the two characters Qian and Kun suddenly lit up, shooting out two golden beams of light. The mirror itself dimmed in comparison, and the flawless white color of the mirror became the same dark green color of the trees around them, so they looked like they were part of the forest instead. This spiritual weapon isnt mine, said Senior Brother Mu with some annoyance when he noticed how all the disciples were looking at him enviously. Miss Mo specially lent this to us and I have to return it to her once we get back. Im a low-level cultivator, so theres no way I would dare to erase the seal thats on the inside of this thing. The Clackers Unstoppable Snack Moment Todays snack recommendation: Oven Roasted Cashewnuts. You can do the same thing with almonds, if you fancy them. If you dont have an oven, a microwave works just as well. MSG: depends on ya ED: Sorry to interrupt Clacker, but I make oven-baked almonds all the time. Stick some garlic and onion powder on that puppy, a little coconut oil, and you got a really delicious and a (somewhat) healthy snack. Chapter 37 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 37: The Plan Senior Brother Mu sat in the middle of the Bagua Mirror and circulated his spiritual energy while casting several spells to force the mirror to quickly disappear out of sight. As they moved off, Gu Suihan suddenly realized that the tiny bit of Divine Sense he had left on Junior Brother Zhaos clothing was moving very quickly away from him and the connection was getting weaker and weaker. He cast a True Vision Spell and looked in the direction of Nan Xingyuan and the rest. To his horror, all he could see was a blurry shadow flying off. His expression grew grim and his lips twitched with some annoyance. That thing in the air had to be a flying magic weapon. Or rather, since it was going so quickly, it was probably a spiritual weapon. The three factions had sent almost every new disciple who had shown improvement on this expedition, so there were nearly 50 of them in total, so there were at least a dozen disciples per faction. There was no way a Foundation Establishment cultivator could drive a magic weapon with a dozen people on it at such high speeds, even if it were a high-grade magic weapon. Damn it! he cursed as he watched all the Way Seeker Alliance disciples disappear into the night sky as he clutched the tiny bit of Divine Sense he had managed to summon back to himself just in time and fell silent again after that. He hadnt expected the entire group to flee immediately without hesitation. He was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so there was no way he could catch up with them, especially since they were using a spiritual weapon to flee. At the same time, Senior Brother Mu probably never thought that the party who was after them wasnt Feng Ran and his comrades, but one lonely Gu Suihan. Both sides were cursing, in fact. I dont think one Foundation Establishment cultivator can carry more than a dozen people and travel for too long without feeling tired, snorted Gu Suihan. He pasted several Wind Blast Talismans, Heavenly Speed Talismans, and Lightweight Body Talismans to his legs, then executed his Extreme Ra-Asu Breach to allow a surge of spiritual energy to flow through his meridian channels like a river before finally casting a Spiritual Eye Tracking Spell. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he focused on the shadow in the distance, taking a step forward and moving so quickly, that he became nothing but a blur. Covering the World with Few Steps! Stepping on Air! Gu Suihans spiritual energy flowed through his legs spiritual meridians as he ran, his inner acupoints echoing loudly like a temple bell. As he continued to move forward at this insane speed, Senior Brother Mu and the other disciples began to appear more and more clearly before him. Thunderous Boom of Nine Meridians, Transform into Lightning! Gu Suihans feet continued to move at high speed as he switched the way his spiritual energy moved to an even faster method. At the same time, Senior Brother Mus face was a little pale. Using his own strength to carry more than a dozen people into the air wasnt something a cultivator at Foundation Establishment like himself was able to do in the first place, but this spiritual weapon had made it possible. But even so, doing this consumed his Qi very rapidly. When realized that he had used up more than half the Qi inside his dantian, his storage ring gleamed as he retrieved a bottle of pills. He called out hoarsely, Xingyuan, take out some Qi Recovery Pills for me. Nan Xingyuan quickly poured a few out and fed them to him when she saw how pale he was. She said, Senior Brother, weve already covered more than 100 kilometers so I dont think theyll be able to catch up. Why dont we take a rest? Senior Brother Mu did his best to digest the pill by moving his arms in a certain formation to recalibrate his Qi. He answered without hesitation, Not yet. Weve got to go a little farther. Okay then. Nan Xingyuan stopped talking and sat down quietly next to him again. I cant believe youre still hanging in there, sniggered Gu Suihan as the flying mirror became more and more apparent. The mirror was obviously moving at a slower speed than before. But similarly, the Spiritual Meridians in Gu Suihans legs were swollen and the effect of the talismans he used was slowly waning, while his own spiritual energy was also decreasing even more rapidly than before. He was really glad that he had cultivated the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach technique since it was a technique that built up the body. If he had both a weak physical body and was too poor to buy something that could fly, there would be no way he would have caught up with these people at all. But this stalemate didnt last much longer than 15 minutes. Senior Brother Mu finally couldnt hold on anymore and he was turning blue in the face as he had nearly run out of Qi. If he went on like this, he would end up injuring himself, so he decided to stop for the time being and continue on their journey after he had recovered. Gu Suihan leaned against a tree and panted heavily. His legs were covered with blood as blood spurted from his pores. This fucking idiot, cursed Gu Suihan, even as he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Bagua Mirror finally land on the open space in front of him. If this had gone on any longer, he would have to give up, or else the spiritual meridians in his legs would literally explode and render him a cripple. He didnt want that to happen. He adjusted his breathing, hid among the tree branches, ate several pills, then took out some Spiritual Stones to help his body to recover. I dont think even the Nobles Clan or the Four Directions Court would be able to detect where we are right now, so I highly doubt Feng Ran and the rest will be able to find us, said Senior Brother Mu as he panted and struggled to even speak. Well rest here tonight, but we must head off very early tomorrow morning. I think weve got another 100 or 150 kilometers left to cover. Ill take time to recuperate over there, make sure all of you stay on high alert. He then dashed into the forest, pulled out several formation flags to set up an elaborate formation, then retrieved several Spiritual Stones. He had used up almost all the Qi he had in his dantian, so he had to use this time to recover from that and even improve his body condition if possible. He had no time to waste. Meanwhile, after Gu Suihan had recovered his energy, he caught hold of a wild boar, petted it, and said, Im counting on you. The wild boar looked confusedly at the strange human who had caught it but couldnt say anything even if it wanted to. Bewitchment, whispered Gu Suihan as he sent his Spiritual Sense out to wipe out the wild boars weak consciousness before executing this spell on its brain. He then let go of it and allowed it to run towards where Nan Xingyuan and the other disciples were. Whos there? shouted one of them when he sensed the tall grass moving. He leaped up from the ground and sprang towards the source of the sound like a hungry wolf. He shot beams of light out from his fingers, his hand whooshing shrilly as he gave his opponent a mighty swipe. The sound of his nails could be heard and the young man gave a pleased smile as he felt his fingers lodge themselves in his enemys skin. But when he pushed the tall grass aside to inspect the corpse, his gleeful expression turned into embarrassment and he kept away his ferocious stance. He came walking back to the group with a large and heavy wild boar. UhI guess I got too agitated. Its actually just a wild boar. Everyone rolled their eyes at him, but they were also relieved to know that it was merely an animal. Well, we didnt get to eat much just now, so this would make for a good meal, said another disciple with a sparkle in his eye. He retrieved a small knife and walked toward the dead pig. Be careful, it might be a trap, said Nan Xingyuan quietly as she frowned. She felt rather uneasy for some reason. A trap? The other disciple used his knife to deftly skin the pig before turning to sneer at Nan Xingyuan. So, you think youre an internal disciple just because you hooked up with one? You still have a long to go. Why, you! Nan Xinyuan glared fiercely at him with a nasty expression on her face, but she didnt argue with him anymore and walked further away from them instead. She sat down next to a tree and eyed them venomously with hatred in her heart. Theyre really just a bunch of ignorant youngsters. Gu Suihan stood on a branch and looked down at what was happening. He had filled this pig with Qi Dispelling Powder and used a spell to break it down so that it would be easily absorbed into the bloodstream of anybody who ate the flesh of this wild boar. This plan was only possible because the one and only Foundation Establishment internal disciple leading this group of Way Seekers Alliance disciples had disappeared, which gave Gu Suihan a chance to do something like this. How very lucky, he thought. If Senior Brother Mu were around, he would probably have noticed something amiss. After all, it made no sense for a wild boar to come running toward humans in the middle of the night. What a pity, murmured Gu Suihan with a sigh as he looked at Nan Xingyuan. She had improved a little, but she still had a long way to go. A short while later, Senior Brother Mu had finished his recuperation and emerged from the forest. A disciple ran up to him with a pig leg and offered it to Senior Brother Mu earnestly, Senior Brother Mu, why dont you have some? We saved this specially for you. Where did this wild boar come from? Senior Brother Mu smelled something fishy about this wild boar. The disciple froze in surprise, then said, I guess we must have startled a wild boar that was already sleeping in the vicinity when we landed, so we caught it to eat. You might not have noticed it when you left to recuperate. Senior Brother Mu thought about it and agreed that he had been in a great hurry to recuperate when he landed the mirror since he had run out of Qi already, so it was very likely that he hadnt noticed anything like this. He felt more assured now, so he took the meat from the disciple and smiled. Thanks for the thought. Gu Suihan had retreated far, far away when he saw Senior Brother Mu emerge from the forest. He hid among the branches and watched this scene unfold through the gaps in between the leaves. He clicked his tongue and muttered, What a tragedy. What a tragedy. Rynoh: Yo, no Clacker delicacies today, fuck this life. Chapter 38 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 38: One Arrow, One Disciple Gu Suihan waved a hand and a longbow that was about three meters long appeared in his hand. The entire thing was black and its cold and shiny surface reflected the moonlight. After Senior Brother Mu and the rest had finished eating their fill, they quickly sat down to continue cultivating as much as they could. All of them were hoping that they could show the others what they were truly capable of after entering the secret realm. Whats going on? Why do I sense the Qi inside my body disappearing? one of them suddenly exclaimed in a terrified and panicked voice. Maybe its because your heart is too distracted. If you dont remove distractions, you cant cultivate. Senior Brother Mu turned to glance at the disciple who spoke up, grabbed a small branch, and flung it at him with a frown. Wait, somethings wrong. Senior Brother Mus expression changed dramatically. When he flung the branch out earlier, he realized that his internal Qi was a little weaker now. His mind worked quickly and he suddenly stood up to stare at the remains of the wild boar on the ground. He said in a hateful voice, There was poison in the meat. That was Qi Dispelling Powder. What?! Who added the poison? Li Guang, was it you?! All of them immediately turned to accuse the young man who had killed and cut up the wild boar earlier, since he would have been the only one among them who could have done this. Li Guangs face paled when he heard the accusations and yelled back, Thats ridiculous! Ive been poisoned too! If I wanted to poison all of you, I would have taken the antidote first! Shut up, all of you. Senior Brother Mu was livid. He had gone further into the forest to recuperate for just one hour and something like this happened. Only that Nan Xingyuan didnt eat any of the meat. She even told us to be careful because this might be a trap. Maybe she was just pretending to be kindhearted, said Li Guang sarcastically as he glanced at the silent Nan Xingyuan. Of course, he knew that she couldnt possibly have done such a thing. She had remained at least a few hundred meters away from the wild boar and couldnt possibly have infused the pig with poison without anybody noticing. If she were that capable, she could have just killed all of them. Li Guang was just trying his best to steer the attention away from himself. As Senior Brother Mu felt his spiritual energy drain more and more, he became more and more uneasy. Who could have done such a thing? Who was behind this? Feng Ran? Li Rong? Orcould it be someone from the Nobles Clan or the Four Directions Court? Boom! While everyone was still panicking, a rumbling noise that resembled thunder came from the forest around them. Whos there? Senior Brother Mu had a sinister glint in his eye as an intricately carved bell with a greenish glow appeared in his hand. He had exchanged more than half his savings for this high-grade magic weapon from Mo Yuluo. This was the Yin Yang Mutual Joy Bell. RING! Senior Brother Mu gently shook the bell. A pink cloud of Qi flew out from it, accompanied by sounds that belonged in a bedroom as the cloud surrounded everyone. Gu Suihan paled a little as he watched this pink cloud from afar and was glad he hadnt just attacked them head-on. This pink cloud had an alluring and sweet color, but it was actually a Murderous Qi that was made from refining pure Yin energy from countless women. If a cultivator who didnt have a strong enough will took a whiff of this, his internal Qi would implode and he would spiral into a world of illusions without realizing it. Once his spirit was completely exhausted from the illusions, his entire body would turn to mush. As Senior Brother Mu continued to swing the bell, it continued to gleam gently and send out more and more Murderous Qi with each ring of the clapper. But even though this weapon was powerful, he didnt dare to let his guard down at all. He was afraid that the other party was precisely waiting for the moment he relaxed. Ill see how long you can hold out for. Gu Suihan put his longbow down. He had merely wanted to send all of them into a bigger panic by pulling at the bowstring. And that was exactly what happened. Senior Brother Mu looked at the silent but clearly frantic juniors in front of him and sighed inwardly. If only these stupid juniors used their brains a little more, he lamented to himself. If the other party could take him down easily, the other party wouldnt be using such low-level tactics to send everyone into a panic. This was actually proof that the other party wasnt as powerful as he was. An opponent who was powerful enough would definitely have launched an attack once the poisonous powder started taking effect. SWOOSH! The silent crowd was instantly alarmed by that whooshing sound and their faces were filled with anger, aggression, and terror all at the same time. All of them immediately gathered whatever Qi they had and used any method they knew to dodge the attack. It didnt matter whether the attack was aimed at them or not. Moving aside was definitely the right thing to do now. Pfft! As if someone had pressed the pause button on them, all of them stopped trying to run at the same time and they turned to look at Li Guang, who had been sent flying ten meters away from them and was now pinned to a tree, dying with his eyes wide open in horror. All of them gulped and felt a chill down their spines as they broke into a cold sweat. My fellow cultivator of the Way! You dont have to hide and launch secret attacks like this! Tell me what you want and I will bring your message back to the Seven Kill Sect! Senior Brother Mu began to panic a little when he saw the 1.5-meter-long arrow that had pierced Li Guang. If he werent poisoned by the Qi Dispelling Powder, this arrow wouldnt have been a threat to him at all. But he was now left with less than half his dantian worth of Qi. Surviving this attacker was becoming a problem now. SWOOSH! Another arrow tore through the air loudly, pronouncing its judgment on them as it pinned one more disciple to a tree. This time, they saw what happened clearly. That incredulously long arrow had pierced through Senior Brother Mus Murderous Qi like a needle piercing a bubble and had even made it past the Steel Strength Talisman on themselves. The arrow had stabbed into that disciples flesh as if he was merely a fruit, sending blood and flesh flying for a good ten meters. Crazier still, the one who got hit had died before he even got the chance to scream. Now, each one of you shall choose an opponent and you shall fight until only one of you is left standing. Alternatively, all of you can die here. The Seven Kill Sect? Who cares about that? A hoarse and sinister voice screeched at them suddenly like the voice of a vengeful spirit that had died a wrongful death, making their eardrums hurt as they shuddered in fear. But what the voice said made them feel even more queasy inside. This person seemed to have a feud with the Seven Kill Sect. His voice was filled with disdain and hatred. The Seven Kill Sect disciples are united in heart and spirit, so theres no way well agree to fight one another like that! Senior Brother Mu yelled back with gritted teeth. United in heart and spirit? HAHA! The voice mocked Senior Brother Mu contemptuously before threatening them again, If thats the case, why dont you guess whos next to die? As the other party spoke, Senior Brother Mu shouted, Extinguish the Fire! The Qi he expelled immediately snuffed the fire in front of him out and he began making several hand seals. Everyone immediately understood what Senior Brother Mu was doing, so they also put out any fires around them and hid behind a tree. Shadow Over the Sky! Wisps of gray smoke began to rise from the ground, gradually blocking the light from the moon and stars, so everything within a few hundred meters radius was now shrouded in a dark and opaque fog. Everyone, find a hiding place and get rid of the poison in your bodies! This spell will last for 15 minutes! said Senior Brother Mu before quickly disappearing into the forest. What an idiot. Gu Suihan sniggered as he watched all the fires suddenly go out and a gray shadow covered the whole place. He kept his longbow away and took out his saber instead. He quietly came down from the tree branch he had been standing on all this time and headed straight for where Senior Brother Mu and the other disciples were without a sound, like a snake slithering among the grass to hunt its prey down. Zhou Tuo was trembling in fear as he hid on a branch of a large tree and frantically opened his bag to look for a pill that could counter the poison in his body. But Senior Brother Mus Shadow Over the Sky spell had blocked out even the slightest bit of light. He hadnt activated his Qi nor learned any sort of spell that could help him see in the dark. It was impossible to get the correct pill out. He laughed sadly at himself as he clutched a few white jade pill bottles and didnt know what else he could do. Forget it, he thought. He figured that if he just kept quiet, the probability of him getting shot by their attacker when there were a dozen others with him would be quite low. He had been really traumatized earlier. He had been right next to Li Guang when the arrow hit him, and Li Guang had been one of his best friends too. All he had heard was an ear-piercing whoosh, and the next thing he knew, his best friend had been shot by an arrow and pinned to a tree. Li Guangs flesh and blood had sprayed all over him, frightening him so badly that he nearly peed himself. Suddenly, a familiar voice whispered in his ear, Why are you here? Its very dangerous out here. Go hide over there. Zhou Tuo froze for a moment before realizing that this voice belonged to Senior Brother Mu. His face lit up and he was about to turn around to respond when he felt a terrible pain in his chest. As he felt his life drain out of him, he realized what just happened. Youyoure not Senior Brother Mu. Daylight Illumination, chanted Gu Suihan quietly as he cast a spell that helped him to see in the dark. The area that was covered by Senior Brother Mus spell was no longer shrouded in darkness to him. He looked at the dried-up corpse on the tree branch with a flicker in his eye. Chapter 39 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 39: Coincidence My Ass After some time, Senior Brother Mus Shadow Over the Sky spell started losing its effect. The pitch-black cloud over the area faded and the gentle moonlight began to illuminate the place. That person seems to have left, murmured Senior Brother Mu quietly to himself as he listened out for any suspicious noises. Stalling for time earlier had given him time to expel the poison and his body was in its best condition again, so he was no longer panicky. Come out, everyone. That person couldnt do anything about us and has already left, Senior Brother Mu shouted loudly. As his shout echoed through the forest, the disciples cautiously walked out from their hiding places. They looked around anxiously and were ready to run back and hide again if necessary. Senior Brother Mu stared at their rattled states disappointedly. He seriously doubted that this batch of new disciples could become a future pillar of strength for the Alliance at this rate. Zhou Tuo, what the heck happened to you? One of them patted Gu Suihan on the shoulder as he looked at Gu Suihans messy hair and torn clothing. Gu Suihan glared back at him and scoffed. Youre no better. That disciple looked at himself and laughed awkwardly. Senior Brother Mus Shadow Over the Sky had made their surroundings so dark while they were trying to find a place to hide, so anybody who didnt ram straight into a tree was already considered lucky. But most of their clothing had been torn by tree branches and other plants in the forest, so all of them looked a mess. Tidy up the place, bury their bodies and take a rest. Well leave when day breaks. After Senior Brother Mu gave those instructions with a stern expression on his face, he leaped onto a large tree and began to meditate. None of them realized that the one who had ambushed them was now secretly walking among them. After killing Zhou Tuo, Gu Suihan had used a Soul Searching spell on Zhou Tuo to retrieve all his memories from the time he joined the Seven Kill Sect till now, memorized everything, then changed himself to look like Zhou Tuo. As he quietly changed out of his bloodstained clothes, he secretly glanced at Nan Xingyuan, who was meditating below the tree that Senior Brother Mu was in, and smiled faintly. The next afternoon. Senior Brother Mu led the disciples with him to where the secret realm was. The place looked like an ordinary mountain valley. It resembled a desert and didnt have any ferocious beasts protecting it, contrary to what the disciples had expected to see. After losing two disciples without even knowing how Senior Brother Mu was in a foul mood. He wasnt as gentle and elegant as he usually was and wasnt even interested in flirting with Nan Xingyuan. Hoho! Brother Mu, youre so early, a burst of bright and relaxed laughter resounded from afar as a man came flying over on a freshly plucked tree leaf. Oh look! Its the incredibly famous Hang Chulong from the Four Directions Court, said Senior Brother Mu as he stared at the other man and tried his best to sound a little friendlier even though his expression was still gloomy. Hang Chulong didnt take his attitude to heart. He got his disciples to stand to one side and wait, then turned to look at Senior Brother Mu and the Way Seekers Alliance disciples behind him. He smiled faintly and said, Hmm? Mu Tian, why are you missing two disciples? Were they too afraid to fight and backed out at the last minute? Humph! Mu Tians expression looked even nastier now. We happened to run into an evildoer and were caught unprepared, thats all. Whats it to you? Ohhhhhh Hang Chulong purposely dragged his words out and looked like he was enlightened. I was still wondering why on earth your camp suddenly packed up and ran like a dog whose owner just died. This evildoer was really something, eh? He was obviously mocking Mu Tian now. The rest of the disciples from the Four Directions Court caught on as well and burst out laughing. Whats everyone laughing about? Care to share the joke? A gigantic flying sword landed on the ground and the sound from the impact boomed in everyones ears. Oh, so its Yan Wuheng from the Nobles Clan. I was wondering who on earth was speaking. Mu Tian looked at Yan Wuheng from the corner of his eye with a disdainful look on his face, but there was also a serious look in his eye. He went on without waiting for Yan Wuheng to respond, Since were all here, lets get going. An old-fashioned, purple wooden figurine of sorts appeared in his hand, but he only had the top half of this figurine. Hang Chulong had the bottom half and threw it over to Mu Tian. Yan Wuheng was a man with an honest-looking face. He threw the lotus seat wooden carving in his hand at Mu Tian as well, as if to say that Mu Tian could do this by himself since he was the oldest. Both men ignored Mu Tians extremely irritated expression. So, the two of you prefer a fight? Mu Tian narrowed his eyes and glared at the other two like a venomous snake as he took a little bell out. Oh no, no, thats not what I meant. I thought youve already reached Intermediate Foundation Establishment and wouldnt need my help in this matter. Looks like I was mistaken! Hang Chulong quickly broke into a smile when he saw that Yin Yang Mutual Joy Bell. But there was still some apprehension in his eyes. Mu Tian scoffed, threw the items back to the other two, then marched to the middle of the valley. Yan Wuheng just laughed it off, then stomped his foot so hard that he made a huge indention in the ground as he flew into the air and landed heavily next to Mu Tian. Hang Chulong took a step at a time toward the middle of the valley, but each step was completed so quickly, that he looked like a blur as he arrived at his destination in a matter of seconds. They exchanged glances and their expressions became more serious. Yan Wuheng gently placed the lotus seat on the ground, then Hang Chulong and Mu Tian pieced their figurine together on top of the lotus seat to become one whole figurine. All three of them gave a loud shout, unleashing a blast of Qi and causing all the sand to blow in all directions, which subsequently uncovered a gigantic formation diagram that was more than a hundred meters in diameter and spanned almost the entire valley. Gu Suihan watched the three seniors carefully from among the crowd, then looked at the huge ancient formation diagram on the ground. This all seemed very familiar to him. After a few seconds, his expression shifted slightly as he thought to himself, This isnt just some SMALL secret realm and theres no way someone stumbled upon it by coincidence! Who the hell uses an Akasha Myriad Star Galaxy Formation as an entrance?! What in the world is inside this secret realm? What would make the Seven Kill Sect pay such a high price? But when he looked a little more carefully, he calmed down. Oh, its just an inner formation and not an outer formation, and its covered in damage, so I doubt the Seven Kill Sect was the one who put this up. After all, the undamaged version would have been capable of killing even a Nascent Change cultivator. Thats why he had been so shocked at first. The full Akasha Myriad Star Galaxy Formation was split into two different formations. One was the inner formation, or the Akasha Formation, which was meant to trap an enemy and mark his location. The outer formation was named Myriad Star Galaxy Formation. This could be used for attack or defense and its corresponding formation flags and formation compasses were magic treasures that could draw on the immeasurable power of the hundreds of stars in the sky as well as their starlight. Never mind a Nascent Change cultivator C even one at Origin God stage could get trapped in this thing for nearly a century if he was just slightly distracted. But that doesnt mean its useless, thought Gu Suihan to himself as he started making plans. The outer formation was missing, so it was unable to draw on the power of the stars. This inner formation was likely to have been set up a very long ago in order to mark out the location of this secret realm. As for those keys to opening the formation, that was probably the Formation Eye. If this Eye were to be damaged, the formation would not hold up either. In fact, the Seven Kill Sect was lucky that this Illusion Formation was so badly damaged. Otherwise, it would take several Origin Core cultivators to open up this secret realm. This secret realm might have had a number of treasures inside in the past, but after a long time, many others had entered it and damaged it, so there was probably nothing really that valuable left inside. Thats why the leaders of the three factions had been able to reserve it for their own disciples. If it still contained many treasures, nobody would have allowed that to happen. The three factions have really spent a lot on this, murmured Gu Suihan as he watched the three seniors place Spiritual Stones carefully around the formation diagram. He thought it was such a pity C those were all mid-grade Spiritual Stones. He received a lot of Spiritual Stones every month, but that was only for as long as he survived any attempts on his life. Also, Chuan Xin must have had a pretty powerful backer as well. Otherwise, how could a mere internal disciple possibly have so many mid-grade Spiritual Stones on himself?1 Chapter 40 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 40: An Unexpected Turn of Events A few moments later, the three seniors were done with setting up everything. They exchanged glances, then moved away from the formation cautiously. Heaven and Earth, Sky and Ground, Akasha Location Marking! After the three of them chanted these words loudly, a thick layer of Qi appeared above the valley. The slightly damaged formation compass on the ground made an ear-deafening buzzing noise as countless mysterious Dao runes began to spin above it. The Spiritual Stones that the three seniors placed in the middle made screeching noises as the wooden figurine right in the middle of the valley sucked all the Qi out of them and forced the Qi to flow rapidly along with the runes. A silent pressure began to weigh down on everyone in the valley. As time ticked by, the power that the wooden figurine gave off became stronger and stronger, so the three senior disciples had to join hands to protect the juniors behind them. But even so, the protective barrier they formed kept shaking violently and looked like it might break anytime. The wooden figurine began to look warped as it was engulfed by so much Qi. Pop! There was a quiet popping sound as if a bubble had just been burst. A thin and faint beam of purple light suddenly shot out from the eyes of the wooden figurine. Everyone watched in fear as the beam broke through the voluminous Qi around it and lit up the sky brilliantly. BAM! As the crowd watched silently, an ear-deafening thud boomed loudly, as if the beam of light had collided with something. After that, the beam of light shone even more brilliantly. So brilliant, that everyone had no choice but to shut their eyes. Gu Suihan silently made a few hand seals that helped to clear his slightly dazed state of mind and enabled him to see normally even though the beam of light was so bright. His expression was grim as he looked at the thing in the sky that the beam of light was forcibly pulling at. He could vaguely see that the secret realm that the beam of light was tugging at seemed to be sentient and was struggling to break free. The two opposing forces were at a standstill. Theyre trying to forcibly drag a secret realm out from a different space into this valley? What an ambitious move. Too bad that there isnt a cultivator at a higher level performing this ritual. This ritual seems really powerful, but its not as powerful as it looks. Once it consumes all the Qi inside the Spiritual Stones and the wooden figurinesomething bads going to happen. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he threw the three serious-faced seniors a glance that had a tinge of mockery in it. This ritual was so bright and loud, that anyone within a few hundred kilometers would be able to see it clearly. So much Qi was flowing about rapidly and glowing so brightly, plus there was now a mysterious beam of light that reached the sky. This scene definitely looked like the sort of chance encounter that any cultivator would dream of having in order to move to the next stage in their cultivation journey. What could be considered a chance encounter? You might come across some treasures from nature, come across a legendary weapon, learn a formidable technique from ancient times, or get your hands on some rare pills or herbs. Any of these could possibly help you to break through to the next stage and increase your fighting prowess significantly. If you were lucky, you might get the support of some ancient master or learn some long-forgotten technique. If you diligently cultivated for a hundred years, you might even shatter space. Nothing was impossible. It looks like its stuck, murmured Yan Wuheng with a solemn look on his face. Pak! A crisp sound echoed in the valley. Yan Wuheng looked towards where the sound had come from and had a look of slight horror. That first crack was a sign of many more to come. After one Spiritual Stone exploded, the dozens surrounding it exploded one after another, quickly turning into nothing but tiny transparent pieces. The Spiritual Stones that had been placed in the middle of the formation had failed to hold up after its Qi had been sucked out so violently, so they turned transparent and fell apart. Mu Tian flew into a rage. Who did that? The higher ups already said that we must use mid grade Spiritual Stones! Why did someone not use those?! Yan Wuheng rotated his neck and his joints cracked loudly. He bared his sharp demon-like teeth at the slightly pale-faced Hang Chulong and shouted, Hang Chulong, youre a really bold one! How dare you do something like that? If we take too long to open up this secret realm, well end up drawing the attention of those wandering cultivators or worse, fail to open it up altogether. If that happens, youd better come up with a good reason for Fang Suyu. 300 Spiritual Stones each plus one favor. A look of hatred flashed in Hang Chulongs eyes, but there was nothing he could do except extort the other two. Two bags appeared in his hands and he threw them at Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng. Now they all had the same number of mid-grade Spiritual Stones, including the ones they had tried to siphon for themselves. Mu Tian glared hatefully at Hang Chulong like a venomous snake, then nodded slightly at Yan Wuheng. The three of them kept away their magic weapons at the same time, disregarding all the juniors behind them who had stumbled backward from the explosion of the Spiritual Stones. There was a loud swoosh as Qi gathered around Mu Tian. He flew towards the area that suffered a lack in Qi like an arrow. His sudden intrusion made the already dense Qi move even more rapidly and violently, like water hitting a pan full of oil. The extreme change made Mu Tian pale as he vomited a mouthful of blood. He gritted his teeth as the Qi within the mid-grade Spiritual Stones in his hands surged towards the area that was deficient in Qi. This took place only over a few seconds, but the Qi seemed to be on steroids as it blasted Mu Tian to one side. The corners of Yan Wuhengs eyes split open and the Qi made many cuts on his body as if they were knives. He was covered in blood from head to toe in the blink of an eye. Dominance of the Stars! The spiritual energy within his body quickly turned into a translucent golden battle armor and the Qi scraped noisily against the armor. He quickly took this chance to stomp fiercely against the ground to move forward by several meters. But the beautiful armor on himself started to fade and tiny cracks began appearing all over its surface. Now! Yan Wuhengs fingers switched directions to throw the Spiritual Stones where they needed to be. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, the armor around him suddenly shattered. He couldnt hold up any more, so he stomped hard on the ground, used his arms to protect the front of his body, and leaped backward even as he bled all over. Hang Chulong was in a slightly better state than the other two. His feet moved in a peculiar rhythm as he accurately dodged the area where the Qi was the most violent as if he knew it was coming. Once he was done topping up the area with Spiritual Stones, he quickly turned to run for it. But before he could start running, a tremendous amount of Qi flooded the area behind him, hitting him from the side and sending him flying as if he was nothing but a tiny stone as the sound of bones breaking echoed in the air. I hope were still in time, said Mu Tian with a pale face as he slowly wiped away the blood on his lips and looked rather nervously at the tug-of-war that was still happening in the sky. Were too late. Yan Wuheng suddenly turned around and looked beyond the valley with a nasty expression on his face. Damn it! Mu Tian coughed twice and there was a frosty glint in his eyes now. Lets work together then. The aim of this expedition was to gain more experience anyway. So, instead of trying to kill each other, were better off working together to fight our enemies. Hang Chulongs face was pale as he swallowed a pill. After some color returned to his face, everyone watched on in horror as he suddenly stretched his arm out, grabbed hold of a disciple from the Four Directions Court, and dug the disciples heart out on the spot before swallowing it in a few mouthfuls without even batting an eyelid. His cheeks were pink again and the gaping wound in his side was healed almost instantly. If not for the huge hole in his clothes, nobody would have known that he was so badly injured before. Unlike all their horrified juniors, Yan Wuheng and Mu Tian werent bothered by what just happened at all. Mu Tian scoffed and said, Hang Chulong, it seems like your Blood Demon Technique has improved by quite a bit, eh? You managed to gather the essence of that boys blood and Qi in such a short time. I suppose you must have reached Level 3? Why dont you try and guess? Hang Chulong licked his lips and wiped away any remaining flesh and blood on his face to reveal a sinister expression. All the juniors took at least two steps back in fear as they looked at their seniors in terror. When they were within the sect, there were sect rules to govern and protect the disciples. They might fight and argue or even challenge one another and some died as a result, but at least they had the chance to defend themselves. And now, Hang Chulong had just killed a fellow disciple without hesitation, as if their lives were worth nothing to him. At the same time, the juniors had to rely on the seniors for protection, so even though they were angered by Hang Chulongs actions, nobody dared to say anything. Its happening. Yan Wuheng stared at the shadow that was coming closer and closer to them from above. The pressure above the valley increased and made shattering sounds like glass breaking. Some of these disciples hadnt even activated their Qi yet, so they quickly sat down in a lotus position to recalibrate their internal energies so that they could hold up against this invisible attack. Someones here. Mu Tian suddenly spun around and shot a thin wisp of pink air out with the flick of his fingers. Yan Wuheng pursed his lips, then shouted loudly, The Seven Kill Sect is on a mission, so anybody whos not involved had better stay away, or well kill you. A heavy sword the size of a door appeared in his hand and clanged loudly onto the ground after he spoke, causing several cracks to appear in the ground. Tsk! The Seven Kill Sect is powerful, but youre being too unreasonable now, arent you? Chance encounters are provided by the heavens, so its not exclusive to any group. Is the Seven Kill Sect going to fight every single cultivator in the world? A blurry figure shrieked and yelled these words as he leaped out from the shadows pathetically after Mu Tian attacked him. Chapter 41 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 41: One Down After Mu Tian sent out an attack, a blurry and pathetic-looking figure flew out from his hiding place with a shriek. He was furious that he had been exposed so quickly by Mu Tian. Hes right in saying that, came a bright voice from afar. A bird squawked suddenly and a man coolly hopped off the back of a large bird. As more and more noises came from all directions and the glow of weapons filled the air, the Seven Kill Sec disciples became more and more uneasy. Things had gotten more serious now. Its getting more crowded around here, said Mu Tian as his heart began to sink. Hoho, who do these people think they are anyway? Theyre all hoping to get into the secret realm and get something good for themselves, spat Yan Wuheng disdainfully. In that case, they can all go in together. But all of you had better remember what sort of disciples the Seven Kill Sect has! The three senior Seven Kill Sect disciples had scanned their surroundings and realized that even though the three of them were more powerful, it was impossible for them to kill all the wandering cultivators that had already gathered. Since that was the case, it was easier to just let them all go in together. After all, most of them were only at the Qi Activation stage and nowhere near Foundation Establishment. The three seniors could handle the few more powerful ones themselves. Thats a good suggestion, agreed the man who had jumped off the large bird earlier. Just when the atmosphere was getting tenser and tenser by the second, a loud boom suddenly echoed in the air. The insane storm of Qi within the valley immediately surged towards the wooden figurine in the middle as if they had received a command to do so. The light purple beam of light also became thicker and more solid as it was filled with more Qi, pulling the shadow it was clinging onto like a chain closer and closer into the valley. Bam! The wooden figurine let out a booming sound and the gigantic formation compass began to rotate. The Spiritual Stones placed on top of the compass exploded one after another. As the Spiritual Stones exploded, the Qi they gave off slowly gathered together to slowly form a whirlpool that was a little larger than three meters in diameter. The whirlpool glowed with a deep and terrifying purple color, as cracks in the space around it appeared, mended itself to look normal again, then repeated the cracking and mending process. This secret realm can only withstand cultivators with a maximum cultivation level of around Foundation Establishment or so. In other words, it will be able to take either only one Origin Core cultivator or at best, a few dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators. Anybody whos too powerful will have to seal up some of your power, otherwise it will interfere with the laws that keep this realm going. If anything happensIm sure all of you know what will happen better than we do, said Hang Chulong with a sinister smile on his face as he looked at the clamoring crowd of wandering cultivators around him. A secret realm was governed by many laws and parameters. If it were a self-contained world, it wouldnt have a problem even if an Origin God cultivator were to enter it. But this secret realm was small and badly damaged, so the amount of external power it could hold up against was decreasing over time. The laws governing its existence were also fairly fragile and cracks could appear easily if one wasnt careful. If you were lucky, the crack would just turn you into dust. In a worst-case scenario, you would be sent into the space where the realm actually belonged in, get trapped in there, and die. So, unless you were at the Origin God stage and could see what the laws governing the space itself were, there was no way you could find a way out at all. Secret realms that were as big as a world itself were like a vast ocean, while a small one was like a small lake. The former could contain hundreds of rivers, while the latter could only hold a few streams. After hearing what Hang Chulong said, the expressions of the wandering cultivators fell. They were surprised that all that commotion with the purple beam of light and Spiritual Stones explosions was only to open a small secret realm. Yet, they had no choice but to believe it. A middle-sized secret realm would have a teleporting entrance at least 15 to 18 meters in diameter and would also have multiple entrances. Moreover, this three-meter-odd entrance was clearly having trouble even existing, since those cracks in the space around it kept recurring. Some of the cultivators who werent as adventurous started contemplating if it was worth the risk. Thats a shame. Looks like I was happy for nothing, said the man who had hopped off the bird earlier with a sigh. He immediately got back onto his bird and flew off without even looking back. Go in now! Yan Wuheng suddenly started speaking to the Seven Kill Sect disciples via telepathy. This entrance will only last for about 15 minutes and you can remain in the secret realm for one month. Well give you a jade token that will show you the way out of the realm and it may appear at a random time and place. For now, staying alive is the most important. The wandering cultivators are many, but they are not united. You might gain something in this process even. The three seniors quickly gave out those jade tokens and all the juniors took turns to walk into the tempting purple crackling entrance after exchanging nervous glances. Gu Suihan slowly rubbed the jade token in his hand and a faint but mirthless smile appeared on his lips. As he glanced at everyone else, his left hand trembled slightly inside his sleeve, then went back to normal again. He leaped into the entrance without any expression on his face and disappeared in an instant. His world spun for a moment before he found himself standing inside a cave. The first thing that hit him was a terrible stench. It smelled like someone had left a lot of dead animals outside to rot for a long time. Its the smell of magical beasts. Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by the smell. He looked carefully at the mess inside the cave and his gaze stared hard at a skeleton in a corner. It was all dry and had a little bit of flesh and dried blood on it. He gently ran his fingers across the thick spine of the skeleton and clinked brightly. This was a Lapis-lazuli Fire Wolf. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he confirmed what this skeleton used to be. Lapis-lazuli Fire Wolves naturally loved fire and it was covered in white and blue fur, which was poisonous. Adult wolves were slightly over three meters in height, and some had the ability to cast fire-type spells. They could be as powerful as cultivators at the Qi Activation stage. Gu Suihan looked grimly at the top of the skeleton, where he could see a skull that had been smashed in by a great force. This wolf had been killed with one hit, so whatever attacked it was very strong. This cave is only three meters high and very spacious, so it was probably a Steel-backed Demon Monkey or it was a Frosty Sky Bear. In short, it wasnt safe to hang around here. Gu Suihan pulled his saber out and hung it on his belt. He quickly pasted a Breath-Holding Talisman on himself, then cast a Spirit Concealing Spell. Once he had gotten rid of any trace of himself inside the cave, he flew right out. Oh? Gu Suihan hadnt made it very far from the cave when he suddenly stopped and smiled. Im a pretty lucky one! When stepping into the secret realm, his left hand had secretly scattered some Shadow Tracking Powder onto the cracks surrounding the entrance to the secret realm. The movement of the Qi around the entrance had helped to get the powder onto the clothing of the other junior disciples. This was a simple trick that most people didnt care for, but Gu Suihan knew that this seemingly simple trick was the sort that ensnared so many geniuses since time immemorial. Gu Suihan stomped his foot against the tree next to him gently and nimbly ran in the other direction. He was going to try his best to kill all the external disciples belonging to the Nobles Clan, the Way Seekers Alliance, and the Four Directions Court. That was his revenge plan. He had no schemes or elaborate ploys. He was just going to kill them all. Simple as that. I seem to have gotten lucky this time. I successfully infiltrated the disciples, and because some of them wanted to keep those Spiritual Stones for themselves, it caused extra trouble for themselves by attracting those wandering cultivators and forcing them to compromise. His gaze slowly grew distant again. And if nothing goes wrong, all of them still think that Im still locked up in my room and cultivating. If thats the case, Im definitely the one whos going to benefit the most from this expedition. Gu Suihan gently touched the saber that he had named Red Dust and smiled faintly. Wow, theres even a Heart Cleansing Lotus in here. Its got all the treasures that a secret realm ought to have. The sound of someone mumbling to himself reached Gu Suihans ears as he hid in the shadows. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars! Gu Suihan held his saber and shuffled his feet in a strange manner as he dashed out from the shadows so quickly, he was nothing but a blur. Whos there? The young man in the cave was quite alert and reacted almost instantly. But he was still too slow compared to his attacker. The young mans head flew off his own neck with an astonished look on his face. Gu Suihan stabbed Red Dust into the young mans headless body deftly, then sent his Spiritual Sense out to remove the seal on the young mans magic storage bag to look at what he had inside. Red Dust buzzed and trembled as it drained the young man of his flesh and blood. What a pauper! Gu Suihan made a face as he stared down at the ground that had nothing but a dried skeleton wearing clothes with the Seven Kill Sect logo on it. He didnt feel guilty even though he had clearly killed someone much weaker than himself. He washed the bloodied head in the waters of a nearby stream, then stuffed it into his magic storage bag. Then, he flung a Blazing Flames Talisman onto the ground to burn any traces left behind before disappearing into the distance. One down! There was nothing left in that quiet forest except for the gentle echoes of that voice. Chapter 42 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 42: Each Has His Own Plan Its about time, isnt it? Three figures were huddled together as they hid in a cave. Anybody who saw these three together now would have been really surprised because they were none other than Mu Tian, Hang Chulong, and Yan Wuheng, the three internal disciples who had clearly shown much dislike for each other and even got into an argument. But now, the three of them had hid quietly in a cave-like solid rock and concealed their presence. Not too far away from them was a clear pond that measured no more than a few feet wide and was brimming with Qi. A strange little tree about 30 centimeters high stood right in the middle of this pond. Its leaves and branches were yellowed as if all the life in the tree had gone to the fruit that looked ready to be harvested. The stems were as white as jade and very delicate. Four or five bright red fruit were bunched up at the top. Very mysteriously, the fruit would give off a faint golden gleam from time to time. This gleam would go round the fruit in an instant, then disappear into the pond, and then the process would repeat. Theres still another ten odd days to go. Yan Wuheng licked his dry lips and stared straight at the strange little tree. It had taken them a lot of effort to hear about how this thing existed inside this secret realm. The quarreling, mocking, and extortion show they put up before opening the secret realm was just to hide the fact that they were actually a team. Hang Chulong looked angry as he clenched his teeth and spat, If you two hadnt hoped to pocket those Spiritual Stones, we wouldnt have to just sit here and guard this place. When they were activating the formation to open up the secret realm earlier, Yan Wuheng and Mu Tian had pretended that they werent the reason why the initial process had failed, when actually they were the ones who wanted to try this process with low-grade Spiritual Stones. If it worked with low-grade Spiritual Stones, they could pocket the mid-grade Spiritual Stones they were supposed to have used. Unfortunately, the process ended up failing, injuring them and even attracting the attention of wandering cultivators, which was the last thing they wanted. There were only 50 odd disciples in total from the three major factions of power, and even if the disciples fought each other, things would get too serious. There were plenty of other benefits one could reap from this secret realm and there was no need to go around killing one another. The original plan was to allow these new disciples to pick up some treasures for themselves and learn to fight and kill some of the magical beasts that naturally lived inside this secret realm. But now, those wandering cultivators had entered the secret realm too. These were people who killed others without batting an eyelid, so these new Seven Kill Sect disciples were in for some trouble. They would be lucky if they could even get out of the secret realm alive, never mind gain experience and pick treasures. The disciples might stand a chance if they decided to team up and fight the wandering cultivators, but most of them would be too proud and feel too aggrieved to do such a thing. It had been so hard for them to gain access to a secret realm, so each of them hoped to get something out of it. If they teamed up to look for treasures, they might argue over how to split up the treasures they found, which would only give them an additional headache. But the three seniors didnt really care if the new disciples ended up all dying or not. At most, theyd get punished for not taking care of them. They were internal disciples, so the leaders of the three factions couldnt get rid of them as easily as getting rid of servants. These seniors didnt mind getting scolded, but if their benefits were threatened, theyd just leave the faction. No matter how powerful these leaders were, they were still merely cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage after all. This was a painfully accurate picture of how humans were truly selfish in this dangerous and merciless world of cultivators. If all of them end up dying, itll be a bit difficult for us to explain things, worriedly said Mu Tian with a frown. Why are you afraid of getting scolded for this? These juniors are just external disciples, so if they die, so be it. We intended to use them as cannon fodder in the first place, anyway, said Hang Chulong expressionlessly as he moved into a more comfortable position. Yan Wuheng glanced at Mu Tian and chuckled. I think youre eyeing the Spiritual herbs that these disciples are going to collect, arent you? Ha! Mu Tian smiled faintly as the frown on his face disappeared. Brother Yan knows me best. Well, nobody would want to give up those things either, said Hang Chulong with a laugh. After eating these Blood Jade Figs, wed be able to reach Intermediate Foundation Establishment. But if we also get our hands on some Spiritual herbs, we might be able to go even further. Its too bad The three of them sighed quietly. It was too bad indeed. If those wandering cultivators hadnt appeared, their plan would have been perfect. Its not all bad, said Mu Tian quietly as he switched out the used Spiritual Stones at the formation outside the cave entrance for new ones. If we went according to our original plan, wed end up becoming enemies with the three leaders. The three of them are backed by very powerful people, and internal disciples like us cant be compared to direct disciples. If the three leaders get desperate and turn to their backers for help, a direct disciple could vaporize us without much effort. But now that these wandering cultivators have entered the picture, things are different. We can blame these wandering cultivators for the deaths of the external disciples. These wandering cultivators arent very advanced in their level of cultivation, but theyre much better at surviving in tough conditions. If youre afraid that one of the external disciples will tell on us, we could just kill them all before returning. Nobody knows what really happens outside the sect, anyway. Yan Wuheng raised an eyebrow and laughed. You are right. What a great plan, Brother Mu. That way, we wouldnt be at fault. It would be the fault of the wandering cultivators. But how do we explain the presence of the wandering cultivators? If we had followed their instructions, none of this would have happened. Hang Chulong was still worried and felt that it would be better to bring a few external disciples back to back up their story. One had to be very careful on this road of cultivation and take one step at a time. One wrong step could kill you, so being cautious was better. Humph! Mu Tian sneered, This secret realm has been opened so many times and there arent many good things left inside. If we hadnt happened to hear about an almost full ripened Blood Jade Fig tree inside, we wouldnt have bothered coming to this ridiculously secluded place. We can always just blame everything on the formation. Its been a few hundred years since this secret realm existed, so who knows what happened along the way? Its only normal for a few hiccups to occur. If all three of us insist on this story, they cant possibly verify the truth themselves. Youre right. Brother Mu, this is indeed a good plan, said Hang Chulong with a smile as he rubbed his hands and the gloomy expression on his face slowly faded away. Wandering cultivators! Gu Suihan was now hiding among the bushes to watch the few men fighting each other not too far away from him. Thats a Three-petaled Mara Flower. His heart lit up when he saw the tiny flower with weird patterns on its petal sitting atop a pile of dead bodies. This flower could be refined into a Heavenly Soul Nourishing Pill, which could help with repairing ones soul. It wasnt the most effective pill, but it was better than nothing. It was hard to refine any pills that could help ones soul in the first place. Not only was it hard to find the ingredients, but recipes for such pills were extremely hard to come by. These were all items that most people would hoard privately and would never sell in large quantities. Three at Peak Qi Activation and one whos barely hit Foundation Establishment. The one Foundation Establishment cultivator was holding up even though he was fighting three people at the same time, but the growing number of wounds on his body showed that he was having a hard time too. My fellow cultivators, why must you do this? The Foundation Establishment cultivator dodged a sword attack, then swung his magic ring-shaped weapons to send out a series of waves in the air that forced his attackers back far enough for him to quickly swallow a pill. He said in a threatening voice, Dont force me to kill you. Hoho, Li Daoren, I highly doubt you still have any trump card left that could save you. I heard that you raped and killed a Seven Kill Sect external disciple some years back and the sect is still hunting you down. I cant believe you had the guts to come in here and compete with Seven Kill Sect disciples. Arent you afraid? said another man in a mocking voice as he thrust his spear towards Li Daorens vital parts again and again like the tongue of a snake. Haha! The Seven Kill Sect is such a large organization. Why would they care about a small fry like me? If worst comes to worst, Id go join the Vast Sky Sect! They wont be able to do anything about me! Li Daoren chortled as he flicked his fingers and shot a black beam out. Thats all youre capable of? Another man with a sword had a disdainful look on his face as he brandished his meter-long sword and cut through Li Daorens sneak attack. He then thrust his sword towards Li Daoren and the blade of the sword rang loudly as it pierced through the air. Second brother, watch out! shouted the man with a spear as he stared at the younger man with a sword in horror. Li Daoren snickered. Its too late. He put his ring-shaped weapons together and cast a spell, Myriad of Poisons, Explosion of the Stars! Boom! The black beam that had been cut through earlier suddenly exploded with an ear-deafening blast. Countless stinky, vomit-inducing blackish-green needles from the mouth of horseflies sprayed out from the explosion. AHH! The young man with a sword quickly retreated with a shout. His sword glowed even more brightly as he flung a Mud Wall Talisman out to buy him some time. The Steel Strength Talisman on his body was instantly activated and gave off a brilliant golden glow. But the mud wall that had risen was penetrated in the blink of an eye. He couldnt avoid this attack at all. He glared hatefully at Li Daoren with a threatening and despairing look on his face as he gripped his sword and pounced on Li Daoren like a hungry wolf. The Sky Dragon Emerges from the Water! If he retreated, he would die. If he attacked, both of them would end up dead. So, he decided to attack, becoming one with his sword as he courageously thrust his sword towards Li Daoren like an arrow coming with a determination to kill its victim. Circle the Heavens, Trap the Earth! A fierce glint lit up Li Daorens eyes. He didnt expect this fellow to choose to drag him down as well. He gritted his teeth and swung his ring-shaped weapons while filling them with spiritual energy as quickly as possible. As he swung the weapons in circles, a series of waves burst forth from the middle of the ring and encircled the oncoming sword. Away! shouted Li Daoren as he paled a little. He used his weapons to fling the young man aside as he swiftly threw a Mud Wall Talisman out. Mud Shield! Li Daoren didnt bother turning back to see how effective this mud wall was, since he didnt think a mud wall was going to be enough to block the young mans desperate attempt on his life. He filled his legs with spiritual energy and whooshed off into the distance. Chapter 43 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 43: The Mysterious Ethereal Court Reverse the Elements, Switch Yin and Yang, Exchange Soil and Gold! The man with a spear had an aggressive expression as he made hand seals while shouting, before slamming his left palm against the ground. The mud and rocks around the man instantly became iron and steel. It was followed by a loud rumble as a metal bubble rose from the ground. The man with a spear forced it back into the ground again and shouted, Third Brother, hurry up! Opposing Forces! The youngest of the three was bleeding from the mouth, but after his eldest brother hurried him, he used all the strength he had to hang onto the powerful blast of air between his palms, then thrust it out towards the area that had turned into nothing but steel and iron. Haha! Im still alive! The two brothers attack had avoided their second brothers dead body, something they probably did subconsciously. This weakness enabled Li Daoren to dodge the attack. Li Daoren suddenly leaped out from beneath the ground even as he was severely injured, blasting the second brothers body to pieces and cackling maniacally in the midst of the flesh and blood raining on himself. Fall of the Immortal! Gu Suihan leaped up at this moment and Red Dust flew out of its scabbard, sending out a gleam three inches wide. It cut through the air like a swallow and shone a gorgeous and bright red beam into everyones eyes. Li Daoren went into a daze and felt like he was now in the midst of a battle between immortals and demons. The pressure he felt around him seemed to make the air stand still and he simply couldnt move. The strange long saber that looked like it could cut through the heavens vanished like an illusion. Before he could snap out of his daze, everything went black and he didnt feel anything anymore. Breaking the Red Dust! Gu Suihan had taken Li Daoren out with one move, so he quickly moved on to his next target. He stepped on the air steadily and swiftly, leaving behind a blurry trail as he swung his saber the other way towards the two brothers who were still in a daze. A strange yet familiar voice instantly filled the two brothers ears. Xinger, hurry up and run! Youre the eldest brother, so you must protect your two younger brothers. Eldest Brother, why dont we try and become disciples of a sect? Wouldnt that be better for our cultivation? Eldest Brother, you can have the items that we got earlier. Reach Foundation Establishment stage quickly so that you can protect us! Second Brother! Father! Mother! The man with a spear had no idea that a blade was coming down on him as a genuine and innocent smile spread across his lips. Gu Suihan had no expression on his face as he sliced through both brothers necks, releasing two columns of blood spurting into the air. He grabbed the storage bags of all four men, put the saber back in its scabbard, and exhaled deeply. After that, he carefully picked that Three-petaled Mara Flower wrapped it neatly, and kept it away properly. He then threw out several Blazing Flames Talismans to burn up all the bodies emotionlessly and left the place without turning back. This meant nothing to Gu Suihan. He didnt mind being a fisherman from time to time. A Three-petaled Mara Flower was valued at 300 Spiritual Stones, but the sect did not sell this particular item, so there was a price but no stock to buy. Hoo Gu Suihan came to a secluded area and slowly calmed his spiritual energy down, then got up when he was full of energy again. There isnt a lot of good stuff around here. Its nothing like the secret realms of books, thought Gu Suihan as he continued to wander about aimlessly. Wait a minute! Gu Suihan suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes to reduce the gleam in them. He quietly hid in the shadows and slowed down his breathing so much that he resembled a dead person. A few moments later, he heard the sound of footsteps stepping on grass and twigs, followed by a light and melodious voice, Oh? How did you get in here, Brother Li? Im so surprised. Ha! Youre surprised? Im afraid you expected this, a frosty male voice responded. Teehee! The female voice giggled merrily. I wonder where your good friend, Gu Suihan, is right now. I need to talk to him about something. Gu Suihan had a surprised look on his face even as he remained in the shadows. Someone actually knew that he was going to be here and did not believe that he was still in seclusion within the sect. Isnt Brother Gu in seclusion back in his own residence? Youve seen him come out? Why do you need to talk to him, anyway? asked the man. As their voices became clearer, so did their faces. It was Li Rong and the leader of the Way Seekers Alliance, Mo Yuluo. Gu Suihan quietly remained standing where he was, as still as a rock and as ominously as an asura. He remained unmoved even as he listened in on this conversation about himself. Hmm! Mo Yuluo didnt answer Li Rongs question and changed the topic, What brings you here, Brother Li? Anything I could possibly help you with? Miss Mo, if I said Im here to take revenge on the Way Seekers Alliance, what would you do? Li Rong chuckled. Youre not even a direct disciple and youre using such vicious methods already. Thats very unsettling to me. Also, dont you think the stance youve taken is a little too inflexible? Li Rongs voice slowly grew more emotionless and the cheeky smile he had was gone. Mo Yuluo sighed a little sadly and twiddled with her hair. Im sure youve noticed the recent happenings in the world of cultivation. Li Rong didnt react and continued staring calmly at her pretty little face as he smiled faintly. Thats none of our business. You know thats something that only those old farts at Nascent Change can lead. Even those at Origin Core can only be used as pawns. Its better to send charcoal in the snow than to add flowers to cotton(a). The intricate little bell on the bracelet around Mo Yuluos fair wrist tinkled softly. She turned away and broke eye contact with Li Rong. I know that those who have taken a neutral stand like yourself hopes that the sect will remain balanced and harmonious. But the Seven Kill Sect is a huge ship. Should it meet the oncoming waves head-on or just bob along? Have you ever thought about that? Without waiting for Li Rong to respond, she went on, The Sect Leader wants this boar to have only one voice and one line of command. He doesnt care if youre a direct, internal or external disciple. He wants a unified sect, but not a balanced one. But you were trying to get rid of us. Li Rongs expression was as frosty as his voice. Mo Yuluo looked amused as she said, You know very well that we werent bent on killing you. If that were so, you wouldnt have made it back even if you had a jiangshi made from iron. You managed to convince Fang Suyu as well? asked Li Rong after a brief moment of silence, avoiding any response to Mo Yuluos last remark. He didnt have a choice. An outsider will always be an outsider, said Mo Yuluo thoughtfully as she nodded slightly. Hoho, Li Rong chuckled as well. He seemed to agree with her on this. Within the sect, the Nobles Clan has the most number of elders and deacons. They are many in number and are Origin Core cultivators, but they are not united in spirit and they all have their own plans. Your father is a powerful figure among those who are neutral, but he cant order the people in this group around. The Four Directions Court, on the other hand, have the Peak Leaders of Peaks Three, Five, Six and Seven. They believe that cultivating peacefully is the way to go. But theyve forgotten that the world of cultivators has never been a peaceful place to begin with. And let me share another piece of information with you. Mo Yuluo turned to look at the silent Li Rong again. The Vast Sky Sect, the Falling Star Sect, the Wonderful Sound Sect and the Youthful Clarity Sect have formed an alliance. What? Li Rongs expression finally turned to one of shock. Thats impossible! Hasnt the Falling Star Sect been a neutral party all this time? What could have been enough to make them decide against their previous objections to forming any sort of alliance? Mo Yuluos expression was grim as she gritted her teeth and spat, The Ethereal Court. Tsk! Li Rongs expression was nasty. All cultivators are ruthless after all. The Falling Star Sectthe Ethereal Courtgreat. Just great. I need your help. Li Rong suddenly stared straight at Mo Yuluo. What sort of help? Mo Yuluos expression relaxed a little. The chances of getting Xiexin Zhenren, the Peak Leader of Peak Four, seemed a lot higher now. Kill Gu Suihan, said Li Rong, emphasizing every syllable. Initially, he was meant to be a pawn to curb or mess up the three factions. But now that the Ethereal Court is involved, then this pawn isnt important anymore. Besides, he has something that the old fart in the palace needs. If necessary, we can use that to negotiate and increase our strength. Are you referring to what he got out of robbing the tax ships before entering the sect? asked Mo Yuluo very solemnly. Thats right. Li Rong nodded. My father refused to give me any details, but whatever Gu Suihan is holding onto, its definitely something extremely valuable. And as far as I know, there are some secrets behind Gu Suihan, but no matter how hard I try to investigate, I cant seem to find any answers. Oh? Mo Yuluo was really surprised this time. He knowsa lot of things, said Li Rong vaguely. Ive come this time because I intend to wipe out Feng Ran and his companions, Mo Yuluo finally stated her intentions clearly. Ive come for Gu Suihans Spiritual Root and whatever hes holding onto, Li Rong came clean as well. His Spiritual Root? Mo Yuluo was puzzled. Hes got an Eight Geng Gold Spiritual Root, which is complementary to my Ren Water Spiritual Root. I can use that to create my personal jiangshi. So, why didnt you take it from him before he entered the sect? Thats because I didnt know that the Ethereal Court was going to be involved. I was hoping that he could accumulate more Geng Gold Murderous Qi so that his Spiritual Root would be more powerful when I use it. I see, responded Mo Yuluo. Having a common enemy immediately helped both sides to come to a truce. As for Gu Suihanif he died, he died. Neither cared about him. Chapter 44 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 44: Tracing His Past You can have this. Li Rong threw a small bottle at Mo Yuluo. Whats this for? She curiously scanned the bottle with her spiritual sense, only to find that it contained the blood of a non-cultivator. A sinister smile spread across Li Rongs face. Thats the blood from the heart of someone from Gu Suihans line of the family. Im sure you know why Ive passed it to you. Tsk! Mo Yuluo looked oddly at Li Rong, then she lifted her dainty wrist and poured out one drop of blood. Her pretty face turned solemn as she called out, Atavistic Retrospection, Invisible Karma! There was a popping sound as the floating drop of blood instantly turned into a bloodied mist that covered Mo Yuluos eyes. Countless tiny lines that crisscrossed each other randomly suddenly appeared on the plain bottle that she was holding. These lines represented ones karma, which was connected to all the deeds that the owner of this drop of blood had done, all the people and things that the owner had interacted with. Mo Yuluo could feel a heavy pressure weighing on her consciousness. She could sense that these seemingly simple-looking lines contained terrifying things. II can see it murmured Mo Yuluo as her fair fingers gently touched the lines on the bottle that connected her to a different space. At that moment, she felt like her mind was shaking violently as if those lines were sending an endless amount of information into her brain. Look, this is our youngest brother. This Gu Suihan is so weird. He just coops himself up in his own section of the house and refuses to go out and play. Gu Suihan! How dare you hit me! Im going to get you for this! Countless fragments of memories flashed before Mo Yuluos eyes. Some were painful, some happy; some were pleasant, some were angry. Search for the Cause, Finding the Effect. A little blood began to dribble from Mo Yuluos lips and her face was as white as a sheet. She looked like a fragile white lily that needed to be treated with great care. Gu Suihan told me to wipe all of you out. WHAT?!! I wont let you off! Not even when Im dead! All of a sudden, a powerful hatred that threatened to fill the entire universe surged out from one of the lines. It carried a terrifying and murderous intent as it shot toward Mo Yuluos watery eyes. She could sense that the source of that powerful hatred was very close by. Oh no! Mo Yuluos heart was instantly thrown into a panic. How could this be? How could Gu Suihan happen to be right next to her? Gu Suihan is her lips trembled as she barely got these words out of her mouth. Before she could finish her sentence, Li Rong suddenly felt an icy presence behind him and he broke into a cold sweat. Li Rong noticed the anxious look in Mo Yuluos eyes and got a shock. There was no time to think, so he pulled out a stack of talismans from his storage ring and sent them flying. He activated all of them as the dark green jade pendant filled with Murderous Qi buzzed loudly. Spirits Be Gone! Escape Samsara! The panic in Li Rongs eyes disappeared as he grabbed the frozen Mo Yuluo and pulled her closer to him as he sent out a wave of spiritual energy from his fingertips. Several rotting jiangshi with threatening looks on their faces fell from the sky and surrounded the two of them. Dang! A long arrow with a jagged edge flew through the air and pierced through the chest of the muscular jiangshi standing in front of Li Rong. The impact of the arrow forced the jiangshi to move several meters backward, its feet creating two deep channels in the ground. Pfft! The continuous attack on her consciousness ate away at Mo Yuluo, making her vomit a mouthful of blood and turning her face a whiter shade of pale. Her spiritual sense was badly injured, so she quickly swallowed a pill to stop her injuries from getting worse. She murmured softly, Find the Path, Locate and Detect. The red glow and aura of violence over her eyes slowly dissipated and her pupils burned dark green like the eyes of a demon. As everything was tinted with a light shade of green, Mo Yuluo could finally see where the source of danger was. An expressionless young man stood nearly a hundred meters away from them with a terrifying longbow in his hand. What a high-level concealing spell he knows, she thought. If she hadnt used a spell to aid her vision, she would never have detected Gu Suihan at all. Without the help of the spell, Gu Suihan would have looked just like a branch of the large tree he was standing on. Wow, speak of the devil. Li Rong had a nasty look on his face even though he was smiling. So, you were the one behind all this, Gu Suihans icy voice filled the air as he flashed Mo Yuluo a faint smile. Mo Yuluo stared back at him and her body trembled slightly with anger. His piercing gaze moved a few inches below her face and his smile widened. Mo Yuluo felt terribly cold all over as he looked like he was staring a hole in her chest, his lecherous gaze making her gnash her teeth in fury. That Gu family member is still alive, right? Gu Suihan stopped staring at her and turned to look at Li Rong instead. Brother Gu, youre a really clever one. Li Rong was smiling, but there was a threatening look in that smile. So, are you going to surrender to us or are you going to fight? Ive got the blood from one of your relatives, so I can use one of my demonic spells to kill you using that. But if you kill me by wiping out my soul, you would also eliminate my ability to level up once youve turned me into a jiangshi. Gu Suihan kept his longbow away and landed on the ground as gracefully as a swallow. A frightening and murderous-looking saber appeared in his hand instead. Oh? Im really, really curious. Exactly who is backing you? Its true that you do know too much, snapped Mo Yuluo as she glared frostily at him. Li Rong narrowed his eyes to cover the greed in them. Also, none of the spells and cultivation techniques youve been using is from the Seven Kill Sect. Why dont you guess? Gu Suihan didnt deny anything and just shrugged it off with an aloof expression. Watch out! Li Rong took a decisive step backward and the jiangshi next to him suddenly raised its arms and wrapped them around Li Rong and Mo Yuluo. The mysterious runes on its broad and muscular back flickered. Dang! The sound of metal hitting metal echoed loudly. The next thing they knew, the tall and burly jiangshi holding onto them flew into the air as if a bomb had exploded at its feet, causing both of them and the jiangshi to be sent flying several meters into the air as if they were nothing but a beach ball. Gu Suihan smacked his lips lazily, leaned against the tree next to him, and laughed, but he didnt continue attacking them. That was a good one, grumbled Li Rong as crashed to the ground clumsily. He summoned all the jiangshis and arranged them in a formation in front of himself. A Mud Wall Talisman, a Blade of Wind spell, and one last Explosive Talisman. Mo Yuluo kept her eye on the nonchalant Gu Suihan. She was really shocked by what just happened. Before this, she would never have thought that a few talismans could have possibly pushed two Foundation Establishment cultivators into a corner like this. When did you Mo Yuluo tried to ask but Gu Suihans next attack cut her sentence off. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars! Gu Suihans feet moved in a strange manner before he suddenly disappeared before their eyes like a ghost and reappeared behind Li Rong and Mo Yuluo. His saber was already raised and aimed at their two heads. Hes behind us! The two of them quickly activated a bunch of defense talismans and seven of Li Rongs jiangshis also turned around to fight Gu Suihan off. The sound of their heavy punches cutting through the air quickly filled the air. Gu Suihans lips curled into a smile as he watched the other two retaliate violently. His saber vibrated as he swung it backward suddenly, causing sparks to fly as it slashed the arms of the jiangshis. He stomped hard on the ground, turned and twisted his body like a snake, and ran out in between the other jiangshis before they could complete a full attack formation. Go after him! Li Rongs eyes were burning with anger. He had been attacked, yet Gu Suihan had run away unscathed. He was ready to explode anytime. No! Stop! Mo Yuluo exclaimed in a shrill voice as she took several steps back. There are Explosive Talismans on the ground! A whole stack of them! Chapter 45 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 45: Trap What the fuck?! screamed Li Rong as a shiver ran up his spine. He made a hand seal and summoned his jiangshis back, made a shield out of spiritual energy, and took several steps back in haste. Ha! Gu Suihan traveled through the dense forest swiftly. His face was a little pale. If he hadnt sprung a surprise attack while Mo Yuluo was in the middle of a spell and Li Rong didnt have the time to get all his jiangshis into formation, he would probably be dead by now. A throbbing in his legs made him frown. His attack earlier looked well executed and easy on himself, but he knew very well how hard it had been to get out of that situation. He had caught his victims by surprise and they didnt know what he was capable of, so his combination of unfamiliar spells, stacks of talismans, and unpredictable movements helped him to escape. He swallowed a Qi Nourishing Pill and spiritual energy instantly surged into his Spiritual Meridians. The concentrated herbs inside the pill were quickly digested through his powerful cultivation technique, drenching his Spiritual Meridians and getting rid of the painful swelling in his legs. After he felt better, he cautiously stuck his head out to check if the coast was clear before running out again. Meanwhile, Li Rong and Mo Yuluo were still in shock. Hes really powerful, and that saber of his is a spiritual weapon, said Li Rong after clearing his throat. He quietly broke down what happened, His speed is terrifying. Also, he used at least three different types of attack methods and hes very good at concealment. Mo Yuluo didnt seem to be bothered by any of this as she retrieved a cake from her storage ring and squatted down quietly like a small, injured animal. After hearing Li Rongs analysis, she snapped out of her daze and said, Hes sly, scheming, despicable, shameless, vicious, and very well versed in fighting techniques. Hes used those few talismans in such creative ways. She was suddenly reminded of how Gu Suihan had stared so blatantly and lecherously at her. Her teeth chattered in fury and she bit off half her cake as if it could help her to vent out her anger. She had a deep frown on her face and looked like she was ready to fight someone right now. Look for Mu Tian and the other two. Its easy for both of us to shake him off, but its too hard for just two of us to finish him off, said Li Rong after a brief moment of silence as he stood up. Mo Yuluo pouted and glared at Li Rong. Gu Suihan is no fool. Hes a bold one, but he also knows when to run. If we set up such an obvious trap for him, will he still fall for it? Yes, he will. As long as it holds enough temptation for him, said Li Rong in a certain voice and with a confident look on his face. What sort of temptation? Li Rong narrowed his eyes as he looked at the forest and said in a thoughtful tone, Hes hit Foundation Establishment stage, which will need a large amount of spiritual herbs and Spiritual Stones. What we need is to provide him with herbs. Alright then, Mo Yuluo agreed after thinking about it for a while. She took a jade slip out, inscribed a message on it, then flung it out. The jade slip spun a few times in the air, then flew out of sight once it had determined which direction to go. Whos sent you a message? Yan Wuheng and Hang Chulong looked strangely at the equally confused Mu Tian. I have no idea. Mu Tian looked down puzzledly at the jade slip he had just received. Take a look and well know. The three men filled the jade slip with their spiritual sense. After reading the message contained in the jade slip Thisthis is Hang Chulongs lips twitched violently. He had no idea how to react. Were seriously down on our luck! Yan Wuheng rubbed his temples vigorously. His head hurt so much. Mu Tian didnt know what to do either. He sighed sadly and said, What are we going to do now? What are we going to do now? How the hell do I know? snapped Yan Wuheng in reply. His expression was foul as he said, Seriously, why couldnt that woman from the Way Seekers Alliance just stay in the sect obediently and wait for us to come back? What is she doing here?! Its because Gu Suihan came here and Li Rong was after him, then Mo Yuluo wanted to talk to Li Rong, so she came here too. The two of them have teamed up to kill Gu Suihan. Thats the way things are right now. We are justreally unlucky, said Hang Chulong with a huge sigh as he looked up and felt like crying. Its all that Gu Suihans fault, grumbled Mu Tian. If he hadnt appeared, this wouldnt have happened. Well, theres nothing we can do about that now. Hang Chulong looked at the Blood Jade Figs that seemed to be getting juicier by the minute. Luckily, there are five figs on this tree. We can have one each, I suppose. Thats a few thousand Spiritual Stones less! Yan Wuhengs eyes bulged angrily. Shush. Theyre here. Mu Tian kept the jade slip away, removed the formation outside the cave entrance, and walked out. Several days passed. Gu Suihan continued to run through the secret realm without stopping, killing every single person he met along the way. The total value of the items he swiped from his victims added up to less than what he got from killing one Chuan Xin, but it still added up to a lot. He had killed several wandering cultivators as well as those new Seven Kill Sect disciples who were only at the Qi Activation stage. On top of killing these disciples, he had also robbed some of them and stole from others, earning him slightly under 2,000 Spiritual Stones. But while he was excited by his haul, he was also getting more and more worried. Many days had passed, but Mo Yuluo and the rest had not tried to chase after him or hunt him down. In fact, they seemed to have vanished into thin air. He guessed that they were planning some elaborate scheme. But a piece of news was beginning to spread very quickly. Apparently, this secret realm was about to be abandoned since the Seven Kill Sect had pretty much emptied this place of all its treasures. However, someone had recently found a Blood Jade Fig tree in a cave that had fruit that was almost ripe, which made everyones eyes light up in excitement. It took only a few days for this news to spread through the entire secret realm. Everyone immediately headed towards that cave, either in small groups or by themselves. Its a trap! That was Gu Suihans first thought. He didnt think it was real. But shortly after that, more news confirming that the figs were almost ripe arrived. The figs were supposed to be ripe about 20 days from the opening of the secret realm. Gu Suihan was tempted. He had reached the Foundation Establishment stage in less than a year, but that was at the expense of nearly losing his life twice to gain more resources to level up. Now that he was at Foundation Establishment, he needed even more resources to advance to the next stage. He didnt want to miss such a good chance. So what if its a trap? News has travelled to everyone in the secret realm, so even the wandering cultivators are headed to that cave. And even if I cant snatch it outright, I know how to steal too. Gu Suihan decided that he was going to that cave too. A terrifyingly threatening expression spread across his face. He weighed the magic storage bag in his hand that carried all his spoils. A frosty smile appeared on his lips as a thought crossed his mind. Nan Xingyuan, I hope you appear soon, murmured Gu Suihan to himself. He cast a Spiritual Eye Spell on himself, then stood on a tree branch to look out at the vast and dense forest as emotions stirred in his heart. Miss Mo, the figs will be fully ripened in two days. Why hasnt Gu Suihan appeared yet? Mu Tian looked bored as he raised his head to peek at the clamoring wandering cultivators who had gathered inside the cave. How do I know? responded Mo Yuluo unhappily as she rolled her eyes at him. Who knows? He might be here but we havent discovered him yet, said Li Rong slowly. His greedy gaze scanned the wandering cultivators outside. Gu Suihan had to die. Li Rong wasnt only interested in turning him into a jiangshi, but he also wanted to learn all the spells and techniques that Gu Suihan knew. The wandering cultivators were so many in number, that they had cleared a huge space that measured at least 300 meters in diameter. The Seven Kill Sect disciples and the wandering cultivators stood in two distinct groups. The wandering cultivators were greater in number, but only two of them were at the Foundation Establishment stage and most of the others were around the Qi Activation stage. The Seven Kill Sect disciples only numbered fewer than ten, but five of them were at Foundation Establishment. In a way, both sides were balanced in terms of fighting power, so they remained wary of each other but did not break into a fight. They would just look sinisterly at each other from time to time, then look greedily towards the Blood Jade Fig tree that was swathed in Qi and gave off such a lovely fragrance. Where could he be? While Mo Yuluo and the rest were still wondering who Gu Suihan would disguise himself as and where he could possibly be, he was now hiding among the wandering cultivators as he continued to observe his target very closely. His target? Nan Xingyuan. Chapter 46 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 46: Fight Tooth and Nail The fragrance of the figs filled the entire cave, and the tension between the two parties was becoming more and more apparent. Come on, everybody! Those that are quick enough will get some and those who are too slow will get none! someone yelled from among the wandering cultivators. Those words were like a command that finally caused both sides to begin their fight. Kill off all those people from the Seven Kill Sect, or were all going to die here! Juniors, listen up! Get into groups of threes and cover each other! Do not fight alone! Yan Wuheng brandished his heavy sword and immediately turned one of the wandering cultivators to mush. Yin Yang Mutual Joy, the Clear Heavens and Spirit-filled Earth, murmured Mu Tian with a solemn look on his face as he sent hand seals into his Yin Yang Mutual Joy Bell. Green beams of light flashed continuously and sent out a blast all around it. A pink Qi that carried the sweet and intoxicating smell of orchids instantly hit the noses of the wandering cultivators. Thats a Yin Yang Dual Cultivation move! Its poisonous, so watch out, everyone! a voice yelled out from within the chaos. Hang Chulong leaped up and stared straight at the wandering cultivator who had yelled hints to fellow wandering cultivators. He knew that things would become much easier to handle once he killed off this troublemaker. Oh my goodness! Hang Chulongs target was a sneaky-looking man with beady eyes who stood barely six feet tall. He held a dagger in his hand and would quickly stab someone before hiding again. When he saw how Hang Chulong looked ready to eat him, his knees trembled, and he yelled, My friends, this fellow from the Seven Kill Sect is going to get the Blood Jade Figs! Dont let him get his way! What the Hang Chulong had a furious expression and held up his long sword that gleamed as brightly as the moon. He brought it down while casting a protective spell on himself as he fought off all the wandering cultivators attacking him from all directions. Ha! Thats all youre capable of? The sneaky-looking wandering cultivator cackled when he saw how Hang Chulong could not get through the wave of wandering cultivators and gave Hang Chulong a smirk. Great, just great. Hang Chulong found himself back where he started in a matter of seconds. The sneaky cultivator, who was probably only at the Qi Activating stage, turned and gave him a smirk made him so angry that his entire body shook. He scoffed in anger, and his eyes were filled with a malicious and murderous look. Myriad Spell of Heaven and Earth, Blood Sacrifice to the Sky, Mysteries of Heaven and Earth, Divine Thunder Descends, chanted Hang Chulong as he gently ran a finger down the blade of his sword. He raised his bloodstained sword and sent his spiritual energy flowing from his body into the sword like a rushing river. WOONG! The sound of his sword vibrating wildly spread through the entire cave. Everyone who felt threatened by that sound instinctively turned to look at Hang Chulong. He chanted the last part, The Sword Moves the Storm Clouds. Run!! This crazy fellow! Yan Wuhengs lips twitched, and he swung his fists hard to punch the wandering cultivators and knock them away. He stomped a deep and clear footprint into the ground, leaped up, and put his sword away. He was about to find an excellent place to hide from Hang Chulongs powerful move when he noticed that the Blood Jade Fig tree was swaying wildly from all that wind that Hang Chulongs technique was creating. Yan Wuhengs expression instantly darkened, and he bellowed, Hang Chulong, are you dumb? This part of the cave exists because the wandering cultivators dug it out and its not stable at all! How could you execute a thunder move?! If the Blood Jade Fig is destroyed in this process, Ill skin you alive! His desperate shouting was even louder than the ear-deafening thunder that Hang Chulong had created. It was so loud that it snapped everyone out of their initial fear of Hang Chulongs moves. Stop fighting and help us block against the thunder! If the fig tree gets destroyed, there will be nothing for us to fight over! Hang Chulongs anger instantly disappeared when he heard Yan Wuhengs words. The spiritual energy that was bubbling within his body began to slow down, and the long sword in his hand slowly stopped flickering so wildly and also stopped creating more thunder. The threatening feeling that everyone felt earlier had eased up a lot. They cant move now because theyre afraid that theyd suffer an injury if they attack during this cooldown period! We need to get those figs right now! Its you again! Hang Chulong was so pissed off that he nearly flung his sword out. But it made sense for him to be this angry. He and the other two internal disciples had the Blood Jade Fig tree to themselves initially, and nobody even knew about it. After that, Mo Yuluo turned up, and they had to give two of the five fruit to her instead of being able to sell them. After that, they even had to tell everyone else inside the secret realm about the existence of this fig tree just so that Mo Yuluo could kill an external disciple. And now, everybody was fighting tooth and nail for that fig tree. He figured it would be tough to even get one fruit out of that tree. Youre all asking to be killed! Hang Chulong fumed as he looked at the wandering cultivators just biding their time to attack him again. He steeled himself and had a threatening look on his face. The Glorious Might of Heaven, Thunder Smites the Clouds! Hang Chulongs sword trembled, and lightning gathered itself around him. KABOOM! An ear-deafening clap of thunder resounded in everyones ears, and they watched in terror as purple bolts of lightning pierced through the rocks above them and brought them crumbling down. Youre Gu Suihan! Hang Chulongs eyes nearly bulged out as he saw that sneaky-looking fellow seizing the opportunity to make his way towards the fig tree in the chaos. His long sword trembled loudly, turning the lightning it created into white-hot bolts of electricity that crackled around the swords blade. He charged forward and swung his sword viciously towards the sneaky fellow. Whoever kills him will get 1,000 Spiritual Stones! Were not giving up the fig tree, but if you bring that boys head to us, well give you 1,000 Spiritual Stones for it! yelled Mu Tian. He rang his Mutual Joy Bell and started chanting a hypnotic spell as he dashed towards Hang Chulong and the sneaky cultivator. Mo Yuluo remained in one corner and drew a protective qi shield around herself as she looked at the sneaky cultivator in the distance and frowned puzzledly. She hated how scheming Gu Suihan was, but after putting together everything she had heard about him, she began to respect this external disciple more and more. Gu Suihan had entered the sect for barely a year, yet he carried himself with such arrogance and reached the Foundation Establishment stage. From the way he did things, she could see how careful and detailed he was. He was like a venomous snake hiding in the grass, striking only if he was sure he would succeed in taking his target down with one attack. He was a vicious fellow but also very confident. If he werent confident in taking his opponent down, he would not allow himself to be cornered. The wandering cultivator who was now running towards the fig tree had purposely riled up the other wandering cultivators and seemed to have done it purposefully. But dashing towards the fig tree at this point was definitely a suicidal move. Even if he managed to get the Blood Jade Figs, he would have to find a way to escape all the Seven Kill Sect disciples and wandering cultivators running after him. Some of these cultivators were even at the Foundation Establishment stage, and he was no match for them. No, its not him. said Mo Yuluo with confidence. Boom! Hang Chulongs thunderous strike landed several meters away from the lake that the fig tree was in. The lightning crackled and colored everything in its vicinity a brilliant purple color. At the same time, the poisonous powder from Mu Tians Mutual Joy Bell struck that sneaky-looking cultivator. The entire cave shook and the sound of rock cracking and crumbling thundered through the whole cave. The caves going to collapse! someone immediately yelled out in fear and ran out without even turning to look at the Blood Jade Fig tree when he realized that the cave was still shaking and rocks were falling rapidly from the cave walls. That Blood Jade Fig tree was precious, but ones life was even more precious. No cultivator loved anything else more than their own lives. Now is the time! Some of the stronger and more confident cultivators werent panicking. Instead, greed filled their bloodshot eyes as they charged toward the Blood Jade Fig tree that looked like it would collapse anytime now. The chanting of spells filled the air while the sound of colliding swords and spears echoed loudly. The sounds of cultivators fighting one another filled the cave once more. Thats not Gu Suihan! Mo Yuluo walked swiftly with light steps towards the body, which was already burned to a crisp from that lightning attack earlier. He didnt come? asked Hang Chulong while panting, his face pale. I suppose, replied Mo Yuluo in a distracted voice. Damn it! Yan Wuheng was really annoyed. He didnt think Gu Suihan would come right from the start. Which idiot would walk into such an obvious trap? Dancing Flames of the Radiata! Mo Yuluo called out as she drew a picture in the air with her pretty finger. The wandering cultivator that came towards her instantly turned into a ball of fire without any warning. Lets get that fig tree first. Mu Tian kept going, and he targeted several female wandering cultivators, spreading out the toxic pink powder with his Mutual Joy Bell. Ahh! Save me! A voice that Mo Yuluo and Mu Tian were highly familiar with suddenly rang out. Xingyuan! Mo Yuluo turned to see Nan Xingyuan clutching her chest as she leaned weakly against the side of the cave. Her face was deathly pale, and blood kept flowing from the wound on her chest. Chapter 47 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 47: Kill Them All Die! Mu Tian shouted at the wandering cultivator he had just spotted dashing towards Nan Xingyuan. A beam shot out from his Mutual Joy Bell, piercing through the wandering cultivators heart, killing them instantly. Who did this to you? Mo Yuluo finally got to Nan Xingyuan and quickly fed Nan Xingyuan a pill. Gu Suihan! Nan Xingyuan had a terrified and despairing expression on her face. She knew that this expedition was meant to kill the four disciples that survived the previous attack; giving the external disciples experience was only the secondary objective. But to her surprise, it turned out that Li Rong wanted Gu Suihan dead as well. Knowing this made her feel a lot more relieved. The chances of Gu Suihan dying would increase if there were one more person after his life, after all. She was genuinely terrified of Gu Suihan now. She did not expect him to be able to survive Chuan Xins attack even though Chuan Xin was at a higher level of cultivation and Gu Suihan had just finished that insane duel with Li Xianlong. It was terrifying just thinking about it. After she learned from Mo Yuluo and Li Rong that Gu Suihan was also somewhere in the secret realm, she had been on tenterhooks1. She knew that Gu Suihan would not hesitate to kill her if he was given a chance. She ended up being extremely cautious right from the beginning. To prevent Gu Suihan from attacking her secretly, she gave up on some spiritual herbs and formed a team with other disciples. Thankfully, even though she ran into some dangers along the way, she still managed to meet up with Mo Yuluo and the rest. She thought that Gu Suihan would not appear here since he would probably end up dying if he did. To her surprise, Gu Suihan came and was such a formidable fighter. Mo Yuluo had given her a high-grade magic weapon to protect herself, but she still nearly lost her life. Gu Suihan had disguised himself, but Nan Xingyuan recognized those distant eyes that made him look more like an asura than a human, as well as the way he brandished his sword so violently and confidently. Where is he? Mu Tian asked gently as he carefully helped Nan Xingyuan to get up. I dont know. Hes changed his outward appearance, but I recognize his eyes. Also, the sword hes holding is a rather strange looking one, said Nan Xingyuan in a fearful voice as she leaned weakly against Mu Tians shoulder. The more urgent matter right now is getting that fig tree. Well still have time to hunt him down after that, said Li Rong calmly as he looked at Mo Yuluo. Neither Li Rong nor Mo Yuluo was surprised by how badly injured Nan Xingyuan was. They had fought him earlier, after all. They hadnt managed to kill him because he had sprung a surprise attack on them, but the fact that Gu Suihan managed to get away completely unscathed proved how formidable he was. I agree. Mo Yuluo gritted her teeth and looked towards the fierce battle at the lake with an indignant look on her face. Bury the Heavens and the Earth! Spiritual Coffin of Spirits! Li Rong remained expressionless as he focused on making hand seals at top speed. A three-meter long intricately carved coffin that gave off murderous qi appeared before him. Li Rong watched the coffin quietly emit more and more murderous qi, and his lips curled into a smile. He raised his hand, and seven retched smelling corpses covered with white hairy and greenish mold on their faces appeared next to him instantly. Perhaps it had sensed the presence of fellow undead souls, so the body lying inside the coffin began to make several noises. The heavy lid of the coffin shook with every thud the body inside made. Demon Lord, rise! Li Rong made a hand seal, then slammed his left palm onto the mysterious golden carvings on the coffin. Demon Lord Bronze Corpse! The tremendous blast caused by the coffin bursting open drew the attention of everyone still fighting in the cave. Some of them recognized the bronze-colored body that had just stepped out of the coffin. They gasped as they looked upon the corpse, which stood nearly two stories tall. Youve prepared something pretty powerful, havent you? Mo Yuluos expression was grim as she felt the bronze corpses frightening aura, which seemed to weigh down on her. Xiexin Zhenren gave this to you? Who else? Li Rong nearly rolled his eyes at her. It hadnt been easy for him to beg his father to lend this to him at the last minute. Not everything was going according to plan, and he had to seize the first opportunity to create his own personal jiangshi. He had hoped to wait until Gu Suihan had reached the Advanced Foundation Establishment or even the Perfect Foundation Establishment, but things did not go the way he had hoped. Demon Lord, go! Li Rong frowned as he made hand seals and shouted commands. It was tough for someone at Foundation Establishment to control this bronze corpse, so he had to focus as hard as possible and make sure he wasnt distracted. Tsk, thought Gu Suihan as he teased another Seven Kill Sect disciple with his unpredictable moves. But even as he fought off his opponents, he would always glance towards Mo Yuluo and the rest from time to time. He was looking for a chance to strike them a fatal blow. The fight got more and more intense, and rocks continued to fall from the ceiling of the cave while more and more cultivators either got injured or died. Luckily for Gu Suihan, quite a number of wandering cultivators had still chosen to stay behind to fight. Otherwise, all the Seven Kill Sect disciples combined would have wiped out all the wandering cultivators in no time at all. ROAR! The bronze corpse roared and grabbed hold of one of the wandering cultivators. Everyone watched in horror as the corpse sank its fangs deep into the cultivators body, and the cultivators body instantly dried up. With such a powerful creature on their side, the Seven Kill Sect disciples felt as if their prayers had been answered and loudly cheered as they ran towards the remaining wandering cultivators. At the same time, they made sure to keep their distance from this bronze corpse since it did not distinguish disciple from wandering cultivator. A female disciple from the Nobles Clan got in the way of the bronze corpse earlier, and it stepped right through her. They could still hear the echoes of the last scream she let out. Get it! yelled Mo Yuluo as she moved past everyone else swiftly. She held two fingers out and used them to slice through the neck of a Qi Activation wandering cultivator that came too close to her, separating his head from the rest of his body soundlessly. Yan Wuheng let out a roar, and his breathing was as loud as thunder. His heavy sword was covered with many cultivators flesh and internal organs, and the stench of rotting flesh emanated from its blade. Got it! Hang Chulong ran like the wind and flashed past everyone like a bolt of lightning. He punched a fist right through the abdomen of a wandering cultivator in his way and used that bloodied hand to pull the Blood Jade Fig tree out of the lake, including the rock under it that weighed a few thousand kilograms. He flung it back towards Mu Tian without even turning toward Mu Tian. He brandished his sword to block the attack of a heavy ax that was about to strike him and stumbled backward from the impact. Thats my chance! Gu Suihans eyes lit up. He flung the sword in his hand aside, then kicked his opponent so hard that his chest caved in, and blood spurted from every orifice. Gu Suihan used the opponents body as a springboard and used his other hand to withdraw Red Dust. Its blade cut through the air and gleamed with a dark green glow. Help me! Hang Chulong knew when he needed to fight and when he needed to retreat, and he intended to withdraw after he had barely managed to dodge that heavy ax. But he suddenly felt all his hair stand on end as he saw that the burly man with the heavy ax was swinging it at him again. Hang Chulong fell to the ground and rolled to the side without thinking. PAK! Hang Chulong looked up just in time to see the ax barely miss his face. But the sharp blade of the ax had also broken through his Steel Strength Talisman and shattered it. Hang Chulong! Watch out! Mu Tian had caught a dark green gleam from the corner of his eye, and his heart sank. What? Hang Chulong instinctively turned around and saw an aloof pair of eyes staring straight at him. He felt something strike his neck, and then he died. At the Foundation Establishment stage, a cultivator was powerful but still merely a human. Those who managed to gather Three Huas into the dantian could separate the soul from the body. So, even if spells or weapons attacked the body, the soul could still escape the body. The soul might face issues like finding a suitable body to take over or losing some cultivation progress, but at least the soul was still alive. While cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage had all their Spiritual Meridians open and linked up and could thus gather spiritual energy and use spiritual sense, this stage was only the starting point for any cultivator. Severe damage to vital organs could heal over time, but if the dantian or Spiritual Root were destroyed, or if their head was chopped off, the cultivator would still die. Gu Suihan rotated the tip of his blade to chop off Hang Chulongs middle finger so that he could pick the storage ring right off it. Then he put away Hang Chulongs severed head inside his magic storage bag. The look of horror was still on Hang Chulongs lifeless head. His next step was to turn to smile faintly at Nan Xingyuan, who was hiding in Mu Tians embrace like a fearful little chick seeking shelter under its mothers wings. Yin Yang Rotation! The Way of Mutual Joy! Mu Tians expression was solemn as he rotated the bell in his hand rapidly and held a handful of the pink poisonous powder that could break ones soul. He continued to chant incantations that nobody could understand to the beat of the bells clapper. Gu Suihan felt as though he had entered a dream. There were rare treasures all around him and pretty women in all directions. The sound of faint laughter echoed in his ears, and he could feel a wild surge of energy within him as if he were an animal on the prowl. Everything is an illusion, all these are mere delusions. Everything I see, the good and the bad, are as transient as the reflection of flowers in the mirror, or the moon in the river, a dream that bursts as easily as a bubble. Gu Suihan didnt panic at all. He held Red Dust gently as he made hand seals with his left hand. His expression was serious, yet peaceful. He resembled a monk who had spent decades meditating in a secluded temple. Mu Tian was too shocked to do anything as he watched Gu Suihan shatter the illusionary world around him in a matter of seconds before vomiting a mouthful of blood. DANG! Gu Suihan swung his sword to the back to block Yan Wuhengs swift and vicious attack from the other direction. He used the impact of the collision to fly up into the air and run toward Mu Tian, who was still in a daze. It was hard to say if he was aiming for the Blood Jade Fig tree next to Mu Tian or Mu Tian himself, or maybe even the woman still hiding in his embrace. Chapter 48 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 48: Surround and Attack Mu Tian was still a little stunned, but his first instinct was to pull several talismans out. Mud Wall Talismans, Blade of Wind Talismans, Ice Cone Talismans, and Fire Ball Talismans. Dozens of talismans flew into the air in front of him and brightly glowed as he used his spiritual energy to activate them. Gu Suihan realized he couldnt fight such an aggressive attack head-on, so his pupils constricted, and he quickly turned his feet the other way. His body moved about to dodge the attacks while sending out various defensive spells to slow the attacks down. Time to meet your maker! roared Yan Wuheng as he swung his heavy sword, which was now sizzling with steam. Demon Lord Spewing Blood! Li Rong quickly came to lend a hand. The bronze corpse looked like it was in pain for a moment, then the runes on its forehead shone especially brightly, forcibly suppressing the pain it felt earlier. It roared loudly and stomped giant footprints into the ground that measured several inches deep, swinging its fists with explosive power at the back of Gu Suihans. Gu Suihan felt his hair stand on end as he heard the sound of those fists cutting through the air. His expression became serious as he brandished Red Dust to fight off the conical blocks of ice coming at him, then rolled off into a corner. Ive been waiting for you for a long time, Mo Yuluos faint laughter echoed within the corner where Gu Suihan had chosen to hide. She had a strange smile on her face and a tinge of bashfulness in her eyes as she lifted her fair wrist to tap the air several times with her fingers. The long blue sword made from ice crystals in her other hand emanated frosty Qi as it came stabbing towards him with great speed. I dont have a choice, huh. Red Dust made a buzzing sound as it gave off terrifying wisps of murderous Qi. He turned his body so that Mo Yuluos ice crystal sword would not hurt any of his vital organs and took a step forward. Her sword stabbed into the side of his body from the front and came right out from the back. He had a faint smile on his face as he gripped Mo Yuluos wrist so that she couldnt move her sword anymore. Then he raised his long sword and caused a strong wind to blow as he used the sword to draw several strange symbols in the air, then thrust it towards her dantian. Teehee! Mo Yuluo didnt panic at all. Her beautifully embroidered white chiffon dress suddenly billowed and blocked the attack with a loud clang. Gu Suihan immediately frowned when he realized that he couldnt move his sword forward anymore. He tried his best, but he couldnt break through the invisible barrier blocking his way. You will reap what you sow today. Gu Suihan kept his sword away, and his fingernails gleamed bright green, and he clawed at Mo Yuluo even as she looked smugly at him, leaving a cut behind before slamming a palm towards her. Hes trying to get away! Her face turned red, and there was an embarrassed look in her eyes for a moment when she realized where Gu Suihans hand was headed. But when she saw the unrelenting look in Gu Suihans eyes, she quickly realized that she had to fight back and started chanting other spells as she used her fingers to aim for the acupoints on Gu Suihans hands. Creation of a Ghost! A Ghost Leaves No Traces! Mo Yuluos magic dress immediately gave off a mysterious fragrance that could make one feel dizzy while black beams of murderous Qi shot out from her gemlike eyes. Crap! Its another illusionary spell! Gu Suihan felt his eyelid twitch. His storage ring gleamed as he retrieved a Wild Wind and Falling Leaves Talisman and threw it behind him without even looking back. Damn it! Mo Yuluos skirt billowed from the talismans effect, causing it to lift high enough to block her face, which also broke the illusionary spell she had cast from her eyes. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars, Travel Through a Different Space! Gu Suihans steps changed dramatically, and Mu Tian and the rest suddenly stopped launching attacks as they watched Gu Suihan float into the air and start fading. Hes getting away! Yan Wuheng suddenly realized what was happening and pumped so much spiritual energy into his heavy sword that it became scorching, causing everything around it to look warped from the high heat. Brilliant Light! Flaming Steps! Yan Wuhengs face turned red as blood spilled from his mouth. He held his sword towards his back and started walking swiftly into the air. Then he swung his sword down to send flames measuring several meters down towards Gu Suihan. Fuck! Gu Suihan inwardly cursed as he saw Yan Wuheng coming for him like a meteorite falling from the sky. He used his spiritual energy to push his body to move even faster, disregarding the blood oozing from his pores, the result of pushing himself too hard. To the other space! hissed Gu Suihan when Yan Wuheng was less than a meter away from him. His body began to warp and created ripples in the air. After that, a bizarre thing happened. Yan Wuhengs ferocious attack seemed to have no effect as it went right through the smiling Gu Suihan to land on the ground instead. The impact of his attack caused rocks to crumble, filling the entire cave with dust and tiny stones. Yan Wuheng, are you trying to get us all killed?! Mo Yuluos exclamation echoed in the dark cave. The sound of others getting hurt by the falling rocks was accompanied by several others cursing loudly. You cant get away! Yan Wuheng was panting as heavily as a bull. He cast a spell on his eyes to help him see better and looked toward where Gu Suihan was earlier. His face instantly darkened. Where did he go? Gu Suihan had disappeared. Yan Wuheng cursed in frustration, and his eyes frostily glinted when he realized what technique Gu Suihan had used just moments ago. He knew what technique that was. That was a technique that could help one teleport into a different space instantly. Many disciples in the Seven Kill Sect knew of such techniques, but very few were as good at it as Gu Suihan was. In fact, it was already astonishing that Gu Suihan was able to execute it at the Foundation Establishment stage. This now you see me, now you dont sort of technique was usually something that only those who were getting close to the Origin Core stage would be able to understand and cultivate. Whos there? Mu Tian bellowed as he rang a tiny bell amidst the dust. The bell spun continuously and rang at a very high pitch. Oh no! The other three were immediately horrified. But before they could reach Mu Tian, they heard him howl miserably, The Blood Jade Figs! Xingyuan! Li Rong immediately called upon his group of jiangshis to protect himself. Demon Lord Fills the Earth, Bronze Corpse Sways the Immortals! A light shot out from his palm, and the bronze corpse suddenly roared and rammed its fists into the ground. A terrifying and violent aura engulfed the bronze corpse as it drove all the dust in the air aside so that everyone could see clearly. Countless cracks now covered the entire cave because of how hard the corpse had punched the ground. The ground shook even harder, and more rocks fell from the top of the cave, making everyone feel even dizzier as the falling rocks also made the place even darker. Everyone struggled to focus, and they did their best to avoid the falling rocks. The cave is going to collapse! RUN! The wandering cultivators immediately started running out of the cave like a swarm of bees. Talismans shone brightly on their bodies as they activated everything they could and used whatever techniques they knew to help them escape as quickly as possible. It was a pity that they couldnt get their hands on that Blood Jade Fig tree, but their lives were more important. Mo Yuluo had a murderous look in her eyes, wielding her sword that emanated frosty qi, killing several wandering cultivators as she made her way swiftly towards Mu Tian. The cave was shaking more and more violently. Yan Wuheng had an anxious look on his face as he ran towards Mu Tian, carrying his heavy sword on his back as he pushed aside any rocks in the way. Lets go! Li Rong reached Mu Tian first and noticed Mu Tians pale and dismayed expression. He also saw the lifeless and completely dried-up corpse in Mu Tians arms. He was horrified, but there was no time to talk about this. He commanded his powerful bronze corpse to pick Mu Tian up and yelled at his companions, Mo Yuluo, lets go! Ill take care of Mu Tian, lets get out of here first! Damn it! Yan Wuheng saw that the bronze corpse was holding onto Mu Tian, but the Blood Jade Fig tree was nowhere to be seen. He was agitated, but there was nothing he could do now except curse inwardly and quickly make his way out. KEBOOOOOM The cave collapsed. Everyone stood outside with pale faces as they looked at the rubble that was once a much taller mountain. Who took the Blood Jade Fig tree? Humph! It must have been someone from the Seven Kill Sect! Didnt you notice the infighting among them earlier? The young fellow who took the tree might seem formidable, but theres only one of him. There are still four other formidable ones from the Seven Kill Sect here. I guess theres no way we can snatch it back from them, said one of the wandering cultivators with a sigh. Youre still hoping to fight for it? another scoffed. One of them died, but those four over there are all internal disciples of the Seven Kill Sect and theyre all at Foundation Establishment. One of them looks very badly hurt, but just look at that bronze corpse! Thats something that only someone at Origin Core could truly control. Even if it only used 10 or 20 percent of its strength on us, wed all die. Chapter 49 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 49: Clues to the Hide Forget it; theres no point in sticking around. The wandering cultivators sat down to rest for a time and then went their separate ways. They still had a few more days in the secret realm, so they wanted to find as many spiritual herbs and other treasures as possible. Even if there wasnt much left, it was better than nothing. After all, unlike how the disciples of the Seven Kill Sect received a monthly allowance of Spiritual Stones and could even take on missions to earn more, the wandering cultivators had to rely on themselves. What the heck happened there? asked Li Rong with a sullen expression, only after stowing away the bronze corpse, stationing a few of his jiangshis around them to keep watch, and swallowing a pill. Mu Tian had also calmed down by now, and the look of pain and misery he had earlier was gone. He glanced at Yan Wuheng and grumbled, If Yan Wuheng hadnt executed Brilliant Light and Flaming Steps inside that tiny space and made the entire cave dark and dusty that it was impossible to see anything, that Gu Suihan wouldnt have been able to get anywhere near me. Yan Wuheng did not argue back and only nodded with a sigh. I thought that after Miss Mo stabbed him with her sword, the frosty Qi from her sword would start to freeze his organs and injure him severely. He also suddenly stopped while running and looked like he was succumbing to the attack, so I decided to launch my best attack to kill him with one blow. I didnt know he knew a technique like that. This was my fault. No. Nobody would have thought that Gu Suihan could possibly execute a technique that only a cultivator at Origin Core could, especially when he is only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Besides, no matter how powerful that technique might be, hes not strong enough to use it, so I believe he must be severely injured from using it right now. Its a good chance to attack him, said Li Rong maliciously. Lets recuperate first, then make plans later, said Mo Yuluo flatly. She had returned to the elegant and unapproachable goddess-like persona she usually had. The authoritativeness in her voice made the other three reluctantly listen to her. None of them were afraid of Gu Suihan despite everything that had happened. This was something that happened very often in the world of cultivators, after all. Just because Gu Suihan had escaped despite being attacked by five others did not necessarily mean that Gu Suihan was more powerful than them. Everyone had their secrets and trump cards. Nobody would go all out to fight an opponent unless they had to. Besides using that bronze corpse to kill several cultivators, Li Rong hadnt done anything and wasnt injured in any way. Mo Yuluo was also unhurt. Only Mu Tian was in a pretty bad state. Then again, he had been very unlucky this time. He was a cultivator and expert in using illusionary spells to tire his opponent out, but he had run into someone like Gu Suihan, who did not become afraid or hypnotized by these illusions. On top of that, he had to protect both the Blood Jade Fig tree and Nan Xingyuan. It was only normal for him to get badly injured in the process. As for Hang Chulong, he deserved to die. He was a sword cultivator who wasnt good with spells or anything like that, yet he chose to lead the attack and even tried to use the Blood Jade Figs to lure Gu Suihan towards himself. Of course, Gu Suihan was going to cut him down. Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng walked over to the remaining ten-odd newbie disciples and told them to move in small groups so that it would become difficult for others to spring a surprise attack on them. Pfft! Gu Suihans face was pale as he leaned against the walls of a narrow cave weakly. He looked as though someone had pulled him out from a pool of blood. Several long cuts on his body were so deep that you could almost see his bone. There was also another fist-sized hole in his body that looked equally frightening. The hole was filled with blood, but it was frozen over and gleaming in the light. In fact, it was still giving off wisps of frosty Qi. Heh heh! Gu Suihan smirked as he retrieved the Blood Jade Figs from his storage ring. Once the figs had been plucked off the tree, the tree would dry up and wither immediately. At the same time, it was impossible for him to put the entire tree into any sort of storage space because it would lose any spiritual qi it had and become completely useless. The five Blood Jade Figs were only as large as grapes and gave off a faint bloodied smell. As for the tree, Gu Suihan had just left it behind somewhere. It had withered and was of no use to him, so he didnt bother taking it with him. He figured that Mo Yuluo and the rest were hoping to take the entire thing back to the sect to plant it there instead and use that in exchange for some Contribution Points. But Gu Suihan didnt need the tree or the figs per se. Blood Jade Fig trees bore fruit only once every ten years. In other words, you had to spend at least the next ten years tending to this plant carefully only to reap a minimal profit. On top of all that, it was practically useless to someone at Foundation Establishment like himself. Even if he were to be at Mid Foundation Establishment, the chances of making it to Advanced Foundation Establishment with these fruits were extremely low. He pulled out the concave stone filled with Qi-filled water the tree was growing in. He then crushed three figs without hesitation and mixed the resulting juices with the Qi-filled water. The water slowly turned a bloody red, which put a smile on Gu Suihans face. He wasnt going to use this to cultivate. Instead, he was going to use this to recover from his injuries. He remembered that Mo Yuluo could track him down using the blood from one of his relatives. If he didnt take this chance to recuperate fast, he would end up dead in no time. He sent Qi out from his fingers and gently used it to surround the water in the pool. He started sweating profusely from the pain this process caused him. The Qi flowing through his body made it feel like he was getting cut by knives and even breathing hurt. His Extreme Ra-Asu Breach had transformed his body into one with robust bones, but it was still no match for the spiritual weapon that Mo Yuluo used. She had only stabbed him once with it, but that was enough to make the rest of his internal organs freeze over and kill him. If his body was not made strong enough by his cultivation efforts, he would have turned into an ice sculpture, and Mo Yuluo could take him home as a souvenir. Hoo! He exhaled deeply, and his fingers trembled slightly as he directed the water he had gathered with his Qi into that hole in his body. It was like a meeting between ice and fire. The frosty qi within his body instantly gushed out to fight the water mixed in with the juice from the Blood Jade Figs. Blood Jade Figs carried the element of fire in them, so if an ordinary person ate them, their bodies would be burnt from the inside out. If Mo Yuluo hadnt stabbed Gu Suihan with a sword filled with frosty Qi, he wouldnt have done something like this either. It would have been suicide. Ssss! He was already prepared for what would happen next, but the sudden surge of pain still made him gasp from the excruciating pain. The Blood Jade Figs mixed with qi-filled water went all out to eliminate the frosty qi as though it had met its mortal enemy. But the frosty Qi wasnt giving up without a fight either. It congealed together inside Gu Suihans body to fight off the fire coming its way. As the two elements continued to fight each other, the pain the conflict created made Gu Suihan feel like his head was a river embankment that was being repeatedly hit by the gushing river waters. He was barely holding on. After some time, Gu Suihan felt like he was about to pass out, but he could also feel that his wound was finally beginning to heal. He breathed a huge sigh of relief. As for the remaining two figs, he decided to deal with them later. The sun was setting, and he figured that Mo Yuluo and the rest would probably start hunting him down soon. He took another Qi Gathering Pill, and his body began to recover on its own. The surging Qi in his body made him marvel at how excellent this Extreme Ra-Asu Breach technique was. It made his physical body impossibly strong, but his body was also able to recover from injuries very rapidly. But that made him let out a sad laugh too. Did this mean he would end up being more of a physical cultivator? He shook his head and quickly got changed, erased all traces of his presence, and was about to leave when a thought suddenly struck him. Hmm. He walked towards the empty stone pool and realized something very strange. Logically speaking, a Blood Jade Fig tree was rare but not particularly valuable. It didnt need such a large pool of qi-filled water to survive. Besides, the water inside this pool alone was worth the same or even more than the five figs. Why would someone do this? Its a bit warm too. Gu Suihan ran his fingers down the inside of the stone pool to find that the dry stone walls were slightly warm. He took his sword out and cut away most of the stone until he was left with a smaller slab only a few meters in diameter. He focused his qi on his palm and spun the slab slowly, using his qi to whittle away at the slab. This Gu Suihans mouth fell open, and his usually expressionless eyes lit up. A block of wood that didnt quite seem like wood appeared in his hands. It was about 30 centimeters in diameter and did not have clean edges, as if it had been broken off from something larger. He inspected it for a long time, reading the strange carvings on this piece of wood. His eyes shone even more brightly now. This is demonic script. A demonic script from ancient times. These inscriptions were somewhat similar to the words inscribed on the hide he no longer possessed. It was just as mysterious and just as old. He had keenly sensed the faint decaying air emanating from this object. Theres something wrong with this secret realm. His expression hardened as he told himself to investigate this once he returned to the sect. He needed to know if this thing connected to that piece of hide, what the words on it meant, and whether it had anything to do with that legend about an ancient flood. Its time to go. Gu Suihan snapped out of his thoughts and calmed back down again. He kept the broken pieces of the stone pool back inside his storage ring again. There might be other things inside that he had not discovered yet, so he thought it best to take everything with him. Chapter 50 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 50: Negotiation Mo Yuluo had used the Search for the Cause, Finding the Effect technique and tracked down where Gu Suihan was. The four of them set off immediately but did not speak to each other at all along the way. Their gazes were shifty, and they clearly had their own opinions on this whole matter. Mu Tian could sense the awkward and tense atmosphere between them, so he decided to say something. Do any of you know why Gu Suihan knows the Buddhist Illusion Breaking Seal technique? Thats how he countered my attack. If he hadnt known that technique, he would be dead by now. The look in his eyes grew grimmer as he spoke. The Buddhist Pure Land Temple was all the way in the west, miles, and miles away from the Seven Kill Sect. Besides, all the monks were very busy meditating and hoping to attain nirvana. Nobody had the time to come out here. Besides, Gu Suihan definitely didnt have the makings of a Buddha. Mu Tian had only seen Gu Suihan a few times. Still, it didnt take much to notice that even though Gu Suihan always smiled, seemed to make sensible decisions, and was never really loud or obnoxious, those eyes of his had practically no expression whatsoever. He looked more like some older person who was jaded and unimpressed by anything he saw. You suspect hes connected to the Buddhists? Li Rong stuck his head out of the sedan he was seated in that was being carried by his jiangshis. I dont think so. Mo Yuluo rolled her eyes before observing the area in front of her. Theres always that possibility, but the chances are meager. Firstly, if he belonged to such an organization, he would know some things about the cultivation world and not just join the Seven Kill Sect so cluelessly. Perhaps he has some other plans, but lets assume he doesnt. Also, the strange spells, martial arts techniques, and sword techniques that hes used thus far are all some of the best. He seems to know how to use all of them with great familiarity and doesnt make any mistakes. Whether his personality type is suitable for Buddhism isnt so important. His aptitude and body would make him a prized treasure to the monastery. Did you think those baldies would bear to let him leave? Yan Wuheng wiped his chin after taking a mouthful of wine and said, Also, Gu Suihan seems very interested in the ancient history of the cultivation world that has been lost. Hes gone to the library several times just to borrow such books to read. Most others at his stage would be much more interested in reading up spells and techniques, but he just skims through them and loses interest quickly. Hes only borrowed one book on the True Gold Purple Sun technique and returned it in less than three days. Hes definitely up to something, but thats not important right now. Yan Wuheng and I just want to get the Blood Jade Figs back, and we have nothing to do with anything you two are trying to do, said Mu Tian flatly with a scoff. Once Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng had become internal disciples, these three significant factions of power were no longer a group they had to rely on. They were willing to work with Mo Yuluo and Li Rong only because there was no conflict of interest. Unlike how the factions had almost absolute authority over the external disciples, the internal disciples were more willing to talk things out and reach an agreement this way. Inner disciples were talented and arrogant people, so none liked taking orders. Your little lover, Nan Xingyuan, was killed by Gu Suihan. Arent you upset about that? Li Rong sniggered. But Li Rongs sarcastic sniggering did not make Mu Tian angry. Instead, Mu Tian responded calmly, I was with Nan Xingyuan only because of her family background and the good amount of Yin she had in her body. It gets harder and harder to reach the next level of cultivation because you need a human cauldron with a higher level of aptitude than the last each time. Ive lost Nan Xingyuan, so I need to find another girl to continue my cultivation. I dont need to fight a lunatic like Gu Suihan over one Nan Xingyuan. Haha! I agree! said Yan Wuheng with a hearty laugh. I hope thats the case, said Mo Yuluo expressionlessly. She looked to her left and stopped walking. She pointed in that direction and said, Hes about five kilometers in that direction. He knows were not far from him, so why isnt he running? She frowned slightly and couldnt understand why Gu Suihan would stand around and wait for them. Do you think its a trap? Maybe hes just using something to fool us, but hes already escaped elsewhere. Thats impossible. Im using a spell that affects the rules around here, and you could even say its more powerful than the laws of nature that govern this place. It will be impossible for Gu Suihan to fool me. Mo Yuluo sounded a little angry now. Well, I thought my illusion spells could trap him and turn him into a pile of dust, too, muttered Mu Tian. Mo Yuluo scoffed and threw Mu Tian a disdainful glance. She didnt need to say more. Youre finally here, a clear and loud voice called out from a distance. Gu Suihan had suddenly appeared in front of everyone. Are you just waiting for us to kill you? asked Mo Yuluo emotionlessly. Or do you have more tricks up your sleeve? Oh no, no, said Gu Suihan with a smile as he shrugged leisurely. I know youve got the blood from one of my relatives, so theres no way I can run from you. Besides, this place is only so big. Li Rong snorted as he alighted from his sedan. He looked at Gu Suihan and said, Brother Gu, you cant get away, and youre not the type to let others kill you just like that. So, why put yourself through such misery? Why dont you let me turn your body into my personal jiangshi, and Ill let your soul go free? How about that? Thats not a problem, but I dont think my body is the only thing youre coveting, said Gu Suihan as he stared straight at Li Rong. I dont think getting yourself a personal jiangshi is your only motive. Li Rongs expression froze for a moment, then he squeezed a smile out and said, Wh-what are you talking about? The rest looked strangely at how Li Rong was obviously only pretending to be calm, and they were surprised to hear Gu Suihans words. Mu Tian frowned and took a step forward. Hand over the Blood Jade Figs. Im sure the tree itself is dead, but were not bothered by that. Give Yan Wuheng and me two figs each, and well leave right away. We will not involve ourselves in your feud with the two of them. Oho, Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow, surprised by Mu Tians proposal. But he went on, Youre a little too late, though. Ive used those figs to recover from my injuries. I wouldnt just appear in front of all of you if I were still badly injured. Mu Tian was a little stunned, then he snorted and said, Thats not possible. Five Blood Jade Figs is enough to push a Beginner Foundation Establishment cultivator into the Mid phase. If you only used them for recuperation purposes, you wouldnt need so many of them. Also, the figs carry the element of fire, and theres no way youd be able to withstand the heat it creates. Yan Wuheng suddenly took a step forward and stared straight at Gu Suihan as he said, Wait. You were stabbed by Mo Yuluos Soul Freezing Hell Sword, which is full of frosty qi. You recovered because you used the fire from the figs to neutralize the frosty qi from the sword. Is that it? Thats right, said Gu Suihan with a smile as he rubbed his palms together. It was probably a waste to use the figs this way, but there was no way I could escape with that level of injury. So But you couldnt possibly have used up everything either. Yan Wuheng threw his wine flask aside and was very confident as he said, The frosty qi from the sword was very powerful, but you were still able to teleport yourself in an instant, so that means that your body itself is not weak. So, the injury you suffered from the frosty qi couldnt have been that serious. True, true. Youre right. But I only have two more left. How are the four of you going to split them among yourselves? Gu Suihan held out the two gleaming Blood Jade Figs that smelled faintly of blood. Mu Tian scoffed. Stop trying to agitate us like that. We wont fall for such low-level tricks like that. Im not including Mo Yuluo and Li Rong, so two figs are perfect for Yan Wuheng and me. But if you want us to stay out of your affairs, youd need to give us something more. Swear by the Way, said Gu Suihan after falling silent for a moment. Were all intelligent people here, so theres no need to beat around the bush. Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng exchanged glances and finally felt relieved inside. So many unexpected events had happened one after another, and Hang Chulong even lost his life in the process. They had to count themselves lucky for surviving thus far. The three internal disciples had initially agreed to take one fig each, then sell off the remaining two. That way, they would still be able to get a few thousand Spiritual Stones on top of one fig. But when Mo Yuluo and Li Rong suddenly turned up, they had no choice but to give up the remaining two they had meant to sell. Mo Yuluo and Li Rong had powerful backers, so the three internal disciples didnt have a choice. Later on, Gu Suihan appeared out of nowhere and killed off Hang Chulong so quickly, completely disregarded the leader of the Way Seekers Alliance, and ran away with the figs while also killing Nan Xingyuan at the same time. He was so severely injured, yet he still managed to escape from them. Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng hadnt revealed everything they had yet, but what they had seen so far was enough to re-evaluate their judgment of this up-and-coming genius among the external disciples. They both quickly concluded that they should not fall out with Gu Suihan. The two men solemnly swore that they would leave immediately after getting the figs and compensation and that they would not attack him while they were all outside the sect. There you go. Gu Suihan threw the figs and two small pouches to Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng. Now! Mo Yuluo shouted as a long blue sword filled with frosty qi appeared in her hand. She dashed forward and reached Gu Suihan instantly, then brought her sharp sword down towards Gu Suihans outstretched arm. Chapter 51 Questioning Heaven, Desiring the Way 51: Blazing Sun Freezing Snow Li Rong immediately completed the set of hand seals that he had already prepared, sending dozens of jiangshis roaring threateningly toward the Blood Jade Figs that Gu Suihan had thrown toward Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng. Li Rong, youre asking for it! bellowed Yan Wuheng furiously. A 15-centimeter flame surrounded his large sword as he slashed away at the oncoming jiangshis. Yin Yang Great Compassion, Sacred King of the Spirits! Mu Tian was equally furious. The tiny bell in his hand rang continuously, sending out ear-piercing rings while pink poisonous powder shot out from Mu Tians body. A ferocious-looking nine-meter tall monster with blurred facial features and a lustful air around it appeared behind Mu Tian instantly. It had one head but eight arms and each arm held a strange-looking weapon. The creatures sheer size was imposing enough to put pressure on everyone else. Sacred King of the Spirits, forward! Mu Tian touched the ground lightly and flew towards the jiangshi coming his way. His expression remained frosty as he made a hand seal and thrust it forward. The Sacred King roared at the sky, and its eight arms hacked at the jiangshi with such force and speed they made loud swooshing noises. Their weapons gleamed like the grim reapers sickle as they slashed away at the jiangshi. A sickening slicing noise could be heard as the jiangshi was quickly covered in dozens of wounds that measured half an inch deep. I knew that was going to happen. Gu Suihans other hand looked like a claw as he soundlessly tried to grab hold of Mo Yuluos fair wrist. Humph! Mo Yuluo didnt panic at all. Instead, she used her left hand to throw a talisman at Gu Suihans hand and raised her sword with her right. A Bone Eroding Talisman! Gu Suihan was alarmed when he realized which talisman was and immediately withdrew his hand to avoid its attack before stretching it towards the Soul Freezing Sword that was coming for his arm. Inches Away C Ends of the World! The two of them were only a meter apart, and Mo Yuluos sword was only a few inches away from Gu Suihans arm. But she suddenly felt a tremendous weight on her arm before Gu Suihan moved further away from her at an incredible speed. He had become nothing but a black dot in the distance in just the blink of an eye. The sudden turn of events shocked her, and she froze on the spot. How could this even be possible? Gu Suihan had moved as quickly as an Origin Core cultivator. Hoho! Gu Suihans faint laughter rang in her ears as he suddenly reappeared and thrust his sword towards his waist. What sorcery was that? Mo Yuluo was perspiring. What she witnessed earlier had clearly frightened her. At the same time, her wrist quickly rotated to block Red Dust from stabbing her, and she thrust it towards Gu Suihans abdomen. Heavenly Wind Finger! Gu Suihan brought Red Dust up to block her sword while flicking his left finger towards her. More than ten tiny little knives the width of willow leaves flew towards Mo Yuluo. The knives glowed brightly and looked like shooting stars. ROAR! A terrifying roar was directed at Gu Suihan from the side, and the air instantly stank. Li Rong had summoned his bronze corpse again, and it was swinging its huge fists toward Gu Suihan. Screen of Frosty Air! Mo Yuluo shouted as her sword sliced through the air, creating a wall of ice that blocked the knives from Gu Suihan. Her dress flapped in the wind as she flew towards Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan was busy trying to avoid the attacks of the bronze corpse, so this was her chance. Her long sword rang loudly like a phoenix soaring into the sky. She had a stern look on her pretty face as she stood still in midair. She cut her fingertips and allowed the blood to flow onto the sword. Her hands formed hand seal after hand seal so quickly that they were nothing but a blur. Sounds from Hell, Tons of Frost! Let the blood be led by my sword! Mo Yuluos charming face turned whiter and whiter as she continued to form hand seals. She looked even more mesmerizing as blood dribbled from her lips beneath the cloudless sky. Meanwhile, Mu Tian had chopped that jiangshi in half and picked up the Blood Jade Fig that had landed on the ground. The Sacred King illusion behind him slowly faded, and he sat down weakly on the ground covered in the smelly remains of the jiangshi to smirk at the grim-faced Li Rong standing not too far away from him. Your plans didnt work out, eh? Youre too young and green to outsmart us! said a red-faced Yan Wuheng with a laugh after he exhaled deeply from the fight earlier, picked up his heavy sword, and caught the Blood Jade Fig that Mu Tian threw him. Im not your match, so I wont continue this fight, said Li Rong calmly. He didnt seem discouraged at all. But there was a grim look in his eyes when he looked around at the jiangshis that lay in pieces everywhere. Its snowing? Mu Tian looked up and wondered aloud after he felt something fall on his face. Thats not snow. The laws of nature that govern this secret realm are messed up, so its impossible to experience the four seasons here, said Yan Wuheng flatly. He had a grim look in his eyes as he watched Gu Suihan fight Mo Yuluo. Loud explosions constantly filled the air. Thatsthats the Light of Heavenly Frost! exclaimed Mu Tian in shock when he followed Yan Wuhengs gaze and connected the technique that Mo Yuluo had executed with the rapidly falling temperatures. Wed better run for it. They exchanged glances and ignored Li Rong as they pasted a stack of Lightweight Body and Rapid Escape talismans on themselves. They ran like the wind into the distance and didnt even turn back. Li Rong gritted his teeth as he watched Gu Suihan dodge his bronze corpse repeatedly despite how hard the bronze corpse was attacking Gu Suihan. He pulled out another bag and looked a little reluctant as he commanded, Nine Corpses of Destiny, here is my blood sacrifice. He bit his tongue hard enough for it to bleed, then drank it down. The bag instantly grew in size and opened up to let out nine muscular and frightening-looking corpses covered in gleaming metal. The nine of them quickly surrounded Li Rong in a strange formation. The foul-smelling corpses that had been hacked to pieces by Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng earlier seemed to be attracted to these nine corpses and began flying towards Li Rong. Giant Millstone of Flesh and Blood! yelled Li Rong loudly as he drew mysterious lines in the air before thrusting his arms forward. KEBABOOM! Boom after boom resounded as the remnants of the corpses slowly came together to form a gigantic and grotesque-looking millstone of bones, lumps of flesh, and random internal organs. The millstone grew bigger and bigger, and the volume of the explosions grew louder as well. The bloodied millstone that measured nine meters across and one meter in height was finally fully formed when it had rolled within a hundred meters of Gu Suihan. As it moved, some pieces would fall off from time to time, leaving an unmistakable trail of darkened blood behind it. I cant fight this off. I need to run right now! Gu Suihan had noticed the creepy and gross millstone rolling towards him, and the rapid decrease in temperature plus the constant attack from above by the tall bronze corpse set off all the alarm bells in his head. He raised his sword to block one of the bronze corpses attacks and tried to use the impact to help him escape more quickly. Trying to run? Li Rongs expression was nasty as he noticed Gu Suihans nimble moves. Heaven and Earth Destiny Defining Talisman! This was something Li Rong had received from his father, a talisman that only a talisman maker at Origin Core could make. This thing cost at least 3,000 Spiritual Stones in the open market. If this talisman landed on an Origin Core cultivator, he would lose all his internal Qi and feel a mountainous pressure on his body. After just 15 minutes, the cultivator would be unable to fight anymore. The effect on a Foundation Establishment cultivator would probably be much worse. It was a waste to use it on Gu Suihan, but Li Rong decided to go all out to get that item in Gu Suihans possession1. Crap! Thats a talisman that can change the laws of nature! Gu Suihan was even more alarmed and started to summon the spiritual energy within him. Red Dust whined at an ear-piercing pitch like an injured animal. A murderous air carried a tinge of red as it surrounded Gu Suihan immediately. He started contemplating his options. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars? That needed time to execute. He didnt have time for that. Send Suihans soul out? This secret realm was lacking in Qi, and the laws of nature governing it were messed up. If it collapsed from being unable to withstand Suihans souls power, he wouldnt even get the chance to cry in regret. Inches Away C Ends of the World? Nah. All the techniques and spells that he had amassed from his previous life ran through his mind like a gushing river, but he eliminated them quickly. Either he wasnt at a sufficiently high level to execute them, or he didnt have the time it took to execute them. Or he didnt have the other items that were required for execution. It seemed like Gu Suihan had finally been pushed into a corner. The snow fell more and more heavily, covering an area several kilometers wide. The long sword in front of Mo Yuluo as she remained in midair had turned entirely transparent. Mo Yuluo had activated the runes inscribed all over the swords body, and she had even removed the seal within her sword. The frosty winds were so strong that they sliced through everything in their way. The freezing temperatures trapped Gu Suihan within its reach. That powerful talisman was flying slowly but surely towards him. The bronze corpse kept launching attacks on him, and that disgusting wheel of corpses was also getting closer and closer. Bootleg Clacker Snacks: Ever had apple chips? Just chop up some sour apples (like granny smiths) and put them in your oven, preheated to the lowest possible temp. Leave them there until they have been thoroughly dried out, and season them to taste (I recommend cinnamon if you like apple pie). Please dont burn your house down; alternatively, you can just use a dehydrator. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 C Hopeless Situation Clang! Gu Suihan blocked yet another punch from the bronze corpse, then jumped towards Mo Yuluo. He couldnt dodge the bronze corpses next punch, so he let the corpse punch him before waving his sword to force the corpse backward and continued charging toward Mo Yuluo. Humph! Are you trying to force me to break this spell? Mo Yuluos dress danced in the wind, and her lengthy, black hair flew wildly. Her heart shuddered when she saw how the look in Gu Suihans eyes remained as aloof as ever despite being in such a desperate situation. Suddenly, it felt as though everything had fallen silent and time had stopped. The invisible but ever-present pressure in the fair forced Gu Suihan to ever more slowly as the frost began to creep up his body. His Spiritual Meridians felt as if they were blocked, and he had difficulty circulating the Qi within his body. Even the blood surging through his veins from the fighting a moment ago had dropped in temperature and had begun to slow down. Mo Yuluos fair and slim fingers gently took hold of the long sword that had nearly turned entirely transparent. Her slightly pale face looked relieved when she saw that Gu Suihan had stopped a little less than 30 meters away from her and couldnt move any further, his entire body covered in frost and sleet. She lifted her arm slightly, raising her sword, its movement as powerful as the wind and thunder, leaving behind black trails of smoke. Just lifting this sword seemed to require all of her energy, and her forehead was covered in perspiration. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally managed to raise the sword high enough so that the tip of the sword was now pointed at the frozen Gu Suihan suspended in the air before her. Her quivering lips parted as her pleasant voice rang out, Light of Heavenly Frost! Her dress was as white as snow, her silky hair as black as ink. Gu Suihan watched as a sword that looked like it could pierce the highest heavens, and the deepest hell came flying towards him. Everything within the range of Mo Yuluos frosty spell turned into swords instantly. The frost that continued to fall on his body had suddenly transformed into sharp blades. It hurt even to breathe. Mo Yuluos sword gleamed brightly and flew rapidly towards Gu Suihans forehead. For some reason, her smile faded slowly as her eyes met Gu Suihans emotionless gaze. Youre about to die, she thought with a sigh. Just then, the frost covering Gu Suihan suddenly exploded. Mo Yuluo watched in shock as he flew another three meters into the air. What just happened? She looked carefully and saw that Gu Suihan had thrown a round, shiny object about as large as a babys fist. That was an Expanse Bomb, the trump card that Gu Suihan had carefully crafted for such situations. Her eyes widened when she realized that it was something terribly dangerous and forcibly swung her sword the other way to withdraw herself from the attack, disregarding the injury she was inflicting on herself by doing this. The swing of her sword was accompanied by the heart-wrenching sound of blood spurting from her mouth. Her white dress shone brightly and created a barrier around herself that measured about 30 centimeters thick. Gold-colored runes flickered around the barrier from time to time. Meanwhile, her sword had left her hand and continued to swoosh through the air towards the pale-faced Gu Suihan. Clang! Gu Suihan used all the strength in his body to turn his sword downwards to block any attack on his dantian. But that was all he could do because he couldnt move any more than that. He could only watch as that shiny transparent blade continued flying towards him. And that wasnt all. The booming and rolling millstone made from corpse flesh was still coming towards him, along with the harmless-looking but practically fatal Heaven and Earth Destiny Defining Talisman. Maras Dance Steps! Mo Yuluos pale face sweated profusely, and blood slowly stained her white dress. As the gleaming black ball in the air flew towards her, she decided not to risk it and executed another technique instead. Her feet moved in a strange yet harmonious way, enabling her to dodge that black ball just in time. Meanwhile, her sword had made yet another hole the size of a fist in Gu Suihans chest. One could even see the white of his bones. Light blue ice crystals filled the wound and relentlessly spread its iciness throughout the rest of his body. Mo Yuluo raised her hand and used any strength she had left to recall her sword. She swallowed the blood that was about to spray out of her mouth and pursed her lips into a resolute smile. Gu Suihan endured the excruciating pain and chanted silently Expanse Bomb. The utterly black ball in the air suddenly lit up with tiny inscriptions as it leaked wisps of murderous Qi like a blooming flower while Mo Yuluo stared at it in horror. She watched as a mildly fragrant silvery dust filled the air without producing any sound. Bedazzling Stardust, protect me! Mo Yuluo instinctively chanted a defense spell. Sparkly particles gathered together to form a shield in front of her. To her dismay, the silvery and slightly greenish dust started eating through the 30-centimeter-thick wall of stardust she had just created. Its not working! Mo Yuluo gritted her teeth and decided to retreat. The spiritual energy within her body became agitated just after she had breathed in a little of the silvery dust. She couldnt imagine what terrible things would happen if more dust entered her body. She regrouped the stardust into a whirlpool, but it could barely keep her from harm. She clasped her hands together into a hand seal, making her sword ring loudly as it flew out of her hand and repositioned itself beneath her feet, then flew out of sight instantly. At this juncture, whether she could kill Gu Suihan off was not as crucial as self-preservation. After all, she wasnt sure if Li Rong might decide to kill her if both she and Gu Suihan were severely injured. Tsk! Li Rong had naturally noticed that Mo Yuluo had escaped and let out a scoff. He waved his arm and pasted several defense talismans on himself. The gold jiangshis around him stomped hard on the ground and roared as they charged toward Gu Suihan as he began freefalling to the ground. Ill have to depend on my luck. Gu Suihan looked on coldly as the smelly millstone, and lethal talisman continued heading towards him. His eyes resolutely shone as he flung his sword out. Red Dust seemed to know that this was its swan song as it flew towards the millstone like a moth flying into a flame. Crackle, crackle! A strange noise caught Li Rongs attention, and he turned to see that Gu Suihans sword had disassembled itself into the many pieces it was initially made up of. He gasped and was flabbergasted by how ruthless Gu Suihan could be. Red Dust was a spiritual weapon, yet Gu Suihan decided to sacrifice it just like that. The pieces that were once a sword sliced through the air and burst into flames upon hitting the millstone, setting fire to everything around it. The spiritual weapon that Gu Suihan had taken much effort to create turned to nothing in the blink of an eye. At the same time, the giant bloodied millstone had been reduced by half and didnt look as imposing anymore. But Li Rong continued to force it to spin on towards Gu Suihan and made it roll even faster than before. Heaven and Earth shall define your destiny! Li Rong roared and tapped his finger in the air. The ordinary-looking talisman instantly disappeared, but a mysterious force that could hold down anything it touched surged out from where the talisman once was, engulfing the area within a hundred-meter radius of Gu Suihan. Unfortunately for Li Rong, Gu Suihan had consumed a pill that he had been hiding in his mouth all this time just before the talisman exploded. He forced his body to absorb the pill as quickly as possible, completely disregarding the painful sound of his Spiritual Meridians bursting. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars, Travel Through a Different Space! Gu Suihan instantly disappeared into thin air, his spiritual energy flowing rapidly from one space to another. Damn it! What spell was that? I cant believe the Heaven and Earth Destiny Defining Talisman failed on him! Li Rong was white with rage as he looked at the empty space where Gu Suihan once was. He sneered and spat, I doubt you can remain in that other space for more than 15 minutes. You might be able to get away for now, but you wont be able to get away forever. He waved his sleeve and flew into the air. The bronze corpse and the gold jiangshis slowly surrounded the space where Gu Suihan once was and stood on guard, but the millstone fell apart from losing its target, much to Li Rongs chagrin. Li Rong could see Gu Suihan from outside, and Gu Suihan could also see Li Rong from inside the alternate space. When he saw the sinister expression on Li Rongs face and how much Li Rong was bent on killing him, he felt his head throb, and a bitter feeling filled his heart as he sensed the pathetic amount of spiritual energy he had left. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 C Real-Life Drama Im just going to give it a shot! Gu Suihans eyes flickered, and he clasped his hands into a hand seal. The little spiritual energy left in him instantly surged through his Spiritual Meridians as he hoped that the body of an asura that his Extreme Ra-Asu Breach was supposed to bring about would be able to hang in through this. Inches Away C Ends of the World! he chanted from inside the alternate space. A strong wind blew mercilessly against his already battered body, and it didnt take long for Gu Suihans flesh to be blown so hard that his bones could be seen. His terrifying and strange skeleton made Li Rong gape in shock. Thatsthats the body of an asura he uttered in shock. Gu Suihans thick and messily intertwined bones terrified Li Rong slightly. Ninth Iteration of Ra-Asu, Reversal of Destiny! Gu Suihan didnt have the time or energy to pay Li Rong any attention. He had barely managed to cover 300 meters when his body could no longer take it, and he had to emerge from the alternate space. He quickly executed the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach again while trying his best to hold his body together despite being on the verge of collapse. He gritted his teeth and yelled, Blazing Blood Escape! Several spurts of blood sprayed out of his body as he stumbled off unsteadily at an insanely fast pace and disappeared instantly. How can this be? What cultivation technique was that? How did he transform his body into an asuras? Li Rong went into a daze and murmured to himself as he stared blankly at the empty space in front of him instead of running after Gu Suihan. After some time, Gu Suihan slowly regained consciousness. He opened his eyes with a start and fished a jade token out from his pocket. He was relieved to see that it was still flickering. He didnt have much time to waste. The exit out of the secret realm was open for about half a day, but he was now left with less than 15 minutes to get to the exit. If he couldnt make it out by then, he would have to wait for death to befall him. Qi leaked like crazy from this secret realm, so it would collapse in less than ten years. It should be about three kilometers away or so, muttered Gu Suihan. He endured the terrible pain he felt and took a few dozen Spiritual Stones with shaking hands and a leaf-shaped flying spiritual weapon. This was the best thing Gu Suihan got from killing Hang Chulong. This leaf was a proper low-grade spiritual weapon compared to Red Dust, which could barely be considered a spiritual weapon. He surrounded the leaf with his spiritual sense and put as many Spiritual Stones into the leaves slots before crawling onto the leaf. It was a simple move, but it was difficult for him to do now. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed that the flickering of his jade token was beginning to fade. He pulled himself together and made the leaf fly into the distance. He only had enough energy to make the leaf fly about 15 centimeters above the ground, and the speed was only a little faster than how fast a cultivator at Qi Activation could run. Come on, go faster. Gu Suihan clenched his teeth to try and stay awake even as his world began to spin. He could vaguely make out a whirlpool that was getting smaller and smaller. Finally, when the exit out of the secret realm was smaller than two meters, Gu Suihan made it out. Gu Suihan had used up almost all of his spiritual energy by this time, and he couldnt hang on anymore. Once he got out of the secret realm, he fainted. Whats that smell? Gu Suihan woke up drowsily to the faint smell of perfume in the air. He instinctively sniffed a little harder and confirmed that he was in a safe place. He had no idea who had saved him or how much time had passed. But judging from this smell, he was in a girls room. The bed was covered in brocade, which meant that this person was fairly well to do. He could also hear some whispering outside, which probably belonged to the room owners servants. If this room belonged to a court official or a noble who cultivated martial arts, he would be in big trouble. He sighed inwardly and slowly opened his eyes to look at the elegantly furnished room he was lying in. Footsteps came towards him along with a pleasantly surprised voice, Oh! Youve woken up! Gu Suihan turned to see a young lady with beautifully shaped eyes, a cute nose, and a small mouth standing next to him. Her pretty little hands were holding a fragrant bowl of chicken soup. He paused, then said, Thank you for rescuing me. Where is this place? Youre in Chongzhou, and youve been unconscious for more than two weeks now, she replied in a bright and chirpy voice. She slowly put the bowl of soup down and shyly tugged at her dress as she sat down on one side of the bed. She glanced up at Gu Suihan from time to time and quickly averted her gaze when he caught her looking at him like a frightened little bunny. Gu Suihan remained silent for a long time before he said quietly, Who are you? How rich is your family? Do your parents hold any positions in the government? Wha? The young lady was flustered and didnt know how to answer. She didnt expect him to ask her such personal questions. Hoho, a low and robust voice resounded from a distance. The door to the room was pushed open from the outside, and a middle-aged man dressed in a brown embroidered long robe entered the room with confident steps. He said gently, Young man, dont worry. The people who were after you have already left. When we saw you, everyone thought you were already dead. My daughter, however, insisted on taking a closer look at you, and it turned out that you were still alive. You are truly blessed! Im only a rice merchant, so you dont have to be so suspicious. Im sure you know who I am. Saving me might bring calamity to your family. Arent you afraid of that? said Gu Suihan with a faint smile as he looked down at the numerous wounds all over himself. The middle-aged man sounded a little displeased as he replied, What are you talking about? Ive never even seen you before. How could I possibly know who you are? I saved you purely out of goodwill. Were all intelligent people here, so stop beating around the bush. Gu Suihan wasnt the least convinced. He had noticed a panicked look in the young ladys eyes earlier. She knew this middle-aged man was lying to him. The middle-aged man looked a little awkward and felt somewhat embarrassed by how Gu Suihan stared at him with that distant look in his eyes. After hesitating for a bit, he decided to come clean. I noticed the token on your belt, so yes, I know youre a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect. Have you heard of an internal disciple named Hang Chulong? Hang Chulong? Gu Suihan looked at the man with a puzzled expression on his face. Hang Chulongs family resides here. Because hes an internal disciple of the Seven Kill Sect, some family members think they can do anything they want without facing any consequences. Wait. Are you going to tell me that theres a jerk in his family whos taken a liking to your daughter and insists on marrying her? But you refused and chanced upon me, so you were hoping that I could tell Hang Chulong about this and get him to call this marriage off? asked Gu Suihan in a mildly amused voice as he glanced at the young lady who kept stealing glances at him. He didnt think the situation would be as cringeworthy as what he used to see in soap operas back on Earth. Thatis exactly what happened, said the middle-aged man awkwardly. Gu Suihans eyes started twitching. He didnt expect his sarcastic guess to be correct. After Gu Suihan remained silent for some time, the middle-aged man looked disappointed and sighed heavily. I know that Hang Chulong is an internal disciple, so if its too difficult for you to do this, then forget it. He pretended to look at Gu Suihan casually to observe Gu Suihans reaction because he was sure that a young fellow like Gu Suihan would feel provoked by his remarks and rise to the challenge. To his dismay, Gu Suihan continued looking at him strangely and didnt say anything for a long time. He was about to give up when Gu Suihan suddenly retrieved a head with a nasty-looking expression, messy hair, and an indignant look in its eyes from nowhere and threw it onto the table. Take a look. Is that Hang Chulong? The young lady screamed in fright when she saw the head and instantly leaped into the middle-aged mans arms. She trembled violently and seemed terrified. The middle-aged man paled in shock and gasped. He was too stunned to say anything when he saw the severed head rolling about on the table. Whats happened? a loud shout came from outside, and several muscular men with anxious looks on their faces came barging into the room. They had heard the young lady scream and thought that something terrible had happened, so they quickly ran into the room with weapons. They didnt expect to see a somewhat familiar-looking head on the table. The legendary formidable Hang Chulong, who was always received by his family with great fanfare every time he visited home, was dead, and his head had even been severed. Everyones heart was filled with shock, and they looked at Gu Suihan with fear in their eyes now. Sir, my entire family is extremely grateful to you! The middle-aged man quickly pushed his daughter aside to bow deeply to Gu Suihan as he said these words with great sincerity. Preserve this head properly, wrap it up nicely and send it to his family. That should do the trick. If they continue to make things difficult for you, wait till I come out of seclusion, and Ill wipe their entire family out. Gu Suihan motioned to them to leave the room with the wave of his hand. From now on, I will stay here to recuperate in isolation. This will take two weeks or so. We can talk again after that. Yes, sir! I will leave you to recuperate in peace. The middle-aged man got one of his servants to pick up Hang Chulongs head, then waved everyone out of the room while dragging his daughter out even as she kept turning back to look at Gu Suihan before shutting the door behind him. Once outside, the middle-aged man looked at his servants and said, From today onwards, all of you are to keep watch over this place round the clock. Do not let anybody go in and out without my permission. Then he turned to say to his daughter, Xiner, that young man is a cultivator, and he does not belong to our world. He is not a man interested in material things or romantic relationships, so stop harboring any hopes. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 C The Problem With This Cultivation Technique The young lady looked highly disappointed to hear that Gu Suihan was not interested in worldly pursuits. She nodded slightly, and her excitement died down as she fell silent. The middle-aged man motioned to one of the maids to take care of her while he and the other men quickly left with Hang Chulongs head. Over the next few days, shocking news rippled through all of Fan City. One of Fan Citys rice merchants, the Hang family, had learned that Hang Chulong, an internal disciple of the Seven Kill Sect and their familys pride and powerful backer, had died unexpectedly. Worse still, his head was sent back to the Hang family by their competitor, the Wan family. Everyone in Fan City talked about this, pointing fingers at anybody from the Hang family. The news of this excited everyone who was so incredibly bored from their daily routines, and they couldnt stop trying to find out more about what happened. As the saying goes, no wall is truly solid. It didnt take long for the citizens to piece together all the information they could get their hands on. It turned out that the Hang family was forcing the Wan family to hand their daughter over in marriage so aggressively that the Wan family had no choice but to run away and seek refuge from the family in another city. Along the way, they had come across a man who was on the brink of death, and this young man was coincidentally also a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect. After the head of the Wan family had said these things, he pulled out Hang Chulongs head. So, the young man that the Wan family saved must have been the one who killed Hang Chulong, which also meant that this young man was more formidable than Hang Chulong. Some shook their heads, saying the Hang family had finally received retribution for being such arrogant pricks who threw their weight about. Others noted that the Wan family was incredibly blessed since the random person they had saved not only resolved their problem but had also won a fight against an internal disciple. The family was definitely going to prosper significantly in the future. The more times the story was told, the crazier it became. Several other versions started making their rounds. Some said that the young man was the future son-in-law of the Wan family. Some said that the young man was a childhood friend of the Wan family daughter. Some even said that the young man had rescued the daughter from some disaster. The stories were so detailed that they all seemed to be true. The Hang family had no choice but to shut their house to visitors and insisted that the severed head was not Hang Chulongs. The family claimed that Hang Chulong had sent a letter from the sect not too long ago, saying that he was going into seclusion for a while. At the same time, the Hang family began to hate the Wan family even more than ever and decided that they had to find a way to seek revenge. They wanted to reinstate their absolute power in this city, but they also wanted to kill the young man who had given the Wan family this severed head. Father, why dont you go out there and stop those people from spreading the wrong version of the story? asked the young lady in an upset voice as she ran into the room and hooked the arm of the middle-aged man. He laughed and patted her little hand as he said in a relaxed manner, If I do that, then those silly people will become suspicious about what truly happened, and that would be terrible for our family. This is the time to make sure the rumors are as awful as they can be, so that we can get rid of the Hang family completely. Otherwise, once that young man leaves, our entire family will be wiped out. The young lady wanted the rumors to stop because every time she went out, many passersby would point at her and look at her strangely, which made her feel really embarrassed, and her face would feel as though it was on fire. But after she realized the severity of her fathers words, she suddenly became a little frantic. She suddenly remembered something and said anxiously to him, I heard that Hang Chulong is not a member of the Hang family who belongs to the Seven Kill Sect. Apparently, the family has just sent another three daughters to the sect. Theyre only external disciples now, but thats still too much for us ordinary people to handle. What?! Is that true? The middle-aged mans expression instantly fell. He stood up with a start and paced the room anxiously before suddenly turning back to his daughter and saying, Why havent we heard anything about this? I just heard about this today from a good friend of mine whos on pretty good terms on Hang Wanling. The Hang family looks like they have a lot on their plate, but my friend didnt look worried about it at all. When I asked her why she told me that the Hang family had secretly sent Hang Wanling to the Seven Kill Sect, and the family was only going to announce this after Hang Wanling had become an internal disciple. What! The middle-aged man gnashed his teeth. It was obvious that the Hang family was already preparing their revenge plan. They were probably going to rely on using Hang Wanlings eventual status as an internal disciple to oppress all their rivals in Fan City, including the Wan family. Orwhy dont we ask him for a favor? the young lady asked very softly as she tugged at her dress. But her father immediately waved his hand to dismiss the idea. He knew better than his daughter that these cultivators did not care about worldly affairs. In fact, they made sure to stay far, far away from such matters, and concentrated on their pursuit of the Way, so they avoided getting entangled with the rest of the world. On top of that, the young man they had saved seemed sensible and kindly, but the look in his eyes told the middle-aged man that this young man did not care about anything in the world at all. The family had to count their lucky stars that he was grateful to them for saving him and did not bring trouble to them. Perhaps there was another way to deal with this situation. The middle-aged man suddenly thought of an idea after pacing the room some more. He comforted his frantic daughter gently, Dont worry, your father will find a way to deal with this. And so, while everyone in Fan City was still focused on the feud between the Wan and Hang families, another piece of news hit the streets. The third daughter of the Hang family had apparently joined the Seven Kill Sect as well. The Hang family had lost Hang Chulong, but they had another member to count on. Once Hang Wanling successfully leveled up and became an internal disciple, the Hang familys position in Fan City would be virtually untouchable. Everyone couldnt stop talking about this, and they were all keeping close tabs on this matter. After all, this would affect the price and supply of rice in Fan City, which in turn would affect their daily lives. This was something of great concern to the residents. While all these things were happening in the citys streets outside, Gu Suihan remained in the room, clueless as to what was happening. He was focused on recuperating as quickly as possible. Right now, he was struggling to make a decision. After fighting so many battles, he had suddenly noticed something strange about this Extreme Ra-Asu Breach that he had been cultivating. According to the manual, this technique was described as Nine Iterations of Ra-Asu, never to perish, never to be destroyed. That showed how powerful this cultivation technique was supposed to be. But there was also a significant problem that was never mentionedthe change to his bone structure. Could it be that when one reaches the highest level of this technique, one will turn into an asura? SoI wont be human anymore? Gu Suihan started thinking as he tapped a finger against the bed frame. According to ancient historical records and the records of certain demonic cults, asuras were very low-level creatures. They were domineering and powerful, sure. But there were two sides to these creatures. Asuras were born out of blood. They were naturally born with connected meridians and a body with a high level of aptitude. Once they reached adulthood, their bodies were practically magic weapons in themselves. Male asuras became invincible in their attacks, while female asuras became incredibly attractive. The former were ugly, ferocious, and incapable of logical thinking, and the latter were beautiful, and highly intelligent but filled with evil schemes. None of this was really a problem for Gu Suihan, but he was worried about losing his ability to think straight. Even though it was also recorded that high-level asuras could also experience enlightenment and become wise in all aspects, those records were just legends and could not be verified. He hadnt seen such a creature before either. The Extreme Ra-Asu Breach had already caused a change in his bones and blood right from the start, and everything he went through looked more like he was cultivating himself to become a cultivating cauldron of sorts. He felt like he was becoming a weapon or piece of equipment that a cultivator would cultivate to take possession of it. Its an ancient cultivation technique, after all. Its little wonder that theres so much hidden within it, said Gu Suihan with a bitter laugh. His bone structure had already been changed, so he had to revert his skeleton to a humans if he wanted to do something else. That wasnt going to be easy. In fact, he did know a few other cultivation techniques that could improve ones skeletal structure over time, like the Geng Gold Sword Mantra or the Five Element Heaven and Earth Breach. The former converted spiritual energy into sword Qi, and it would also change ones bones into Geng Gold Sword Bones in tandem with ones level of cultivation. When that happened, they would be one with the sword, and the glow of their sword would be more apparent. The latter would work with or against the five elements and neutralize yin and yang accordingly. One would be able to learn any sort of magic spell and technique very easily and amass more than ten times the amount of spiritual energy than an ordinary cultivator at the same level. But the reason why Gu Suihan had not chosen these techniques was that he was only left with a remnant of these techniques. Some of the advanced levels of these techniques had already been lost. It was true that he would probably be able to work the missing sections out if he was given a significant amount of time to do nothing else but study the techniques since he had so much knowledge from his time on Earth. But the one thing he lacked right now was time. He couldnt wait to become that invincible being he once was to return to Earth C that place filled with mysteries C and search for that deep and boundless Way of Heaven so that he could understand the history that had been lost for so many centuries. That was his obsession, heart, and pursuit of his life. Damn it! Gu Suihan lay back down on the bed in frustration. This was the first time he wished he didnt have all those years of memories. It would have been so nice if he were really new to cultivation and just worked on one cultivation technique according to that one manual. Then he wouldnt have to consider so many factors. So, Ill have to cultivate the Geng Gold Sword Mantra? muttered Gu Suihan to himself. The good part was that his attacks would become virtually unstoppable. Also, even though his body now had the bones of an asura, he would still be able to reverse that process if he started cultivating in the Geng Gold Sword Mantra. Or perhaps he could achieve a combination of both, even though the chances of that happening were really slim. But whatever he knew of this technique stopped at the Nascent Change stage. In other words, if he cultivated the Geng Gold Sword Mantra, not only would he need a considerable number of treasures and rare items to refine and strengthen his body, but he would also need his soul to recover as quickly as possible. On top of that, he had to endure the torture of being cut by sword Qi, and then once he made it to the Nascent Change stage, he would have to rely on his own efforts to get to the next stage. On the other hand, the Five Elements Heaven and Earth Breach needed one to have a Spiritual Root with more than one element. In short, a low-level Spiritual Root with all five elements was the best. The five elements could interact with each other and improve ones level of aptitude, skeletal structure, and even meridians. It took a lot of time to get there, at least ten times more than the Geng Gold Sword Mantra. The only good part was that Gu Suihan had the full notes for the Nascent Change and Origin Soul stages, which would save him a lot of time and effort. Ill have to go with that, then, grumbled Gu Suihan as he sensed a chill down his spine. That stab from Mo Yuluos sword had nearly frozen him to death, and the frozen Qi from her sword was still trapped in his body, haunting him from time to time. Damn it, after thinking about it for such a long time; I end up going down the road of a weapons cultivator. And worse still, its the one I despise the most C sword cultivation, cursed Gu Suihan with a frown. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 C Wipe Out the Clan Were weapon cultivators powerful? Of course, they were. Compared to other forms of cultivation, the damage their attacks could make was much more potent than other forms. But that was also the problem. One had to use their blood to tie their magic weapons to themselves, and the weapon existed for as long as the owner existed. If the weapon were to be destroyed, the owner wouldnt die, but the owner would lose a lot of their cultivation progress; their souls often took more than a century to recover. Also, the other problem with merging with a weapon was that you wouldnt have any energy or time to refine any other weapons. That had to be the worst part of all. Such cultivators were often praised as being masters in their craft because of their sheer devotion to refining just one weapon, but most cultivators secretly laughed at them. Why? Because when it came to cultivation, the last one standing would be the one with the highest number and the most powerful magic weapons, followed by how many formidable techniques one knew. Your sword fighting skills could be top-notch, and just your sword Qi might be able to slice something as far as 15 kilometers away. You could be a master in swordsmanship, but you wouldnt be able to do anything if your opponent had a powerful weapon to protect themselves or attacked you with one. Or worse, if your opponent could cast a demonic spell on you from miles away, you wouldnt be able to do anything to them. Unless you were at a level where you could shatter the dimension you were in or somehow break free from the laws of nature you were governed by, there were always too many restrictions and disadvantages. As for an ancient high-level cultivator like Suihan, he never believed there was such a thing as one move to kill them all. There was no way of knowing if your next step was the entrance to a formation or if you had walked into a cave covered in traps. The cultivation world had no lack of ridiculous things that could kill another person. Some cultivators were killed because a magic weapon literally fell from the sky and smashed their heads in. There were cultivators who were consumed by sulfur that suddenly gushed out when they were cultivating in a cave. And then some died after getting trapped in a formation while searching for treasure. There were so many stories like these. Im so glad Im not one of those young fellows who has to start from scratch. My centuries of experience and knowledge have saved me so much time, and got me out of so many bad decisions, muttered Gu Suihan to himself as he took a Body Stabilizing Pill out and swallowed it. Gu Suihan started taking stock of what he had. He had nearly lost his life inside the secret realm and had barely gained anything. The one and only supposed spiritual weapon he had was gone because he had chosen to sacrifice it in order to save his own skin. He had also used his trump card, the Expanse Bomb. Also, he had paid off Mu Tian and Yan Wuheng with a Blood Jade Fig each plus some compensation. He had fewer than 6,000 Spiritual Stones left on hand. The wandering cultivators he had killed had so little on themselves, all their assets added up to just a few hundred Spiritual Stones. The only thing of worth is this flying spiritual weapon. His mood improved a little only after he took out the adorable green leaf-shaped object that was only slightly longer than an inch. He had to sell this off, but he couldnt sell it to someone within the sect. Spiritual weapons were still pretty rare even among internal disciples. Hang Chulong had one probably because the leader of the Four Directions Court, Wang Aolin, had lent it to him. If he tried to sell it within the sect, the Four Directions Court would make sure that nobody paid above a certain amount for it just so that he couldnt benefit from the sale. He wasnt afraid of these so-called factions of power, but their potential involvement in this matter annoyed him. This item could probably fetch nearly 10,000 elsewhere, he estimated. Then, he took out Hang Chulongs sword. This was a high-grade magic weapon. A snake was carved around the handle and the blade came out from its mouth. The entirely white sword had one very thin red line down its middle. Windblast Formation, Blood Breaking Formation, Howling Formation, Soul Breaking Formation. The runes for these four formations were carved intricately onto the blade. They were somewhat related, yet unique in their own ways. It was so close to becoming a spiritual weapon. What a pity, thought Gu Suihan. He furrowed his brows as he observed the sword carefully, then sighed sadly before keeping it away in his storage ring. He had been reminded of that sword he had sacrificed in the fight against Li Rong. That sword had been made from a few dozen parts and tiny runes had been carved onto each one. If he had sacrificed a little more time, effort, and money, that sword would have become a full-fledged spiritual weapon. Then again, an external disciple waving a shiny Qi-filled weapon around was definitely going to attract a lot of unwanted attention. So, he made sure it was better than a high-grade magic weapon, but just one step short of a spiritual weapon. Unfortunately, it was gone now. And now, he had decided to cultivate in the Geng Gold Sword Mantra. This cultivation technique was apparently adapted from the Innate Five Element Geng Gold Breach, but he had no idea what the difference really was. Its connection to the Innate Five Element Geng Gold Breach made it sound like it must be just as powerful, but Gu Suihan was pretty sure that was bullshit. The Innate Five Element Geng Gold Breach was an ancient cultivation technique, while the other one was invented a lot closer to modern-day. That was a long period of time in between. For now, he had to get well, then get a spiritual weapon sword that he could use to cultivate before entering the competition to become an internal disciple. After he had made those plans, he swallowed a few more pills and began meditating. - Two weeks slowly ticked by. Color had returned to Gu Suihans previously deathly pale face and his sharp jawline looked more charming than gaunt. Hoo! Gu Suihans breath was tinged with blood as he finished another round of executing his cultivation technique and cooling down. Im finally all healed up. He stretched his stiffened limbs and his joints cracked loudly. He circulated his Qi and all the dirt and blood on his body disappeared. Then, he changed into the clothes that the middle-aged man had prepared for him and hung the Seven Kill Sect disciple token on his belt. The room door opened silently with the wave of his hand. The bright sun rays made him squint for a moment, only stepping out of the room once his eyes had adjusted to the light. The young gentleman has woken up! Tell Master immediately! the servant standing guard outside the room quickly gave his subordinate instructions when he saw the elegant young man with an aloof and unapproachable air appear in front of him. He bowed and greeted Gu Suihan politely and led Gu Suihan towards the living room after Gu Suihan acknowledged his greeting with a nod. After they had walked past a small lake and crossed a little bridge, Gu Suihan started frowning. It was clear that there were people in the living room and they were talking very loudly and aggressively. They were nearly a hundred meters away, yet their voices could be heard so clearly. Gu Suihan stopped walking and asked, Whos inside? The servant was frowning too as he listened carefully to the voices. When he realized who these voices belonged to, his expression faltered and he said in an awkward voice, Sir, I believe these voices belong to members of the Hang family. The one speaking the loudest right now is Hang Chulongs mother, Zhou Xiuqin. The Hang family? Gu Suihan smirked, his pearly whites gleaming brightly in the sun. The servant stole a glance at Gu Suihan and suddenly felt very afraid. Bring me to these people. I want to see what this supposed family of cultivators is like, said Gu Suihan raising his chin. Yes, sir! The servant nodded fearfully and showed Gu Suihan the way immediately. When Gu Suihan arrived at the door to the living room, he dismissed the servant and sauntered in by himself with a frosty smile on his face and his hands folded behind his back. He looked towards the troubled-looking middle-aged man seated in the chair reserved for the head of the family and spoke calmly as if there was nobody else in the living room, Mr. Wan, I have completed the recuperation process and I have fully recovered from my injuries. If theres nothing else, I shall take my leave. Ah! Youre all recovered? Of course, you can leave anytime. The middle-aged man was the one who had saved Gu Suihan. When he saw Gu Suihan, he quickly bowed politely and threw glances at the couple from the Hang family in hope that Gu Suihan would help him out. Thats good to hear. Farewell. Gu Suihan didnt even bother looking at the expressions of the other people in the room and ignored the pleading look on the middle-aged mans face. He turned and began walking away. He had already given Hang Chulongs severed head to the Wan family to prove that the person the Hang family had been relying on to force the Wan family into submission was dead. That resolved the biggest crisis the Wan family was facing, so in his mind, he had repaid the favor he owed them for saving his life. Whether the Wan family lived or died after that was none of his business. But even though he wanted to leave, someone else didnt want him to. He was about to step out of the living room when a shrill female voice called out from behind him, Stop right there! You are? Gu Suihan was expressionless as he turned back to look at the middle-aged woman with arched eyebrows, thin lips, and a nasty, arrogant look on her face. She was clearly fuming and she glared maliciously at Gu Suihan as she said, So, youre the little bastard who claimed to come back with the head of my son, Hang Chulong? Hoho, Gu Suihan suddenly broke into a gentle smile. And who do YOU think you are? Immediately after he said that the middle-aged woman suddenly flew into the air and crashed into the wall behind her. The sound of tables and chairs breaking as well as vases breaking filled the air soon after and the woman was pinned to the wall firmly by the wooden splinters of the furniture and the shards of the ceramic vases. Her entire body was covered with blood. Im the one who killed Hang Chulong. Does anybody have any problems with that? Gu Suihan turned to look at the rest of the people in the living room as if nothing had happened. His gaze was gentle and kindly, but that only made everyone shudder on the inside. The middle-aged man who was sitting next to the middle-aged woman just before she was sent flying was now perspiring profusely, his clothes drenched in sweat as he stared in horror at the corpse pinned to the wall. His voice trembled as he replied, II dont have any problems with that! But I do! a bright but displeased voice called out from outside the living room. Everyone turned to see that a young and pretty lady was standing outside. They had no idea when she got there. Her arms were slim and her eyes were beautifully shaped, but her thin lips made her look rather fierce. The middle-aged man who was sweating profusely looked as though his savior was there. His voice trembled as he called out to her, Tinger! Hes the one! Hes the one who somehow managed to produce your brothers head! We came here to reason things out with these people but he killed your mother just like that! Just look at what he did! Youve got to Shut up! shouted Hang Wanling with an icy look on her face. She turned and saw the corpse on the wall and the bloodstains all over the living room. Then she spun around to stare venomously at Gu Suihan as she spat, Youve used some illusionary spell to trick all these ordinary people to make them believe that my brother is dead, and now youre trying to wipe out my family? Youre dead meat! An illusionary spell? Are you seeing things now? Gu Suihan snorted as he threw Hang Chulongs sword onto the floor. You Hang Wanlings expression froze when she saw the sword on the floor. Then, she shrieked at him, How DARE you scheme and bring harm to a fellow disciple from the sect! Youre doomed! Youre definitely doomed! Im going to report you to the disciplinarians and make sure they send you to the Demon Abyss as your punishment! Youre wrong! Gu Suihan didnt seem bothered by her threat. He picked up the sword and said quietly, As long as theres no proof, the sect cannot do anything to me. So, do you have any proof? Ohwaittheres proof! Gu Suihan exclaimed dramatically. This sword is proof! He looked at Hang Wanlings agitated expression and said in a mocking voice, Butdo you think you can get your hands on it? Chapter 56 Chapter 56 C An Agreement and an Invitation CLACKER ANNOUNCEMENT I am pretty sure an entire chunk is missing between the end of ch55 and the start of ch56. Hang Wanling does not appear in the book ever again and this chapter suddenly starts with Gu Suihan talking to the head of the Wan family, without any mention of Hang Wanling nor her father. 100% Gu Suihan has slaughtered them both but I dont know why its missing and I cant find any raw sources with it. So just imagine them throwing talismans, weapons, furniture, potted plants, fruit, and random koi fish while shouting garbage meaningless pretentious Heaven Earth Gold Fire Lightning Watermelon Pikachu, and then eventually Hang Wanling and her dad are in pieces all over the floor, much to the horror of the Wan family. And now, we carry on. The head of the Wan family was trembling and his face was as white as a sheet. Gu Suihan slowly asked, And who told you I was a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect? He had kept his disciple token in his storage ring before even entering the secret realm, so there was no way anybody could have seen it by accident. He hadnt asked earlier only because he needed to find out what was going on first and recuperate. Now that he had fully recovered, he didnt have to worry about anything. II happened to see it The middle-aged man shut his mouth again when he saw the mocking look in Gu Suihans eyes. Then, he changed his answer, It was the castellan who told me so. The castellan? Gu Suihan frowned and suddenly felt very wary. Thats me! a thick voice echoed from behind Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan had a faint smile on his face as he turned around to see a middle-aged man with a squarish face, dressed in a loose-fitting white shirt and trousers1. After looking at the man for a while, he asked quietly, Why? I happened to see you and saw that you had the Seven Kill Sect symbol on your clothing. Even if I hadnt saved you, you wouldnt have died. But of course, you wouldnt have recovered this quickly, replied the castellan in a low voice. Gu Suihan did not look like he got the explanation he wanted and asked a second question, Why? There was an approving look in the castellans eyes as he laughed, then grew serious again and said, I needed to strike a balance. The Hang family was getting too powerful, so I needed to whittle them down, but I did not intend to wipe them out. Besides, I dont want one family to be more powerful than the rest. The first why was Gu Suihan asking why the castellan had allowed the Wan family to claim that they had saved him when they hadnt. The second why was Gu Suihan asking why the castellan was standing in his way and preventing him from wiping out the Hang family. Twice. Gu Suihan did not argue and stared emotionlessly at the castellan. This is for you. The castellan did not elaborate and threw a token and a small pouch at Gu Suihan. Heres compensation. Even though youre the one behind that tax ship robbery some years ago, youre in my territory and I will not pick on you. Also, theres 500 Spiritual Stones in there, so I think thats fair. Weve even now. Deal! Gu Suihans lips curled into a smile. He weighed the pouch to confirm the amount, then turned his attention to the intricately made token made entirely from dark iron and had a ferocious beast carved onto one side. What does this token do? Gu Suihan used his spiritual sense to scan the token but didnt find anything unusual about it. The castellan chuckled and smiled as he said, This token will get you a bit of a discount when you spend money in the capital. Also, you can use it to look for me anytime. Im willing to do you one favor. Are there any auction halls nearby? asked Gu Suihan after he kept the token away. Yes, there are, and theyre open now. You have something to sell? The castellans interest was piqued. He knew that sect disciples usually had good stuff on hand, especially if they showed a lot of promise, like Gu Suihan. I have a flying spiritual weapon with six layers of seals. Since the castellan looked interested, Gu Suihan took the leaf-shaped object out for him to look at. The castellans eyes widened as though something had made him very happy. He checked it over carefully, then asked, How much do you intend to sell this for? The ones that can fly are usually more expensive and this one has six layers of seals. Its a low-grade spiritual weapon, but it can both attack and defend, plus it moves at a really high speed. Gu Suihan saw the castellans expression fall, so he laughed and said, But I didnt gain possession of this item legally, soIll sell it for just 25,000. The castellan stopped frowning and looked rather admiringly at Gu Suihan. This young man really knew how to read the room. His opinion of Gu Suihan improved even more and he decided not to beat around the bush. He kept the spiritual weapon, then took out a magic storage bag, filled it with the correct number of Spiritual Stones, and threw it to Gu Suihan. Young man, youve definitely got a bright future. Im actually buying this for one of my nieces as a present to her. As for who was the original owner of this item and how you got it? Humph! He scoffed with a disdainful look on his face, which showed that this castellan had pretty powerful backers. Gu Suihan nodded slightly and took his leave. He hadnt wiped out the Hang family, but they were now less powerful than the Wan family, so it was going to be hard for them to make a comeback. He calculated how much time had passed and realized that it wasnt far from the internal disciple selection tournament. He quickly flew back to the sect. I need to check your disciple token, said the guard. Here, said Gu Suihan as he smiled faintly and showed his token, then turned to walk towards the East Compound. After he had walked sufficiently far away, the guards gathered together and whispered, Thats Gu Suihan? Gosh, this fellow is a real vicious one. I think hes killed off all the potentials for the next internal disciple selection. I heard he even killed that internal disciple, Hang Chulong. Hes really one scary fellow. Isnt he afraid of getting punished by the sect? someone raised a question. He wont get punished. The sect rules only apply to what happens within the sect. Nobody cares about what happens outside. I think something big is going to happen during this round of internal disciple selection - Young master, Ill go cook something for you. Taohua beamed brightly when she spotted Gu Suihan and hopped right to the kitchen. After having a meal, Gu Suihan sat comfortably in the bathtub and enjoyed a massage from Taohua. As her slim fingers gently pressed on his skin, she looked a little reverently at the fairly handsome young man in front of her. Did you get your Spiritual Root checked while I was away? Do you know if you are suited to be a cultivator? asked Gu Suihan suddenly as he ate some fruit. Taohua made a face and said sadly, Young master, I did go and ask to be tested, but I was told that I could not get a test by myself. You have to bring me there. How troublesome. Gu Suihan frowned, then pulled Taohua into his embrace. He ignored her shy and frantic flailing as he used his spiritual sense to test her Spiritual Root and used his hands to swiftly touch her main chakras on her dantian and down her back2. The warmth of his large hands as they gently touched those sensitive areas made Taohua feel as though she had been hit by lightning. She felt her body go limp and she went into a daze as she leaned against Gu Suihans chest. Youre a Five Water, said Gu Suihan as he patted the soft and supple body in his arms. Taohua possessed a body with inner charm, so she could count as one with a level of aptitude that was slightly above mid-level but less than high level. Young Master, she murmured, her warm breath blowing against his neck. She pulled her slim arms around him and obviously aroused. Taohua walked over shyly with a slightly awkward gait and frowned a little from time to time. It was clear that certain parts of her body still ached from a night of passionate action, but she was in a good mood. Miss Mo Yuluo and Li Rong have asked you to go to the Way Seekers Alliance courtyard if you have the time. They said that they need to talk to you about something, she said with a blissful twinkle in her eyes as she looked adoringly at the man writing at the desk in front of her. Ill head over right now. Gu Suihan put his pen down and kept the paper away. When he noticed how Taohua had difficulty walking, he gave her a Body Stabilizing Pill and told her to eat it, and instructed her to try and use her Qi to hasten the absorption and then rest. Gu Suihan had a rough idea of why those two were looking for him. They probably wanted to make their stance clear. It didnt take him long to arrive at that mildly familiar courtyard. A disciple came to receive him and led him to that prettiest and most intricately decorated little building right at the back. The first thing he saw was the chiffon curtains, the red carpet beneath his feet, and the specially cultivated bonsai all around. Four people were seated around the central table and were chatting merrily with one another. Oh, youre here! Mo Yuluo was seated in the seat reserved for the host. She got her servants to refill everyones cup of tea, then dismissed them. The chatter slowly died down and everyone observed one another cautiously. A tremendous invisible pressure engulfed the entire building. Standing at the center of this invisible pressure was Gu Suihan. He stood in the midst of the pressure for a long time. All of a sudden, Gu Suihan unleashed a murderous air that was filled with nothing but cruelty and violence, as though they were now in purgatory. It was as if they were now in a bloodbath, surrounded by a sea of corpses and broken bones. From the outside, the entire building was covered by a faint blood-red murderous Qi, which dyed the white stone walls and pillars a similar reddish color. His aura is powerful enough to be physically visible. It is true after all, said Fang Suyu in a grim voice as he quietly kept his aura away. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and retracted that bloody aura he had unleashed earlier and sat down on the last empty chair. He tapped a finger on the table and said flatly, So, why did you want to see me? The Clackers 2-hour Highly Inconvenient Store Loose-fitting white shirt and trousersThe author is referring to the standard idea you have of clothing that people wear when they practice martial arts or go to wushu tournaments. There is no proper term for it because there are also no strict definitions for it.Yeah, so you can go google kung fu clothes LOL ?? The main chakrasThe chakras are supposedly energy, or Qi, points/centers in the body which should remain unblocked for best health.Dantian in traditional Chinese medicine has three parts, but the one that stores all that Qi is supposedly the lowest one, which corresponds more or less to the chakra at the lower abdomen area. ?? Chapter 57 Chapter 57 C Behind the Scenes; Coming Clean I have gathered everyone today because I want to clarify a few things, said Mo Yuluo as her pretty eyes scanned the whole table. I have received news from the higher ups that the internal disciple selection that is happening soon has an increase in the number of vacancies again. It stands at 36 people now. Nobody said anything. Besides Gu Suihan, the rest at the table had backers from positions of power within the sect, so they probably already knew about this a long time ago. Mo Yuluo was saying this for Gu Suihans benefit. Does it matter? Gu Suihan sipped his tea leisurely. Of course it does. You killed too many people in the secret realm, almost half of the best disciples of the latest batch. The remaining new disciples are only at level six or poorer and they are mostly at Qi Activation stage. How do you expect them to compete at the internal disciple selection? huffed Mo Yuluo. Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin looked equally annoyed. In that case, well have to rely on our abilities to get by. Gu Suihan smiled frostily as he looked sinisterly at the rest. You Mo Yuluo felt a rage rise within her. Her teeth chattered angrily but she suppressed her anger and forced herself to remain civil. The point of todays meeting is to ask if you could PLEASE be merciful this time. Dont pull underhanded stunts. She emphasized the word please, which was a rare word for her to say, given her status and position. Oh my! How did you know I was going to do that? Gu Suihan pretended to look extremely surprised as if his plans had been exposed. Unfortunately, his acting was overly exaggerated, which made everyone else twitch their lips in annoyance and scoff. After calming himself down, Fang Suyu put his cup down and made a proposal, 300 Spiritual Stones for you to spare them. What do you think, Brother Gu? Not enough. Gu Suihan didnt even look up. His voice sounded mildly disdainful as well. Humph! Did you think we really cant do anything about you? sneered Wang Aolin. If you had a way to deal with me, you wouldnt have called me here now. Gu Suihan looked at Wang Aolin like he was an idiot. Well give you a total of 4,500 Spiritual Stones. Out of the 36 vacancies, 10 will go to each of our factions and those who dont belong to any faction can fight for the last six, declared Mo Yuluo as she slammed her palm on the table. She simply couldnt stand that look on Gu Suihans face. Excellent! I like your attitude! said Gu Suihan as he slammed the table in agreement before anybody else could say anything. When he saw the doubtful looks on the faces of the rest, he added, If you just want to ensure your disciples become internal disciples, I can let them off. Their faces eased up after he said those words. Wang Aolin said, Brother Gu, dont worry, the process is very simple. Usually, the top 36 of the initial selection round will have to challenge an internal disciple. However, this time, because some things happened and some internal disciples died, the top six will be allowed to become internal disciples without having to win a duel against an internal disciple. In other words, number seven to 36 will have to defeat an internal disciple to become one. Fang Suyu smiled and said, I believe that you should be able to defeat an internal disciple without any problems, judging from how many tricks you have up your sleeve. What about people like Wang Xianxian and Feng Ran? Gu Suihan did not respond to Fang Suyus remark and asked about the external disciples who also showed a lot of potential but did not belong to any faction. Well bribe them. If it doesnt work, then well deal with them somehow. Wang Aolin had a scheming look on his face as he said, The sect does not allow us to kill anyone for some reason, but you dont have to kill someone in order to destroy them. My, my, how underhanded, remarked Gu Suihan in a mocking voice. Then he added, But I like the sound of that. After they had reached an agreement, they were no longer wary of each other and began chatting happily with one another again. It was hard to say if everyone was truly agreeable with these terms. Gu Suihan was someone who could bear a grudge for a long time. If he had the chance to hit someone when they were down, he would happily do so. Li Rong rapped his knuckles against the table and cleared his throat. When everyone had quietened down, he looked straight at Gu Suihan and said in a solemn voice, I want to ask you a question. Go ahead. Gu Suihan had a twinkle in his eye. I want to know if youre actually a senior who took over a younger persons body and has now restarted your cultivation journey, said Li Rong slowly as he emphasized each word very seriously. The other three exchanged glances. There was a look of enlightenment accompanied by a look of shock in their eyes. So what if I am, and so what if Im not? Gu Suihan did not answer the question and asked another instead as he looked curiously at Li Rong. Li Rong gritted his teeth and said resolutely, If thats truly the case, then that would explain all the mysteries surrounding you. Otherwise, it only proves that youre backed by a large and mysterious faction. Gu Suihan thought about it for a while, then gave everyone who was looking at him for an answer an affirmative one, Yes, I am indeed such a person. The other four looked at each other. Everything made sense now. That would explain everything. From your calm demeanor when I first met you, to how you emotionlessly told me to help you completely wipe your clan out. Also, Disciplinarian Zhang described you as someone without a heart. Just a few months after you entered the sect, you successfully reached Foundation Establishment. Inside the secret realm, you displayed knowledge of Buddhist spells and extremely difficult sword techniques, as though you had a lot of experience. I get it now, said Li Rong with a sigh as the frown on his face cleared up. The other three were shocked once more. They had kept close tabs on Gu Suihan, but they had mostly regarded him as a young chap who got lucky. They had no idea that there was more that they didnt know about. Mo Yuluo had a conflicted look in her eyes as she analyzed the situation further. Given Disciplinarian Zhangs review, I suppose you used to be someone who was nearly at Nascent Change, so you had three Hun and seven Po. Youre more decisive and vicious than the average person, so I suppose you died trying to reach Nascent Change, which was why you had no choice but to transmigrate and start over. You only brought the three Hun with you, and failed to transmigrate the seven Po, which is the part of your soul that has emotions. You can see it that way. Gu Suihan had a faint smile on his face and did not elaborate further. Mo Yuluo saw his smile as a bitter smile that represented disappointment and was further convinced that her conjecture was correct. The road of cultivation is an endless one that is achieved at the expense of thousands of corpses, fraught with thorns and thistles, and a willingness to do anything to attain immortality, said Wang Aolin with a quiet sigh after he had closed his eyes and pondered for a long time. Here you go. Li Rong suddenly gave Gu Suihan two little bottles. One was filled with blood, while the other was filled with a substance that resembled ash. That was the blood and the soul of the family member from Gu Suihans line of the family. Li Rong had handed it to Gu Suihan to show that he wasnt going to treat Gu Suihan as an enemy anymore. Li Rong was pleased to see Gu Suihan accept the two bottles. He paused, then asked, Also, do you know of any way to prevent a body takeover? Or a way to prevent someone else from taking over my own body? Yes, said Gu Suihan with a slight nod. He knew at least a dozen methods of taking over a body, so he knew several ways of preventing it too. He didnt mind sharing a few more common methods with them. But there was no way he was going to tell them about any of the other special techniques he knew. They werent anybody important to him and it had been difficult for him to gather these techniques too. He wasnt going to tell them just because one of them asked. Oh? Could you tell me more? Ill repay you for it. Li Rongs eyes lit up as he thought to himself, I knew he would know something! The other three were also interested to find out more. Gu Suihan looked at them and smiled faintly as he said, The easiest way is to cultivate a powerful spiritual sense. If your spiritual sense is stable and powerful enough, you wouldnt have to worry about someone else taking over your body. The other part is to lay down rules. The front bit makes sense. What is this about laying down rules? Mo Yuluos eyes glimmered as they stared straight at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan sighed and said, Actually, taking over another persons body is no easy task. The safest way is to make sure youre at least one full stage above the other party so that you can forcibly wipe out the other partys soul and consciousness, and take over their physical body. If you dont do that, the consequences will be very severe. The one taking over the body might be more powerful, but you dont have anything to anchor to. If the owner of the body you want is experienced, he could protect himself. His consciousness belongs to him, so he sets the rules, while you would have no choice but to accept those rules. That way, both sides would be on par and it will be hard for you to take over that body. Worse still, the process would wear your consciousness down and youd become nourishment for him. Everyone gasped inwardly when they heard Gu Suihan describe how dangerous it could be to take over the body of someone who knew how to protect themselves. At the same time, they became warier of Gu Suihan. He was a monster who successfully took over another body and restarted his cultivation journey with this body. Thank you for telling me these things. I have something to attend to, so I shall take my leave first. Li Rong had a grim look on his face. A tinge of sadness and anger flashed across his face for just one second before he threw a magic storage bag at Gu Suihan and left quickly. He was clearly in a hurry. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 C Each Has Their Plan Li Rongs hasty exit surprised the three faction leaders, but there was nothing they could do about it. After they stayed behind to make a bit more small talk, Wang Aolin and Fang Suyu took their leave. The place was now left with only Mo Yuluo and Gu Suihan. You must keep your promise to not use any underhanded means. Mo Yuluo flicked her fingers slightly and threw a magic storage bag to Gu Suihan. She stared into Gu Suihans eyes and said very seriously, Otherwise, you wont be just offending the internal and external disciples anymore. I know what to do. I dont need you to teach me, he replied lazily. He caught the magic storage bag from her and leaped out of the window without even saying goodbye. He disappeared from her sight in no time. What an unexpected windfall. Gu Suihan smirked as he weighed the few thousand Spiritual Stones he had received. Actually, he hadnt even planned to do anything before the selection day. But he could see where the faction leaders were coming from. The sect had rules against killing another disciple without any good reason, but that didnt stop them from pulling other evil tricks that would incapacitate another person without killing them. You could damage someones dantian severely so that they wouldnt be able to cultivate for some time. You could snap someones main tendons, or better still, just chop a limb off. That person would be disadvantaged for life. There were other even more insidious methods. You could also slip aphrodisiacs into ones food the day before so that they would end up having way too much libido and feel unusually tired the next day. The most formidable external disciples who did not have any powerful backers were Wang Xianxian, Feng Ran, and Gu Suihan. The rest of the external disciples were either completely hopeless, or the three factions had forced them to withdraw, threatened them, or bribed them into giving way to their disciples. In any case, the three factions wanted to ensure that the 36 names were filled with mostly their people. As for the internal disciple duel round, their external disciples who made it could just choose to fight those internal disciples who were at Beginner Foundation Establishment and had very little money on themselves. Their external disciples could easily defeat such internal disciples with the use of spiritual weapons and magic weapons provided for by their faction. But Gu Suihan had no idea why the three factions were so insistent on this arrangement. However, he could sense that there was some grander scheme behind this. Judging from their change in attitude as well as how the sect allowed them to just do as they liked, it was clear that even though the sect supposedly despised the external disciples, he was sure that all of this was happening only because the ones in power allowed it to. Since the three factions had been implicitly given the go-ahead, there must be something that these leaders had to accomplish. Unfortunately for them, Gu Suihan had turned up and ruined their plans. Not only had he and other formidable external disciples escaped death, even though the three leaders had been sure they would die, but Gu Suihan had also killed nearly 20 of their best newbies. That was nearly half the batch of newbies that made it to the East Compound. He narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his chair as he tapped his finger rapidly against the armrest. This internal selection is going to be chaos. I wonder what role the Peak Leaders play in all this. For some reason, Gu Suihan suddenly thought about the question that Li Rong had asked him earlier and how he had hastily left with that angry and venomous look in his eyes. He wanted to know how to prevent someone from taking over his body? Whos trying to do that? Why would you not do anything to protest if you knew about it? You should be taking action and not just waiting to die. Gu Suihans eyes suddenly flew open and lit up. The one who can take over Li Rongs body yet make him feel so much hatred must be someone he knows. Someone whos close to him, who is very powerful and can go against or ignore the sect rules. Thats ThatsXiexin zhenren. Gu Suihan got up with a start and there was a smile in his eyes. But there were other questions left unanswered. Why did Li Rong want to get close to him in the first place? It definitely wasnt because it was fated, since that was simply a lousy excuse, and he didnt think it was because Li Rong really wanted to turn him into his personal jiangshi, even though Li Rong had claimed that was his reason. A new idea popped up in Gu Suihans head. What if the person that Xiexin zhenren wanted to take over was himself? If that was the case, then everything else would make sense. Back then, Xiexin zhenren must have somehow found out through divination that there was someone out there who had a high level of aptitude and fit all his requirements. His method of divination wasnt powerful enough, so he wasnt able to find out exactly who it was but he knew roughly where this person was, so he got Li Rong to look for this person within that area. Li Rong eventually discovered Gu Suihan and through several tests, found out that Gu Suihan was very likely to be the person whom Xiexin zhenren was looking for. Li Rong was very happy to find Gu Suihan because Gu Suihan was more gifted than he was. If Xiexin zhenren chose to take over Gu Suihans body instead, Li Rong would no longer be a candidate for his father. But surviving this ordeal wasnt enough, so he thought of something else. He could first make Gu Suihan a living corpse. If he managed to have control over Gu Suihan without allowing his body to rot, then once Xiexin zhenren really took over Gu Suihans body, Li Rong could trap Xiexin zhenren inside by turning Gu Suihan into his personal jiangshi. This personal jiangshi would not only be even more powerful because it carried the spiritual aspects of Xiexin zhenrens soul, but it would also eliminate the threat that had been looming over him all these years. Thats why Gu Suihan had received that pill that day when his maids helped to collect his monthly portion. It had come precisely when he was still recovering from severe injuries. If the three factions hadnt suddenly come up with a plan to send him and four others into the woods that night, Li Rong would probably have come for him. If Gu Suihan were an ordinary person, he would have been incapacitated by that pill and Li Rong would have easily turned him into a living corpse without anybody noticing anything. Unfortunately for Li Rong, the plan to send them into the woods came at exactly the same time. But now, Gu Suihan had admitted that he was actually someone more powerful who had taken over a weaker body. In that case, Xiexin zhenren would probably choose not to take over Gu Suihan anymore. The next best candidate was Li Rong, and thats why Li Rong looked so hateful. Now that the three leaders knew that Gu Suihan was actually a transmigrated soul in a weaker body, they werent going to keep it to themselves. They were definitely going to report it to their backers and Xiexin zhenren would eventually find out about it. That would explain Li Rongs expression when he left. Gosh! What a complicated plan! Gu Suihans eyes reflected the stars in the sky as he sighed. He wasnt surprised that Li Rong and his father were essentially plotting to kill each other, but more surprised that he was really just very unlucky. This was a disaster that he hadnt caused, after all. If thats really whats happening, then based on Li Rongs personality, he wont give up. Gu Suihan fell into deep thought as he tried to predict what Li Rong would do next. Hes most likely to try and push me into a direct conflict with Xiexin zhenren, sit back and watch us fight, then pick up the pieces after that. But if he wants to do that, he has to make that happen before the three leaders spread the word about me. Hoho! Gu Suihan laughed as his eyes glinted brightly. It will happen over the period before the internal disciple selection. If hes really going to do this, he will come looking for me soon. He frowned as he realized he was going to have to prepare some things beforehand. There was no way he could fight with an Origin Core cultivator right now. He could not afford to use Suihans soul for the time being because it was already very badly damaged and covered in cracks. If he did that, Suihans soul would immediately fall apart. The fact that he couldnt make use of this trump card of his really annoyed him. He had revealed his true identity as a transmigrated soul, so he was quite sure that the higher-ups in the sect would definitely take action. No matter whether their actions benefitted him or not, he had to find a way to make sure he could get out of this unscathed. His expression was extremely serious now. More serious than it had ever been before. Father. Li Rong bowed deeply, then stood next to Xiexin zhenren with his head bowed. Xiexin zhenren was still sitting by himself at the top of the peak. The cold winds felt like knives against ones skin. How did it go? Gu Suihan has increased in cultivation level too quickly ever since he joined the sect. Its as if he knew how to do all this already. After some questioning, I found out that hes actually a cultivator who took over another persons body and restarted his cultivation journey. If thats the case, then dont you think our plan is moving a little too slowly? Youre too impatient. Xiexin zhenren slowly poured some tea into a cup and gave it to Li Rong. You shouldnt keep swinging between being close to him and being his enemy. Being so unpredictable will make him suspicious. Sorry, Father. I was wrong. What do I do next? Give him some benefits. Give him whatever hes lacking in. Xiexin zhenrens expression remained calm, but there was a glint in his eye. Li Rong was a little surprised as he asked, But why? Hes already suspicious of us, so if we give him more benefits, he would only become extra wary. That is correct. Xiexin zhenren narrowed his eyes. As he looked into the distance, his voice gradually became lower and lower. Thats exactly what I want. Since he already doesnt trust us, then we shall use benefits to tempt him. Li Rong, you must understand one thing. When a benefit is enough to tempt someone, that person would eventually become tempted and do something to get it. There are no exceptions. Xiexin zhenren looked at Li Rong and said in a stern voice, I will not forget how your mother died, and I hope you will not forget either. Your father doesnt have many more years to live and Ive already spent nearly a hundred years preparing for this. Now, all the stars have aligned and Gu Suihan is an excellent pawn. I dont want anything to go wrong. Li Rong shuddered, then nodded fiercely as his eyes reddened. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 C MC Aura Over the next month or so, Gu Suihan successfully converted all the spiritual Qi within his body into Geng Gold Sword Qi. Wisps of vicious sword Qi were now roaming his Spiritual meridians. Each time they made one round, they would also strengthen and fortify his blood, flesh, and bones slightly. His twisted skeleton made from bones that crisscrossed each other unnaturally like a demon began to gleam from being polished daily, and now shone like ivory. After the higher-ups announced the prize for becoming an internal disciple, Gu Suihan gave up his plan to make a spiritual weapon. If he made it to the top few spots, he would receive a high-grade spiritual weapon, so there was no point in wasting so many Spiritual Stones to get one made. For now, he was going to just use Hang Chulongs high-grade magic weapon. He had already discussed everything with the three faction leaders and agreed that the prizes that the top few spots win would be given to him and the other formidable external disciples like Feng Ran. That was what really went on behind the scenes. All the fixing and shady deals. A few days earlier, Li Rong had come looking for Gu Suihan to tell him about a piece of big news he had heard. There were going to be some changes in the process to select the top 36 external disciples. The seven sects had come together to recruit external disciples this time, so the higher-ups of the sect hoped to see something different in the way the disciples competed. But they hadnt released details of what they were going to do yet. Then again, in this world of cultivators where only the fittest survived, the only way to compete was by literally fighting one another. And because the number of vacancies had increased this year, a lot of people wanted to try their luck. After all, if they somehow managed to become an internal disciple, they would be treated infinitely better than before. Also, even if they couldnt become one, they might still get some perks. Come on, Brother Gu, wed better hurry and register our names before its too late! Li Rong yelled out excitedly from outside. Why is he suddenly being so friendly? He must be up to no good. Gu Suihans gaze flickered. Li Rongs unpredictable behavior made him warier of Li Rong. Even though he had made some guesses about what the real situation with Li Rong was, they were still guesses and he had no idea if it was true, so he just had to watch his step. Lets go. Gu Suihan told Taohua to stay in the room and cultivate, then left with Li Rong to register their names for the internal disciple selection. It didnt take long for them to hear the noise of a huge crowd. It was so noisy, that it sounded like they had come to a marketplace. Li Rong was also rather surprised by how crowded it was. All he could see were the heads of many others, standing so close to one another that he could hardly even see any empty space. Over there. Gu Suihan looked around, then pointed his chin in one direction. He weaved through the crowd so quickly that all anyone could see was a blur, and arrived at the front of the line in an instant. The middle-aged man taking down names didnt even bother looking up. He sensed that there was someone in front of him, so he asked, Your name and Compound. Hey! How could you cut in line? an annoyed voice called out from behind Gu Suihan. Shush! Thats Gu Suihan! Would you rather die? hissed the first disciples friend after glancing at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan smiled brightly as he stared at the disciple behind him who was still angry but dared not say anything. Then he said to the middle-aged man, Gu Suihan. East Compound disciple. Oh? The middle-aged man raised his head to look at Gu Suihan a little curiously, then said, Not bad. The middle-aged man took a jade token and wrote the number 128 on one side and Gu Suihans name on the other side. Gu Suihan took one look at the token, threw it into his storage ring, bowed politely to the middle-aged man, and sauntered off after that. The whole process had taken him less than half a minute. What number are you? Li Rong waved his jade token that had the number 110 on it. 128. You two are around as well? Have you registered yet? A pleasant voice rang out from behind Gu Suihan and the owner of the voice appeared before them immediately after she finished her questions. It was Mo Yuluo. Gu Suihan smiled and seemed to have thought of something as he asked Mo Yuluo, I want to ask about the secret realm we were in. Do you know what was inside there previously? Did anybody make any discoveries? Previously? Mo Yuluos pretty porcelain face looked a little puzzled. Its been a few hundred years since the secret realm was first discovered. The first person to find it was a Peak Leader who used a lot of magic power to determine its exact location, hoping to refine it into a magic weapon. Unfortunately, there seemed to be something inside that not only made him fail in turning it into a magic weapon, but it injured him severely and he died just after a few years. After that, the sect opened up this secret realm and used it as a training ground for direct and internal disciples. It was opened once every 100 years or so, but it only took about two or three rounds for the disciples to empty it of any treasures. The laws governing the realm are also a mess now. Thats why they finally allowed the external disciples to enter it this time. Did anybody find teachings or techniques or something along those lines inside? asked Gu Suihan. Li Rong interjected, Im sure they must have. According to legend, besides those forests and mountains, there were also some ancient buildings inside the secret realm. But the disciples who went in first fought each other too hard over the treasures that they found, so the buildings collapsed from the fighting and there arent even traces of them left. Those disciples that managed to snatch those treasures from either fighting or even killing another disciple wouldnt want anybody to know about what they did, so even if they found anything, they wouldnt talk about it. I see. Gu Suihans gaze flickered as he thought about the piece he had found in the stone pool that contained the Blood Jade Fig tree. But he smiled and said, I was just wondering how could a secret realm not seem to have any treasures at all. After the two of them left, Gu Suihan immediately returned to his own place and took out the piece he got from the secret realm to take a closer look at it. The piece was barely half an inch thick, still felt a little warm and it was completely red in color. The words on it were strange and twisted, yet seemed to give off such a mysterious aura. killing mehuman racecricketrebellionhead failureindignation Out of the dozens of words on the small piece, Gu Suihan could only read a few. Also, the side was cut off, so part of it was illegible. He had no idea what this was all about. The only conclusion he could arrive at was that this secret realm had existed for a fairly long time now, and could be traced back to ancient history. Perhaps it was a piece that had broken off from the time of the Great Flood1, then floated about in the nothingness, slowly getting worn down bit by bit until it was left with just this piece. Someone found it and turned it into a secret realm. Im in no hurry. This universe has traces of demons. Im sure Ill eventually find a way to decode this ancient demonic script. Gu Suihan kept it away, then sat as still as a sculpture with an obstinate look in his eyes. As his Geng Gold Sword Mantra slowly circulated within his body, he continued to absorb Qi unceasingly so that his Spiritual Root could convert it into the purest of sword Qi. Each time it completed one round, it would bring about an improvement that he could barely even detect. Progress was slow, but Gu Suihan was happy with that. He swallowed some pills and used Spiritual Stones to aid his cultivation process. At this rate, he would need four to five years to reach Mid-stage, and this was only because he had a Rank Eight Spiritual Root. If his Spiritual Root were any poorer in rank, he would probably have to take more than ten years to reach Mid Foundation Establishment. Getting through the Foundation Establishment stage was like the process of milling flour. It was like building a house from scratch C you had to lay one brick at a time. It was impossible to finish building it all at once. If you could get your hands on pills like an Ancient Divine Pill, a Nine Iteration Gold Pill, or a Space Creating Pill, you might be able to move up in level rapidly. Unfortunately, nobody knew how to make these pills anymore. He took out Hang Chulongs sword, which was named the Dragon Beheader. He withdrew it from its sheath and brandished it. A glow covered the sword and the gleam of the blade was incredibly brilliant. It made a silvery-white line in the air as he brought the sword down and it gave off an ear-piercing whoosh. Not too bad. Gu Suihan put it back into its sheath and threw it to one side. Then he finally went to pick up the broken knife he had abandoned in a dark corner for ages. You havent bothered about me in so long! Lying in that dark place for so long almost drove me insane! the broken knife immediately started complaining loudly to Gu Suihan. Oops, sorry. I forgot about you. You forgot about me? The broken knife paused for a moment, then started shrieking again, You FORGOT ABOUT ME?! How could you have forgotten about me?! Im the spirit of a weapon! A weapon spirit from ancient times! I have an incomparable amount of teaching experience! I also have So, youve finally decided to tell me the truth? Gu Suihan stared at the knife that had suddenly stopped squeaking and sniggered. Didnt you say you were a newly formed spirit? How did you become a weapon spirit from ancient times now? I, uh The weapon spirit made the broken knife clatter about on the floor. Did I say that? I dont know anything about that. Let me ask you a question. Gu Suihans tone of voice suddenly became low and sinister. Do you want to live or do you want to die? III want to live, stammered the weapon spirit after hesitating. Do you want to be an old grandpa? Gu Suihan suddenly thought of an idea. He tried to tempt the knife, Old grandpas are those who get to teach those beginners that start off with low levels of aptitude, but manage to rise to the top despite being downright dumb. Butbut youre not a beginner, and youre not downright dumb either. The broken knife trembled as the weapon spirit got excited. But it quickly stopped when it saw Gu Suihans expression. Fuck, Im not talking about myself! Gu Suihan glared furiously at the broken knife. He cleared his throat and went on, If youre willing, Ill take you out later and we can find the dumbest and most na?ve disciple out there and take him in. And then? The weapon spirit was getting interested now. ThenIll teach you a cultivation technique and you can teach that fellow. Then he can become that weak to strong protagonist who defeats all those rich scions, a useless fellow who defies the will of heaven to Wait, what?! What in the world are you talking about? The weapon spirit was utterly confused but it sort of understood what Gu Suihan was driving at. You just want to find a test subject, dont you? I just knew you couldnt be so kind as to take me outside for fun, it spat indignantly. Dont put it like that. Making him test out a cultivation technique is a bonus. The main point is for both of us to have some fun, said Gu Suihan patiently in order to coax the weapon spirit into playing along. It didnt take Gu Suihan long to confuse the weapon spirit so much that it finally agreed to it. The Clackers Flaky Pastry Club The Great Floodhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_Mythology_of_ChinaHonestly, there are so many differing myths about a flood that destroys the world followed by two relatives repopulating the world I dont know which one the author is referring to. ?? Chapter 60 Chapter 60 C Standard Weak to Strong MC Template Just before the sun rose, Gu Suihan taught the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach to the rather excited weapon spirit. After he had left it with some additional instructions, he disguised himself as an elegant-looking young man who exuded an extraordinary charm. He wore a white robe that matched his aura and made him look arrogant. Once he was all ready to go, he went to the marketplace he went the last time. His exceptional style of dressing and arrogant demeanor made everyone stay away from him fearfully. The external disciples watched from a distance as he sat down in a quiet corner and put a few dozen magic weapons on the ground for sale. They flickered brightly and had an iridescent gleam from time to time. He didnt have high-grade items, but he had a lot of items, so everyone glancing over secretly was really surprised. If you spot a suitable kid, just do something a little out of the ordinary. But dont do anything too obvious, Gu Suihan instructed the broken knife by telepathy as it lay among the piles of stuff that he had for sale. I know what to do, replied the weapon spirit. It didnt care about what Gu Suihan was trying to do. It just wanted some freedom and to be treated with a little more respect. Time slowly went by. The sales never stopped. The internal disciple selection was coming up soon, so everyone wanted to find a way to improve their chances in hope of a brighter future ahead. Gu Suihan marked up his prices because of that. He had made some calculations. He would earn about 4,000 to 5,000 Spiritual Stones from the sale of all these useless things, so adding that to what he had now, he would have about 30,000 low-grade Spiritual Stones. If he scrimped and saved a little, he would definitely have enough to custom make a better sword to become his personal spiritual weapon. Excuse me, how much are you selling this for? While Gu Suihan was deep in thought, a meek voice suddenly spoke to him. Gu Suihan looked up and saw a skinny young man looking at him nervously. He was dressed in the clothing of an errand-runner. Which one do you want? This pile here is ten Spiritual Stones each, pick anything you like, said Gu Suihan flippantly with a glint in his eye. The weapon spirit had given him a signal to tell him that this young man would be quite suitable. Gu Suihan looked nonchalantly at the young man squatting at the pile he pointed to earlier as he started looking through each item, and nodded to himself. This young fellow had very ordinary features, but there was a resilience in his eyes. He was an errand runner, but he looked like the determined sort. Everything about this young man told Gu Suihan that he was someone who had unfulfilled dreams. Wasnt that the standard template for the protagonist who started off as the useless downtrodden fellow whom nobody cared about? Liu Ming nervously rubbed his palms together and gave Gu Suihan the ten Spiritual Stones he had been holding for so long that they were covered in his perspiration. Then, he went back to looking through the small pile again, hoping to find something that was worth his money. All of a sudden, his fingers happened to brush past a broken knife that was covered in rust. His fingers actually trembled slightly when he touched the blade. When he held the handle, he even felt a warmth coming from it. His instincts told him that this was no ordinary knife. This is good stuff! Liu Mings eyebrow twitched slightly as he tried to suppress his excitement and pretended that he wasnt particularly interested in the knife. He proceeded to pick a few more items out and looked like he couldnt decide. Finally, he calmly picked out the broken knife and said flatly to Gu Suihan, Ill take this one. Sure. Gu Suihan pretended not to notice the slight trembling in the young mans voice as he packed up his things and left as quietly as he came. Before walking away, Gu Suihan glanced back and saw the young man who really looked like he had picked up a treasure. Gu Suihan had a mocking look in his eyes, and his lips were curled back into a smirk. He thought to himself, The weak to strong protagonist starts as the good-for-nothing who eventually defies heaven by excelling in everything. He will rise above the rest and nothing in the universe can defeat him. HA! You really believe that? You really believe those stupid novels? You really think its so easy to become one of those MCs in those novels? A novel was mere fiction after all. The stories with protagonists who started with zero talent and then went on to easily defeat geniuses was simply wish fulfillment by the authors. In reality, someone with real talent could just use one day to reach the level of cultivation that someone less gifted took three months to reach. If one lacked aptitude, they could make up for it with resources or have influential backers. If you had neither of these three things, did you really think you could rely on MC aura and plot armor to get you through life? That was ridiculous. That was an insult to those who were truly gifted. Now it looked like those who were gifted were definitely all idiots waiting to get thrashed. Gu Suihan seemed to be very arrogant and kept challenging the three major factions as if he was being naive and stupid. But things were quite the contrary. Gu Suihan did that knowing how far he could go. He always made sure he went just far enough. If he and Disciplinarian Zhang were outside of the sect now and Disciplinarian Zhang forced him at knifepoint to hand over that statue filled with Vow Power, he would throw the statue at Disciplinarian Zhang and run for his life without hesitation. Or if Xiexin zhenren tried to take over his body, he would just leave the physical body behind and run to find another one instead. Also, Gu Suihan could behave like this only because among the external disciples, there werent many stronger than him, and even then it was manageable. If he was among only internal disciples, then only being at Beginner Foundation Establishment was definitely a major disadvantage to him in a fight. He wouldnt do anything that would endanger himself. Proceeding with caution and keeping a low profile would definitely be the way to go. The real difference between being at the Beginner stage and being at the Mid stage was not a matter of cultivation level, but how much experience you had accumulated. Nobody knew if the person they had offended was capable of some mysterious skill they had never heard of before or had some trump card they never thought was possible. You couldnt possibly be the only cultivator in the world who chanced upon something useful for your cultivation journey. Besides, when it came to challenging someone of a higher cultivation level, one still needed to rely on having resources. Right now, Gu Suihan didnt have a spiritual weapon, so there was no way he could fight someone at Mid Foundation Establishment. In fact, he might not even win against those at Beginner Foundation Establishment like Mo Yuluo, because she definitely had way more resources than he did. After he had finished thinking through all these things, he started to concentrate on cultivation again. But first, he quietly landed in the backyard where Taohua was cultivating and left her some Spiritual Stones and pills. Then he went to quietly wait for the internal disciple selection that was happening the next day. While waiting, he started to look through his memories for every cultivation technique he knew and used them as a reference to slowly piece together what he believed would help him to complete the last part of the Geng Gold Sword Mantra. As for why he allowed Taohua to cultivate, there were several reasons. Firstly, Taohua was the only person in the entire sect whom Gu Suihan trusted, so he did not have to guard against her. Secondly, if he was going to become an internal disciple, he would get a new maid at his new residence. With a trusted senior like Taohua around, he could leave any new maids in her care, which would save him time and energy to teach or discipline. Lastly, she had been a very loyal servant all this time, so he thought hed give her a chance. Whether she made good use of this chance or not wasnt his concern. As for how well she could cultivate or if she managed to somehow reach Origin Core or the Nascent Change stage in the future, Gu Suihan didnt care. If she wanted to leave, she could. He didnt care as long as she was not of any threat to him. Without a personal spiritual weapon, there are many things I cant do, murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he calmed the agitated sword Qi within his body. He paused the Qi circulation for a while, then focused on cultivating his technique instead of allowing his thoughts to be distracted by other things. Some time passed before he suddenly got up and look out of the window to see a beam of light flying his way. He caught the item flying towards him and took a look. Li Rong had sent information about the internal disciple selection process. According to the information, all the disciples who had registered would have to gather in the same place where they registered their names. They were to just start fighting until there were only 200 disciples left. Every disciple had been given a token, so if they wanted to back out, they just had to smash the token and they would be taken out of the competition. So, the first round really turned out to be a mass fight that disregards cultivation level, and it eliminates three-fifths of the competition. The next round must be a one-on-one duel decided by drawing lots, thought Gu Suihan before continuing to read the rest. The remaining 200 would draw lots and proceed with a one-on-one duel. First to sixth place would automatically become an internal disciple. Seventh to 36th place would get a chance to challenge an internal disciple to a duel. Also, there were many prizes to be won, including pills, spiritual weapons, Contribution Points, and Spiritual Stones. Gu Suihan was rather surprised by the list of items. Not only had the sect increased the number of vacancies, but the prizes were much better than in previous years. Had the higher-ups in the sect gone bonkers? It was as though they deliberately wanted to give all this away to the disciples. One of the precious items that Gu Suihan noticed was actually a Soul Building Lycoris Radiata Fruit. That sounded completely insane. This was a fruit that could repair ones soul, so logically, it was way too valuable to be given away to greenhorns who had barely reached Foundation Establishment. Theyre really being very generous. But since they dare to offer it, Id gladly take it. With this, my soul will stop breaking down further and it can finally actually recover. Gu Suihan closed his eyes slightly to hide the twinkle in them. I wonder if this is another trap set by the Sect Leader, or if its a prize thats secretly laced with poison Chapter 61 Chapter 61 C Making a Cool Entrance Im leaving now, you concentrate on cultivation. Even after I become an internal disciple, you can continue to stay with me, Gu Suihan said to Taohua before making a hand seal that allowed him to fly towards the massive area where he registered himself the day before. Before he even got the chance to take a look around, Mo Yuluo and the rest appeared next to him. Wang Aolin chuckled and said, Brother Gu, these are all the promising disciples whom weve selected. Do familiarize yourself with their faces so that you dont accidentally harm the wrong person. A group of disciples, whose Qi wasnt stable and had clearly made it to Foundation Establishment by force, stood behind the three faction leaders and refused to meet Gu Suihans eye. The three leaders must have already told them about the arrangement they made with Gu Suihan. Only a rare few had stable Qi and had a more resilient look on their faces. Seriously? Youre going with these people? Gu Suihans brows were furrowed. Most of these youngsters had reached the next level by taking more pills than usual. Even if Gu Suihan and the rest like himself purposely made things easier for them, it was still hard for them to get to the next level. Hurhur, Fang Suyu snorted when he heard Gu Suihans doubtful tone of voice. Well, you were the one who wiped out our best, so these were the only ones we were able to push into Foundation Establishment. We didnt have a choice either. Just focus on doing what youre supposed to do. Mo Yuluo and Wang Aolin sighed inwardly and stared with some annoyance at the aloof-looking Gu Suihan. I assume you have made some arrangements for the mass brawl, so I wont stick around. Goodbye. Gu Suihan memorized all the faces of the disciples from the three factions and then walked past them swiftly and out of sight. About an hour later, a pressure suddenly engulfed the entire plaza. The sound of chatter decreased in volume, while all the internal disciples exchanged glances and flew off as quickly as possible. Woong! A booming sound suddenly resounded loudly in everyones ears and a bright light appeared in the sky. The light and the sound were so intense that they made the disciples feel dizzy and nauseous. A tremendous pressure quickly overwhelmed the crowd and prevented them from moving. It was as though two suns had appeared in the heavens. The brightness of the sky was so glaring that many of them started crying uncontrollably. Most of them had no idea what was happening, but Gu Suihan could guess. It wasnt two suns in the sky C there was just one sun, and the other source of light was actually a person. However, that person was able to shine even more brilliantly than the sun, causing the oxygen in the air to thin out and forcing the temperature to rise to an unbearable number. Yet, that person refused to back down, until a scoff suddenly came from another direction. The scoff wasnt loud, but it was enough for the person emanating heat and light to shudder, as though they had been struck by lightning. The person had a grim look as they glanced at the shadow in the distance that was coming closer and closer, before reluctantly withdrawing the pressure exerted on the disciples below and standing suspended in the air. A large patch of clouds had gathered to form an elegant and imposing giant throne. Heat rays emanated from it and sent ripples of distortion through the air. At the same time, the dizzy disciples covered in perspiration finally realized what was going on. They looked up in fear and reverence towards the expert seated on the clouds above in silence. The entire place fell eerily silent. Wan Fentian, youre really getting worse by the day, a shrill feminine voice resounded. Her voice agitated the heads of the disciples and sobered them up instantly. They looked up to see a ferocious beast floating in the air, covering half the sky with its body that measured at least a few hundred meters long. Immediately after that voice had spoken, a beautiful woman with an aloof expression stood on top of that beasts head in a long and colorful dress. Her figure was perfect and her skin as smooth as jade. Her hair flew beautifully in the wind and her eyes were mesmerizing. She looked like a fairy in paintings. The ferocious beast she stood on had the head of a dragon and the body of a fish. A strange red mist surrounded its head, fish scales covered its entire body and its eyes were enormous. They would scan the disciples below from time to time and flicker viciously. Thats a Dragon Carp 1! Or at least, its a descendant of one. Gu Suihans eyes lit up as a smile spread across his lips. This world had demons after all, and this particular one was a well-known one from ancient times too. Wan Fentian looked fairly annoyed and scoffed. Whats your problem? Im just giving these disciples a test and Ive barely used much force, but these useless bums are already on the verge of collapse. Each batch is really worse than the last. Oh my, listen to yourself! The beautiful woman snorted with disdain. Theyve barely cultivated for a year, for crying out loud. Besides, its not as if youre that great either. If you were that great, why have you been stuck at the peak of Origin Core for more than a hundred years without any signs of improvement? Yun Lianyi! Dont go too far! Wan Fentian was furious and the sun rays he emanated burned even more intensely and exploded. What is this all about? shouted a middle-aged man in a black robe as he suddenly appeared between the two fighting in the sky. His gentle and well-defined features made him look like he had just walked out of a painting, but his expression was clearly unhappy now. Humph! Both parties to the sides of the man glared at each other hatefully before taking a seat where they were and did not speak anymore. It didnt take long for a grand and awe-inspiring scene to unfold. Some moved as quietly as a ghost, appearing out of nowhere. Some moved as quickly as the wind, tearing loudly through the air. Some walked on the clouds and exuded great amounts of murderous Qi. The mysterious and powerful seven Peak Leaders that the external disciples had only heard of but never seen before quickly made an appearance around the plaza. Their auras clashed with one another from time to time, making sizzling and booming noises. You Hantian looked at the Peak Leaders in attendance and shook his head at how they were clearly ready to break out in a fight at any time. He cleared his throat slightly, and it resounded in the clear skies like thunder, making the other Peak Leaders look up for a moment. They retracted all the energies they had secretly unleashed to attack another and quietly remained seated while looking down. Today is the day the Seven Kill Sect selects the next group of internal disciples and Im sure everyone has prepared for the competition ahead. I dont have to say too much, your achievements in battle will prove your abilities. As You Hantian scanned the frightened disciples below, his voice sounded as light as the wind and as calm as a stream. It was as if he were just standing next to them and whispering in their ears. Hes a Nascent Change cultivator. Hes tried to hide his actual level of cultivation, but Im sure hes not yet at Advanced Nascent Change yet. Gu Suihan kept his head low as he remained hidden quietly among the crowd. He had only taken a quick glance at the seemingly genial You Hantian and assessed the Sect Leaders cultivation level accurately. After You Hantian had stated the rules clearly, he waved his arm and every disciple that had a token from the time they had registered for this competition was captured and moved into the center of the plaza if they werent already standing there. Thirty-six stone pillars surrounded the disciples and suddenly gave off beams of bright light that dazzled everyone. In just 10 seconds, those beams stretched to touch the pillars next to them and the center of the plaza was quickly encircled by the pillars and their light. The sound of metal could be heard as the beams of light from the pillars turned into thick metal chains instead. Another beam of light shot out from the top of the pillars and came together to shine down on the disciples trapped in the middle of the plaza, like a huge floodlight. Ah! A terrified scream was all it took to start the frenzied battle within the stone pillars. In the blink of an eye, countless talismans were thrown and spells were cast. Blades gleamed brightly and sparks flew everywhere. Violent and murderous roars filled the air, swiftly bringing the battle in the huge plaza to a climax. Gu Suihan continued to weave in and out of the crowd easily and went mostly unnoticed, stabbing his sword into a disciple from time to time, and taking away the dead disciples magic storage bag at the same time. He made sure he killed the disciples with just one move and never remained in the same place any longer than the time it took to kill and rob the disciple. Along the way, he would take a pill to recover his energy as he continued to swim in between the disciples distracted by all the killing happening around them. Go to hell! A saber slashed through the air fiercely as an angry and ferocious shout could be heard. A burly man had swung his saber towards Gu Suihan with a threatening look on his face. Ice Waall! Gu Suihans expression didnt even flinch as he threw a talisman behind him and ran for it, leaving the burly man glaring at his back with angry bulging eyes as his way was blocked. Damn it! Theres a thief among us! Someone would touch their belt from time to time and go into a panic when they realized that someone had stolen their magic storage bag and removed their personal seal on the bag so that they couldnt summon it back. More and more people began to realize that their magic storage bag had gone missing only when they were already badly hurt or suffered from insufficient Qi flow. When that happened, they could only wait for death to consume them. Meanwhile, the thief among them was still happily stealing everyones magic storage bags. Gu Suihan would take the bag, send his spiritual sense into it to move what he wanted into his own storage ring, and then throw the whole bag away, including anything he didnt want from it. Its him! Someone was sharp enough to witness Gu Suihan stab another disciple to death and take away the dead disciples magic storage bag. Watching that sent shivers down that witness spine. We need to unite and kill that fellow! One of them realized his storage bag was gone too and charged toward Gu Suihan with his saber. Jiaolong2 Rain! Gu Suihan thrust his sword out and the tip of his blade made an ear-piercing howl from the friction with the air. A glow shot out from the sword and turned into a jiaolong that pierced through a number of disciples at the same time, creating a bloody hole in their torsos instantly. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars, Heavenly Demon Phantasmagoria! Gu Suihan spun round and round, creating the very realistic illusions of more than ten humans all at once. One looked angry, another was crying, and yet another looked sad. One looked like a flirtatious woman while the other resembled an aloof and conservative lady. One was even a roaring muscular man. Every illusion looked different. What the hell was going on?! Not only were the external disciples in the plaza completely stunned, but even the Peak Leaders watching from above were astonished and even looked on in admiration. Where did he go? One of them brought his sword down to shatter the illusion in front of him and looked around him in a panic. I dont know! MaybeAHHH! Someone answered the first person with a shake of his head, only to realize that he had been distracted and the other person was able to stab him with his sword. The latter screamed one last time as his head was lopped off his neck. I dont care anymore! Im gonna kill everyone! After just a momentary pause, everyone started trying to kill each other all over again. Nobody gave up C or rather, nobody had the chance to even admit defeat, because any slight hesitation would result in instant death. Blood and flesh were strewn all over the ground, while countless severed limbs and internal organs were crushed by those who stayed alive. Those who had collapsed to the ground and could no longer get up would be stabbed by any passing disciple. The Clackers Chinese Seafood Restaurant Todays snack delicacy recommendation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_soupRynoh said he liked reading about other cultures so here we go. I love turtles because theyre really cute but also, they make good soup. Eaten with a very, very large amount of strong tasting herbs. Supposed to have health benefits, but Im not so sure about that. Umami: ***** Chapter 62 Chapter 62 C (In)famous Mo Yuluo had already arranged for all the disciples belonging to the three factions to huddle together and stay put in a hidden corner. A disciple would come by from time to time and attempt to kill them, but these intruders would be killed off quickly by the group. Gu Suihan had secretly hidden behind this group and had taken a pill to recuperate. The formation around the disciples started to give off a faint reddish air but this fog was barely visible among the bloodied limbs that lay over the ground. But this reddish fog was spreading across the arena and being absorbed by the disciples as they breathed. Less than a third of the participants were left, but there was still time left to go before it fell to 200. The disciples from the three factions were initially very silent and calm, but when they looked at each other now, they realized that their eyes were bloodshot and looked murderous now. However, they were still able to hold their urges back. That was until someone accidentally stepped on the foot of another disciple. The two disciples suddenly flew into an explosive rage and it didnt take long for one of them to be hacked to death. The friend of the one who died was furious and drew his sword. After that, the peaceful and united crowd started fighting each other for very petty reasons. Their eyes were bloodshot and they stared at each other as ruthlessly as an animal eyeing its prey, even though many of them were friends before this. Before long, spells were cast and weapons were withdrawn. Yet another major battle began within the arena. This is really exciting! Wan Fentian looked down at all the corpses in the arena and the bloodthirsty look in his eyes became more intense. You Hantian turned to look at the seemingly unhinged Wan Fentian and said in a stern voice, Your heart has been affected. Has it? Wan Fentian glanced at You Hantian with reddened eyes. It has! Yun Lianyis beautiful face had a nasty look on it, as though she wasnt used to the strong stench of blood. She turned her face away from the battle below that was only getting more and more brutal. Xiexin zhenren glanced at Wan Fentian and said, Youre getting more and more affected. Wan Fentian, I suggest you take some time to quietly cultivate, otherwise you might succumb to your inner demons. The tree might want peace and quiet but the wind blows anyway. I dont always have a choice in these things, said Wan Fentian with a sigh after he shut his eyes to adjust his Qi and calmed his agitated heart down. You Hantian and the rest had grim looks on their faces when they heard what he had said. Somethings not right, thought Gu Suihan as he leaned against one of the stone pillars that formed part of the formation around the arena and felt the heat it gave off. His heart started palpitating as he watched the others, consumed by a frenzy, murder each other. The slightly sweet bloody smell in the air made Gu Suihan realize that there was a problem as he quickly pasted a Heart Calming Talisman on himself. There was a fierce glint in his eye as he watched the external disciples at each others throats. He had no idea what was wrong with the air around them, but he too, slowly began to feel the urge to kill something rise up within him. He swung his sword to defend himself against another disciples sword, then thrust his left hand out suddenly, stabbing the other party in the abdomen, going through the dantian, and coming out from the other side with a few fragments of the spinal cord in hand. That ended the other persons life instantly. I need to make this battle end as soon as possible. He flicked his wrist and took out another talisman. Sword Qi surged into his hand and the talisman began to glow as the strange words on it also started glowing. An almost unnoticeable wind was slowly gaining speed around him. Sword Qi Storm! Once the talisman was glowing at its brightest, Gu Suihan pasted the talisman onto the sword in his hand. He ran his index finger across the blade to make a cut and then allowed his blood to color both the sword and the talisman on it red. He thrust the sword out and it gave off a glow that was a foot long, and countless tiny cracks appeared all over it. A bright golden flash appeared as the cracked glow of the sword tore through the air with an ear-piercing sound, and hacked everything in front of it into pieces. The sound of metal clanging immediately filled the air, but every defense mechanism that talismans could create like mud walls and ice walls was no match for the sharp sword Qi. It pierced through everything and finally turned the disciples into mush as they looked on in despair. Im going to break this down! A young man shouted loudly as he swung his squarish sword that glowed crimson from the spiritual energy in it at Gu Suihans sword. A huge amount of spiritual energy surrounded the squarish sword and turned into a roaring beast as he swung it and burst out from the sword. Blade shards as small as fingernails scratched against the squarish sword and sent ripples through the air as the two weapons collided. The powerful shockwave from the collision sent the fighting disciples around them flying and a large crater that measured more than 10 meters across appeared on the ground. Gu Suihan threw away his sword since it was only left with its hilt. He quickly made several hand seals casting spells that were filled with spiritual energy while retreating backward at a high speed, treading over several bloodied corpses and random pieces of flesh along the way. Fire Dragon! Turmoil in the Skies! A gigantic dragon made from flames crossed the diameter of the huge crater, roaring furiously as it came towards the horrified-looking Gu Suihan like a cyclone. Brilliant Wall of Stars! The warm outburst coming from behind Gu Suihan told him that he had nowhere else to run to, so he had no choice but to stop his series of hand seals and create a hemispherical barrier that glowed brightly. Heavenly Spirits! Destroy the Darkness! The young man with the squarish sword took a mighty leap and waved his sword in a peculiar way before swinging it at Gu Suihan. Too late! Inches Away C Ends of the World! Gu Suihan could see the squarish sword coming for him through the barrier that was already covered with cracks and was about to collapse anytime. A confident smile spread across his lips. He took a step forward and created several ripples in the air before disappearing into a different space right in front of the shocked young man, his chest just scraping past the squarish sword that was coming for him. In that instant, he was able to move to the other side of the arena, covering a few kilometers in the process. Pfft! Gu Suihans face was slightly pale and there was blood trickling from his lips. He looked down expressionlessly at his chest, where a chunk of flesh was missing and his ribs had nearly been exposed. The wound looked terrifying. He quickly retrieved several pills, crushed them in his hand, and applied the powder evenly across his chest. The intense pain made him frown, but he continued to swallow a few pills and finally breathed a sigh of relief. He proceeded to retrieve a magic spear from his storage ring and looked solemnly at all the external disciples who were slowly coming towards him, glaring at him with their bloodshot eyes as though he was their greatest enemy. Kill him!! As if that were a command from an army general, all the external disciples started making hand seals or raising their weapons as they swarmed toward Gu Suihan. Heavenly Dragon C to the Moon! Gu Suihan tensed up and he finally lost control of the murderous intent in his heart. The entire place instantly turned blood red, and the bloodied pieces of flesh on the ground were attracted to this thick layer of murderous air that filled the arena. The bloody flesh wriggled towards each other like worms, joining themselves up to form a dragon in an instant, a dragon made from the remains of the external disciples who had died earlier. Gu Suihan raised his spear and the bloody dragon howled loudly, surrounding Gu Suihan safely in its midst. The dragon raised its head to let out a long roar, then flew into the air with Gu Suihan. It started twirling itself around Gu Suihans spear and Gu Suihan gave a loud shout, sending the spear and the bloody dragon around it crashing onto the external disciples trying to attack him. BOOOOOM! The entire place bloomed like a bloody rose as blood spurted as high as a hundred meters into the air and an ear-deafening blast echoed in the arena. Shrieks of horror and helpless wails, torn talismans, and broken weapons became all part of this blooming bloody rose. Craaack! Wang Aolin looked up with a start and floated in the air to stare straight at a tiny crack in the formation around the arena. He was flabbergasted. This formation was one that could hold up even against an Advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators most powerful strike. Yet, Gu Suihan had managed to make a crack in it. The crack mended itself in no more than 10 seconds, but the fact that there was even a crack was already shocking to the internal disciples. You Hantian and the other Peak Leaders were surprised for just a moment, then You Hantian realized he had to stop this. Great Hand of Hades! He waved his sleeve aside and tapped the air in front of him, allowing him to reach a hand into the formation, which turned into more than a hundred large hands that each caught one disciple. The first round has ended. All survivors will make it to the next round. Immediately after he said that Wan Fentian flew to You Hantian and said with an excited look on his face, Sect Leader, I think that fellow should join my Peak. I definitely need someone who doesnt care about killing fellow disciples as this boy does. Move aside! Yun Lianyi glared fiercely at Wan Fentian. She looked down at Gu Suihan, whose face was pale as he sat cross-legged on the ground to recuperate. Then she looked pitifully at You Hantian and whined sadly, My dear Sect Leader! I only have female disciples in my Peak and we always get bullied by other Peaks. Why dont you let this young man join mine? He could help protect us! Chapter 63 Chapter 63 C Shocking News Yun Lianyi! Wan Fentians eye twitched, and his teeth gnashed when he heard what Yun Lianyi said, You have a Water Spiritual Root while the boy is an Eight Geng Gold, so your eight characters1 dont match. Besides, hes such a good fighter, so its only right for him to become a member of the Disciplinary Court in Peak Two. Your Peak Three is just in charge of assigning missions. Dont you think its a waste to place a talent like him in backend operations? Yun Lianyi pouted, and her face was frosty as she sneered at Wan Fentian. Then she turned to look at You Hantian with her most adorable expression and tugged at the Sect Leaders sleeve as if she were his daughter. Gold and Water have always been an excellent match, I dont know what hes talking about. Besides, everyone in the Disciplinary Court always gets so badly injured or they die. This young man is highly talented and hes very resilient, so I dont think hell have a problem reaching Origin Core and he might even make it to Nascent Change. She turned to Wan Fentian and said, What if something bad happens to him? Would be able to bear that sort of responsibility? Why, you! Wan Fentian felt like smoke was rising from his head as he glared furiously at Yun Lianyi and couldnt find the words to say for a long time. Settle down! Xiexin zhenren looked up and said in a slow voice, We can just leave it to him to choose. Trying to force him will not work. Shut your damned mouth! Wan Fentian leaped up and yelled at Xiexin zhenren. You think Im completely clueless? Your son is on good terms with that boy and youve been trying to use him all this time! Ha! Did you think you concealed those motives of yours well? I Xiexin zhenrens eye twitched violently when Wan Fentian exposed him so blatantly. Xiexin is right. You Hantian looked exasperated as he glanced over at the quarrelsome Wan Fentian and the coquettish Yun Lianyi. Well leave it to the boy to choose. All of you know what happened to the external disciples this time, so weigh the pros and cons carefully. This boy is capable of more than he lets on. All of them exchanged glances and fell silent. Of course, they knew what had happened. They were Peak Leaders who seemed far removed from the external disciples and appeared to not care about the life or death of the external disciples. But in reality, they all kept close tabs on all the promising disciples in the East Compound. Gu Suihan had attracted a lot of attention from the start because of his involvement with the robbery of the tax ship. Initially, the Peak Leaders just checked in on him from time to time. However, after he managed to kill Chuan Xin and so many disciples in the secret realm, they all began to sit up. Well go with that then. The few of them exchanged glances and nodded. Gu Suihans Spiritual Meridians had suffered slight damage, but thankfully, his cultivation in the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach had given him a hardy body that had managed to keep most of the injuries superficial. On the outside, he looked terrible, covered in gaping wounds, but it was much easier to recover from those. He was also glad that You Hantian had stopped the battle early. Otherwise, he was already contemplating if he should just crush his jade token and admit defeat. Most of his attackers were only at Qi Activation, and the rest who were at Foundation Establishment hadnt stabilized themselves at that stage yet, so if he had to fight them on a smaller scale, he wouldnt be worried for his life. But when so many of them came together to attack him, there was no way he could defeat them all. Someone else in his shoes might have fared even worse. Of course, he had also gotten lucky. If those external disciples had been sober and not blinded by the murderous air seeping into their bodies, they would have attacked Gu Suihan while he was putting that dragon together. If that had happened, there would be no hope for Gu Suihan to survive their combined attack. Tomorrow will be a one-on-one duel, so that would probably be less taxing, thought Gu Suihan. He looked up at the blurry seats in the sky, which were blocked by the clouds, and his lips curled into a strange smile. Gu Suihan! Fang Suyu marched up to Gu Suihan with a nasty expression on his face. His heart nearly broke when he saw all the badly hurt disciples from the Nobles Clan. Dont blame me. Theres something wrong with this formation. Gu Suihan glanced at Fang Suyu and pointed at the chaos around him in the arena that was still swirling with the pungent stench of blood. Mo Yuluo chimed in, This is a Heavenly Stars Spirit Swallowing Formation. You know what sort of formation it is. Im not blaming you, and none of us knew that so many disciples would be participating in this selection either, but said Wang Aolin at Gu Suihan with a knowing look as he patted Fang Suyu to console him. I know what to do. But I hope you realize what happened earlier. Youd better make sure your people dont suddenly get out of hand again, otherwise, I wont be able to guarantee that there will be no casualties. Gu Suihan glared at the three faction leaders, then turned around and left. This fellow Fang Suyu clenched his teeth. He was still seething. You should know that the higher ups will keep very close tabs on him now. Besides, after this round, that place is probably going to be opened up as well and all the sects are going to fight each other. Its better to have a powerful fighter like him on our side than for him to join an opposing side, said Mo Yuluo in a cryptic manner as a conflicted look flashed in her charming eyes. Gu Suihan had risen through the ranks too quickly as if everything was already in place and was just waiting for his arrival. If they hadnt dismissed him as someone harmless in the beginning, or if they hadnt failed in their early attempts to kill him, then he wouldnt have been able to put them in a situation where they had to negotiate with him and allow him to use them to climb even higher. If they had gotten rid of him or suppressed him earlier, he wouldnt have made it so far so quickly. Whether it was the time Gu Suihan had gotten more resources after killing Chuan Xin or the time he got his revenge on the three leaders by massacring their best in the secret realm, they had unknowingly aided him in achieving these goals. This was a hard pill to swallow, but there was nothing they could do. Gu Suihan was now at the center of attention, so they couldnt secretly send someone to assassinate or lay traps for him. But more importantly, they were merely Foundation Establishment cultivators. They had powerful backers, but that was an authority that didnt belong to them, so they couldnt wield it any way they liked. They could only sigh sadly at their situation, try to make up for everything they did to him in the past and hope that he wouldnt hold it against them. You need to talk to me about something? Gu Suihan arrived back at his residence to see Feng Ran and Wang Xianxian waiting outside for him. Feng Ran smiled. Of course. Do you have time for a little chat? Taohua, get us some wine, Gu Suihan shouted into the residence after nodding. The three of them sat around the stone table in the yard and looked at each for a long time without saying anything. Feng Ran broke his silence first. Brother Gu, do you know whats going to happen after the internal disciple selection is over? No, I dont, said Gu Suihan simply before taking another mouthful of wine. Hoho, Feng Ran laughed bitterly and said, After this selection, each Peak Leader will choose three Beginner Foundation Establishment disciples to enter into a fight to the death with the other sects. Wang Xianxians eyes were half-closed, and it sounded like he was sleep talking as he quietly said, Apparently, its because the Ethereal Court has formed an alliance with the Vast Sky Sect, the Falling Star Sect, the Wonderful Sound Sect and the Youthful Clarity Sect. Why? You do know about the existence of the Upper World above us, right? said Feng Ran cautiously, as he pointed upwards furtively. Its said that this world were in is only one of the thousands of worlds that exist. Some worlds are insanely powerful, while some are rather weak. Were not the worst, but were in the weaker half of the lot. The powerful worlds will keep trying to attack the weaker ones, so some weaker ones rely on the slightly more powerful worlds to keep themselves safe. The seven sects in this world are merely a mark left behind by a sect from the Upper World. Gu Suihan was dumbstruck, not by what he had just heard, but because he knew that if one did not reach the Immortal stage, it was impossible to move freely across dimensions and get into this other world. You Hantian was only at Nascent Change, so he was still far from the Immortal stage. The stage after Nascent Change was Divine Soul. After that, ones soul would have to solidify and combine with the spirit, break free of the karmic cycle, and get through three disasters before attaining Immortality. All of this took more than one or two hundred years to achieve. One needed a very high rank of aptitude, the courage to get through all sorts of dangers, an obsession with attaining enlightenment, and luck even to stand a chance. If these sects are just a mark left behind by someone else, then it means that the sect from the Upper World is looking for the best of the best, Gu Suihan analyzed the situation in a deep voice as he massaged the area between his eyebrows. Thats right. Wang Xianxian glanced at Gu Suihan with a rather impressed look and said, They treat this world as a place to groom the cream of the crop. But there are parameters to follow as well. Ethereal Court is a group that was left here by the sect from the Upper World to communicate with them as well as watch our world. Previously, the seven sects stood an equal chance. This time, however, Ethereal Court has decided on their own that they want to replace the War Demon Sect, the Seven Kill Sect and the Yin Principle Sect, and so every talent they send to the Upper World will be one of theirs. I dont know what theyre trying to do, but its definitely bad news for us. Do you think its because the sect from the Upper World is facing some problems up there and has no time to keep tabs on anything else, so its given a subordinate a chance to do something like this? asked Gu Suihan as he tapped his chopsticks against the plate in front of him. Feng Ran wasnt sure either. Perhaps. Logically speaking, this is not something that has anything to do with low ranking disciples like us. But I received news that the Seven Kill Sect, the War Demon Sect and the Yin Principle Sect are joining hands to deal the other party a heavy blow somewhere. If my guess is right, the cream of the crop theyve been sending to the Upper World are all the direct disciples weve only heard about but never seen, murmured Gu Suihan after pausing to think for a long time. The Clackers Comfort Food Booth Todays snack recommendation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_egg For my egg feasting Editor-san. The spices are too strong for some but I absolutely love the smell of these eggs cooking. Umami: ***** Eight charactershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Pillars_of_DestinyIn short, your exact birth date and time of birth defines who you are, tells your fortune, as well as sniffs out everyone youre compatible with (for marriage, especially) and all your potential nemeses/jinxes. Or so they say. ?? Chapter 64 Chapter 64 C Backing Out Early I believe youre right, said Feng Ran in response to Gu Suihans conjecture. When he thought about it now, it was true that after the internal disciples he had seen before were promoted, they disappeared completely. He was quite sure that Gu Suihan was right. Wang Xianxian frowned and said a little hesitantly, Both of us made use of the three faction leaders proposal as an excuse to back out completely from this internal disciple selection because we were worried about this. A storm is brewing in the world of cultivators, and if they really end up going to war with one another, the ones who will really lose out will be low-ranking disciples like us. Weve been friends since we braved dangers together before, so we thought we should tell you about this. After Wang Xianxian finished speaking, the table fell silent again. Thank you. I will take note of this, said Gu Suihan solemnly and formally, after thinking about this for a long time. Regardless of what the two of them had hoped to achieve by coming here, telling Gu Suihan about all these things was already very kind on their part, so he ought to thank them. Alright then, we shall get going. This is a very serious matter, so I hope you will not tell anyone else about it, said Feng Ran quietly with a sigh. He and Wang Xianxian then left Gu Suihans residence. Gu Suihan wondered what role Li Rong and Xiexin Zhenren had to play in all of this. He sat alone at the stone table, and his brows were tightly knit as he drank by himself. He was sure that Li Rong and his father were definitely up to no good. Mo Yuluo and the rest definitely knew about this, yet they did their best to push disciples in their faction to become internal disciples. They had to be plotting something. Everything he knew now seemed to be just speculation, but these pieces of information proved just how mysterious the world of cultivators could be. The higher-ups of the sect had not made their stand clear on anything at the moment, and these things were kept as hidden as possible, as if there was an ultimate mastermind invisibly moving things along in the background. Gu Suihan was at the Beginner Foundation Establishment stage, and he had just stabilized himself, so he was as good as dust in the face of this impending disaster. The best thing to do now would be to follow Feng Ran and Wang Xianxian in finding a way to protect himself from harm since one wrong step might result in his death. Gu Suihan very much preferred to stay alive. The Ethereal Court had allied with four of the seven sects and would be much more powerful than the remaining three, but they did not do anything to actively suppress the three. So, even though the former had a high chance of winning this battle, the other three stood a chance at turning the tables. If the Seven Kill Sect lost this battle, annihilation was the only thing awaiting the low-ranking disciples like Gu Suihan. Even if they werent punished, they would definitely be forced out of this circle, and he would not get a chance to enter the Upper World. The best-case scenario was to become a deacon or elder, stay at Origin Core for a few hundred years and finally die of old age. Right now, the best thing to do is to just watch from afar and not get caught up in this mess, in case I cant get out of it. But if I want to do that, then Ive got to make a few arrangements. Gu Suihan decided he would not involve himself in this imminent disaster. He might lose out now, but nobody knew what the future held, so he might have the chance to stage a comeback. On the contrary, if he decided to involve himself with this low stage of cultivation, he might die without knowing what hit him. Also, besides dodging this disaster, he might be able to avoid whatever schemes Li Rong, his father, and the three faction leaders were planning. He was killing two birds with one stone. This was definitely a good plan. He just had to go to the arena the next day and admit defeat before the next round started, get himself out of this problematic internal disciple selection, and then hide for a few years or even a few decades. Surely I can wait this out, he thought. A hardened look appeared on Gu Suihans chiseled face. He touched the storage ring on his hand and decided to head for the Weapon Refinery Court. Even if he was going to hide from the world, he had to prepare for that. The least he had to do was make himself a personal spiritual weapon. He needed his fighting prowess to be at its maximum level to ensure the highest chance of survival. I need a spiritual weapon. Money is no problem. Get me one of your best weapon refiners NOW, said Gu Suihan the instant he set foot in the Weapon Refinery Court without even waiting for the staff to greet him. His face was expressionless, but there was an urgency in his gaze. Sir, this way please! The young staff quickly led Gu Suihan upstairs. After Gu Suihan had walked out of sight, the disciples browsing through the magic weapons on the first floor started whispering among themselves. Who was that? He spoke so arrogantly. One of them was more observant and was shocked when he heard his friend complain. He grabbed his friend by the collar and whispered, Are you blind? The token on his belt shows that hes an East Compound disciple. Hes just an external disciple, yet he already has a storage ring. Only a few external disciples have one, and regardless of which one it is, we definitely cant afford to offend any of them. The other disciples immediately gasped, then glanced at the stairs warily and left as quickly as they could. Its you again. The same old man who made Red Dust ran over in a hurry only to find that it was Gu Suihan. Besides looking surprised, the old man was immediately reminded of how Gu Suihan had tricked him into making Red Dust the last time. He sniggered at the younger man and said, So, you ruined the weapon base I made the last time by attempting to carve runes into it yourself? Is that why youre back here? What a coincidence. Gu Suihan squeezed a somewhat awkward smile out but did not explain what happened to the last weapon. He went straight to the point, I need a spiritual weapon. I want to make a sword. I will list all the materials you need, the runes I want you to carve, and exact measurements of each part. Also, I want to watch the process from start to finish. At the end, I also want to infuse my blood with the weapon just before it is complete so that it becomes my personal spiritual weapon. Any issues with that? Gu Suihans sudden flurry of words was too much for the old man, and he sat across Gu Suihan for a long time before he finally digested everything Gu Suihan had just said to him. He stared straight at the young man who always looked wise beyond his years and said in a deep voice, Thats not a problem. Why dont you list out all the materials and runes you want so that I can calculate how much this will cost you? I need Tainted Blood ore, Dragon Scale crystals, unpolished Heavenly Fiend stones, Hades Refined Gold. Gu Suihan immediately listed all the things required for his new sword, including some of the most malicious formation runes that were connected in one way or another. The old man started sweating profusely and knitted his eyebrows more tightly. After Gu Suihan had finished reciting his list and had slowly picked up the cup of tea in front of him, the old man finally said what was going through his mind all this time. Youre making an extremely powerful weapon, a killing machine. Arent you afraid that it will turn on you and destroy you instead? Turn on me? Gu Suihan scoffed. The frosty glint in his eye was so intense that the old man couldnt help but turn away. If it dares to do that, that means its no longer useful to me and Id just destroy it. Besides, I dont intend to allow it to grow a spirit of its own, so theres no way it can turn on me. You The old man was already frightened by the imposing stare that Gu Suihan had, and now, he was confused by what Gu Suihan had just said. Why wont you let it grow a spirit of its own? Dont you know that many cultivators wished their personal spiritual weapons had its own weapon spirit? A spiritual weapon needs to have a weapon spirit in order to eventually become a Dao weapon. A Dao weapon? Gu Suihan snorted again and said in a sarcastic voice, Youre a weapon refiner and you know better than I do what a weapon at that level really is. Besides, a weapon is supposed to work for its owner. If it has a spirit, it will no longer truly be a part of you. The weapon spirit might listen to everything you say, but there is no way we would always think the same. Why would I want something like that? The old man paled at these words, and his lips trembled for a long time before he finally managed to stutter, Youthisthis argument of yours is too extreme, isnt it? Magic treasures and spirit weapons are a cultivators closest companions. If you cant even trust your own weapon, then who can you trust? Even if your personal spiritual weapon gains a spirit of its own, it wouldnt be a separate entity from you. If you Gu Suihan put his hand up to stop the old man from going on. He downed the rest of his tea, wiped his lips, and said in a voice that did not allow any room for negotiation, I dont care what others do. I will only allow one persons will to exist, and thats mine. Its alright for my weapon to have some instincts, but I will not allow it to have intelligence. The old man sighed heavily, then said a little hesitantly, If you dont want it to have a spirit of its own, then its a lot easier to make. It will cost you a little more than 30,000 Spiritual Stones, Ill just charge you 30,000. He was pretty sure that Gu Suihan couldnt possibly have that much on him since he was a relatively new external disciple. It was hard for an external disciple to have so much, even if they scrimped and saved for the next decade. Here you go. Gu Suihan threw a magic storage bag onto the table. As the old man stared back at Gu Suihan in stunned silence, Gu Suihan said, I threw in 1,000 more, make me a sheath as well. Its really impossible to judge a book by its cover, murmured the old man to himself as he picked up the magic storage bag on the table, confirmed the amount inside, then led Gu Suihan into the workshop area. Along the way, several people dressed in gray would bow and greet the old man, then look strangely at Gu Suihan as he strolled behind the old man. Your standing is pretty high around here, huh, Gu Suihan suddenly spoke up. His voice echoed in the quiet and warm corridor. The old man looked a little smug as he stroked his beard with a smile but did not say anything. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 C Best Actor Award: Gu Suihan Gu Suihan chuckled at the old mans expression and returned to talking about the weapon. How long will it take for you to finish making this weapon? The old man stroked his beard and frowned as he did a quick estimate and said, It will take a little more than a month. This is not like the previous weapon you asked for. Runes take a long time to carve, and the ores you listed earlier are all fairly tough ones to work with, so it will take more time to refine them to a useable state. Are you in a hurry? No, Im not. I just wanted to know. Can you give me something as my proof of order? Im going for the second round of internal disciple selection tomorrow, so Ill only come in after that, said Gu Suihan with a relaxed smile. He didnt look like the internal disciple selection mattered to him at all. I see. The old man suddenly realized what Gu Suihan had just said and looked at the younger man with a conflicted look in his eye as he quietly said, Young man, the rights that an internal disciple has cannot be compared to those that an external disciple has. You should give it a little more thought. After saying that, the old man sighed and walked away. But before leaving, he threw an intricately carved token that was about the size of his palm to Gu Suihan. When you come, show this to the assistants downstairs and they will lead you back here. The old man could tell that Gu Suihan was no simple external disciple. His radical views, resolute gaze, and the fact that he could part with so many Spiritual Stones at once were all proof of that. He didnt know why Gu Suihan didnt seem excited about becoming an internal disciple, so he concluded that perhaps Gu Suihan didnt understand much about internal disciples and decided just to leave him with a small piece of advice. Tsk, tsk. Become an internal disciple? Gu Suihan rubbed his nose as a mysterious smile spread across his face. It was both mocking and disdainful. The next day. The cloudless and windy weather combined with the yellowing leaves showed that late autumn had arrived. A cool breeze blew, sending gusts of murderous air swirling within the external disciples four Compounds. Countless people had gathered at the top of the mountain whose peak had been cleanly sliced off. The crowd was filled with voices declaring bold words, as well as vague murmuring between some. The external disciples who did not join the selection had come to be spectators. Not only was it their chance to learn something from watching a real duel, but they were also placing their bets and possibly benefitting monetarily as well. Im placing my bets on Gu Suihan. This fellow might not have cultivated for a long time, but hes a really amazing fighter. Hes connected to both the deaths of Li Xianlong as well as Hang Chulong, even though nobody can confirm how the latter died. Hoho, Gu Suihan is formidable, but the three factions are a force to be reckoned with too. The disciples from those factions dont lack access to resources or Spiritual Stones, so they can fully concentrate on cultivating. Besides, their leaders must have given their disciples something to give them an edge over their competition. As someone who doesnt belong to any faction, Gu Suihan might actually be at a disadvantage. Li Rongs not bad too. His fathers the Peak Leader of Peak Four, Xiexin zhenren. Im sure hes going ot win. Of course. But are you sure you want to bet on him? Havent you heard the odds? Meanwhile, Gu Suihan and the three faction leaders had gathered in a secluded corner. They had set up a sound barrier around them to shut out the noise. I have a good offer to make all of you. Gu Suihan smiled at the other three. Wang Aolin raised an eyebrow slightly and said, Tell us about it. I intend to give up my spot like Feng Ran and Wang Xianxian, said Gu Suihan flatly. The first thought that ran through all their minds was, did he find out about something? Why does he want to give up his spot too? Their friendly faces faltered a little. Whats happened? Is there something bothering you? Fang Suyu couldnt think of why Gu Suihan would suddenly do this. Nothing, really. Ive not spent a lot of time cultivating and my foundation is a little shaky. Im also feeling a little emotional and distracted today, so Im afraid that I might not perform as expected. The best thing I should do now is give up, said Gu Suihan with a heavy sigh as he spoke with indignation in his voice. The three leaders nearly cursed at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan was a high-level cultivator before he transmigrated for crying out loud. He would be the last among them to become emotional or distracted. What sort of lousy excuse was this? Gu Suihan felt a little embarrassed when he noticed the suspicious look in their eyes, so he laughed awkwardly and said, So, Im going into seclusion for a while to recondition my body. Also, I havent taken on a single sect mission since I entered, so I thought I should try doing some. On top of that, I dont have a spiritual weapon on hand right now. I just went to the Weapons Refinery Court yesterday to get one made and Ill need to refine it with my blood as well, so I really dont have time to join this competition. Hoho! Fang Suyus stiff and stern face broke into a faint smile. Well, Im certainly pleased to hear about these plans of yours. This is good news to us indeed. Exactly, exactly. I mean, therell be other chances in the future to become internal disciples or whatever else there is in the sect. Theres no need to do this right now, said Gu Suihan flippantly, as though being an internal disciple was no different from being an external one. His disdainful gaze, pretentious demeanor, and nonchalant tone of voice made Mo Yuluo so angry that her bosom heaved. Her chiffon dress only made her chest movement even more apparent. Humph! Being an internal disciple is a big thing! Much better than being an external disciple! She gritted her teeth, glared fiercely at Gu Suihan, and left. She felt that Gu Suihan was looking down on her since she was an internal disciple, but her fighting prowess was on par with his. That really frustrated her. At the same time, Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin exchanged glances. They both concluded that they had overthought Gu Suihans decision after all. Gu Suihan did not have connections to many sources of information, so he couldnt have heard anything that would sway his decision. This was all just a coincidence. Brother Gu, if you want to give up, then go ahead. Well have nothing to do with one another from now on. Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin then left as well. That wouldnt seem so sudden anymore, right? thought Gu Suihan. A sly smile appeared on his face as he watched the two men leave. Number 128, Gu Suihan, versus number 763, Zhang Yifeng, called out the deacon who was the referee for the day. His voice passed through every obstacle and echoed loudly amidst the mountains. Gu Suihan focused his gaze, and he had an expressionless face as he ran in the air towards the wide stage that was slightly more than three meters high, leaving nothing but a trail of smoke behind him. Zhang Yifeng, I hope to learn more from you, said the young man as he bowed stiffly towards Gu Suihan with a slightly frightened look in his eyes. I think youve got potential, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile as he motioned to his opponent to start the duel. Zhang Yifeng felt slightly more relaxed when he saw Gu Suihans friendly smile. He gave a low shout, and the long sword in his hand began to stir up a strong wind. Wind-like Sword Shadow! A green beam of light shot out from the sword, and the tip of the sword was aimed at his opponents chest. Pfft! Everyone stared in confusion as Gu Suihan immediately vomited blood the moment his opponent drew his sword. Gu Suihan turned as pale as a sheet as he stumbled backward dramatically. What the Whats going on? How is this even happening? Zhang Yifeng stopped in his tracks abruptly and looked down at his sword with a confused expression on his face. When did his sword technique become this powerful? How could it severely injure the famously formidable Gu Suihan from a distance of nearly 50 meters? What the fuck? Thisthat was so fake! Li Rong made a face and rolled his eyes. What in the world Mo Yuluos mouth fell open, and her eyes widened. What IS going on? The Peak Leaders in the sky were utterly dumbfounded. Gu Suihans actions were so fake that even a non-martial artist could tell it was fake. That was how obvious it was. Brother Zhang has truly reached the next level of cultivation and I am nothing compared to him. I can barely believe it myself C he has reached a point where his sword Qi can invisibly attack me from nearly 50 meters away, and I wasnt able to even react in time. There are so many hidden talents among the external disciples. I admit defeat. Gu Suihan took much effort to get up from the ground and clutched his chest tightly. His body was bent as he coughed violently, spewing out so much blood that Zhang Yifeng didnt even know what to do with himself. Are youare you sure about this? asked the referee as he stared oddly at Gu Suihan, thinking that Gu Suihan was just joking with him. Im sure. Zhang Yifengs invisible sword Qi is like a leech under my skin, sucking the life out of me. I no longer have any strength to fight on. Please accept my defeat and allow me to return to my residence to rest, Gu Suihan shamelessly finished his final words as if he hadnt noticed any of the suspicious and disdainful looks from everybody watching. He hobbled off the stage and left. Gosh, acting is so hard. He took a handkerchief out to wipe his mouth as if nobody was around, and color instantly returned to his face. His face glowed as though he had just finished a nice bowl of nourishing soup and looked nothing like how he was about to die just two seconds ago. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 C Making Plans Everyone stared strangely at Gu Suihan while he left the mountain quickly without any expression on his face. Gu Suihan arrived at the Weapons Refinery Court and showed the attendant the token from the old man, and the attendant immediately became more polite towards him. Sir, this way, please. The staff led Gu Suihan down a quiet corridor, made a few turns, then came to a closed stone door. The attendant helped place the token into a special slot in the door and excused himself. The old man called out from inside, Whos there? Its me, replied Gu Suihan as he looked around the old mans workshop. The old man stared at Gu Suihan in surprise. Youre back so quickly? Did you run into a very tough opponent? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow but didnt intend to explain what really happened, so he said flatly, Indeed. He was very powerful and defeated me in seconds. How are things going on your side? I just finished gathering all the materials required and the furnace is still heating up. What do you think? The old man rolled his eyes at Gu Suihan. The entire room was littered with metal equipment and remnants of various ores and other materials. It was quite spacious, but there was barely any space to stand. A large cauldron about three meters across stood in the middle, with several terrifying, bloodthirsty and ferocious demonic beasts carved into the surface. Faintly red runes flickered, and the tiny cracks all over the cauldron made the already ancient-looking cauldron look even more rugged. This thing must be pretty old, right? And its pretty high quality, since its managed to stay in one piece, said Gu Suihan as he looked at the numerous tiny cracks on the surface. The old man looked offended and said, What do you know? I got this through a chance encounter and it should have been a Dao apparatus. But it was left to rot for more than a thousand years and didnt have sufficient Qi to upkeep its level, so its now a spiritual apparatus. If the runes on it werent damaged, I wouldnt have used it to refine weapons like this. A Dao apparatus? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he glanced suspiciously at the old mans smug face. To Gu Suihan, this cauldron was of pretty high quality, but the biggest reason it hadnt fallen apart was due to the complex runes carved into its surface. Besides, if this thing really was a Dao apparatus, there was no way it would have found its way to this lowly weapons refiner. The high-level cultivators of the sect would have taken it for themselves by now. I dont care if you believe me or not, scoffed the old man in annoyance when he saw Gu Suihans doubtful expression. He cast a spell, and the cauldron boomed loudly. A rattling sound that resembled an old machines noise when it was cranked up came from deep inside the cauldron. The ferocious beasts carved into its surface started trembling as though they had come to life. Frightening and domineering roars echoed in the workshop. The temperature suddenly rose to a degree that was far too high for an ordinary person to bear. A purplish red spark flew out from inside the cauldron and made explosive sounds as it reacted with the air. Dont make any unnecessary noises, I need to be very focused during this process. Otherwise, dont blame me if anything goes wrong, said the old man gleefully as he saw how Gu Suihan was suffering from the sweltering heat. Gu Suihan sat down in a lotus position to readjust his breathing and happened to notice some strange markings on the legs of the cauldron. What characters are these? His heart skipped a beat, and a shockingly bright gleam shone in his eyes. Those are words that nobody understands anymore. Apparently, they were left behind by the ancient Demonic Race. However, over the past millennia or so, cultivators became more and more powerful, and we gained much power from the Upper World as well, which more or less wiped out the Demonic Race in this world. That is why our world is unable to understand what these words mean anymore. The old mans voice faltered, and he seemed rather saddened by this. Gu Suihan just smiled in response without saying anything. There was an incomprehensible glint in his eye. This old man was a crafty one. Immediately Gu Suihan could tell that the old man had been trying to test him with those words. No ordinary person knew anything about how the ancient past was connected to recent history or knew anything about the Upper World. At the same time, the old man had said those words to see if Gu Suihan knew what the characters on his cauldron meant or how much he knew about some of these things and what he wanted to know. He had noticed that Gu Suihans tone of voice and expression looked different when he asked about the characters. Gu Suihan hadnt just looked curious. There was some delight, some surprise, and a sense of urgency to get answers. Unfortunately for the old man, Gu Suihan had lost all interest and gone back to meditating once he had heard about the fate of the demonic race and how the characters were unreadableCmuch to the dismay of the old man. Gu Suihan knew that the old man hadnt been lying. The language of the ancient Demonic Race was something that they taught only to the most superior of their own descendants. Inferior Demons would not understand a single word. From the looks of it, the strange secret realm that Disciplinarian Zhang has is a clue, and the mysterious Upper World has probably inherited something from the Demonic Race. The reason why they are able to travel between planes and break through the barriers of various worlds and create stable corridors between the worlds despite falling short of Immortality is probably something that was lost over time. As Gu Suihan quickly sorted out the bits and pieces of information he had and put them together, he suddenly realized that even though they seemed random and didnt add up to much, they all more or less pointed towards the same place. The Upper World. Why did the people from the Upper World wipe out the superior members of the Demonic Race from ancient times? Also, why didnt they just wipe the entire race out? How did the royal court of the mundane world and the Way of Martial Arts (the one that the castellan, Nan Yuntian, talked about) become more and more powerful? It seemed like the powers that formed the Upper World were trying to hide something, or rather, they were trying their utmost best to cover up something and did not want anybody else to find out about it. What in the world are you trying to hide? wondered Gu Suihan. He felt that the answers he had been pursuing had something to do with whatever the Upper World was trying to hide. Only thinking about these things would lead to no conclusion, so Gu Suihan gave up and focused his attention on the way the old man made his weapon. Xiexin zhenren looked furious as he stared intensely at the confused-looking Li Rong. Why did Gu Suihan give up? Did he get wind of something? Father, I have no idea. Li Rong scratched his head and tried to think about whether he had let slip anything that might have made Gu Suihan do this. In just a few months, the Ethereal Court will be putting the seven sects to the test, and their aim is to kill off all our best youngsters. If we fail to protect our next generation and do not have successors to take over, our tug of war with the Ethereal Court will end almost immediately. Annihilation of the sect looms. Xiexin zhenrens gaze burned with fury. Gu Suihan kept doing things that nearly ruined his plans. Gu Suihan has backed out of the competition and wants to hide himself to keep himself out of trouble. Do you have a contingency plan? If you dont then. Li Rong bent his head as a venomous and hateful look flashed in his eyes, but his voice trembled slightly as he continued, Why dont we go with the original plan? Humph! Xiexin zhenren stared expressionlessly at the boy in front of him, who looked like a spitting image of himself. He looked toward the fiery red setting sun and murmured calmly, If I dont have a choice, I will do that. Gu Suihan may be a cultivator who took over anothers body and has restarted his cultivation journey in this new body. Still, he is now merely a Seven Kill Sect external disciple at Beginner Foundation Establishment. Hes formidable among his peers, but so what? He cant possibly get out of this. You dont have to be involved in this matter anymore. Xiexin zhenren took another sip of tea, motioned to his son to leave, then disappeared in a flash. The barren peak was left with nothing but one lonesome Li Rong. Youve already given into your inner demons, murmured Li Rong. He had a conflicted expression on his face as he stared dimly in the direction where his father had left. Nobody else is to blame for Mothers death. It was all your fault. Senior Brother, I need to talk to you urgently, Xiexin zhenren sent a message to You Hantian via telepathy as he made his way swiftly to the main hall of Peak One with a grim look on his face. You Hantian waved his hand to dismiss all the servants in the hall. He smiled and stroked his beard as he asked in return, Junior Brother, are you here to ask me about Gu Suihan? Yes, thats right. Are you able to answer my questions? Dont worry, he wont be able to get away. Not just him, but Feng Ran and the rest wont be able to either, said You Hantian with a sparkle in his eye that displayed indescribable levels of confidence and dominance. What about Martial Uncle? Xiexin zhenren frowned even harder. He knew how stubborn and conservative that Martial Uncle could be. Junior Brother, you must always remember that I am the Sect Leader. Sect rules exist because I say so, and cease to exist also because I say so. The smile on You Hantians face revealed his white teeth, and his expression was sinister beyond words. The fact that the Ethereal Court has joined forces with the other sects means that something bad has indeed happened in the Upper World, otherwise they wouldnt dare to do something like that. Well just have to fight to the death. This test of the seven sects is their scheme, but it could also be our chance. You Hantian had a confident look on his face as he said spitefully, So, they think they can get rid of us? They have a long way to go. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 C If Youve Not Been Humiliated, Had an Engagement Annulled and Started Off With a Useless and Untalented Body, You Aint an MC Xiexin zhenren chewed on You Hantians words for some time, then let out a long sigh. Im the one who overthought this and doubted you, Im really sorry for being rude. I hope you can pardon me for being impatient. Its not your fault. What happened to Yuaner was too big of a blow to you. You Hantian had a saddened look as he patted his junior brother on the shoulder to console him. Then, he smiled frostily and said, Well, if all fails, then well split ways. Junior Brother, I hope you still remember that we have something good on our side. Xiexin zhenrens discouraged gaze suddenly lit up. He narrowed his eyes and said, Thats right. Demon Abyss is not a place to be treated as a joke. The two men looked at each other with a smile. They could see the determination and ruthlessness in each others eyes. Meanwhile, Liu Ming was emptying a magic storage bag onto the floor. Several Spiritual Stones came tumbling out of the bag, putting a big smile on the young mans face. He turned to the ordinary-looking broken knife on the table and started talking to the equally ordinary weapon spirit inside the knife. Senior! What should I do next? asked Liu Ming politely with a gleam in his eyes. The weapon spirit shifted its metallic self smugly and said slowly, Youve just finished cultivating in the first level of the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach, and you only have a little more than a hundred Spiritual Stones here. Thats not enough. Youve got to continue amassing more wealth and cultivate so that you can reach the Qi Activation stage as soon as possible. But Ive already beaten all those people who used to bully me to a pulp, so theres nobody left for me to bash up. How am I going to amass more wealth? Liu Ming grumbled. He had already done his best to gather this many Spiritual Stones. All the errand runners who used to bully him and call him names had already been thrashed so severely by him, and they even avoided him whenever they saw him. But he wasnt good enough to fight or even offend a disciple, so this would be a problem. You really dont know anything, do you?! Have you read the sect rules carefully? yelled the weapon spirit without holding back. Its voice was clearly filled with disdain for Liu Ming. The weapon spirit knew very well that besides getting lucky, another reason for Gu Suihans meteoric rise was how he had scrutinized all the sect rules and made use of loopholes to successfully turn the Way Seekers Alliances Mo Yuluo against him, then used her anger to his advantage. Sect rules? Liu Ming looked at the yellowing little book in the corner of his table and had a somewhat puzzled look on his face. The weapon spirit wished it had hands to wring this boys neck as it sighed heavily. Why were some people born so bright and others so dull? It really wondered if an idiot like Liu Ming could turn his situation around. Besides despising Liu Ming in its heart, it also berated him heartlessly, Is there something wrong with your brain or something? Read the sect rules carefully and find a loophole to exploit! Use it to benefit yourself! For example, you can check if you can stop being an errand runner and become an external disciple. Oh! OHHHH! Senior, you are very learned indeed. Your junior is filled with great admiration! Liu Ming was enlightened and expressed his admiration for the weapon spirits intelligence before quickly opening the sect rules book to study it carefully. Great admiration, my foot, grumbled the weapon spirit to himself. This was just something it had concluded after watching what Gu Suihan did. Ooh! Senior! Take a look at this! exclaimed Liu Ming as he pointed a trembling finger excitedly at one line in the book. Errand runners get the chance to challenge an external disciple once a year, and if you win, you can replace that disciples place in his Compound. Thats great! said the weapon spirit excitedly as it kept trying to goad Liu Ming into challenging someone from the East Compound so that he could become an East Compound disciple, then use that chance to become an internal disciple. Unfortunately, Liu Ming wasnt that dumb. At the very least, he didnt take the bait. After carefully estimating what he was really capable of, he decided to start with challenging a disciple from the South Compound, then focus on cultivation for a while, then slowly make his way up. By the way, if you manage to successfully become an external disciple, it would help to get your family out of its current crisis. Youd be able to hold your head high the next time you meet that unreasonable fiance of yours, said the weapon spirit, as if it had suddenly thought of this. These thoughts made the weapon spirit shudder, not because of how crazy Liu Mings situation was, but because of how scarily accurate Gu Suihan had been. It had no idea how Gu Suihan had managed to guess Liu Mings current situation with just one look. Gu Suihan had told the weapon spirit that a perfect MC had to be one with an unreasonable fiance, a mysterious grandfather, and an aptitude so poor that he was as good as trash. Oh my god, thought the weapon spirit as it trembled. Is Gu Suihan able to read minds? How could he have guessed all of it right? Liu Ming didnt know any of this at all. After he had bought this broken knife after being strangely attracted to it, he had brought it back to observe it more carefully, only to find that there was nothing special about it. He grabbed it in disappointment and was about to smash it when he accidentally cut himself on the blade and blood seeped into the knife, and an elderly figure leaped out from it. The senior taught him a cultivation technique, and Liu Ming had cultivated for a few days. He finished using whatever pills and Spiritual Stones he had, then went through an excruciating process where his body was transformed from the inside out. The next day, he felt like he had a brand new body, and it only took a couple of kicks and punches to send all his bullies sprawling. Liu Ming suddenly felt that God was fair after all. He had been bullied for a few decades and suffered all these years quietly, but now, it was his chance to prove himself. He could finally turn his situation around and fight back. All of this was thanks to this senior, who seemed to care for him like a son and had taught him this technique without even asking for anything in return. Jin Yudie, just you wait! You annulled our engagement with such fanfare and embarrassed my parents so badly back then. It wont be long before I make sure you suffer the same sort of humiliation! Liu Mings eyes were bloodshot as he stared straight at the neatly folded annulment letter on his table and gnashed his teeth. We must not delay any longer. We shall move this very night. Your lousy little room leaks when it rains, so its not suitable for cultivation at all. The weapon spirit stopped thinking about Gu Suihan and spoke very energetically. Liu Ming nodded resolutely in response and began to pack his things swiftly. He wasnt going to run from this anymore. He was going to defeat an external disciple and take his place in a Compound. Miss, do you really intend to make up with that Gu Suihan? whined Xiaomei as she made a face after hearing what Mo Yuluo told her. She sounded extraordinarily dissatisfied as well. Why do you dislike him so much? I dont think youve seen him more than five times and youve never spoken to him, said Mo Yuluo exasperatedly as she rolled her eyes. ButbutbutMiss, dont you find that you treat him differently from others? said Xiaomei as she seemed to recall something, and her eyes widened. Mo Yuluos lips twitched, and she glared back at Xiaomei. She whacked Xiaomei on the head and said even more exasperatedly, Im just curious to find out why hes entered the Seven Kill Sect. Also, everything hes done so far is clearly pointing to a particular purpose. Im sure he has some other plans, and thats why he suddenly gave up competing to become an internal disciple. Im afraid that he might do something out there and ruin my plans. My mother has her own plans as well, and she seems to have her eye on Gu Suihan and Feng Ran too. You cant blame me for getting worried. OhI think Madam is just interested in finding out more about your potential life partner, so shes keeping tabs on them, said Xiaomei with a cheeky smile. You are really getting out of hand! Mo Yuluo slapped Xiaomei angrily on the butt, making Xiaomei yelp and run out of the room while clutching her pained behind. Life partner? Mo Yuluo leaned back in her chair, and a conflicted look appeared in her eyes. She suddenly remembered Gu Suihans expressionless gaze when she attacked him with her sword. Her heart trembled. SIGH! A long, quiet sigh echoed within the pretty little building where Mo Yuluo lived. After Gu Suihans lousy attempt at pretending to be badly injured and using that as an excuse to bow out of the competition, the internal selection eventually came to an end. As all the spectators sighed sadly at having nothing to watch, they were also very puzzled by the actions of promising disciples like Gu Suihan and Feng Ran. However, none of the Peak Leaders said anything, and their expression remained calm but authoritative. Most of the internal disciples did not pay these external disciples much attention and focused on cultivation. The three factions had taken up all 36 vacancies. They had successfully kicked the least powerful internal disciples out via the competition. On the surface, everything had ended well, and everyone was happy that they got what they wanted. But there were some who smelled a rat. However, everyone was more concerned with protecting themselves from harm, so they did not say anything. Everyone continued to focus on cultivation amidst this nerve-wracking environment. Time passed quickly, and leaves began to fall even more rapidly from the trees they once belonged to. The luscious greenery had become ugly, as the trees had bald branches sticking out in all directions without any leaves or flowers on them. It didnt help that the entire sect was already filled with an oppressive feeling in the air. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 C I Dont Need a Weapon Spirit Getting a Ra-Asu and Sword Mantra body should still be possible, thought Gu Suihan as he continued to circulate a mighty sword Qi through his body, forcing his Spiritual Meridians to adapt and become more and more resilient each time as he made them work harder and harder. His skeleton with thickened bones that crisscrossed unnaturally was also becoming white and whiter after each revolution of cultivation. His bones gleamed as though there was an aura surrounding them, one that was emanating a faint golden color. Gu Suihan had already expected progress to be slow. Getting those Sword Bones required a long period of training and cultivation to become tougher and better able to withstand the damage that sword Qi brought with it. Young man, the runes will be carved in the next three days, and youll be able to use your blood to refine it further. The old mans gruff voice, which had suddenly echoed throughout the workshop, soon stilled. The creation of this spiritual weapon had turned out to be a lot harder than the old man had expected. At one glance, the formations Gu Suihan wanted were all small ones, and most were merely auxiliary ones. But these seemingly unimportant and weak formations, some of which the old man had never even seen before, could exist on the same weapon because of the way Gu Suihan had planned the placement of each rune. The amount of energy and concentration it took to create this sword had paled the old man, and even his graying hair seemed whiter than before. Gu Suihan looked at the strange characters on the legs of the cauldron with a peculiar flicker in his eyes. He closed his eyelids slightly to hide the frostiness that kept filling his gaze. He was still considering whether he ought to kill the old man, who was now weakened upon completing the weapon and wouldnt be able to put up as much of a resistance. He thought about this for a long time, calculating the gap between their prowess, the possible reaction from the Seven Kill Sect, and whether the old man had any hidden trump cards, he could use. In the end, he reluctantly gave up on this tempting idea. This old man reminded him of Disciplinarian Zhang. Both of them had secrets he knew nothing about, and so it was wiser not to attack them for the time being. Gu Suihan sighed inwardly, and the frosty look in his eyes slowly faded away, and he reverted to his usual calm and aloof gaze. Now! Hurry Up! yelled the old man. Of course, he had no idea that Gu Suihan had harbored such murderous thoughts toward him during this short period of time. No matter how sensitive a cultivator might be toward a threat, Gu Suihan was able to hide his intentions so well that nobody could pick them up. Gu Suihan bit his tongue and sprayed out some blood without hesitation. His hands reached out and into the air, then began moving so quickly that they became a blur as he made innumerably complicated mysterious hand seals as if he did this on a daily basis. He brought his hands down, and the force from the hand seals landed accurately on the strange-looking long sword that was resting quietly on the top of the cauldron. BAM! The sword suddenly flew up as though it had been threatened. The blade loudly resounded as it flew around the large cauldron several times before finally realizing where this danger was coming from. The tip of the sword turned towards Gu Suihan and unleashed an incredible amount of sword Qi, along with a massive cloud of light gray murderous Qi. The sword cut through the air like a flash of light, moving so quickly that it was humanly impossible to see it move. A blade that seemed able to slice through absolutely anything was now aimed right in between Gu Suihans eyes. Reacting just a split second too late would result in his death. Gu Suihan let out a shout, and the illusions his hand seals had made disappeared to become just one mysterious seal that carried the blood he had spat earlier to land heavily on the cross-guard of the sword just before it stabbed into his head, thereby leaving a permanent mark in the sword. A shrill and ear-piercing sound suddenly echoed in the workshop. The sword trembled violently and moved up and down in anger. It released sword Qi in all directions and smashed everything in its wake, leaving a wide dent in the workshops walls. If you dont behave yourself, Ive got a million and one ways to deal with you, said Gu Suihan nonchalantly as he narrowed his eyes at the sword still flying about and unleashing dangerous amounts of sword Qi. The sword trembled when it heard what Gu Suihan said and stopped destroying everything in its way. It had keenly sensed the confidence and resolution in Gu Suihans seemingly quiet voice. It paused for a moment in the air as if it was thinking about what it should do, then it stopped in front of Gu Suihan, the blade whining and whimpering like a puppy. The difference in its behavior when it first flew up from the cauldron, and its behavior now made the old man stare in wonder at it. He had witnessed the entire process. The sword was behaving so differently after Gu Suihan threatened it. Its quite a clever one, remarked Gu Suihan expressionlessly. He grabbed the sword with his right hand and ran a finger on his left down the sword. May the spirit that was awoken by blood die and reincarnate! The sword trembled wildly and struggled indignantly. The intelligent blade began to howl miserably like an animal to the slaughter. Its last pleading cries echoed loudly in the large workshop. What I want is an obedient weapon, not a weapon that might listen to me on the surface but cant wait to rebel on the inside. You might be a spiritual weapon, but youre no exception. Gu Suihans icy words also seemed to cover the workshop in frost. At the same time, the sword let out one last indignant cry and finally fell utterly silent. Did you just The old man stared in utter horror at Gu Suihan when he realized that the young man had basically wiped out the weapon spirit that was previously one with the weapon itself. Besides gaping at the young man, he didnt know what to do or even say. Why? Never seen something like that before? Gu Suihan smiled as he stabbed the lifeless sword into the floor and looked back up at the old man. No, I havent! The old man shook his head and was still reeling from the shock. Thats that then. Its time I went headed off elsewhere. Gu Suihan put a palm over his other fist politely and pulled the sword out of the floor. He did not explain why he had killed off the weapon spirit and disappeared after grabbing the sheath and kicking aside the debris, blocking his way. This damned little son of a bitch! After a long time, the old man finally snapped out of his daze and realized how badly Gu Suihans new sword had thrashed his workshop. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan had returned to his residence, slipping in as quietly as a shadow. He sat down in front of his table and calmly looked up at the moon shining brightly in the sky through his open window. He breathed a sigh of relief. Im so glad I ran really quickly, he thought. He knew the old man would go bonkers once he saw the destruction in the workshop. But there were also other reasons why he had to run. With a thought, his new sword flew into his hands. He looked down at it expressionlessly as it gleamed in the moonlight. A weapon spirit? Gu Suihan scoffed and had a disdainful smile on his face. He didnt need some other form of intelligence with him, especially since this weapon was supposed to be part of his own body. As a weapon, the only thing you need to do is to appear when I want you to and move as I tell you to, murmured Gu Suihan, as though he was talking to the sword in his hands. The swords blade slightly trembled as though it had heard him. Gu Suihan had not killed off the weapon spirit altogether earlier. He had left a tiny bit inside the weapon, so it had just enough intelligence to listen to his commands. He wanted a sword that could command and unleash a total amount of sword Qi, not a smart aleck that could protest or rebel against its owner. I will soon point you to the road on which you must go. Gu Suihans eyes had no emotion in them as he put the sword away. He had named the sword Questioning Heaven. The weapon was a little over twelve hands long, with a cross-guard constructed to resemble a few ferocious beasts trying to bite each other. Their eyes were empty sockets, so it looked like there were several holes in the cross-guard. One side of the blade was straight, while the other was sharp. The tip was angular and incredibly sharp as well. The surface of the blade was as smooth and as reflective as water. The hilt was wrapped in a seemingly ordinary half an inch-wide of white cloth, a strip that may have once found its start as a much larger piece of white cloth used by ordinary people to drape their dead. The entire sword was like a ferocious animal that could eat someone whole or a venomous snake lying in ambush. As it sat in its little corner, it looked like an ordinary sword, yet it seemed to exude such a strong, murderous air. Actually, this sword of his did not really adhere to the usual specifications of a cultivators sword. Some assassins who were not cultivators did have unique swords, but there was a general guideline that all cultivators swords followed. For example, most sword cultivators would have a sword that was nine and a-quarter hands long, which was the maximum. Most would make a crescent-shaped cross-guard that would result in a flat blade with a tip tapered at the end like a crescent. Those who were more vicious would make a cross-guard that was rhombus-shaped. Those who were more merciful would make a cross-guard in a boat shape. Gu Suihans sword did not match any of these. The strangely shaped cross-guard of his sword was one that only the most extreme of people would use. The Geng Gold sword Qi in his body was a bright gold color, flowing like liquid gold through his Spiritual Meridians. During this time, he had already cultivated to a point where he could allow the sword Qi to flow through his Spiritual Meridians. It would still take a long time to turn his skeleton into Sword Bones, though. The road of cultivation was not one that could be achieved more quickly just by working extra hard. Most of the time was spent beating the body, honing the soul, and understanding the laws of nature. Even if you had a chance encounter, that was just a catalyst for you to break through to the next level under certain very specific circumstances. If you thought you could become powerful overnight, then you could go back to bed and keep dreaming. As the sun began to rise, the frosty moonlight faded and was replaced by the energetic warmth of the sun. However, the warm sunshine couldnt drive away any of the oppressiveness in the air within the sect. In fact, that only helped to make the atmosphere seem even more frosty in comparison. Gu Suihan took a deep breath of the slightly cold autumn air. Taohua helped him with a bath, then he picked up Questioning Heaven and left for the Sect Missions Court. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 C The Reactions The Sect Missions Court was the most crowded place in the sect besides the Main Library and the Fortune Court. Look! Gu Suihans here! This has got to be the first time Ive seen him come here. Someone spotted Gu Suihan and nudged his friend with his elbow. What? The friend peered at their surroundings with a confused look, then widened his eyes when he saw Gu Suihan. He gasped and said, I cant believe hes dared to come out here. Isnt he afraid that the Disciplinary Court might come after him? Come after him? The first disciple snorted. Whatever for? Its true that anyone who isnt blind could tell that he had lost that fight on purpose, but it isnt against the rules to do that. The Disciplinary Court cannot do anything about him. Oh, thats true. I heard that the Peak Leaders are really angry with him. Do you think Do I think what? Tsk! The Peak Leaders are from this sect too, so they have to follow the rules as well. Otherwise, everyone would have formed their own factions and tried to kill each other by now. There wouldnt be a sect anymore because wed be all dead. Oh wow, Senior Brother, you really know a lot! Im so amazed! Im glad you know where youre lacking. Youd better learn a thing or two from me, or youre going to lose out in the future. Their conversation obviously did not capture Gu Suihans attention in any way. He walked straight up to the sect missions board to look for a mission that was to his liking. He wanted to take this chance to get away from the growing whirlpool of disaster within the sect. He didnt want to be implicated anymore than he already was. This one looks good. Gu Suihan spotted an older mission that was right at the bottom of the board and his eyes lit up. Once decided, he ripped the note off the board and walked to the counter to confirm his decision. What the hell is wrong with him? That mission will take a very long time and he wont even get that much out of it. The junior disciple from earlier on noticed which mission Gu Suihan had picked and turned to ask his senior about it. The senior paled and clamped a hand over his juniors mouth, then dragged the younger man to a quiet corner and began to reprimand him. Please, watch your words! Gu Suihan was barely a few meters away from you, so Im sure he heard every single word you said clearly! What if he sees you outside the sect and decides to kill you? Besides, he can choose whatever mission he likes. What has that got to do with you? The junior turned as white as a sheet as he stammered, S-senior, please, forgive me! I am at fault! Ill apologize to him right now! He ran back to where Gu Suihan was and bowed deeply. Senior Brother, please forgive me for speaking so rudely earlier. Please forgive me! Its alright. Just watch what you say next time, or you might get yourself into unnecessary trouble, said Gu Suihan good-naturedly as he smiled and patted the juniors shoulder. Yes! I will remember that! The junior bowed several times gratefully and left immediately after that. He was so glad that Gu Suihan had been in a good mood. Ill take this mission. Gu Suihan watched as the junior scampered off and chuckled to himself. He hadnt taken any of those words to heart at all. He wasnt interested in being the sort who killed others over petty things like that. Such characters only existed in those stupid novels. He would only kill if doing that benefitted him. Your token, said the old man at the counter without even raising his head. He took the slip of paper from Gu Suihan very slowly while inscribing the mission onto a jade slip in his other hand with his spiritual sense. Here you go. Gu Suihan showed the old man his disciple token and was assigned the mission after the old man had verified his identity. This mission was very simple. He was to go to one of the mines along a Spiritual Meridian within the sect and guard it for ten years. His reward was 10,000 Spiritual Stones. It was a very small mine, so there was little to reap from it, and that was why nobody wanted to take on this mission. But this was exactly what Gu Suihan wanted. When he got the map to where he was to go, he was even happier. This place was right at the back of the sect and very far from where the fights were taking place. That was what he was hoping for. There was no time to waste. Gu Suihan packed up all his things, got Taohua to pack her things as well, hopped onto a flying item, and flew off as though they were making an escape. Young master, why are we leaving in such a hurry? asked Taohua with a pale face and eyes shut tightly as she grabbed Gu Suihans arm in fear. This was the first time she was flying and it made her terribly nervous. Her entire body had been trembling since they took flight. The world of cultivators is in turmoil. My level of cultivation is too low, so its best that I go as far as I can from these unpredictable circumstances. Those who hope to gain something from the chaos normally end up dead, explained Gu Suihan patiently to the woman in his arms. He looked back at the shrinking peaks in the distance as they flew on and breathed a big sigh of relief. But Young Master, youre so powerful! None of the external disciples dare to offend you, said the young woman with a pout. She looked down at the clouds beneath them and threw herself back into his arms from being too terrified. She was too adorable when she did that. External disciples? Gu Suihan gently caressed her head as a smirk spread across his face. Even internal disciples have trouble handling me, never mind those useless little external disciples. What! Gu Suihan has escaped? Half a day after Gu Suihan had left, a booming voice resounded from the top of Peak Four. The voice traveled several kilometers far and echoed for a long time. Every person on the peak exchanged nervous glances and shuddered in fear. Xiexin Zhenrens usually calm and emotionless face was now filled with intense rage. He was the one who had let out that shout earlier. Father, Ive tried my best. Nobody could have known that the fellow would sneak out of the Weapon Refinery Court in the middle of the night. He ran for it very early in the morning and it was impossible to catch him in time. Li Rongs expression was grim and his eyes were filled with hatred. Gu Suihan had left happily, but that was bad news for Li Rong. After Xiexin zhenren found out about Gu Suihans aptitude, he intended to use Gu Suihan to replace Li Rong instead. Unfortunately, when he found out that Gu Suihan was actually an Origin Core cultivator who had to take over another body and restart his cultivation journey, Xiexin had given up that idea. Li Rong didnt want his father to fall back on his previous plan, so he lied and said that Gu Suihans soul was severely injured and hadnt recovered, which worked. His father had started to target Gu Suihan again. But now, Gu Suihan had escaped, which meant that Li Rong still couldnt escape his fate after all. Li Rong could only blame his luck. There was nothing else he could do. Humph! This fellow is indeed a senior in cultivation in a young body. Hes so sensitive to such things, grumbled Xiexin zhenren with a nasty scoff after he had paced the peak of the mountain several times. He turned to look at Li Rong, who was still lying prostrate on the ground. He sighed and said, You are dismissed. I know what to do. Li Rong got up and excused himself politely from his fathers presence, but inside, he was thinking, You know what to do? More like you were already prepared for this to happen. What?! Gu Suihan has escaped?! The same words echoed within Mo Yuluos room. Xiaomei was rolling her eyes as she told Mo Yuluo the news she had just received. I need details. Mo Yuluo got up with a start, ignoring how her blanket slid off her to reveal her curvaceous body, and tugged on Xiaomeis sleeve anxiously. Xiaomei sat down exasperatedly and tucked Mo Yuluo back under her blanket again before continuing in a disdainful voice, Miss, you sent people to watch the Weapons Refinery Court for so many days, but in the end, that fellow snuck out in the middle of the night, picked up a mission first thing the next morning and disappeared. There wasnt even enough time for the news to reach us. I went to his residence just now and hes taken everything. Hes even taken that maid with him. Do you think hes never coming back? Mo Yuluo had remained mostly expressionless until Xiaomei told her how Gu Suihan had cleared out all his things, including the maid. Her expression looked rather conflicted and she was silent for a long time before she said quietly, Given how that fellow is, its actually possible that he might never come back. He was clever enough to quickly admit defeat during the competition and did not become an internal disciple, so the sect does not keep any tabs on him. This place is huge. If he is really bent on hiding, nobody will be able to find him. Her lips began to quiver slightly and she let out a long sigh. Hes a really decisive character. Then again, hes a senior in cultivation who just took over a younger body. The sensitivity he has towards impending danger is definitely much higher than most. Xiaomei frowned and asked puzzledly, Miss, what danger is he afraid of? What danger could have made this fearless and audacious fellow run for his life like that? Mo Yuluo looked rather worried as she gently stroked Xiaomeis shiny, black hair and said softly, You wouldnt understand. Xiaomei wasnt stupid, so she understood that this wasnt something that she could do anything about. She nodded obediently, smoothed Mo Yuluos blanket out, and did not bring the topic back up. Unlike how the peaks past the time waiting for a storm to strike them, Gu Suihan was enjoying himself. Over the next two weeks, he continued his journey towards his destination without stopping, covering thousands of kilometers. Along the way, he switched to a different flying magical beast but never stopped to rest. After flying for at least 5,000 kilometers, the two of them finally arrived at their destination, much to Taohuas delight. He showed his token and pass from the sect, then called for everyone in the mine to gather where he was because he had something to say. Most of the people at the mine had heard that the one who had come to take charge of the place was a good-for-nothing external disciple who had failed the internal disciple selection and was probably forced to take on this mission. They heard that this fellow had no backers and not much choice in where he could go next. There was no need to pay a teenager like him too much attention. Many of them thought like this because they didnt think any cultivator with some experience and some future ahead of them would choose to come to this lousy place. They wouldnt be like this fellow, traveling all the way out here with his maid, as if he was some rich mans son on a vacation. Even so, nobody really went out of their way to go against Gu Suihans orders. They didnt want him to make an example out of them either. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 C New Leaders vs. Old Leaders It didnt take long for the empty area to be filled with a few dozen people. These people were the supervisors of the workers. They knew martial arts, but most of them were below the Qi Activation level, hovering only at the Physical Realm. If these supervisors were buckets of water, then some of them were a little half-filled and the other half were only a little over half-filled. Who else isnt here? Gu Suihan was sitting in front of everyone, enjoying a shoulder massage from Taohua as he gently tapped his finger on the table laid out in front of him. Sir, Manager Wang isnt here yet, said a middle-aged man politely after scanning the crowd. He stood next to Gu Suihan with his head bent and his body slightly bowed. How many managers are there in total? asked Gu Suihan in a perfectly calm voice. Three, sir. The calmer Gu Suihan seemed, the tenser the middle-aged man felt. Others might think that Gu Suihan was easygoing, but he knew better. Judging from the way Gu Suihan carried himself and the attitude he exuded, it was clear that this young man didnt really care about this mission at all. Also, the frosty glint that appeared in his disdainful stare unsettled the middle-aged man. These were good enough reasons for the middle-aged man to be scared of Gu Suihan, so he was extra careful with the way he talked and the things he did. I want the other two managers to step forward. The rest of you, line up behind them according to your ranks. Gu Suihan patted Taohuas hand to signal to her that she could leave. Then, he got up and looked down at the messy bunch in front of him with a frown. It was unfortunate that there were always some people in the world who thought that there was safety in numbers, or power in being with the majority, even when it was not the right choice to make. Almost nobody cared about what Gu Suihan just said and they even looked at him with a mocking look in their eyes. The middle-aged man next to Gu Suihan looked embarrassed by their behavior and yelled, Why are all of you just standing around? Hurry up and get into position! He quickly ran to stand right in front of the crowd to face Gu Suihan, since he was one of the managers. Unfortunately for him, only a few listened to him and got in line behind the middle-aged man. The rest continued to whisper among themselves and cast disdainful looks at Gu Suihan. Whats your name? Gu Suihan walked over to the middle-aged man with some interest. Sir, my name is Sun Miaozhi. Im one of the managers, replied the middle-aged man without hesitation. Are you from the country of Qingguo? Yes, I am. Very good. Im very pleased with your behavior. Gu Suihan patted Sun Miaozhis shoulder, then got him and those who lined up obediently behind him to stand to one side. Gu Suihan turned to look at the rest of the crowd who were still standing in groups of twos and threes and suddenly smiled maliciously at them. So, did you think Id let you off just because youre in the majority? Did you think Id ease myself into my new position because Im new? You think Id give your current leaders some respect and leeway just because its my first time here? Are you still thinking that you wont be able to mine any more Spiritual Stones once it runs out? His words were met with complete silence. As the crowd became uneasy from his string of questions, they all instinctively glanced at another middle-aged man. I see you must be the other manager. Gu Suihan smiled brightly before suddenly drawing his sword. WOONG! The sound of his blade vibrating in the air suddenly drew a fearsome arc of gold sword Qi that measured several meters long. At the same time, Gu Suihan walked through the crowd, turning his sword with each step. He was like a wolf among the sheep, a demon among the people. Each time his blade glinted, it meant that one person had been killed. The whole place was filled with nothing but the sound of his sword slicing through bodies and their final dying cry. Youyoure actually killing all of us?! The middle-aged barely managed to dodge Gu Suihans calm attack and started shrieking. His expression was one of horror and his body kept trembling. Im not just killing the people here. Im going to kill everyone in your family. Gu Suihan smiled at the man as he turned his sword and it sliced neatly across another mans throat, causing blood to spurt. In a matter of seconds, the entire place had fallen completely silent. Gu Suihan had pierced his sword in between the eyes of that middle-aged manager and destroyed his soul completely, so the manager did not even have the chance to reincarnate. Round up the families of those who have died and bring them here. Every single member. I dont care if theyre too old to get out of bed or if theyre newborns who cant even open their eyes. Bring them all here. Im sure you can do this. If they resist, just wait for me to come back and deal with them. Gu Suihan flicked Questioning Heaven slightly to remove all the bloodstains, then placed the sword back in its sheath after he had given Sun Miaozhi and the rest of the survivors those instructions. He then walked off with Taohua. By the way, regarding the last manager who didnt even turn up. If he doesnt have a good explanation for his absence, Im sure you know what to do. Once you settle that, there will only be one manager around here, his voice quietly wafted into the ears of the dazed Sun Miaozhi. A chilly breeze blew past, which made Sun Miaozhi and the rest shiver as they stared at the carnage before them in a daze. Their faces were pale and they gulped loudly as they gazed upon the dozens of dead bodies that were dried up like skeletons on the ground. What a vicious man, said Sun Miaozhi with a trembling voice. Everyone around him nodded vigorously. Their hearts were still pounding in fear. Even though they could be considered cultivators as well, none of them had ever witnessed such a violent scene before. Ordinary folks always treated them with respect as cultivators, and that was about it. They never even dreamed about becoming a cultivator who killed so swiftly and even wiped out clans with a word. Wh-what do we do? Manager Sun, what should we do? asked one of them with a pale face and trembling legs. What else can we do? Sun Miaozhi had a bitter smile on his face. We just have to do what he told us to. As he said, if those people resist, then we can just leave them alone and hell deal with them. We just need to go through the motion and get a few unimportant people out here. We cant deal with everyone else by ourselves. Young master, where are we going? asked Taohua as she snuggled in Gu Suihans arms. Were going to Qingguo. Did you think killing all those people was the end of the matter? Im going over to settle some matters so that nothing goes wrong. Gu Suihans gaze hardened as he glanced casually at the clouds beneath them from time to time, admiring the beautiful scenery he could see between the fluffy clouds. Several ordinary people screamed and shouted as Gu Suihan and Taohua seemed to descend from the sky and land on the solid city wall that was at least 30 meters high. Who are you? A general shouted at the two on the wall with a bronze spear in his hand as he motioned to the other soldiers behind him to surround their intruders. But when the general saw that Gu Suihan didnt seem bothered by him at all, he felt an uneasiness inside. He suppressed it and said in a grim voice, Esteemed Dao Master, is there a reason why you have come here? Im from the Seven Kill Sect. We have a mine within the boundaries of your country and Im the disciple sent to watch over it. Gu Suihan smiled and put his hands up to show that he wasnt here with any ill intentions. Ive come to speak to your king. Please tell him that I am here. The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief. They were so glad that Gu Suihan wasnt here to create any trouble, because there was no way ordinary people could fight a cultivator off. They would all just end up dead. The general took a close look at the disciple token that Gu Suihan handed to him, then returned it to Gu Suihan politely with both hands, before turning to his subordinates. You! Go and report this to the palace. Yes, sir! The soldier left his weapon behind and ran in at top speed. The general smiled politely at Gu Suihan, then motioned to the crowd that had gathered to go their own way. After that, he led Gu Suihan toward the palace. Dao Master, His Majesty would like to meet you, said the soldier after running back to Gu Suihan. General Wang, I shall take my leave now. Gu Suihan placed one palm over the other fist and bid the general farewell after a nice chat during their walk. After that, he brought Taohua swiftly towards the palace. He was in quite a hurry to clarify some things, and dealing with the relatives of those he killed earlier was just part of it. Sir, are you the Dao Master from the Seven Kill Sect? a eunuch stopped Gu Suihan outside the grand and opulent palace. That is correct, said Gu Suihan with a smile as he let go of his hand around Taohuas waist. This lady over here The eunuch looked at Taohua as though he had been placed in a difficult position. She can wait outside. I can go in by myself. Gu Suihan didnt want to make life difficult for the eunuch, so he allowed Taohua to wait outside while he went into the tightly shut palace with the eunuch. After entering the palace, he saw candlelight flickering above the purple and copper lamps in the shape of a crane. A gigantic bronze incense burner with an intricate pattern gave off a large amount of faintly sweet-smelling smoke that could really energize a person. The main hall was surrounded by eight red pillars wide enough to require three persons to hug each one. Several ancient beasts were carved into the pillar in all sorts of poses. Some were authoritative, some were threatening, and others looked vicious. Their poses were so life-like, it was as if these carvings were actually alive. A stern-faced middle-aged man wearing a yellow robe was right in the center, looking calmly at Gu Suihan standing at the door. An invisible pressure filled the entire hall and the eunuch who had led Gu Suihan in was already lying prostrate on the floor in fear. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 C The Way of Martial Arts You may leave, said Gu Suihan to the eunuch, as if he called the shots around here. The eunuch was too overwhelmed by the pressure in the room and felt that his head was spinning. Hearing those words from Gu Suihan felt like a float in the ocean that could save him from this terrible predicament. There was no time to think. The eunuch bowed several times in a row, then scrambled out with his trembling legs. Bam! Gu Suihan waved his sleeve and the thick red door of the palace hall slammed shut behind him, keeping the burning sunshine out. The hall suddenly darkened and seemed strangely cool. Trying to look imposing? Youre no match for me. Gu Suihans lips curled into a frosty smile after his spiritual sense filled the whole place and confirmed that the two of them were the only ones in the entire hall. Before the middle-aged man could lose his temper, Gu Suihan took a step forward. The frostiness that burst forth from his body instantly killed whatever pressure the king had unleashed earlier. The king looked shocked and at that moment, the young man before him looked like a sharp sword that had already killed thousands and could kill thousands more. The sword Qi from Gu Suihan soared upwards, slicing the clouds and reaching the sky. The king looked around him in horror and felt as though he was now on a battlefield where Gu Suihan was the last man standing. Bodies and random limbs were strewn everywhere. The stench of blood hit his nostrils and went right into his lungs, making him feel like he was undergoing a cruel punishment. Youre only at Foundation Establishment, yet youre already able to turn your aura into reality. The middle-aged mans confident squarish jaw and authoritative stance suddenly faltered and he looked at Gu Suihan fearfully. How many people must this young man have killed in order to accumulate so much violent and murderous Qi? Exactly who are you? The king gave up trying to resist Gu Suihan and sat down weakly. He leaned back in his wide throne and clung to it so that he didnt collapse onto the floor. His eyes were glazed over as he stared straight at Gu Suihan. I am an external disciple of the Seven Kill Sect, Gu Suihan, and I am at Beginner Foundation Establishment. Ive taken on a mission from the sect to guard the Spiritual Stone mine here for the next ten years, said Gu Suihan calmly and confidently, as though he were an unsheathed sword that was ready to slit a throat anytime. Tell me the truth, said the middle-aged man lazily after he sat up again. He was a king who ruled over millions of people after all. Even though Gu Suihans capabilities had alarmed him at first, he was able to quickly calm himself back down and revert to the authoritative ruler he was. The truth? Im here to escape from imminent danger. Gu Suihan touched his nose lightly and did not look the least embarrassed about it. Escaping from danger? The king was surprised and asked curiously, What sort of danger? Why does someone like you need to run from it? The Ethereal Court, the Youthful Clarity Sect, the Wonderful Sound Sect, and the Vast Sky Sect have formed an alliance. Im sure you know about that, said Gu Suihan in a suspicious voice as he narrowed his eyes. To his surprise, the king frowned and did actually look shocked. It seemed like he really had no idea that this was happening. Gu Suihan clicked his tongue and said pointedly, So much for being a king. You dont even know Why did they form an alliance? Is it to fight the Seven Kill Sect? But what does that have to do with an external disciple like yourself? The king snapped out of his shock and started shooting questions at Gu Suihan. Despite these questions, he didnt look worried at all. Gu Suihan shrugged and sat casually on the large desk that the king used to read documents. I wouldnt know why theyre doing this. But if theyve decided to form an alliance, it means that theyre up against a faction with that sort of power as well. It just so happens that they didnt include the Seven Kill Sect or the War Demon Sect, or perhaps its because the alliance doesnt trust these two sects the most. Theres definitely going to be a bloody battle between the two sides. As for the last question you had, I can only say that I just had a bad feeling about the whole thing, so I quickly seized the first chance I had to run for it. The king did not ask any further questions and bent his head as he fell into deep thought. After some time, he opened his eyes again and said in a grim voice, This doesnt actually have anything to do with why youve come here to meet with me. I believe youre here for something else. Gu Suihan froze for a second before turning to look at the king with some admiration in his eyes. He tapped his finger against the table gently and said in a slow voice, Ive killed some people. Besides two managers, Ive killed off all the other supervisor-level workers. Why, you The king felt his eye twitch and he glared at Gu Suihan as he said, You have so much violence inside you and such a tumultuous heart, so youve already broken your karmic cycle. Yet, you still engage in massacres! Arent you afraid of retribution? My karmic cycle? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow to reveal an expression that was mocking and disdainful of everything. The despise in his voice as he repeated a few words of what the king said struck terror in the kings heart. The karmic cycle is not as formidable as the legends describe it to be. Besides, this is only a problem if youre related or indebted to the other parties. As for everyone else, wellits too bad. Gu Suihan chuckled and patted the kings shoulder. He wasnt bothered by any of this. After a brief pause, Gu Suihan continued, Ive come to let you know that Im going to get all the remaining relatives of those that Ive killed to do the mining work, so we can save on time and money to hire miners. I will not agree to that! Among them are Among them are your relatives? Or relatives of court officials? Gu Suihans expression suddenly turned frosty and his bright eyes sparkled in a way that terrified the king. Ive come here to notify you, thats all. You dont get to make any decisions. Hoho! The king had a sad expression on his face as he sighed and looked back down at the floor again. It was clear that he had to give in. Doing this would ensure the survival of more people, so he had to consider the bigger picture. Even though he was angry and indignant, he knew it didnt mean anything. This seemingly youthful and innocent fellow in front of him was a nutcase. And was a very powerful nutcase at that too. Gu Suihan looked at the king, who seemed to have aged another decade, and smiled faintly. The frosty feeling in the air seemed to warm up suddenly and it didnt feel so cold anymore. I wont make you suffer a loss either. You can have this. I believe you know whats inside. With this, Ill get rid of some unnecessary leeches and you gain my friendship. Its a very good deal for you. Gu Suihan then threw an old, palm-sized statue that was very rough on the edges and still had splinters sticking out at the puzzled king. This is? The king caught it. After looking at it, his quizzical expression became one of excitement and his hands couldnt stop shaking. He cautiously held up the statue, then looked up with a start to stare intensely at the young man in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak but couldnt get a single word out. In order to seal this deal, I need you to answer a few more questions of mine. Gu Suihan smirked when he saw the kings expression fall immediately upon hearing that Gu Suihan wasnt giving this thing to him just yet. What other questions do you have? I will answer to the best of my abilities. The king clutched the statue tightly and shut his eyes to hide his inappropriate display of excitement and calmed himself down again. What exactly is the Way of Martial Arts? Why are cultivators so wary of it? Why do practitioners of this require Vow Power? Also, who was the first one to pass it down? Or rather, who started it? Why are you asking these questions? The king was a little surprised, but he was also relieved that Gu Suihan wasnt asking for some exorbitant amount of money. The Way of Martial Arts can apparently be traced all the way back to ancient times. At that time, natural treasures could be found anywhere and rare herbs were actually as common as weeds and grass. This so-called Way of Martial Arts was actually based on the way the Demonic Race practiced physical cultivation. However, humans and demons have vastly different bodies, and humans didnt even have the right genes. That was why even though practitioners of this method were able to make a hole in the sky with their bare fists and make a crack in the mountains and rivers with one kick, they were still no match for the demons who were born with such abilities. Later on, it was discovered that demons could continue to train and hone their bodies and wills, learn and inherit traits from their ancestors, and evolve their bloodlines to eventually cultivate and become Great Demons. Humans, on the other hand, hit a bottleneck. Humans realized that no matter how hard they trained their bodies and no matter how much Qi they accumulated in their blood, they simply could not match what the demons could do. It didnt help that because humans are intelligent beings, we often have too many distractions and it affects the mind and spirit. The initial stage was fine, but when they reached the stage thats equivalent to Nascent Change for you cultivators of the Truth, they realized to their horror that the resilient and virtually indestructible willpower that they had become so proud of could not fight against a powerful physical body. The Way of Martial Arts emphasizes swallowing the world to make it part of ones body, so theres only input and no output. The soul gets locked inside the body, so theres no way to gather the Three Huas and Five Qi. Having resilient willpower is useless if it doesnt have a soul thats strong enough to carry it. So, someone came up with a wise idea to use the cultivation method of Buddhism, which was to use the power of other people to empower themselves. The ones who could achieve this most easily were obviously, the ruler of a country in the mundane world, or longstanding families with great influence. I believe you know the rest of the story. Most people who cultivate the Way of Martial Arts end up getting stuck at a stage where their willpower and physical body are at their strongest while still remaining in perfect balance, which is equivalent to Origin Core for you. This is because they dont have sufficient Vow Power to keep going, so they dont dare to break through to the next level. Otherwise, their soul and body will explode and they would destroy themselves instead. As for the whole thing about how cultivators of the Truth are wary of cultivators of the Way of Martial Arts, thats nonsense. The king downed his cup of tea that had grown cold a long time ago. He smacked his lips and went on, Never mind the cultivators in the Way of Martial Arts. Even the Buddhists and the Demonic Race that was facing extinction a long time back in this world, as well as the Barbaric Race of historical legends, and many, many others C cultivators of the Truth have been wary of all of them. But there is a good reason behind why they are especially wary of those who cultivate in the Way of Martial Arts. Thats because there was someone, a very long time ago, who used his cultivation level in the Way of Martial Arts to conquer lands so that everyone would become one of his and they would serve to feed his cultivation needs. Eventually, he had an even crazier idea. He wanted to turn the entire world into his so that he could make himself even stronger. But that incurred the wrath of the cultivators of the Truth and they launched a powerful attack on him. He was caught by surprise and died, and even his flesh and spirit were changed back into Qi after the cultivators fought back so hard. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 C The Devil Himself After hearing this, Gu Suihan looked away to think. His gaze flickered as he silently contemplated what he had just heard before he finally exhaled slowly and his gaze became calm and distant again. Not bad. Im very satisfied with your answer, so you can have that. Gu Suihan got up and strolled towards the door with Questioning Heaven in hand. The king watched as Gu Suihan walked with confidence and said, You dont have to do anything, Ill round up the people you mentioned earlier and send them to you. Make sure that nobody is left behind. You should know what to do, said Gu Suihan without turning around as a smile spread across his face. Everyone except Sun Miaozhis people and their families. Send the rest to me. If youve got any troublesome fellows sitting around in your public jails, send them to me too. The more, the merrier. Several minutes later The king sighed heavily and murmured to himself, I dont know if Im doing the right thing. Why do I have such a bad feeling about this young man? As he fiddled with the wooden sculpture with his hands, he could feel the rough edges scrape his fingers. His gaze soon became filled with more and more ambition. So, thats how it is Gu Suihan walked out of the palace and felt the warm sunshine on his face as he stretched his limbs. He had finally confirmed what this Way of Martial Arts was. It seemed like it was just something that humans had concocted a very long time ago in an attempt to fight with Demonic Race, but it eventually fell apart and the techniques to reach the more advanced stages were also lost along the way. Later on, some people much more recently had taken reference from the Buddhists and had created a new crazier way of advancing, which was how everything ended up like this. Taohua had been waiting rather anxiously outside. When she spotted Gu Suihan walking out, she ran over to him. Her face was pinkish from the sun and she had to squint as she looked up at him. Young master, where are we going now? Were going to buy a residence and get some servants. I dont have the time to sit in a mine and cultivate, you know? said Gu Suihan quietly with a chuckle. Oh, wait! I forgot! Gu Suihan slapped his forehead and walked back into the palace. Why are you still here? The king tensed up and raised his head with a start when he heard the door being opened and was rather puzzled to see that it was Gu Suihan. I need to buy some things, but its been a long time since I needed money, so I came back to ask if I could borrow some, said Gu Suihan with a grin. The kings expression relaxed and gave a low shout. A eunuch tottered in and the king waved at him impatiently as he said, Go to the treasury and give him 1,000 pieces of gold. Yes, Your Majesty. Go and buy a good-sized estate, a quiet one if you can. Then get some maids too. I need to attend to some matters, so you can keep this, said Gu Suihan as he threw the bag full of gold coins to the excited Taohua. He then flew into the air and disappeared in seconds. Miss, please come with me, said the eunuch to Taohua with a bow. He didnt dare to be rude to this maid at all. Sun Miaozhi, where are you? Gu Suihan arrived at the mine and sent his Spiritual Sense out to cover a radius of a few hundred meters. He had spent nearly an entire day with the king of Qingguo in the capital city and it was evening time now. Fiery red clouds colored the horizon, meeting with the vast forest to make a picturesque scene. Sir, Im here, came Sun Miaozhis slightly hoarse and upset voice. Youve acted pretty quickly, I see. Gu Suihan landed a short distance from the mine and he could see Sun Miaozhi and his subordinates were trying to keep a few hundred angry and noisy people under control. They were frustrated with the crowd but didnt dare hurt them, so they could only shout at them. They were in a difficult position and it showed on their faces. How noisy! Gu Suihan frowned and shouted in a low voice. He took a step forward and released a murderous aura that struck terror in their hearts. Every one whom he looked at immediately shut up. Youre not here to be nice to these people. These people are slaves from now on. Free mining labor. If they mine a good amount, theyll get to eat. If not, they can just die from starvation, said Gu Suihan with a slightly displeased expression as he looked sharply at Sun Miaozhi, whose face was already covered in a cold sweat. How dare you capture us like that! And youve killed my husband too! Im going to report you to the authorities! shrieked a middle-aged woman with a nasty expression on her face as she tried to claw at Gu Suihan. What an idiot, thought Sun Miaozhi and his subordinates as they looked away. I like energetic people like you. I hope all of you will be just as energetic when it comes to the mining work. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Gu Suihan smiled and Questioning Heaven suddenly flew out of its sheath. There was a blinding flash and the ears of the woman who shrieked earlier fell to the ground. Blood immediately poured down the side of her plump face and several slits made by the sword were also visible. AHHH! The pain hit her and she immediately started twisting on the ground in pain. Her screams were so bloodcurdling that they made everyone else pale in horror as they trembled uncontrollably. Shut up, said Gu Suihan quietly with a frown. If youve got the guts, just kill me!! The woman looked up and glared venomously at Gu Suihan with nothing but hatred and murder in her eyes. No, no, no, said Gu Suihan as he shook his head and chuckled. I wouldnt kill you. If I do that, therell be one less slave to work the mines for me. I wouldnt do anything that makes me suffer a loss like that. Everyone screamed in terror as Questioning Heaven glinted brightly, accurately plunging into the womans mouth. Gu Suihan turned his wrist slightly and pulled the sword out again, taking half a tongue with it. Are you sure you want to die? Have you thought about what would happen to your children and your elderly parents? asked Gu Suihan quietly as he slowly scanned the crowd. He spoke nicely to them, but the content of his words were like the murmurs of a devil. Youyoure a demon! A young man glared furiously at Gu Suihan and yelled out what everyone was thinking while protecting a little girl behind him. Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by his yelling and even nodded. Well, I didnt say I was a good person. Sun Miaozhi and his subordinates shuddered when they heard how Gu Suihan was basically going to make sure that none of these families would have descendants. Fear began to overwhelm them. Damn you! Im going to fight you to death! A dozen young men started yelling at Gu Suihan, charging toward him as they swung their arms and glared furiously at him. Everyone, theres no need to fear! If we combine forces, this demon wont be able to do anything to us! Be quiet! Gu Suihan glared at the young men icily and unleashed a murderous aura so real, that it felt like they were on a battlefield where corpses were strewn all around them. Their limbs were paralyzed and they couldnt move any further. Get moving, said Gu Suihan to Sun Miaozhi as his lips curled into a smile. Sir, are you Mr. Gu Suihan from the Seven Kill Sect? I have orders to bring these people here, a voice called out from afar. A few dozen civilians had been rounded up by soldiers as the king had promised Gu Suihan and a small army of solemn-faced soldiers had escorted them to the mine. Good. Get them to stand over there and all of you may leave. Gu Suihan randomly pointed at an empty spot in front of him. The crowd looked despairingly as the soldiers of their own country did what they were told and left immediately after that. In less than an hour, Sun Miaozhi and his subordinates had gathered nearly 30 young men and women, who all had a hopeless look in their eyes. You can go settle this matter now, instructed Gu Suihan. Sun Miaozhi led the group of young men and women away. Gu Suihan then turned back to the crowd who were sitting in a daze on the ground and a cruel smile appeared on his face. He pulled out a bottle from his pocket and crushed it with his hand, then he used his spiritual energy to send the pink powder inside the bottle flying towards the crowd, which engulfed the crowd in a shapeless, sweet-smelling mist. Have fun. Gu Suihan chuckled, then flew into the air and watched them expressionlessly from above. Hooo! Whatswhats this? Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only I feel very warm insideis this some sort of poison?! As the crowd inhaled the pink air, an unusual heat began to rise from within their bodies. Their skin started to redden from the heat and their faces flushed bright crimson. Their previously empty stares were beginning to light up in delirium. Fifteen minutes later. A feverish wave of lustful moans, screams, and heavy breathing, as well as tears of regret and sighs of despair, echoed continuously within a 30-meter radius of the crowd. Im sure none of you would still want to team up to fight me after going through this. What a tragedy, thought Gu Suihan. His face was expressionless as he watched the raw display of debauchery continue on the ground. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 C A Curse Half a month had passed since Gu Suihan first arrived at the mine. By this time Gu Suihan had broken their spirits and they were on the verge of a mental breakdown as they continued to mine the Spiritual Stones like a group of zombies. Sun Miaozhi had wisely chosen not to say anything about the situation. Sir, this is the other manager who did not come on your first day here. Ive brought him to see you. At nearly noon, Sun Miaozhi brought a thin but muscular middle-aged man who had a rather depressed look in his eyes. His slightly hooked nose made his brown eyes look even more prominent. Explain yourself. Gu Suihan continued eating his lunch without even raising his head, and did not ask the manager to sit either. Sir, one of the elders in my family was very ill that day and I went to the market to buy medicine with the Spiritual Stones I had saved up. Thats why I didnt come that day. The middle-aged man looked a little nervous and kept both his head and waist bent. He didnt dare to look Gu Suihan in the eye at all when he spoke. Sun Miaozhi. Is he telling the truth? Gu Suihan clapped his hands and Taohua brought him a handkerchief. He wiped his hands and threw the handkerchief onto the table, then looked expectantly at Sun Miaozhi, who was sweating profusely. S-sir, its true. Manager Han has been working faithfully all this time, but the aunt who brought him up all by herself suddenly fell very ill a few years ago, so he would take leave every now and then. What illness is she suffering from? Even a cultivators pill cant cure it? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and pointed to the space in front of him. Taohua went to get another two sets of chopsticks and two bowls of rice. The two older men exchanged careful glances, then sat on the edge of the stool. They did not touch the chopsticks, saying that they had already eaten. Gu Suihan couldnt help but smile a little when he saw how frightened the two men looked and didnt force them to eat. He motioned to Manager Han to continue his story. Sir, I dont know whats wrong with her either. Ive saved up quite a lot of Spiritual Stones over the years as a manager and spent them on several cultivators in hope of finding out what the problem is. All of them told me that she has lost her Earth Hun[^note1] and she has to find it at the place where she lost it. But I dont even understand how she could have lost it. My aptitude is very poor and I only managed to hit Qi Activation after cultivating for more than ten years. You need to be at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator to have enough Qi to split exactly one Hun out like this. Besides, my aunt is always home and she doesnt go out anymore. I suspect someone at home has done something to her, but after I conducted an investigation, I couldnt find any suspicious people. Manager Han looked really upset, but he would also steal glances at the silent Gu Suihan from time to time. He had checked with Sun Miaozhi before coming and learned that Gu Suihan could fly without the help of anything, so this young man was definitely at least at Foundation Establishment. He was now hoping that Gu Suihan could help him out with this problem. Gu Suihan tapped a finger gently on the table and frowned slightly as he murmured, The Heaven Hun and Earth Hun are on the outside, and only the Life Hun is on the inside. The Seven Po and Seven Emotions are transient. The spirit of one at Nascent Change can become a deity. His voice sounded very far away and seemed like he had gone through many vicissitudes. What does that mean? Sun Miaozhi and Manager Han exchanged glances. Neither knew what Gu Suihan was talking about at all. Sir, could you tell us what you mean? Manager Han finally got down on his knees and pleaded with Gu Suihan, his voice cracking a little. It seemed he was genuinely very worried about his aunts health. Gu Suihan smiled faintly and there was a glint in his eyes. Your aunt didnt lose her Earth Hun. Someone has laid a curse on her, cutting off your aunts connection to her Earth Hun. I wouldnt say its very hard to do something like that, but there are only a few ways to do this to an ordinary person. A curse? Manager Han repeated these words and looked like he was in deep thought. Some cultivators describe it as having your Earth Hun being taken captive. Thats the way cultivators in the Way of Ghosts do it. Also, its not possible for one to remove just one soul without anybody noticing unless they are at least at Origin Core. This place isnt very poor and secluded, but its not a place filled with haunted or evil creatures either. I dont see why a cultivator in the Way of Ghosts would care about this place. So, my conclusion is that someone laid a curse on her. You can go think about who it could be. After that, he motioned to Taohua to see Manager Han out, while he spoke to Sun Miaozhi. Tell me how many Spiritual Stones can be mined from this mine every year, how much our expenses are and how much we have to pay every decade, said Gu Suihan in a leisurely manner as he glanced at the older man. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Sun Miaozhi felt his heart sink and began to sweat even more profusely now. After hesitating for a long time, he suddenly fell to his knees and said in a trembling voice, There used to be a lot of managers and supervisors, so even though we can mine about 7,000 Spiritual Stones or so, our expenses alone are half this amount. The Seven Kill Sect hasnt sent any disciples here to guard the mine for a long time, so we also have to spend some on bribing some people from Qingguo. Also, many of the managers and supervisors pilfer some. Having 3,000 Spiritual Stones left at the end of everything is considered not bad. The last time we had to pay the sect, we paid 30,000 or so. Sir, please forgive me! I will not do this again! Pilfering a little is normal, theres no need to beg for forgiveness, said Gu Suihan flatly. From now on, you and Manager Han will get 200 Spiritual Stones a year, and the rest will get nothing. If those people from Qingguo make trouble for you, just kill them on the spot. This country is so tiny, anyway. Sun Miaozhi was relieved that Gu Suihan wasnt going to kill him, but he was also terrified of Gu Suihans plans. Gu Suihan did not say anything about increasing the payment to the sect, so he was probably going to keep the balance for himself. In short, he was going to take 4,000 for himself every year, which added up to 40,000 over ten years. He wasnt going to let things stay the same around here. To him, even though Qingguo was a country of a few million people, they were nothing compared to the country of Fenglin, which was the hinterland of the Seven Kill Sect. Besides, if Qingguo really made him unhappy, he had a million and one ways to destroy this tiny country. He could poison them, lay a curse on them, and more. Cultivators could wipe out ordinary people so easily. But he figured that after their last conversation, the king would likely tell certain key figures about Gu Suihans temperament, and nobody would try to make trouble for him. You can leave now. You can give a little more food to those who are willing to mine. Those who work hard and are strong can have more, while the young ones and elderly ones who are about to die dont need too much. I cant afford such high expenses, Gu Suihan instructed Sun Miaozhi via telepathy just before Sun Miaozhi stepped out. The cruel practicality of these words made Sun Miaozhi shudder. Young master, dont you think youre being a little too hard on them? If they dont have enough to eat, they wont have enough energy to mine either, said Taohua in a soft voice. She felt bad for the workers. He gently patted her little head and said, If they arent useful to me, they would be facing a bigger problem than just not having enough food to eat. Do you still think Im being hard on them? In other words, the fact that he had spared their lives was already something they should be grateful to him for. If they werent still useful, they would have become nutrients for Questioning Heaven by now. Taohuas supple body shuddered. She recalled how Gu Suihan always handled matters all this time and decided not to speak anymore. Weve got a good show coming up. Gu Suihan turned to look out of the door with a mocking smile on his lips. He didnt notice the sadness in Taohuas eyes as she left the room. At night, Gu Suihan leaped over fences and went round countless streets like a ghost, and quietly arrived at a luxurious home. This estate consisted of three small buildings and a front yard each. It was late, but all the lights were still on. This was the house of Manager Han, the one who came to apologize earlier that day. It was obvious that he had pocketed a good number of Spiritual Stones as a manager since he managed to build such a big house for himself. Earlier that day, Gu Suihan had sensed something amiss when he heard Manager Han describe his aunts condition. Logically speaking, a cultivator who could lay curses would have just wiped out Manager Han and his family at once. Why bother leaving someone half alive? The family could still find someone to help them, or her condition might attract the attention of someone like Gu Suihan. That would be bad news for the cultivator. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only He pasted a Presence Concealing Talisman and a Qi Quietening Talisman on himself, then quietly walked into the house. Those who cultivated in the Way of Martial Arts had very active Qi and were a lot more sensitive to the presence of other beings. It was better to be careful. It was late at night, so Gu Suihan easily found a sleepy guard on duty. He dragged the guard to a shadowy corner and knocked him out. He used the moonlight to study the unconscious mans features carefully, then his face and body suddenly began to change. A few seconds later, Gu Suihan looked exactly like the guard. He changed into the guards clothes and walked back out again. The only difference was the alertness in Gu Suihans eyes that the guard did not have. The Clackers Comfort Food Booth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hun_and_poTen souls of sanhunqipo three hun and seven po is not only Daoist; Some authorities would maintain that the three-seven soul is basic to all Chinese religion. During the Later Han period, Daoists fixed the number of hun souls at three and the number of po souls at seven. A newly deceased person may return (ػ) to his home at some nights, sometimes one week (^) after his death and the seven po would disappear one by one every 7 days after death.Three hun may stand for the sangang V three principles of social order: relationships between ruler-subject, father-child, and husband-wife. Seven po may stand for the qiqiao ߸[ seven apertures (in the head, eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth) or the qiqing seven emotions (joy, anger, sorrow, fear, worry, grief, fright) in traditional Chinese medicine. Sanhunqipo also stand for other names. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 C Hun and Po The one right at the back usually belongs to the head of the household and the wifes residence is on the left. Manager Hans aunt probably sleeps in the residence on the right. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he silently looked at this large but quiet house and made a few deductions. He carefully dodged the lax patrolling guards and made his way stealthily towards the building on the right that was shrouded in darkness and seemed a little cold. There was nobody in the vicinity, so Gu Suihan cast a spell at the room on the second story and leaped into the room in an instant. Aunt, Im very sure Xi Ran is the one who left you in this state. Im going to hunt him down and make sure you recover. Manager Han was sitting in front of a bed with a threatening look on his face and tears in his eyes. Gu Suihan was silently hiding in the shadowy corner of the same room and watched this scene unfold before him. He knew that this Xi Ran was already in the room too because he had sensed a faint ghostly Qi in the room. Manager Han, however, had no idea. Hoho, Han Xingxiong, youre so clever. You actually managed to guess it was me, a slightly shrill voice resounded in the room. The two maids outside the room had been knocked out without a sound. A figure floated into the room through the window like a ghost, emanating a sinister aura as it floated through the air. You still havent given up? Han Xingxiong suppressed his fury and clenched his fists. The veins on the back of his hands bulged and his widened eyes were filled with hatred. You should know what Im after. Xi Ran cut to the chase after cackling wickedly. Give that to me and Ill remove the curse. We will have nothing to do with one another after that. Dream on! yelled Han Xingxiong. His previously depressed-looking eyes now shone with unshakeable resolve. Xi Ran cackled again and looked at the old lady on the bed who was barely breathing. A cruel smile spread across his lips. And youd rather let your aunt live as she might as well be dead? Humph! I wont give in to you! Ill find a way to heal my aunt and help her to regain consciousness, even if it means I have to give that to someone else! Im never giving it to YOU! Han Xingxiong retorted fiercely as he stared straight at the sinister, ghostly Xi Ran. Xi Ran didnt say anymore. He looked intently at the furious Han Xingxiong, then turned into nothing but green smoke, floating out of the window and disappearing into the darkness again. Theres more than meets the eye after all. I just dont know what is this valuable item that theyre referring to. Gu Suihan had a cheeky glint in his eye. He then disappeared into the darkness as well. He wasnt interested in the item itself, since anything that a cultivator in the Way of Ghosts would be interested in was most likely to be something useful only to those who cultivated in the dark arts, which had nothing to do with him. Besides, these two werent even at Foundation Establishment yet. There was nothing valuable to cultivators at this stage that would be valuable to Gu Suihan. Not even a spiritual weapon would catch his eye. He had merely been curious, and now that his curiosity had been satisfied, he didnt think about these things anymore. Once he arrived back at his residence, he sat in the little pavilion in his front yard by himself, quieting his mind and gathering Qi. The sword Qi inside his body was slowly circulating like an intricately designed machine. The phrases he had uttered earlier in the day to the two managers werent really anything philosophical, They were just some of the thoughts he had. The Hun and Po of humans were split this way: the three Huns were Heaven Hun, Earth Hun, and Life Hun, the seven Po were within the body. The three Huns were also known as Taiguang, Shuangling, and Youjing (Clacker: no Daoist text has given these terms English names so please dont ask me to). Heaven Hun referred to luck, fate, and destiny, the things that had been decided before ones birth that one could not see, but was very real. Earth Hun referred to the person itself, which was why the word for life was a combination of person and destiny1. This person was referring to the things that a person developed after being born, like their personality and sexual orientation, as well as whatever resulted from their environment. There were some who liked to say that humans can definitely defeat Heaven (this is a literal translation of an idiom that means mind over matter, or being able to control ones own destiny). That phrase was saying that anything that could change what the Earth Hun stood for would be able to have an effect on the Heaven Hun to a certain extent. Life Hun was exactly just that. Without it, humans would die and they would lose their will as well. For ordinary humans, their Life Hun was tied to their bodies, so when their physical bodies died, their Life Hun was erased as well. For cultivators, their Life Hun was actually their Spiritual Sense. It was part of their consciousness and lived there. Therefore, even if their physical body was severely injured, their Life Hun would not die and would not disappear. The seven Po represented mans fleshly desires or the seven chakras in Buddhism. The seven deadly sins that ordinary people talked about were the seven Po taken to an extreme. These seven Po were not only hidden in the body, but they also quietly developed ones emotions. When it came to cultivators, the Origin Core stage wasnt that bullshit about forming a Golden Core in the dantian like what all those novels in the world Suihan came from talked about. What was that even? Cultivators went through these three stages after Foundation Establishment: Origin Core, Nascent Change, and the Heart-Soul stage2. Origin Core was the stage where one gathered all three Hun, thereby cutting off connection with fate and destiny, relying on yourself, and disregarding the will of heaven. This combination of the three hun will be your origin core and it will hide inside your consciousness, not that ridiculous golden core shit. That had nothing to do with an origin core. As the saying goes, gathering of Three Huas in the top and Five Qis towards their origins. The Three Huas were Jing, Qi, and Shen, which was the gathering of the three Hun, forming the Origin Core3. Nascent Change was the Five Qis towards their origins. The Five Qis were the five chakras within the body or five of the seven Po. Of the other two, one was located in between the brows, or the Divine Eye4. The last one was located in the abdomen. Gathering the Five Qis would draw the last two Po together. Gather all seven Po and you would reach the pinnacle of Nascent Change. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The Heart-Soul stage was always described as something that was super mysterious, but this was actually the simplest because it was the process of storing all the Spiritual Qi, Murderous Qi, Alkaid Qi, and so on in the lower dantian. The origin core was in the upper dantian, the nascent change in the middle dantian, and the heart-soul in the lower dantian so that it continued to be toughened. The three formed one entity. Once the origin core reached its highest stage, and the heart-soul rose, it would automatically form the divine soul. Or rather, this would be a complete divine soul. The crap in those novels about forming a golden core or breaking the nascent soul was pure gibberish. Gu Suihans heart-soul had collapsed and his soul was shattered. He had carefully sealed it within his consciousness and he dared not reveal even the slightest bit. He intended to gather his origin core and nascent soul again, then gather his divine soul, combine them, and level up. More importantly, he wasnt sure if the forces of nature would eliminate him once his soul recovered, because he wasnt born into this world in the first place. He had a long, long way to go. That was a true reflection of what Gu Suihan was thinking about right now. Ive gone so far away, so Ive finally gotten some peace. Unfortunately, I dont know if those people in the Seven Kill Sect have given up trying to insert me into their plans and thrown me out of the picture. As Gu Suihan thought about these things, his eyes seemed as dark and deep as the universe and did not glint brightly as they normally did. Perhaps its time I went to talk to the king of Qingguo again. It was late at night and it was quiet outside. Every living creature was already asleep, but Gu Suihan was still sitting alone at the pavilion in deep thought. After some time, he seemed to have thought of something and his expression suddenly turned frosty. He hadnt given that figurine to the king for display purposes. He wanted to use the king to help him with cultivating Questioning Heavens aggression. He got changed and flew towards the capital city again. When he got there, he dodged the many guards around the city, jumped over the city wall as unnoticed as a bird, and stood in front of the majestic and gigantic palace that looked like an enormous creature lurking in the dark, waiting to swallow its prey whole. Dim and gentle candlelight could be seen through a small gap in the window, and two eunuchs had fallen asleep at the door. This king clearly did not take Gu Suihans word for it and suspected that Gu Suihan had done something to the figurine before passing it on to the king. That was why the king still hadnt gone into seclusion to cultivate even after receiving the figurine so long ago. Instead, he was still trying to see if he could see anything in the figurine. Come in! An authoritative voice called out from inside the palace and could be heard clearly from outside. Gu Suihan smiled faintly and the two eunuchs watched in shock and astonishment as he raised an arm to shoot an invisible beam of spiritual energy at the door, pushing the doors open so that he could march right in. Im thinking about your aim in giving me this figurine, said the king immediately when he saw Gu Suihan. Actually, you should know that Ive not done anything to it, said Gu Suihan as he pointed at the figurine that was resting on the kings desk. Your aim, repeated the king expressionlessly. He did not get distracted by Gu Suihans non-answer. The king had been very excited when he first received it, but in his wisdom, he had calmed down to think about this situation more carefully. There was no reason for Gu Suihan to give him something so valuable without asking for something worth as much in return. There was no way that giving the young man a few pieces of information and sending a few hundred people to his station would be worth the same as this figurine. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The Clackers Uncle Snack Drawer Todays snack recommendation: Dried Surume Squid SoI dont drink (unless doing that will stop a war) but I really love all the snacks that the Japanese tend to recommend to eat with alcoholic drinks. Dried/roasted squid/cuttlefish is a long-time favorite of mine, regardless of whether you add sugar, salt or vinegar. I also accept a little chili. Umami: ED Note: Fish is good for the brain, and you need a big brain to tackle this chapter. Drink Responsibly. A + B = C Actually, a lot of Chinese nouns and adjectives are created this way. Lumine, our TL for Return of the Unrivaled Knight, asked some time back if it was possible to learn a crapload of Chinese characters and be able to understand Chinese as a result. Back then, I told Lumine no, but perhaps Lumine actually has a point LOL. In fact, part of that conversation was that the dry, crusty things in your eyes in the morning is eye shit in Chinese, snot is nose shit and ear wax is ear shit. I suppose if you knew the words for all those nouns, youd get it. ?? Heart-SoulEr. The word that the author uses is ̨, which is classical Chinese (think like Shakespearean English) for the heart/soul/mind/subconscious. If you split the words individually, its spirit + platform = the tablet in the ancestral hall that your descendants pay respects to when youre dead and gone. According to the paragraph that follows, this stage is actually equivalent to the Ԫ (Divine Soul) stage he has mentioned before earlier and includes in his glossary of cultivation levels he released between chapters 201 and 202. Whoever read this book via MTL and still gathered that Gu Suihan is an evil MC, congratulations for skipping all the philosophy and getting only action, because I dont think the machine can take any of it. ?? Three Huas and Five QisIn case you didnt want to flip back to Chapter 5. Clacker copy paste for you.Translated from:http://www.shixiu.net/nanshi/zhuzuo/jzxd/4569.htmlIf you cultivate according to the Daoist practices, what does it look like when youve refined your jing (essence) and made qi your own? We have to look towards two popular phrases among the Daoists: gathering of Three Huas in the top and Five Qis towards their origins. Three Huas refer to jing (essence), qi (duh), shen (mind) Five Qis refer to the heart, liver, spleen (apparently the Chinese one is not quite the Western one), lungs and kidneys, or the five elements of gold, wood, water, fire and earth. Indian yoga terms it as the five vital energies (please read The 5 Vital Energies yourselves). The names are different but the idea is the same. Gathering in the top refers to the head. Towards their origins has a few opinions. Some think its the traditional lower dantian where cultivators cultivate their qi, some think it refers to the Huiyin acupoint, or what Vajrayana Buddhists and yoga practitioners call the Muladhara Chakra. Either way, it means that everything in the body is where it is, fulfilled, in harmony, balanced, not blocked anywhere.TL;DR: Getting all Three Huas = highest level of control over your mind and bodyGetting all Five Qis = healthiest level of internal organsThe above is the more modern/Traditional Chinese Medicine take on it, this book clearly goesa little more philosophical. ?? Chapter 75 Chapter 75 C Differing Paths My aim, you say? Gu Suihan sighed and said, It is the same as yours. Its just that youre the one starting the war, and Im just going to collect some murderous Qi along the way. Youre cultivating a sword? The kings gaze shifted from Gu Suihan to the strange sword the young man was carrying and felt his chest tighten. Using human lives to nourish a sword would make it an extremely aggressive and violent weapon. It would become a cursed item. Thats right. If youre going to start a war, get the general to carry this sword with him. It will automatically absorb murderous Qi. Gu Suihan waved Questioning Heaven in front of the king as a fire burned in his eyes. The king furrowed his brows and asked, And what are you going to do if I decide not to start a war? Then Ill nourish my sword with the lives of the people of Qingguo. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, covering the deep disdain in his gaze. Why, you! The king tried to suppress his anger and said through gritted teeth, It is exactly as I had suspected. This figurine wasnt gotten through legitimate means, right? Its from the country of Fenglin, and it wasnt easy to get it. Gu Suihan glanced at the king and his lips curled into a playful smile. Fenglin. The king furrowed his brows even more and he had a grim look in his eyes. Exactly how you want to do it, Ill leave that to you. But I dont have a lot of time to wait around here. Gu Suihan stretched his arm and slammed Questioning Heaven on the kings desk, leaving a large dent in it before walking away. He obviously did not think the king would ever get rid of this large dent. Time passed quietly without stopping, much like the streams running down a mountain. Three years went by just like that. During these three years, Gu Suihan lived like an ordinary rich mans son, staying at home most of the time and hardly going out. However, the deathly aura that he emanated only grew stronger. He was now like a grim reaper of sorts, killing almost any living thing he touched, including the trees and grass he passed by. Taohua had already dismissed all the maids that she had bought when they first moved into this luxurious residence. The huge estate was left with only Gu Suihan and Taohua. Taohua, youve served me for nearly four years since I brought you back when I first joined the Seven Kill Sect. Ive taught you cultivation techniques and Ive allowed you to cultivate as well. It looks like something is about to happen in the world of cultivation, and our fate ends here. You may leave. Gu Suihan looked at the young woman who was staring back at him from a distance with a faint smile on his lips, but his words were cold and distant. Young master! Taohuas eyes brimmed with tears and she looked terribly aggrieved. Gu Suihan waved his hand as he silently turned to look at the beautiful snowy scenery outside his window. Your heart is no longer here. Why should I force you to stay? said Gu Suihan with a serene smile on his face. Immediately after he said that the entire estate shook violently and turned into a heap of ash over the course of 15 minutes. After the dust had settled, Gu Suihan was nowhere to be found. Gu Suihan wasnt the sentimental type or the sort to fall in love either. Over the past few years, there had been enough in this place to attract the heart of his young maid who had never seen the world outside of the sect before. Shortly after they had left the sect, Gu Suihan had keenly sensed that Taohua was attracted to many things out there. Since that was the case, he didnt see the need to keep her around anymore. She could go elsewhere if she preferred. And since her heart was no longer focused on being his maid, he did not force her to change. To him, it just meant that their path together had ended. Even if Taohua suddenly died in front of him right now, he would just step over her body without flinching and continue on his way. I wonder how things are like back at the Seven Kill Sect. Gu Suihan looked into the distance calmly, his eyes flickering slightly from time to time. But he did not do anything else. Suddenly, he felt something in his heart. He smiled faintly and made a hand seal. Before long, a beam of violent Qi soared into the sky, making a gigantic hole in the clouds. After that, a beam of light tore through the air at high speed, making a screeching noise as it flew toward Gu Suihan. Boom! A large patch of dark clouds swirled in the sky behind the sword. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled from time to time. Not bad, its able to cause a change in the weather now, commented Gu Suihan calmly. He raised his hand and caught the long sword overflowing with angry and vicious murderous Qi. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Now! Gu Suihan gave a low shout and brandished his sword. A black and red sword Qi with a golden glow around it seemed so real as it slashed the huge patch of dark storm clouds in the sky. BOOM! As if it were sentient, the storm clouds seemed to sense Gu Suihans attack and formed an even bigger bolt of lightning in the sky, the crackling of the lightning even more piercing than the chirps of a million birds. It crackled without stopping as if it was trying to rupture Gu Suihans eardrums. The sword Qi was a few hundred meters wide, large, and violent enough to slice right through the sky. The surroundings were not able to withstand the force and things looked distorted from a distance. Nature was a formidable force in itself. Lightning and thunder continued to rip and rumble within the cloud. The sword Qi was like a rainbow, except that it was sharp beyond compare. Gu Suihan swung the sword, making the blade glint brightly as it vibrated wildly. When the sword collided with the clouds, it made several booms in the sky which resonated for miles. The countless bolts of lightning weaved together to become a ferocious dragon-like creature in the sky. Taohua was still staring at the rubble in front of her in a daze when she heard a terrible noise above her. She snapped out of her daze and looked up at the sky. The clear blue skies had become extremely dark without her realizing it and a frightening storm cloud was sending lightning bolt after lightning bolt towards a human figure standing below. Whats that? Taohua asked. I dont know. Perhaps some cultivation bigshot is going through their Heavenly Tribulation. A young man dressed in coarse linen stood next to Taohua and looked up at the sky in fear. He tugged at the daze Taohua so that they could find a place to hide. Thats Young Master. Taohuas eyes widened in shock. She could recognize that familiar figure even from this distance. The young man next to her paled and gulped when he heard what she said as his mind went into a panic. Taohua looked at the terrified expression on the young man who had always been so gentle and considerate toward her and felt disappointed with him for some reason. Meanwhile, the fight between man and cloud continued. I will break you! yelled Gu Suihan. The veins on his hand bulged as he gripped his sword tightly. The tip of his sword trembled slightly and attacked the lightning dragon with more aggression than it ever had. ROARR! The lightning dragon roared and swooped down on the lowly mortal standing below. Now! The sword Qi tore through the lightning dragon, slicing through every bolt, and stabbed the storm cloud easily as if there was nothing in its way at all. A hole in the sky appeared and the sun could shine through again. Roar! Gu Suihan could still hear a faint roar in his ear, as if the cloud was still indignant about losing. But there was nothing it could do, so it slowly faded into the distance. It was as though the violent and destructive storm cloud and the incomparably dark skies that had blotted out the sun earlier and struck terror in the hearts of mankind were nothing but an illusion. Youre nothing compared to that thing. Gu Suihan smiled frostily as he watched the clouds slowly disappear. He was someone who had consumed the lives of millions of living creatures for his cultivation back when he was on Earth. Now, he was just using the lives of ordinary folk to nourish his sword. The difference was as great as the difference between heaven and Earth. He had actually managed to survive that terrible attack back then, so there was no way he was going to die from this pathetic attempt by the cloud. Youre very clever and I hope you stay this way. Gu Suihan looked calmly at the sword he had just placed back in its sheath with a sinister smile on his face. That concentrated and nauseating murderous aura burst from inside him and filled an area spanning a few hundred meters around him. Countless people either died or went insane from getting hit by that aura. Pfft! The young man standing next to Taohua instantly felt like he had been struck by lightning. He yelped and sprayed a mouthful of blood out. Blood flowed out from his eyes, nose, and ears as his face paled and he collapsed onto the ground. Gu Suihan had no idea what sort of effect he had on the people below. Or perhaps he knew but didnt care. To him, whether these people lived or died didnt make any difference to him. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only He turned to stare at where the Seven Kill Sect was and that bad premonition in his heart only grew stronger. He could sense that a storm was coming. The calm before the storm was almost over. A disaster is about to befall, so its best to be prepared. Even though I intended to hide, Id better make alternative plans as well, just in case. Gu Suihan looked away, then took a few steps into the sky, disappearing without a trace from this little town that he had practically wiped out earlier. Sir, is anything the matter? Sun Miaozhi hurriedly got Gu Suihan a stool and bowed low before the young man. Nothing, really. Im going to live here from now on, so prepare a room for me, said Gu Suihan lazily as he sat down and picked up the teacup that Sun Miaozhi had offered him. Yes, sir, I will get it arranged right now, said Sun Miaozhi before scuttling out again. He wondered, Gu Suihan only comes once a year. Why does he suddenly want to live here now? Chapter 76 Chapter 76 C Getting Along Well? Gu Suihan was expressionless as he watched the slaves outside line up to collect their daily ration of food. Their faces were void of any emotion as they picked up the dark-colored gruel or when they occasionally glanced at Gu Suihan from time to time. What a tragedy. Is that all they can do to chastise me? murmured Gu Suihan as he sipped his tea slowly. After what happened three years ago, all the people who had been so angry, hateful, and determined to take revenge on Gu Suihan had completely given up. They walked like zombies, living in a daze. None of this bothered Gu Suihan, but Sun Miaozhi and the others who were let off back then were absolutely terrified. They looked at Gu Suihan like he was a demon. Their polite behavior covered a deep-seated fear of him. A short while later, Sun Miaozhi came in hurriedly and whispered, Sir, someone would like to see you. He says he needs to talk to you urgently. Hmm? Gu Suihan let out a puzzled sound and started wondering who it could be, but he couldnt figure it out, so he got Sun Miaozhi to let that person in. A few moments later, Sun Miaozhi led in a clean-faced and fairly elegant-looking young man. He bowed and left the two of them to talk. Gu Suihan looked nonchalantly at the slightly stiff young man before him and his lips curled up ever so slightly as an amused glint began to shine in his eye. His guest was none other than the cultivator in the Way of Ghosts he had seen three years ago when he snuck into Han Xingxiongs home, Xi Ran. Han Xingxiongs aunt died in the end. This tiny place only had a few cultivators at Foundation Establishment and above after all. Han Xingxiong couldnt find anybody to help him and Gu Suihan couldnt be bothered to be a nice guy, so Han Xingxiong had to watch his aunt live as though she were dead, and she eventually passed on quietly in bed. Gu Suihan guessed that Han Xingxiong had not given Xi Ran the item they were talking about. Otherwise, Han Xingxiongs aunt wouldnt have died so tragically. As Gu Suihan observed Xi Ran, Xi Ran was also sizing him up. After Gu Suihan arrived in the fairly secluded Qingguo three years ago, claiming to be guarding the mines on behalf of the Seven Kill Sect, some people had kept tabs on him. They had heard about how Gu Suihan had massacred the workers on the first day and made sure that their clans had no descendants, then sometime after that, the king of Qingguo suddenly started a war, upsetting the peace between the surrounding countries that had lasted for several decades. All of them knew that these things had something to do with this mysterious new young man in town. One of the reasons was that the king of Qingguos level of cultivation had suddenly gone up significantly. They heard that Gu Suihan had entered the palace to speak to the king for a long time before that happened, but nobody knew what they had talked about. Greetings, Mr. Gu. My name is Xi Ran. Xi Ran clasped a palm over his other fist and sat down as though this wasnt his first visit. Gu Suihan snorted inwardly at the way Xi Ran carried himself. He looked very confident and unafraid of Gu Suihan, but his slightly shifty gaze and fidgety movements betrayed him. Xi Ran was clearly feeling a lot more nervous than he had let on. Why have suddenly decided to come? Gu Suihan sensed a sinister aura from Xi Ran and didnt want to spend too much talking to him, so he cut straight to the chase. Xi Ran was annoyed by Gu Suihans neutral and unbothered way of speaking, but when he thought about why he was here, he tried his best to suppress his anger while mentally calling Gu Suihan a rude person. In most cases, the guest would be served some tea, regardless of why he was visiting. Then before they got to the main topic of discussion, the host would make some small talk and butter each other up a little to make the atmosphere a little friendlier. That way, it wouldnt seem too sudden when the main topic is finally brought up. Gu Suihan, on the other hand, didnt care for small talk and didnt even bother with serving tea. He clearly couldnt be bothered to take care of Xi Ran at all, which was why Xi Ran was so annoyed. His expression stiffened and he forced himself to smile as he said, Mr. Gu is a real straight talker, I see. I have come to discuss something very urgent with you. What is it? Gu Suihan looked a little interested now. Xi Ran was happy to see that he had piqued Gu Suihans interest, but he didnt show it on his face. Some days ago, I happened to walk into a formation and tried all means and ways to break it. To my surprise, there were actually magic weapons inside, and judging by the appearance of these items, they were probably left behind from ancient times. Theres more hidden further inside, but my understanding of formations is not very high. Mr. Gu, youre from the Seven Kill Sect and youve seen a lot more, so Im sure you know much more than a wandering cultivator from the countryside like myself. After thinking about it, I decided to invite you to join us in exploring the formation. If we find any items, you can pick one for yourself. If we find spells or cultivation techniques, then we shall pass it around among ourselves and make a copy each. Join us? Gu Suihan quickly caught an important word that Xi Ran had glossed over. Xi Rans heart trembled. Gu Suihan looked like he couldnt be bothered with anything at all, but he was actually very sensitive and was really listening attentively. This fellow was no simple character, and was certainly a disciple from a major sect, thought Xi Ran. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks To be honest with you, if we include you, there would be four of us on the trip and I think thats enough for us to handle the problem. Theyre both at Foundation Establishment, and even though theyre not as talented as you are, theyve been at this stage for a few decades now. Theyre also pretty well-known in Qingguo, so theyre reliable people. Alright then. Im not interested in magic weapons, but if there are any pills or spiritual herbs that can help to recuperate the soul, I want it all. Gu Suihan put his teacup down gently and ran a finger slowly around the rim of the cup, making a soft, ringing sound. Deal! Xi Ran breathed a sigh of relief. He was pleasantly surprised that Gu Suihan hadnt asked for a lot and his impression of Gu Suihan improved. Even though anything that could help the soul was very valuable, the other three had no use for such an item and it was difficult to sell since the demand was much lower compared to the demand for magic and spiritual weapons. That was why he had agreed to Gu Suihans request immediately. Sun Miaozhi, serve us some tea. Gu Suihan had a faint smile on his face and he wasnt as unfriendly as before. The two of them discussed the details for about an hour before Xi Ran left with a smile on his face. Unbeknownst to him, Gu Suihan got Sun Miaozhi to call Han Xingxiong in after Xi Ran had left. Sir, I hear youre looking for me? Han Xingxiong had no expression on his face and sounded distant. He was obviously still angry that Gu Suihan had not helped him back then. You know the man who came earlier, right? It was difficult to read Gu Suihan as he glanced casually at the profusely sweating Sun Miaozhi before looking back at Han Xingxiong. Yes, sir, I know him. Han Xingxiong had a nasty expression on his face for a second before reverting to his expressionless face. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and asked in a mischievous voice, Soyour aunt passed on after all? And it has something to do with him? How did you know? I dont think someone like him would have told you about that Theres a dead air around him that refuses to go away and smelling it made me very uncomfortable, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile. Hes the one who laid the curse on my aunt back then. Han Xingxiong took a deep breath and continued, Back then He was just about to begin his story when Gu Suihan waved his hand to cut Han Xingxiong off and said in an unbothered voice, Stop. Im not interested in all the things that happened between the two of you. What I want to know is whether hes snatched away the thing you were holding onto. Is that thing something passed down from many centuries ago? Howhow did you know Han Xingxiongs mouth fell open and he stared in shock at Gu Suihan and stammered. Hehe did snatch that key away, but its not really something passed down from centuries ago. At most, its some spells and pills left behind from some ancient cultivator. Im curious about one thing. Why didnt you do anything about the key since youve had it for so long? If you did that, I dont think you would have been threatened by Xi Ran. Han Xingxiong had an agitated and hateful look in his eye for a moment before he sighed helplessly. My level of cultivation is too low. The formations hidden in that place require someone at least at Foundation Establishment to get through them. Im only at Qi Activation and theres no way I can get to Foundation Establishment. If I tried getting past the formations, I would have died. My master tried to go in with Xi Ran, but he ended up coming out again with severe injuries and passed on shortly from them. I see. Both of you may leave, instructed Gu Suihan. So thats what happened, murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he looked a little more enlightened now. He remained in the room by himself, sipping the tea that had already gone cold in a leisurely manner. HA! Miss! That Gu Suihan cant get away after all! Xiaomei bounced gleefully into the room and laughed merrily. Whats happened? The last three years did not age Mo Yuluo one bit. She was still just as charming as ever. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Xiaomei noticed the grim look on Mo Yuluos face, so she straightened herself up and said seriously, I dont really know how it happened either, but the Sect Leader has given orders to the Disciplinary Court. He wants them to send somebody to call Gu Suihan back. Three years ago, the most senior elder of the Wonderful Sound Sect, Qingyin Zhenjun, reached the end of his life and died while meditating, so the Ethereal Court had forcibly stopped the selection from happening and postponed it till now. And now the Sect Leader wants Gu Suihan back here? Looks like he has no choice but to be part of this mess and he cant just hide away as though he has nothing to do with this. A mocking smile spread across Mo Yuluos pretty face. Gu Suihan had suddenly left the sect a few years ago, running far, far away on the pretext of completing a sect mission. The Peak Leaders had gotten a shock but there was nothing they could do about it. Xiexin zhenren was even prepared to send his own subordinates out to bring the young man back, but he abandoned that plan in the end. Unfortunately for Gu Suihan, things did not go as planned and he was still destined to be part of this mess. Teehee! That fellow will probably pale in horror when he sees someone from the Disciplinary Court come for him! Xiaomeis laughter had a sense of schadenfreude. Mo Yuluo smiled quietly, then remarked, But that fellow is no simple character. Furthermore, he took a mission to guard a Spiritual Stone mine, so his level of cultivation must have increased significantly over the years. We lost terribly when we fought him back then, so if those snobbish disciples from the Disciplinary Court arent careful, they might not even come back alive. After all, the sect rules only apply within the sect. Once theyre outsideHA! Chapter 77 Chapter 77 C A Change Liu Ming, you must shatter all your bones right now, then form them again. Only then would you be truly considered a cultivator of the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach. Liu Ming was lying on the floor of a meditation room, absolutely exhausted. He could feel that there was no Qi left in his body and his bones were trembling violently. The energy that he used to have good control over had now broken free of his grasp and was surging through his body haphazardly. The weapon spirit of the broken knife spoke in a stern, solemn and reverent voice. It had seen how Gu Suihan used to cultivate this technique and it was very frightened of it. This technique was hardly meant for a human to cultivate since anybody who tried was very likely to die. Making a breakthrough with this technique was equivalent to walking on the brink of death. Liu Ming was a testament to that. His nails were all torn and his entire body was covered in blood right now. He had already lost consciousness a long time ago and only his subconscious was operating. Perhaps he had never doubted the weapon spirits intentions, or he truly believed that the weapon spirit was a family member of his. Either way, despite having lost consciousness, his body was still listening to the weapon spirits instructions. He did his best to take control over the unbridled energy in his body and pushed it through his meridians according to the techniques requirements. Thats right, youve got to break them and reform them. If you succeed, youd become the best of all the external disciples. The voice of the weapon spirit kept ringing in Liu Mings head, encouraging the young man and pushing him on. Crackle! Crackle! The sound of his bones cracking sounded like the crackling of firecrackers. He resembled a deflated balloon as he lay defeated on the floor. Dont give up! Come on! yelled the weapon spirit anxiously. After training Liu Ming over the past few years, the weapon spirit treated Liu Ming as his successor and disciple. As for who Liu Ming was actually learning any of this fromonly the weapon spirit knew. Perhaps Liu Ming had sensed the anxiety and urgency in the weapon spirits voice, so he nodded slightly. The energy that had been moving slowly earlier on was now pushed to move faster by his subconscious, so the shattered bones among the flesh and blood on the floor slowly began to form again. Crack! Crack! A terrifying sound suddenly echoed loudly in the meditation room. Liu Mings dried-up puddle of a body started to tremble and inflate again. His reformed bones were like countless tree roots, twisting and intertwining without leaving any gaps in between at all. Compared to an ordinary persons skeleton, Liu Mings newly formed Ra-Asu bones were thicker and more horrifying to behold. Did I succeed? Liu Ming began to regain consciousness as his bones formed properly again and instinctively started checking his own body. But before he could celebrate surviving the ordeal, he suddenly felt excruciating pain in his four limbs. It felt as though something was trying to break out of his body. Liu Ming sat on the floor with a mortified look on his face as he watched several gleaming white spikes slowly grow right out from his knees and elbows. He lifted his arm to take a closer look and inadvertently noticed how much his palms had changed. Whats going on?! Liu Ming paled in shock as he stared at his own hands. His fingertips were conical and his black, shiny nails were an inch long. When he scratched them against the floor, they left a deep mark without him even exerting much strength. I dont know either. If the weapon spirit were in human form, it would probably be staring at Liu Ming with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. It had seen Gu Suihan practice this technique and nothing of this sort happened to him. Liu Ming didnt even look human anymore. Good heavens! Touch your head! Why do you have horns? exclaimed the weapon spirit in fright when it suddenly noticed two little bumps sticking out from Liu Mings head. Liu Ming quickly cast a mirror spell to see what he looked like. He was both shocked and frightened to see his own reflection. His face was all red, his eyes were burning with an uncontrollable rage, his limbs had spikes sticking out from them and his fingernails were glossy, black, and extremely sharp. Did I becomean asura? he murmured as he felt an explosive amount of energy surge through his body. He could sense an urge rising within him to just destroy everything in front of him. The weapon spirit didnt speak anymore. It felt like Gu Suihan had cheated it. Gu Suihan must have known about the possible consequences or side effects of practicing this technique but decided to test it out on Liu Ming instead of himself. The weapon spirit only thought that it was hard to make a breakthrough using this cultivation technique. It really didnt expect any of this to happen. Oh never mind, its not your fault. Liu Ming could smell a bloodthirstiness in the air when he breathed. But he could also sense the guilt that the weapon spirit felt, so he tried to console it, This cultivation technique is pretty powerful. The only downside is that it changes my appearance, but I can accept that. Ill just use this as my trump card. If thats really the only downside, that is, muttered the weapon spirit to itself. It felt like saying more, but when it thought about what Gu Suihan might do to it, it kept quiet again. As the Qi surge caused by the cultivation technique slowly came to a stop, Liu Ming suddenly felt a sharp pain wash over him. He looked down at himself to see that the weird spikes and other abnormalities had disappeared. But the two little horns on his head remained right where they were. Mr. Gu, well be waiting outside the mine. If youre ready, we can leave now. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks After several days of patient waiting, Xi Ran suddenly sent a jade slip to Gu Suihan with this message. That was sooner than Id expected. He was already prepared, wasnt he? Gu Suihan chuckled. He instructed Sun Miaozhi and his subordinates to watch over the mine while he left for a few days. When Xi Ran saw Gu Suihan, he smiled brightly and said, Mr. Gu, are you ready to go? Why dont you introduce your friends to me first? Gu Suihan nodded at the other men next to Xi Ran with a faint smile. Xi Ran smacked his head with his palm and sighed at himself. Im so sorry for being rude. Let me introduce you to them. This gentleman here is a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect, Gu Suihan. He is here because he took up the job of watching over the Spiritual Stone mine here. Im Wang Mingzhi, nice to meet you. An older man with a long beard greeted Gu Suihan with a smile. He looked rather friendly and easygoing. The middle-aged man next to Wang Mingzhi had a stiff expression on his face and dark rings around his eyes, but he forced himself to smile and said in a hoarse voice, My name is Zhou Xing. The four of them spent a bit of time making small talk to get on more friendly terms with one another. At least they were all smiling at one another. Lets go, said Zhou Xing a little anxiously. If everyones ready, then lets go! Xi Ran looked at Gu Suihan and Wang Mingzhi for their response. Neither objected, so Xi Ran flew up immediately. Gu Suihan followed behind the three of them with a relaxed smile on his face, but there were a number of thoughts going through his head now. One is a cultivator in the Way of Ghosts, one is an expert in formations, and one of them is advanced enough in his cultivation of jiangshis that hes become one. This trip is going to be loads of fun. As the four of them flew together towards their destination, their surroundings became more and more barren. The seemingly vast forest they had departed from thinned out considerably. Its over there, said Xi Ran with an excited look on his face. He turned and said, Do you see that gigantic dead tree in front? Thats where were headed. Lets move a little faster then, said Zhou Xing. He suddenly increased his flying speed and sped off without them. Lets go, said Gu Suihan as he glanced at Wang Mingzhi with a smile before increasing his speed as well. Wang Mingzhi had been extra friendly toward Gu Suihan throughout their journey here. They landed one after another on the barren ground, right next to the dead tree that seemed to reach the sky. They looked surprised to see such an enormous tree. The tree was at least 300 meters high and it would take a few dozen people to cover its trunks circumference. It looked like a giant tower had risen from the ground. Despite being a dead tree, it was still able to make a deep impression on the four of them. Wheres the exact spot? I dont see any traces of a formation. Zhou Xing was puzzled after taking a look around. Wang Mingzhi laughed heartily, then looked at some ordinary-looking shrubs next to the dead tree and said, Brother Zhou, jiangshi bodies do not come with a strong Spiritual Sense. The one who set up this formation was trying to hide it, so its only normal that you werent able to find it. The formation is among the shrubs over there, but I believe this formation was set up by Mr. Xi. He turned to look at Xi Ran with a proud look on his face. Youre indeed the most famous formation master from among the countries closest to Qingguo, and you live up to your reputation, said Xi Ran politely. He made a hand seal that broke the formation, then took out two strange items, walked to the shrubs, and pushed them aside to reveal an indentation in the ground. The two strange items kept changing shape until they finally matched one another and came together to form a round ball. Xi Ran pressed them together firmly and placed it in the indentation. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Is that a mechanism trick left behind from ancient times? Wang Mingzhi looked really astonished. He could see the two items very clearly and they had started off as two flat objects that were only the size of his palm. After it had morphed and fused together, they became a round ball the size of a fist. Mr. Wang sure knows a lot. Xi Ran looked even more confident that bringing Wang Mingzhi along was a good idea. Immediately after he said that the dead tree suddenly shook and the sound of a mechanism moving could be heard from under it. Brilliant beams of light would shoot out from the roots from time to time. As the ground continued to shake slowly, the cracked and hardened soil loosened. The four of them watched as the center of the dead tree suddenly split open, shooting out the image of a road that was translucent and had a gentle white glow around it. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 C Heavenly Spirits Sanguinary Formation Even the dimmest edges of the white glow was still powerful enough to make Foundation Establishment cultivators keep a safe distance from it. It was clear that the cultivator who had left all these things behind was at least of the Origin Core Stages before they had died. Are you sure about this? Xi Rans eyes burned brightly as he stared at Gu Suihan, afraid that Gu Suihan might think it was too dangerous or something. For wandering cultivators like Xi Ran, this discovery had given them a new lease on life. They had managed to start their journey of cultivation purely because they happened to chance upon an incomplete cultivation technique manual and now that they could not proceed any further. It was hard for them to remain calm in the face of possible advancement with this new discovery. This is a sal tree, one of the trees listed in the 360 types of plants and creatures in ancient history. Once it gains sentience, it will be an expert in formations of the five elements. It will be able to heal itself very quickly and will live for a long time. However, making a breakthrough is very difficult. Its a few hundred times harder for this tree compared to other plants and creatures, explained Gu Suihan confidently as he slowly touched the surface of the dead tree. Zhou Xing became very excited and his dry and stiff face looked like he couldnt wait any longer. What are we waiting for then? He leaped onto the translucent bridge and ran off into the distance first. Wait! Xi Ran held a hand up and yelled after Zhou Xing, but he was too late. Zhou Xing disappeared once he landed on the bridge. Its nobodys fault if he ends up dead with that level of rashness, sniggered Wang Mingzhi. He wasnt in any hurry, because he knew exactly why Xi Ran asked him along for this trip. There were countless formations within this formation, so someone as rash as Zhou Xing was going to run into a roadblock very often. It wouldnt even be surprising if he ended up dead. Lets go in together. Dont worry, Im not interested in this thing. Gu Suihan had a disdainful look in his eyes as he glanced at the other two. Being at Origin Core was a big deal, but in the past, he had gone past that. He had reached Immortal stage, a stage that this world couldnt contain. These words made the other two laugh awkwardly in embarrassment. But that also eased the tension between them. The three of them decided to enter the tree together. After exchanging a serious glance, they walked in at the same time. Everything started spinning and Gu Suihan felt like puking. When everything calmed down again, he slowly opened his eyes to find himself at one end of a corridor that was so long, he could not see the other end. Luscious greenery surrounded him and flowers kept blooming and falling. The rate of growth and death of the plants was unusually quick. It was as if he was watching the neverending cycle of life and death, except that it was playing a few hundred times the normal speed. Were inside the tree. Gu Suihan touched the dry and cracked walls next to him. This was a tunnel created by the weaving of the trees roots. A rotting smell that irritated the nose filled the air. Are you two alright? he asked the other two who still looked a little dazed. Were fine. The two of them snapped out of their daze. They had a serious look on their faces as they cautiously observed their surroundings. Were inside an illusionary formation, said Wang Mingzhi with a nasty look on his face after looking around a bit more. The last time I came, things didnt look like this. This place is no simple place indeed. It can actually repair itself. Xi Ran held a ghost controlling flag in his hand as he scanned the area with a grave expression. A thick layer of ghost Qi and ghosts surrounded Xi Ran as he walked around, howling eerily in the extremely quiet tunnel from time to time. This is a Cosmic Orbit Illusionary Spiritual Formation. Wang Mingzhi had a formation compass in hand and adjusted its position on the ground, making hand seals and sending out spiritual energy from time to time. The compass would glow with a purple light now and then and the needle would move accordingly. This way. Wang Mingzhi suddenly stood up, picked up the compass and stared at the trembling needle of the compass as he walked to the left. Thats a wall Before Xi Ran could finish his sentence, ripples appeared on the wall as Wang Mingzhi walked right through it and disappeared out of sight. He was very excited because that meant there was a way out of this illusion. He dashed towards the same spot without bothering to tell Gu Suihan. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks DOONG! Xi Ran rammed right into the wall. The door is over here. Gu Suihan pointed to a spot on the other side and Xi Ran watched in disbelief as Gu Suihan walked right through and disappeared as well. Damn it! Xi Rans eyes glowered furiously and he swung the ghost controlling flag downwards violently, as though he was venting his frustrations. Countless ghosts flew out from the flag like a rushing river, howling as they filled up the space. Over there! Xi Rans eyes lit up when he sensed that he had lost contact with ghosts in a certain area. He quickly kept the ghosts back in the flag and dashed to that spot. See? I knew it. Hes come here before, so theres no way hed be trapped in there, Wang Mingzhi said smugly to Gu Suihan as he watched Xi Ran appear like an apparition. He had purposely walked through the wall first without telling the other two because he wanted to test how much Gu Suihan and Xi Ran knew about formations. If they didnt know anything, he would just leave them trapped in there so that they wouldnt interfere in his exploration of this tunnel. However, if they managed to get out of this first formation, he would have to be more wary of them. Humph! Xi Ran had heard Wang Mingzhis remarks and scoffed loudly, but did not say anything else. Xi Ran had his own plans too. If Gu Suihan turned out to be clueless, he could help Gu Suihan get out of the formation and Gu Suihan would owe him a favor. At the same time, he wanted to see if Wang Mingzhi was really as good as his reputation was. All three of them turned out to be pretty good with formations. In fact, Xi Ran had turned out to be the worst of the three. Thats quite enough, we shouldnt be arguing among ourselves in such a dangerous place, said a hoarse voice from nowhere. Zhou Xing turned out to be just round the corner. Xi Ran has emptied this entire place of everything the last time he came, so lets move on to the next formation. Ive already located it. This place resembled a tree hollow and there were three podiums on one end. Clearly there used to be something on the podiums, but they were empty now. Xi Ran had probably taken those items the last time he came, just like what Zhou Xing said. The formation we just came out of can be broken by even a cultivator at Qi Activation. As long as one is patient enough, youd find a way out. But the next one is not going to be easy, muttered Xi Ran as he glanced creepily at Wang Mingzhi. This is Wang Mingzhi stared at the faintly glowing entrance with tiny sparks on it and paled in shock. A Heavenly Spirits Sanguinary Formation. Gu Suihan had a grim look in his eyes as he stared at the entrance before him warily. The sword in his hand flew just half an inch out of its sheath, but a violent and murderous aura instantly filled the entire place, slicing at least half an inch off the wooden walls around them. The other three felt a chill down their spines and could not help but glance at Gu Suihan warily. This young man must be a demon, they thought. They wondered how many innocent lives he must have taken in order to accumulate this much murderous Qi. This is a formation that is designed to kill, so once were inside, its either we live or we die. The only way out is by brute force. Wang Mingzhi put his formation compass away and took out an ancient-looking mirror. The top part of the mirror gleamed brightly and a purple dragon appeared from time to time. The mirror itself was like a whirlpool. If you looked straight at it, you might be hypnotized by it and someone could kill you very easily. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Everyone, since weve got to use brute force, lets make sure we dont quarrel among ourselves, said Zhou Xing as he stared blatantly at Xi Ran. A beam shot out from his fingers and a bloody smell filled the air. His nails suddenly grew three inches longer and glinted in the light like they were steel blades. This formation has 36 formation eyes. We can only break the formation after all 36 have been taken out. Otherwise, the formation eyes will be revived again and again until were dead from exhaustion. During this time, they would form other small but fatal formations such as the Three Talents, the Four Elephants, the Six Harmonies and the Seven Stars, so itll be like facing an endless wave of soldiers. Once inside, we must work together to locate and destroy all the formation eyes and break the formation, or else were all going to die! That was Wang Mingzhis stern warning to the other three. The four of them looked at one another very solemnly. They had to cooperate and work as one, since their fates were intertwined. Lets go! shouted Wang Mingzhi as he stared nervously at the sparkling stars of the formation entrance and sweat dripped down his face. The four of them stepped into the formation at the same time. A bright light shot out from the formation, as brilliant as the stars. The formation was like a giant beast that had just been woken from its slumber and an incredible wave of murderous Qi instantly surged toward the four of them. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 C Main Formation Eye Immediately after he stepped into the formation, Gu Suihan felt his entire world spin. Silvery stars flickered nonstop as the scenery around him changed. He now seemed to be standing in the middle of a galaxy in outer space and the stars twinkled brightly above his head. He couldnt help but squint from the glaring light. Where are the rest of you? Xi Rans voice suddenly floated into Gu Suihans ear from afar but when he looked around, he didnt see anybody else. He was entirely surrounded by this starry sky. The formation has separated the four of us to prevent us from working together to break this formation. But it also means that its power is split into four. Everyone, be careful! Find the formation eyes, destroy them and let the rest know! Wang Mingzhis angry shouts came from somewhere else, mixed in with other muffled sounds of fighting. He was clearly having a hard time. These things are still going to evolve? Gu Suihan ignored the angry shouts he heard from time to time and just stared straight at the stars that had suddenly become even brighter with a disdainful smile on his face. As if the stars knew that Gu Suihan wasnt easy to handle, the stars suddenly became blindingly bright and in the next moment, countless soldiers in sparkling armor charged toward Gu Suihan with all sorts of sharp weapons in their hands. The army was so large that it was impossible to see where the soldiers ended. To Gu Suihan, they looked like one huge wave of stars coming at him. The sound of war drums echoed loudly and a murderous aura filled the air. The murderous Qi of the army combined into a huge and threatening-looking beast. Its facial features were unclear and it flew above the heads of these star-turned-soldiers. Not bad. Its exactly as I thought. Gu Suihans eyes glinted brightly and Questioning Heaven flew out of its sheath, sending ripples into the air. He charged at the massive army as if they were nothing but ants to him. He left nothing but a trail of wind and mist everywhere he went. As he charged on, the violent aura in the air became more intense each time Questioning Heaven shone brighter. He was now like a demon lord bathing in a bloodied mist of dead bodies, except that these soldiers turned into stardust and did not bleed. Each time he swung his sword, a few dozen soldiers would fall. During the battle, not a single howl or cry of pain was heard. The only sound in the air was the sound of armor and weapons colliding. The soldiers never seemed to end, but the glow around Questioning Heaven continued to shine as brightly as before as a murderous aura spewed from the blade. The icy, deadly sword Qi sliced through the soldiers as if they werent there in the first place. This one. Gu Suihan swung his sword the other way to block the arrows flying toward him. His gaze was fixed on a soldier covered in magnificent armor with a longbow in hand. Gu Suihan pointed his sword at this soldier and thrust it powerfully like an arrow that had just been released from its bow. That was one out of the thirty-six down. Theres one more here. While staring intently at his first target, he also noticed another soldier with a spear in hand. Thats two. He roared loudly and his sword glowed brilliantly as his body suddenly split into many clones of himself. Each one dashed into the army and headed for the innermost section. The other three had heard that roar and their expressions shifted. The crisis they were in right now made it impossible for them to look for the formation eyes at all. Damn it! Xi Ran had a sullen look on his face as a threatening glint flashed in his eyes. He made a hand seal and waved his ghost-controlling flag. Countless fierce and murderous ghosts howled as they flew out of the flag and charged toward the enemy. The enemies they were facing were clearly different from the ones Gu Suihan was facing. Instead of a sea of unending soldiers, they were faced with just a few figures made out of starlight. Their facial features were blurred and the movement of their hands stirred up a violent and harsh wind that was as threatening as a sword. Three down. Gu Suihan flicked his fingers and caused the soldier next to him to crumble instantly. He quickly spotted his next target. He had found a pattern among these soldiers. This formation was not being controlled by anybody and was working according to its original design. That was why the formation eyes were revealing themselves so easily without any change in pattern and the difference in their prowess was also obvious. Every soldier that wore an armor different from the rest was definitely a formation eye. This one Gu Suihan suddenly paused in his footsteps and slowed his actions down. He made a hand seal in one direction, then ran the other way like crazy. He only turned back in horror after he was at least a few kilometers away. You shall die! an angry roar resounded loudly. A soldier in heavy armor had a furious expression on his rugged face as he held up a long and large saber. Gu Suihans rampant killing of the other soldiers had clearly enraged him. Unfortunately, the soldiers did not know how to work together to fight Gu Suihan, so this particular soldier had no choice but to appear and fight Gu Suihan himself. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Its the main formation eye? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow at the burly soldier charging at him while roaring angrily. A smile spread across Gu Suihans face. If he managed to take this fellow down, that would be equivalent to taking down the formations central source of strength. Besides weakening the formation greatly, he might even be able to break the formation at the same time. The soldier let out an angry shout as the illusion of a panlong1 rose from his saber. When he was still 10 meters away from Gu Suihan, he stomped hard on the ground, unleashing a burst of starlight from his body and a brilliant gleam from his blade as he swung his saber down at Gu Suihan confidently. It seemed as though his saber was able to slice through anything. Nothing could escape this attack. The soldier had put all of his energy into this attack and it was meant to kill anything in its way. The sheer force generated by this attack sent everything around it flying. Its incredible power seemed to weigh 5,000 kilograms as it crashed heavily on Gu Suihan. The air liquefied on the spot and trapped Gu Suihan, as though he was lying in a muddy swamp. You think you can hack me with that? Youre not good enough. Gu Suihans blood and Qi surged wildly within his body and the strong stench of blood slowly surrounded his entire body. As he held Questioning Heaven in his right hand, a glow measuring a foot in width shot out from the sword, a golden glow that could turn heads. The Sword Shakes the Clouds! The glaring golden glow of the sword was sharp and ruthless as it shot up and collided with the soldiers saber, charged with immense violent and murderous Qi. CLANG! The sound of the two metal objects crashing into one another echoed in the space for a long time. Visible ripples spread out from the battle site as if it was the epicenter of an explosion, turning anything within 300 meters into nothingness. The panlong roared, and the sword buzzed like a swarm of bees. The collision between the sword Qi from Questioning Heaven and the saber of the soldier had made such a loud noise, that the sound waves were visible. The soldier was furious but also shocked, and he moved several steps backward. His armor of stars flickered rapidly and tiny sparkles flew out. He was clearly badly injured. Gu Suihans face was pale too. He stumbled several meters backward and blood dribbled from his lips. The murderous Qi that was as thick and dark as ink around him just moments ago had been shattered and was fading slowly. He wasnt a cultivator of the body after all, so when it came to battles of strength, he was at a disadvantage. He quickly executed the Sword Mantra to calm his surging Qi and blood down again. He brandished his sword again and dashed towards the soldier once more. He knew the advantage he had over the soldier. He was a cultivator and he could replenish his Qi with pills. But the soldier was fighting him with his own strength. Every clash with Gu Suihan made him lose more and more energy. Azure Dragon2! Out of the Sea! The sound of crashing sea waves filled the air and one could even smell a saltiness in the air. Questioning Heaven vibrated loudly and the roar of an azure dragon resounded loudly. The soldier gripped his saber tightly and the panlong appeared again, becoming one with the soldier as he let out a loud roar. The saber gave off a glow that looked like shooting stars, causing the stars in the sky to suddenly light up and rush into the soldiers body. ROARRR! The soldier let out another roar as the intricate and complex pattern of his starry armor suddenly glowed brilliantly. A silvery light glowed continuously over the army and the panlong of his saber became even more powerful. The soldiers eyes met Gu Suihan. Ones eyes were completely emotionless, while the other had nothing but rage. The golden dragon from Questioning Heaven moved in tandem with the sword, changing its position again and again as it tried to find a good opportunity to attack the panlong. The panlong had a furious look in its eye as it sat in the palm of the soldier. It looked as tense as a coiled snake on the lookout, ready to fight anytime. Im sure I can break you. Gu Suihan had a hardened look in his eyes as he suddenly made hand seals with his left hand. Three Fingers of Yama C Ask Creation! The wind and clouds gathered in an instant as the area within a 300-meter radius turned into a sinister gathering of ghosts that roared and howled miserably. Gu Suihan pointed at them, as though he were the lord of Hades judging the dead. As his finger came closer and closer to the ghosts, the sound of their howling became more and more intense. The soldiers around them silently burst into stardust and flickered faintly in the sky. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The soldier paled and the panlong looked a little afraid now. He let out a mighty roar, as though he hoped that doing that would help him feel braver. His eyes gleamed resolutely as he raised his saber and charged towards Gu Suihan as the panlong roared just as loudly. The Clackers Tea Pavilion Meditation Session PanlongPanlongErChinese loch ness? #rude ?? Azure DragonAzure DragonDont we love dragons ?? Chapter 80 Chapter 80 C Falling Out Time to die! Gu Suihan had a faint smile on his face as Questioning Heaven struck the saber that seemed to weigh a ton at an angle. The golden dragon roared as it flew towards the soldier, while Gu Suihan suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind the soldier. A strange and mysterious cloud of miasma shot out from Gu Suihans finger as he silently pointed it at the soldiers head. All creatures are nothing but ants, he murmured as his finger went over the back of the soldiers head without leaving a trace. He stomped the ground suddenly and immediately moved 300 meters away from the soldier again at top speed. Craaack! The horrifying sound of bones cracking resounded through the battlefield. Gu Suihan watched leisurely from a distance as the soldier turned around in one good piece. Gu Suihan murmured, One. Boom! A muffled sound came from the soldier as his starry armor slowly darkened like it had been struck by lightning. The patterns on it faded and rotted away, and rust even appeared on the edges. It was as though it had been left in the open for thousands of years. Two. Pfft! The light in the soldiers eyes dimmed as blood spurted out from numerous wounds on his body. He was covered in blood in no time and even his armor was dyed a bloody red. It was such a tragic sight to behold. Die! Immediately after Gu Suihan said that, the saber in the soldiers hands clattered loudly as it shattered and the shards fell onto the ground. The soldier suddenly exploded and became nothing but a pile of flesh and blood. The Three Fingers of Yama was a three-step technique C Ask Creation, Spatial Supernormal Knowledge, and the Ten Thousand Year Finger. It hadnt been easy for Gu Suihan to use it either. He looked perfectly fine now, but it was because he had taken more than 10 pills before using the technique. Right now, he had nothing left in his dantian. Not even a wisp of Qi. Even his previously youthful countenance looked more mature now. The process of gaining supernormal knowledge was something that literally took years off ones life. Pointing his finger at the soldier had made Gu Suihan lose ten years of his life. And because Gu Suihan had this supernormal knowledge, the soldier started decomposing before finally exploding and disappearing permanently. This soldiers death was not like the other soldiers Gu Suihan had killed when he first entered the formation. Those soldiers turned into stardust and the formation would use that to form new soldiers. Now that the formation had suddenly lost so much energy, it could not really hold up anymore. Gu Suihan watched as the endless crowd of soldiers slowly turned into nothingness. The starry sky dimmed and the stars did not shine brightly like before. Whats going on? Wang Mingzhi was panting heavily as he kept his little mirror away. He had felt the place shake suddenly and the sense of imminent danger had faded significantly, which made him wonder what happened. He quickly retreated into a far corner and pulled out his formation compass to see what the situation was. Ive got nine of them! Xi Ran had felt the shaking and was puzzled too, but he decided to report his numbers anyway. Ive got eight! yelled Zhou Xing hoarsely. He actually sounded a little excited. I got 11 of them, shouted Wang Mingzhi rather unhappily. He didnt expect himself to be so unfortunate as to be attacked by more formation eyes than the rest. But at the very least, he didnt have to deal with the main one, so that made him feel better. I got eight. The main formation eye was here, but its already dead. Gu Suihans weak voice made everyones eyes widen. Mr. Gu, do you still have enough energy to help us with breaking the formation? Wang Mingzhi was worried when he heard Gu Suihans genuinely weak voice. He wasnt really concerned about Gu Suihans health. Rather, he needed all four of them to work together to break the formation, so if Gu Suihan was too weak to do so, all of them would end up dying inside here. Yes, I do. Each of you can just compensate me with 500 Spiritual Stones once we get out of here, said Gu Suihan in a pained voice. The other three balked at Gu Suihans demand. Fine! Now, everyone, time to break the formation! Wang Mingzhi had to make a decision quickly because he saw that new formation eyes were forming again, so he agreed even though he didnt really want to. He threw a round object out and ran as far away as he could after that. After hearing Wang Mingzhi give the command, Xi Rans expression became serious. He bit his tongue so that it started bleeding, then made several hand seals in quick succession as his ghost-controlling flag floated in the air in front of him. The hand seals quickly turned into runes that were coated with his blood and struck the flag. He then yelled with all his might, A banquet for all ghosts! Devour everything! Innumerable vengeful spirits and ghosts flew out like they had been given the command to do so, shrieking at an ear-deafening volume as they gushed towards the newly created formation eyes in the middle. Zhou Xing blocked a weapon from hitting him and he stared back at the relentless formation eyes coming for him. A threatening smile spread across his lips as he said, Youre all nothing but trash. Time to die! Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks His fingernails suddenly grew another 30 centimeters longer and it looked like he had grown knives and swords on his fingers, especially since they made metallic clanging sounds when they touched each other. He let out a shout and pounced towards the formation eyes. All of you should die too. Gu Suihan looked at the formation eyes that looked a little afraid to approach him and smiled. Then he suddenly dashed towards the soldiers to wipe them out once and for all. Senior Brother, I know it was the Peak Leader who gave orders to bring that Gu Suihan back. But hes just a young fellow at Beginner Foundation Establishment. Does this task seriously need three people to get it done? said a young man with a disdainful look on his face as he stood on a flying beast that was thousands of miles from Qingguo. The man whom the young man called Senior Brother was much older. He said in a calm and quiet voice, According to our investigations, this Gu Suihan killed Chuan Xin, Hang Chulong, and half of the East Compound disciples who came in at the same time as him. You should not underestimate him. The arrogant young man made a face. He just killed two useless bums and a pile of trash, thats all. You idiot, said the other young man on the ground who hadnt spoken thus far. He hugged his sword and glanced at the first young man in contempt. Gu Suihan killed Chuan Xin when he hadnt even reached the Foundation Establishment stage. He killed Hang Chulong when he was being attacked by others like Mo Yuluo and Li Rong. Are you saying that Mo Yuluo and the rest are useless bums as well? II didnt say that! the arrogant young man retorted in a trembling voice. His face paled when he heard Mo Yuluos name. Then just shut up, Wu Hao. So, you think youre invincible just because youve made it to Mid Foundation Establishment? Mo Yuluo could beat you to a pulp even though shes still at Beginner Foundation Establishment, said the second young man with a sneer. The contemptuous look on his face made Wu Hao furious. Thats quite enough. Zhu Lingjian, stop making things worse. This mission is no simple one and we might have to fight the young fellow. After the older man stopped their squabbling, he turned to look into the distance with many questions in his heart. This was a very strange mission because the Peak Leader had not given them any details when he instructed them to bring Gu Suihan back, and the reward for bringing the boy back was way more than he had expected. These two things made him really puzzled. According to the information we have, that fellow should still be at the mine. Lets head for the mine directly. We might even be able to gain something for ourselves, said Wu Hao with a greedy look on his face. The Disciplinary Court was the one department of the sect that no one dared to go against or even offend, so the disciples of Peak Two were the wealthiest. They just needed to threaten or frighten the disciples they caught and they would get a thing or two from those disciples. The other two smirked as well. They knew their place as members of the Disciplinary Court better than they knew about Gu Suihan. Back inside the formation, the stars had dimmed and were on the verge of going out. The 36 stars in the sky were nowhere near the same brightness they were when they first entered. The four men had pale faces as they sat in their own space to meditate and recuperate. After a long time, Zhou Xing recovered first. He stood up and said, Lets go see what items await us. Good idea. The four of them nodded at each other and walked to the other end where a podium stood. They immediately exchanged glances when they saw the items on the podium. There were three items on the podium. The first was a jade slip. The carvings on it were probably a cultivation technique or a magic spell. The second item was a ceramic bottle which probably contained a pill, while the third item was a tiny tri-colored flower. It had nine petals, so three petals were black, three were white and the last three were gray. Unfortunately, the flower was no longer attached to its original plant and was kept inside a magic storage bag. Thats a Three Lives Spirit Recovering flower! exclaimed Wang Mingzhi, Xi Ran, and Zhou Xing as they stared intently at the little flower. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only This flower could help to stabilize the spirit and nourish the soul, and it could also strengthen ones spiritual sense. This was a very valuable item. Thats mine. Gu Suihan smiled and kept the flower in his own magic storage bag before the rest realized what he had just don. The three of them exchanged glances, then Zhou Xing cleared his throat and said, Mr. Gu, I dont think its appropriate for you to do that, right? I agree. Mr. Gu, out of the three items available, this one is the rarest. Weve agreed to share any cultivation techniques and spells like the one on the jade slip, so by doing this, youd get two items instead of one. Dont you think youve gone overboard? Wang Mingzhi took a step back as the smile on his face faded. Not happy about that? Fight me then. Gu Suihan looked coldly at the other three men who had quietly shifted themselves such that they formed a circle around him. A disdainful smile crept across his lips. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 C Disciples From The Disciplinary Court Why, you! Wang Mingzhis eyes were spewing fire and he had a nasty look on his face. But when he remembered Gu Suihans aggressive attitude and his ability to kill the main formation eye, his lips merely trembled and he couldnt get any other words out. Whats wrong? You dont dare to? Gu Suihan took a step forward and stood right in front of Wang Mingzhi and Zhou Xing. His eyes shone clearly with disdain when he saw how both of them were obviously angry but also obviously too afraid to say anything. If you dont dare to fight me, then shut your stupid mouth. Dont bring unnecessary disaster upon yourselves, Gu Suihan spoke with harsh and direct words and didnt care if it hurt their feelings. I think there are more formations ahead, so do we keep going? Xi Ran had not spoken all this time. When he saw that the three others were about to break out in a fight, he quickly stepped in to change the topic and keep them at peace with one another. Humph! Of course, we have to keep going. Wang Mingzhi glared hatefully at Gu Suihan, then scoffed and did not say anymore. Keep going? The second formation turned out to be a Heavenly Stars Sanguinary Formation, so the third one has to be an Earthly Fiends Galaxy Formation. If theres a fourth one, then it will be the Heavenly Stars Earthly Fiends Big Dipper Formation. Thats one of the most powerful formations from ancient times, so Im not going in. If the three of you prefer to get yourselves killed, I wont stop you. Gu Suihan glanced disdainfully at Wang Mingzhi, which made Wang Mingzhi feel like slapping the younger man. I wont be continuing on this journey and I dont want those 500 Spiritual Stones anymore. I still have other matters to attend to, so go ahead and continue if you like, said Gu Suihan to Xi Ran before turning to go. Mr. Gu, wait up! Xi Ran tried to hold Gu Suihan back but he was too late. Gu Suihan left so quickly, Xi Ran was only left with the dust where he once stood. Now that Gu Suihan had disappeared, Wang Mingzhi turned to vent his anger on Zhou Xing. He sneered, You were the one who spoke up first. Why didnt you do anything to him? Chickened out? Zhou Xing was not affected by Wang Mingzhis sarcasm and said in a neutral voice, I just wanted to drive him away, thats all. He got the hint. This place definitely has no ordinary set of formations and thats why he just took the Three Lives Spirit Recovering Flower and didnt even want the cultivation technique. Youre choosing to believe him instead of me? Wang Mingzhis entire face was red from being angry. He felt so insulted. They were referring to what Gu Suihan said earlier about the series of formations. Zhou Xing happened to have heard of these formations before, so he believed that Gu Suihan was telling the truth and figured that it was a bad idea to try and fight Gu Suihan. In his opinion, if Gu Suihan could talk about such things with great familiarity and confidence, he must be backed by an elder with a very high level of cultivation. It was common for cultivators to fall out with one another and it was also common to even turn on ones benefactor. The most important part of this was whether betraying or killing this other person would result in someone else avenging them. If you ended up dying just because you killed someone you shouldnt have, then that person wasnt worth killing. Zhou Xing couldnt imagine how powerful a cultivator had to be in order to train and teach a junior as formidable and outstanding as Gu Suihan was. Even if it turned out that Gu Suihan merely happened to chance upon this information, Zhou Xing wasnt taking any chances. You want me to believe you? Zhou Xing scoffed. He knew who Wang Mingzhi was. Wang Mingzhi was known as a master in formations because they were from a relatively small and backward location. In reality, Wang Mingzhi would not be considered an expert anywhere else with the little knowledge he had. Lets just go over and take a look first. After considering their options for a moment, Xi Ran decided to go ahead anyway. There were ten pills in total, so Xi Ran took four of them while Zhou Xing and Wang Mingzhi took three each. Xi Ran took the jade slip after taking an oath to promise that he would give the other two a proper copy of the cultivation technique inscribed on it without altering or falsifying any of the information. They had to do it this way because there were ancient cultivators who cast a spell on these jade slips to self-destruct after the technique on it had been read more than a certain number of times. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan had already gone round a few bends without any problem and came right out of the dead tree again. He turned to look at the old tree that did not have the slightest bit of life left in it and smirked with a frosty glint in his eye. There was no way this place was merely a random bunch of things left behind by some ancient cultivator. He scoffed, but the memory of the main formation eye inside the Heavenly Stars Sanguinary Formation suddenly popped up in his mind. That main formation eye seemed to have real emotions and a real form. But he quickly put the thought aside and flew back the same way he came. He didnt care about what Xi Ran and the rest were going to do. Whether they lived or died was none of his business. The speed at which he returned was several times faster than when he came. It only took him a few hours to arrive at the mine again. Before he could enter, Sun Miaozhi hurried over to report, Sir, there are people here to look for you. They saidthey said that theyre disciples from the Seven Kill Sects Disciplinary Court and want to see you once you return. The Disciplinary Court? Who could it be? Xiexin? Li Rong? Those were the first two names that surfaced in Gu Suihans mind. He narrowed his eyes to hide the frosty glint in his eyes and put on an even friendlier smile than usual. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Sun Miaozhi stole a glance at Gu Suihan and broke into a cold sweat when he saw the smile on Gu Suihans face as his heart pounded wildly in fear. He remembered that smile very well. Gu Suihan had had the same smile when he first arrived and killed the supervisors. He had such a friendly smile on his face, but dead bodies were strewn everywhere just seconds later. Youre Gu Suihan? an unfriendly voice resounded from inside before Gu Suihan could even walk in. Who are you and why are you looking for me? Gu Suihan did not even look up at the people in the room and walked toward his chair very slowly, poured himself a nice cup of tea, and gently skimmed the bubbles off the surface. His three visitors exchanged glances when they saw how calm and unaffected Gu Suihan was. This boy was going to be difficult to deal with. Wu Hao was instantly annoyed by Gu Suihans behavior and yelled, Gu Suihan, do you know what youre guilty of? I have no idea. Which sect rule have I broken? Senior Brother, please enlighten me. Gu Suihan put his cup of tea down and looked a little curiously at Wu Hao. Wu Hao furrowed his brows so hard that his veins were popping out. Youve ignored the sect rules and gone out on a private little trip instead of guarding the mine. Are you going to be responsible if anything terrible happens here? Not only did Gu Suihan stare at Wu Hao like he was an idiot, but even Wu Haos senior and Zhu Lingjian stared at their junior with disbelief. You think the same way? Gu Suihan ignored Wu Hao and turned to look at the older man who was the leader of the three. The older man rolled his eyes at Wu Hao and said to Gu Suihan, Weve come here on the instruction of the higher-ups. They would like you to return to the sect. We have also found out the deeds you have committed over the past few years and we are very concerned. You have been too lax and you have not been able to really attend to this mission properly. We havent even talked about how that little town not far from here has been completely destroyed. The reason behind its destruction has a lot to do with you. His first words pointed out all of Gu Suihans supposed wrongdoing. He had decided that given Gu Suihans attitude toward them, it would be good enough if the three of them could complete their mission successfully. There was no point in trying to scare Gu Suihan into giving them any additional benefits. You should know that if youre representing the Seven Kill Sect outside the sect, then the sects reputation and benefit should be your utmost priority. Instead, youve caused the death of so many people from around Qingguo. The sect ended up having to bear most of the repercussions of your actions. Junior Brother, thats where youve gone wrong, said Zhu Lingjian more gently after thinking about how to phrase things. You want me to return to the sect? Gu Suihan fell into deep thought. He didnt mind going back now, since he had left back then just to escape the impending disaster. But he didnt know what the world of cultivation was like now. He had no idea if they were done with their disagreements and if they still needed cannon fodder like himself. How is the world of cultivation right now? Gu Suihan asked the older man. What? The three men exchanged glances and couldnt quite understand what Gu Suihan was asking. Not even the older man knew why the Peak Leaders wanted Gu Suihan back at the sect. After all, to him, Gu Suihan was just an external disciple. No matter how outstanding he was, it was impossible to hide the fact that an external disciple would lose to them in cultivation level and in experience. Zhu Lingjian pondered this question for a moment and said very simply, The world of cultivation has been peaceful for the past few years. Besides the passing of the oldest elder of Wonderful Sect three years ago, a few sects formed an alliance with the Ethereal Court. Thats about it. Nothing else major happened. What about the supposed inter-sect competition that was supposed to happen around the time I left the sect for this place? Did it happen? Gu Suihan had a bad feeling about this. No, it didnt. The older man shook his head and looked curiously at Gu Suihan, unsure of why the young man was concerned with this at all. It didnt? Gu Suihan frowned which caused a deep crease in his skin. A storm of thoughts and emotions filled his heart. No wonder the Seven Kill Sect didnt try to look for me earlier or do anything to me, he thought. He thought that he had survived the worst of it, only to realize now that actually, nothing happened at all. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Wu Hao had a sullen face and was very irritated that Gu Suihan seemed to have ignored him and only spoke to his two companions. He slammed the table hard and yelled, Gu Suihan, if you dont have a good explanation for your actions, youre going to suffer once you return to the sect! The Peak Leaders do not need any reason to punish you if they want to! And who are you? The illegitimate son of one of the Peak Leaders? Gu Suihan sneered at Wu Hao. You You what? Gu Suihan splashed his cup of tea in Wu Haos face and said with a disdainful stare, Who the hell do you even think you are? Youre only at Foundation Establishment. How dare you even speak to me? Im going to kill you! Wu Haos eyes were bulging as a pair of matching dragon-phoenix rings appeared in his hand. The rings glowed with a green light and gave off the sound of a dragon roaring and a phoenix screeching. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 C My Way You cant kill me. Gu Suihan did not look like he even wanted to fight back. Instead, he turned to look at the older man among the three with a friendly smile. Youre right. The older man sighed and motioned to Zhu Lingjian to hold the furious Wu Hao back. Lets go. The older man looked at the puzzled looks on the faces of his two juniors and smiled sadly as he explained, I dont really know the reason for bringing him back, but the Peak Leaders said that we had to bring him back safely. We cant hurt him. What is that supposed to mean, grumbled the two juniors. But this was a mission given by the Peak Leaders after all, so they had no choice but keep Gu Suihan in the middle to make sure he didnt suddenly try to attack them. Gu Suihan thought about the situation for a while and finally decided that he would not fall out with the Seven Kill Sect for the time being. If he ended up becoming one of those wandering cultivators, he wouldnt have the access to Spiritual Stones like he had now. Despite having a high rank of aptitude, Gu Suihan needed thousands of Spiritual Stones in order to get through the Foundation Establishment stage. Those who werent as high ranking needed way more. This was also the reason why there were many external disciples but very few made it to Foundation Establishment. The process of getting from one stage to the next required a huge amount of resources, including an astronomical number of Spiritual Stones. Without that, it was impossible. Gu Suihan smiled faintly, then called Sun Miaozhi over to leave him some instructions. Lets go. He proceeded to leave with the three wary-looking disciples and headed back to the sect. Gu Suihan smiled faintly when he looked at the three men next to him as they glanced at him from time to time, and flew quietly next to them. He had intended to dodge this calamity because he didnt want to be implicated. He was going to just wait it out and make plans after the worst was over. Unfortunately, some people in the Seven Kill Sect had their eyes on him and were determined to make sure he was part of this mess. Since that was the case, Gu Suihan could only try to get as much out of the situation as possible while ensuring his own safety. He had to go along with things because there was no way he could fight the sect head-on at his current level of cultivation. The sect was way too powerful for him. The four of them were in no hurry to get back to the sect. They flew at a leisurely pace and stopped every now and then to hunt some wild animals for a meal. Wu Haos attitude toward Gu Suihan didnt improve at all. He didnt say anything, but the anger on his face was very apparent. Compared to Wu Hao, Zhu Lingjian was a little better. When he noticed the sword resting on Gu Suihans knee, he couldnt help but raise an eyebrow before going over to talk to Gu Suihan. Brother Gu, youre a sword cultivator too? asked Zhu Lingjian with some interest as he settled down next to Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan glanced at Zhu Lingjian, who had come over with his own sword, and said in a friendly voice, You could say so. You could say so? Zhu Lingjian made a face. What sort of answer was that? He then pointed to the lifeless sword that was Questioning Heaven and said, Why does it look so strange? Its because no matter how sharp a sword is, it is nothing but a tool in the end. Since its a tool, then it should be made to fit the users hands as much as possible. Zhu Lingjian looked taken aback and argued, As a sword cultivator, we ought to have the same heart as the sword and treat the sword as our own hand. If you are sincere in your attitude toward the sword and have nothing else in your heart, you can cultivate the heart and will of the sword. As he spoke, the quiet sword in his arms seemed to have sensed his will, so the blade resonated loudly and slid half an inch out of its sheath. My way is not the Way of Swordsmanship. Why should I care to be sincere with it? And what right does it have to demand that sort of thing out of me? Gu Suihan looked down at Questioning Heaven. He ran his finger down the blade gently and did not look the slightest bit convinced by Zhu Lingjian. But Brother Gu, if the Way of Swordsmanship is not the way youre seeking, why do you cultivate in the sword then? Zhu Lingjian had a very solemn look on his face. He clearly did not agree with Gu Suihans point of view. My way is not a means to enjoy a leisurely life, nor do I care for longevity. I just want the truth, said Gu Suihan quietly. That was his pursuit of cultivation, his obsession, and the true intent of his heart. The truth? The other two men exchanged puzzled glances as they listened in on the conversation. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Gu Suihan could see that Zhu Lingjian had more questions, but he waved his hands about with a smile and said, You dont understand. Neither do they. I just want to know what the Way is. He proceeded to let out a long shout, unleashing a frighteningly violent aura as he stared intently into the distant cloudless sky, as though he could see something. The four of them did not speak anymore. They quietly ate their food, then continued on their journey. They might have been taken aback by Gu Suihans shocking words and they might not have understood what Gu Suihans pursuit in life was, but they had felt the determination in that long shout. That alone changed the way Wu Hao looked at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan was now very frightening to him. An obsession that was not swayed by external forces, a determination that could withstand any challenge, and a ruthless, despicable method of doing things. All of these were signs that if one wanted to deal with Gu Suihan, they would have to smite him on the spot without holding anything back. Otherwise, you would never live in peace. After Wu Hao had felt that murderous and bloodthirsty aura fill the air, he couldnt help but realize something. Even if he unleashed his trump card, again and again, he wouldnt be able to kill Gu Suihan. Thinking in this way helped him to let go of his unhappiness. He still refused to smile at Gu Suihan, but the fury in his heart had disappeared. As time went by, the four of them got along better and talked more to one another. The three Disciplinary Court disciples finally began to understand Gu Suihan better. This young man was usually harmless and even gentle and civil. But when he had put his mind to something, he would carry it out without hesitation. Even if the road ahead was a mountain of knives or a sea of fire or even a field of thorns, it would not stop him. Brother Gu, you might not have heard but the Seven Kill Sect, War Demon Sect, and the Yin Principle Sect have also formed an alliance to fight the sects with the Ethereal Court. I believe the real fight will start with the inter-sect competition happening in a months time. It may prove to be a good opportunity for some, but its also a disaster for others, said the older man with a sigh. After conversing with one another over the past few days, Gu Suihan found out that this man was named Murong Wei. Senior Brother Murong, you dont have to be so modest. Youre an Advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator, so you dont have to be scared, said Wu Hao nonchalantly. To him, disciples at the Mid Foundation Establishment stage like himself were the real unlucky ones. Murong Wei shook his head with a bitter look on his face. This disaster was going to involve the entire world of cultivators. So what if he were at Advanced Foundation Establishment? He was like an ant to the cultivators at Origin Core. Wu Hao had spent all his life in the sect and did not have much experience. Keep yourselves safe and make plans after its safe to do so. Dont try to accomplish too much at one go, Gu Suihan calmly explained what the more farsighted Murong Wei was thinking about. After all, if one were to die, then gaining any chance encounters or enlightenment would be pointless. We cultivators have gone against the will of heaven to begin with. This disaster may be an opportunity for us. I will hold fast to my sword and open my heart to face the challenge ahead, said Zhu Lingjian with great determination. After prodding at the fire, Gu Suihan looked up into the starry sky as countless thoughts went through his mind. But in the end, he merely let out a long sigh. The road to finding the truth was a long one. By the way, have any of you ever seen those supposed direct disciples of the sect? Gu Suihan suddenly asked the other three. They narrowed their eyes and remained silent for some time before Wu Hao finally raised his head and said in an odd tone of voice, Of course, weve seen them. Its just that those peopleHurhur He did not hide the disgust in his voice. Those people? Theyre nothing but leeches of the sect. They get access to the best resources and get the most number of Spiritual Stones and pills, yet they do nothing at all, just spending their time strolling about. To put it nicely, theyre learning to put their earthly desires away and to train their hearts to be aligned with the Way. But after a certain period of time, they would disappear completely and the Peak Leaders never ask about them. They disappear? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes. These disciples were probably taken up into the Upper World and had not actually disappeared per se. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only But one could hardly blame Wu Hao for being so aggrieved. From their perspective, these direct disciples had enjoyed so much of the sects wealth, yet they would just disappear without a trace. Putting it that way did make them sound like nothing more than leeches. Watch what you say! Murong Wei stopped Wu Haos grumbling and looked around warily. Someones here. Gu Suihan raised his head and looked at the quiet forest around them with an expressionless look on his face. Not bad, youre a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect alright. Youre all very alert. So, weve got some good ones here, eh? A deep voice came from afar and slowly came closer and closer. When the voice reached their ears, the voice seemed to turn into a shapeless blade of sound that whooshed as it flew towards the four Seven Kill Sect disciples. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 C Vicious Attacker Thats nothing, scoffed Murong Wei as he suddenly raised both hands and flicked his fingers to shoot a wind that shattered the oncoming blade made of sound. Wu Hao looked at the people who tried to attack them and recognized their clothing. He had a mocking look on his face as he said, Tsk, tsk. You couldnt even wait for just a while more? Immediately after he said those words, several figures slowly came out from the shadows. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow. Their attackers were disciples of the Youthful Clarity and Wonderful Sound Sects. There were three men and two women, five in total. Why bother talking so much? Lets battle it out, scoffed a teenage-looking boy dressed in green. He drew his sword out from its sheath. The glow around it was half a foot wide and he thrust it toward Wu Hao. The night sky was as dark as ink, the wind as sharp as knives. The autumn winds were biting cold and the air smelled of murder. We meet again, said Gu Suihan quietly as he recognized one of the women. She turned out to be the one that he and Li Rong had met at the restaurant after Gu Suihan left home. If he remembered correctly, her name was Wan Xin and she was a disciple of Qingrou Zhenren. Its too bad, youre about to die. Wan Xins expression remained indifferent as she glanced at him. A seven-stringed glass zither suddenly appeared in her hand. She raised her other hand and placed her fair and slim fingers on the strings without moving as she kept her eye on Gu Suihan. Thats a! Gu Suihans face paled and his eyes widened in fear as he took several steps backward. It was as though he had just seen the most terrifying thing in the world and he had flown into a panic. What is it? Wan Xin began to panic when she saw Gu Suihans reaction and her first instinct was to turn around. However, the second she turned her head, she felt a horrifying blast of Qi right in front of her. Crap! Wan Xin frowned as she realized that she had been tricked. She was furious with herself and she quickly plucked her zither to produce a beautiful melody that turned into light green blades, shooting them straight for Gu Suihan. Your reactions pretty fast, but not good enough. Gu Suihan smiled faintly as Questioning Heaven leaped halfway out of its sheath. As the blade vibrated noisily, it emanated a faint but bloody-smelling murderous aura. Thats a truly vicious weapon! How many people have you killed? exclaimed Wan Xin in horror. She could feel the murderous aura weigh heavily on her as a chill instantly spread through her entire body. She wasnt the only one feeling the effects. Gu Suihans companions and the rest of the attackers also looked in horror at Gu Suihan. They felt like they were looking at a demon full of nothing but violence rising from the blood of thousands of corpses. Make a guess, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile. The golden-red color of his sword intensified and the faint sound of ghostly howls and screams made all of their hearts pound in fear. Inches Away C Ends of the World! Gu Suihan seemed to step into a different realm and disappeared before their very eyes, before reappearing next to Wan Xin less than a second later, as though he were a ghost. Hes so fast, thought Wan Xin. She was so shocked by how insanely fast Gu Suihan had moved. She raised her arm and slapped a palm on her zither, then plucked a string hard. At the same time, wind gathered beneath her feet and she flew backward into the air like a leaf. Woong! The zither string vibrated and the pleasant sound of the instrument suddenly carried a murderous vibe. Attacking my mind? Gu Suihans eyes dimmed and his mind went blank for a moment. His sword paused for that moment and Wan Xin successfully dodged his attack. Run! Go in different directions! Murong Wei started making hand seals quickly, sending countless waves of spiritual energy through the air. The trees and shrubs were instantly turned to dust from his ferocious attack. See you back at the sect. Wu Hao decided not to fight anymore. He made a hand seal and tore a talisman open. His body instantly seemed to turn into mud as he got sucked into the ground and disappeared. Im off! Gu Suihan looked mockingly at Wan Xin. He moved backward as if he was going to escape, but he immediately charged forward as quickly as lightning and as furiously as a meteor, appearing next to the other female in the group. His fingers tapped the air in front of him. Three Fingers of Yama C Nourish the Earth Silently. His finger seemed to absorb all of the murderous aura he emanated and his fingertip literally turned black as he pointed it at the young woman without a sound. He was like a venomous snake eyeing its prey from the shadows, like the gentle spring rains nourishing nature silently. Linger, watch out! shouted Wan Xin anxiously when she saw that Gu Suihan had disappeared from her sight and had appeared next to her fellow disciple instead. What? Linger still hadnt realized what was going on, but she subconsciously ran her fingers across three of the strings on her own zither and sent several soundwaves out. Nothing! A hypnotizing voice rang in her ears. Linger felt a warmth next to her and her eyes widened as she instinctively tried to turn to look. But she was already too late. Gu Suihans sword had quietly stabbed itself into her body. His blackened finger was covered in a dark cloud as he tapped the lower part of her spine. Craaaack! The blood-curdling sound of bones cracking accompanied by Lingers cry of pain echoed loudly in the quiet forest. The others who were fighting Murong Wei and the rest stopped what they were doing as they turned to look at where the scream came from. Their eyes widened in horror. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Linger! shouted one of the men as he dashed toward her, his eyes bulging furiously. Gu Suihan smiled faintly at them as he grabbed Lingers neck with one hand and suspended her in the air mercilessly. If you take one more step forward, shes going to die. Gu Suihan returned his sword to its sheath and used his free hand to gently caress Lingers face which was contorted from the pain she felt. His gaze seemed as empty as a dry well as he stared hollowly at them. Why, you! The one who dashed toward Linger was the teenage-looking boy who looked like he was from the Youthful Clarity Sect. He stopped himself from taking another step when he heard Gu Suihans casual threat. Fury burned within him as he gripped his sword tightly. The blade vibrated loudly, echoing across the sky. Senior Brother Murong, Zhu Lingjian, come over. Wu Hao, stop hiding in the ground. You cant get away just by using a mud shield talisman. Wan Xin landed quietly and sighed as she kept her glass zither away. Ill let you go on the condition that you do not kill Linger, she said with a resigned look on her face. So thats all we get for being kind? Murong Wei sniggered. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow. It seemed like this young lady he had attacked was no ordinary person, so he quickly thought of something else. Shes at my mercy so you have no right to negotiate with me. As he spoke, he gently shook the screaming Linger, making her scream even harder. A thousand Spiritual Stones each, he said with a mocking look in his eye. Fine, said Wan Xin and the teenage boy immediately. The other two men, however, looked hesitant and exchanged uneasy glances as they took a few steps back at the same time. You two The teenage boy stared disappointedly at his two seniors who were usually so warm and friendly as he pointed a trembling finger at them. One of them looked embarrassed but he merely looked away and kept silent. He clearly did not want to hand over those Spiritual Stones. The other scoffed and said, The girl in his hand is from the Wonderful Sound Sect and has nothing to do with the three of us from the Youthful Clarity Sect. Why should we have to cough up Spiritual Stones for her sake? Wan Xins body trembled from her anger and she said through clenched teeth, Our sects are part of the same alliance, so we ought to be looking out for one another and helping each other. I cant believe both of you are behaving like this. Looking out for one another and helping each other? Im interested in a cultivation technique of the Wonderful Sound Sect. Would you be willing to let me take a look at the manual for that? the second man snapped back. The sneer in his voice made Wan Xin and the other boy lose hope. Brother Gu, youre a really smart one. Youve divided the group with just one request. Murong Wei silently gave Gu Suihan a thumbs-up to express his admiration. Not going to hand the Spiritual Stones over? Its too bad then. Gu Suihan exerted a little more strength in his fingers around Lingers neck and her eyes nearly rolled backward as she almost lost consciousness. She tried to struggle but because her bones had been shattered by Gu Suihans darkened finger earlier, any movement she made only resulted in excruciating pain. Wait! Wan Xins heart broke when she saw the pained expression on her juniors face and immediately took a step forward and said, Ill pay you on their behalf. Swear by the Way that you will let her off as we said earlier. Sure, said Gu Suihan as he secretly glanced at his companions. The three of them were clever people and knew what Gu Suihan was about to do. They hid a talisman in their hands and channeled their Qi to their feet as they prepared to run for it any moment now. Immediately after Gu Suihan said that he flung Linger into the air. His sword flew out of its sheath and made several slits all over her body in an instant. He yelled, Run! All four of them instantly made their escape and disappeared into the dense forest within seconds. What about the Spiritual Stones, you might ask. They didnt care for those, because the process of receiving the Spiritual Stones would probably kill them. Their attackers were definitely some of the best from their respective sects since they had been sent out to secretly kill a group of Seven Kill Sect disciples. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only While it was true that they were almost equal in terms of their level of cultivation, their attackers probably had a trump card they hadnt used yet, since they dared to ambush the four Seven Kill Sect disciples like this. If that were the case, then it was better to run. They didnt want to die. These little bastards! yelled the combined group of Wonderful Sound and Youthful Clarity Sect members when they saw that their four targets had escaped just like that. Lingers body was covered in blood as her body landed limply on the ground. Wan Xin exclaimed loudly and dashed towards Linger. She couldnt be bothered to chase after the four men now. The three men from the Youthful Clarity Sect caught up with Wan Xin and gasped when they saw what Linger looked like. She was barely alive as she had suffered cuts all over her body that crisscrossed each other in all directions. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 C Internal Disciple Lingers previous smooth complexion was now covered in three terrifying wounds that were so deep, that her flesh curled outwards. Her body was in even worse shape. Not a single inch of her skin had been spared and there were cuts all over. A huge hole had been punctured into her dantian and it had nearly damaged the Spiritual Root inside her spinal cord. The cuts left behind on her four limbs by the sword were in neat rows that didnt look very deep, but all of them knew that Gu Suihan had not just broken her tendons but he had literally removed a whole chunk of it so that it would be impossible to put them back together again. She was incapacitated permanently unless they found some incredibly rare treasure that could heal her. What a vicious fellow he is! Wan Xin stared helplessly at Linger as she unleashed her hatred and anger into her surroundings. That was so quick, was all the other three from the Youthful Clarity Sect could conclude from looking at Lingers injuries. There were at least 30 cuts on her and these had been made in that instant when Gu Suihan flung her into the air. This made them even more fearful of his detailed yet vicious technique. Lingers injuries must be attended to immediately. This operation has been a failure. Im bringing her back to the sect right now. Wan Xin glared at the three men frostily. The friendly and warm atmosphere between them had completely disappeared. The two men who were not willing to hand over their share of the Spiritual Stones earlier merely shrugged and didnt really care at all, since they werent the ones who were injured. Instead, it was the teenage boy who looked worriedly at Linger and looked like he wanted to go along, but when he saw the looks on his seniors faces, he could only look at the ground silently. Humph! Wan Xin glared fiercely again with a frosty stare, then flew into the air with the unconscious Linger in her arms. The teenage boy watched them fly off and felt very uneasy inside. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan and the rest had been flying towards the Seven Kill Sect at high speed when Gu Suihan suddenly stopped running and said, Lets head back to where we came from. Huh? The other three nearly stumbled over themselves and looked at Gu Suihan with puzzled looks on their faces. I left something on that Linger and I can sense that theres the only one person with her right now. There was a cold glint in his eye and a malicious smile on his face. Where are they now? The other three perked up and their eyes lit up too. If they could capture two Wonderful Sound Sect disciples, that would be a fantastic opportunity to give the Ethereal Court and its allies a slap in the face. The Seven Kill Sect would definitely reward them for doing this. To the left, about five kilometers away. Gu Suihan closed his eyes to sense where Linger was, then shot out like an arrow. Wan Xin had no idea that Gu Suihan had more than a thousand years of scheming experience and had no idea what was coming for her. She was flying carefully in the air and used her Qi to surround and protect the unconscious Linger. She had to fly more slowly than usual so as not to aggravate Lingers wounds. Hello there, beautiful. Its very dangerous to wander around outside in the middle of the night, you know? A lecherous voice echoed in Wan Xins right ear and her heart instantly sank. Dont bother trying to run. Zhu Lingjian stood on the branch of a large tree and looked at the wary Wan Xin from afar. If you dont attack us, we wont kill you. Gu Suihan quietly emerged from the forest and smiled at the alarmed Wan Xin. She stared at Gu Suihan hatefully and said, You did something that could track Lingers movements? What do you think? Gu Suihan walked toward her confidently and glanced casually at Linger. You can forget about capturing me alive. Wan Xin had a resolute look on her face as she carried Linger on her back instead to protect her. She then raised an arm and her glass zither appeared. Youre still hoping to protect her? Murong Weis voice resounded from behind her and sounded a little excited. Theres really no point in putting up a fight. Given who your master is, Im sure they would be willing to pay the price to redeem the two of you, said Wu Hao with a cheeky look on his face. Wan Xin could not help but consider this possibility. Wu Hao was right. Her master would redeem her as long as she and Linger were treated as one entity. Linger was a lot higher in status than herself after all. Who is this Linger exactly? Gu Suihan stroked his chin as he looked at Wan Xin with some interest. She was clearly in a life-threatening situation, yet she insisted on protecting Linger. Wan Xin seemed to have been drained of all her energy and her expression faltered as she landed on the ground. She gave Linger a pill and combed her hair before saying quietly, Shes Qingrou Zhenrens only daughter. Linger snuck out of the sect with me this time. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The four Seven Kill Sect disciples had struck the jackpot. Their eyes lit up as they looked at the unconscious young lady lying on the ground. Miss Wan Xin, surrender and come with us to pay the Seven Kill Sect a visit, wont you? said Gu Suihan politely. But to Wan Xin, Gu Suihans smile had hints of playfulness and there was no sincerity in it. Humph! She scoffed and stared murderously at Gu Suihan for a few moments before finally keeping her glass zither away and picking up Linger again to follow Gu Suihan. Everyone, weve accomplished quite a feat today. I hope everyone will speak the truth once we get back, said Gu Suihan as he glanced at Murong Wei and the rest. Their expressions froze before they laughed hollowly and said, Dont worry, well report exactly what happened to the sect. Gu Suihans unpredictable yet highly effective schemes had struck terror in their hearts. First, Gu Suihan had chosen to attack the weakest one among the five, then he managed to make them turn on each other with just one remark, and even after leaving, he still left something on Linger that could enable him to track her down. All of this both amazed and terrified them. Junior Brother, since things have come to this, I think its time to give this to you. Murong Wei looked down in deep thought for a brief moment and let out a long sigh. Everyone watched in surprise as Murong Wei took out a small, flat piece of red jade with gold borders and ferocious animals carved into the sides. The characters Gu Suihan were etched deeply into the front, while the emblem of the Seven Kill Sect was emblazoned on the back. Is this an internal disciples token? Gu Suihans expression was even more dismayed now. The Peak Leaders were really unwilling to let him stay out of this mess and were practically forcing him to be part of it. Murong Wei saw the nasty look on Gu Suihans face and said with a bitter smile, The Peak Leaders have a message for you as well. What is it? Gu Suihan looked up suddenly. The glint of pure violence that had flashed in his eyes for that one moment sent shivers down Murong Weis spine. His voice trembled as he said, The Peak Leaders said: My fellow cultivator of the Way, the world of cultivation is very small. Its exactly as I thought. Very vicious indeed, muttered Gu Suihan as his frosty glare intensified. He spat, Since thats the case, its now a matter of whether youre really able to control me. He then looked back at Murong Wei and asked, Since you had this mission on hand, why didnt you carry it out earlier? The Peak Leaders instructed me to be sure of your abilities before making a decision, said Murong Wei in a quivering voice. Excellent, said Gu Suihan with a scoff. He kept away the violent aura he had earlier and did not speak anymore. The message from the Peak Leaders was short but the implications were staggering. For the Peak Leaders at the Peak Origin Core stage to call Gu Suihan a fellow cultivator when he was only at Mid Foundation Establishment was something that made them even more terrified of Gu Suihan. Zhu Lingjian suddenly thought of a possibility. He looked at Murong Wei with a start to ask for confirmation of his guess. The latter nodded slightly with a bitter look on his face. Youyouyou Zhu Lingjian was too stunned to even form a proper sentence. It took him a long time before he finally exclaimed, Youre the senior who took over another persons body and restarted your cultivation journey?! Wu Haos eyes widened in fear and even Wan Xin shuddered as she realized why the operation to kill them had failed so miserably. There was no way a bunch of Foundation Establishment rookies like them could outsmart someone with more than a millennium of experience. It only made sense that the operation would fail. Wu Hao gulped a mouthful of saliva because his throat suddenly felt terribly dry. He had behaved so arrogantly in front of such a senior. That could have killed him. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Come along now. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes to hide the frostiness in his eyes. He took the token from Murong Wei and hung it on his belt in place of the white jade token of an external disciple. Lets go. The rest immediately nodded as they now looked at Gu Suihan both warily and fearfully. None of them thought it strange that Gu Suihan had become an internal disciple just like that. The sect maintained exactly 999 internal disciples, but some would die every year in a fight or a mission, so making Gu Suihan an internal disciple on the spot was not impossible either. Besides, the sect rules were nothing but a joke to the Peak Leaders. Zhu Lingjian and Wu Hao were reminded of the cryptic warning that Murong Wei had given them before they set off on this mission. His tone had been wary and fearful, which was why he proceeded with great caution. Wu Hao had thrown caution to the wind and nearly got himself into trouble. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 C A Talk And Details All of them continued on their journey at top speed and arrived at the Seven Kill Sect in just a few days time. During this time, the atmosphere between the four men had been very tense, so once they spotted the familiar huge rock with the sects name inscribed on it, they all secretly breathed a big sigh of relief. After finding out who Gu Suihan really was, they had felt a terrible pressure and had become overly cautious with every action they made. Once the guards verified their identities and let them pass, Murong Wei said to the rest, Lets go to Peak Four and look for Peak Leader Xiexin. The rest nodded and brought Wan Xin as well as the recovering Linger to Peak Four. An hour later, all six of them stood at the peak of the mountain before the authoritative-looking Xiexin zhenren. After they reported everything that happened on their trip, Xiexin zhenren had a deep frown on his face as he looked at Wan Xin and Linger. Fire was practically spewing from his eyes. He never thought that the other alliance would boldly intrude on their territory and attempt to kill Seven Kill Sect disciples like that. Ive taken note of this matter. All of you may be dismissed. Take these two into custody and make sure nothing goes wrong, said Xiexin zhenren as he motioned to them to leave except for Gu Suihan. The peak was now left with only Gu Suihan and Xiexin zhenren. The two men looked at one another and the atmosphere grew heavier. Neither party wanted to speak. The sounds of the birds and the crickets around them had disappeared completely. The only thing left was the strong winds that made their sleeves and long hair flap wildly. A giant whirlpool quietly formed in the air. Countless clouds were split apart and formed again. The skies were clear, and gray clouds gathered only over Peak Four. Lightning and thunder resounded repeatedly, darkening the small peak that measured barely a hundred meters across like the night. Murong Wei and the rest were only halfway down when they saw this sight and their hearts trembled fearfully. Xiexin zhenren looked emotionlessly at the younger man in front of him who had a youthful face but a deep, matured look in his eyes. Despite the great storm he had created in the air, Gu Suihan stood tall and allowed the winds to blow against him as though he were a skerry in the sea. My fellow cultivator, why do you want to see me? Gu Suihan broke the silence first. It seemed like he had finally grown impatient as the other party attempted to test him with this pressurized silence and menacing clouds. He took a step forward and unleashed an air of violence that seemed able to tear through the skies. An ear-piercing screeching sound filled the air as the two forces collided. The thick dark clouds above the mountain began to shake and a huge hole suddenly appeared. The warm sun rays instantly shone through the hole and the peak was warm again, as though nothing had happened earlier at all. My fellow cultivator, please have a seat. After Gu Suihan had pushed back so strongly, Xiexin zhenren quickly withdrew the pressurizing atmosphere he had created earlier. He put some tea on the table in front of him and motioned to Gu Suihan to help himself to some tea. His actions were natural and friendly, and there was none of the tension that was there before. Gu Suihan did not bother being polite at all. He plonked himself down on the chair across from Xiexin zhenren and picked up the cup of tea on the table. He immediately raised an eyebrow. The tea inside the cup was a faint greenish color and he could hear the faint cries of the ghosts of people who had died wrongful deaths. If he looked carefully, he could even see ghosts appearing briefly and disappearing again within the cup. Soul Cleansing and Heart Enlightening tea. This is good stuff, said Gu Suihan as he looked intently at Xiexin zhenren, then drank the entire cup down in one go. Xiexin zhenren had done everything so naturally as if all of these were his usual habits. But actually, these were all things to test Gu Suihan. The storm he created earlier was to allow him to see exactly what sort of Way Gu Suihan was cultivating in. This tea was to test if Gu Suihans soul was suffering from any ailment. It was also a sign that Xiexin zhenren had something that could repair the soul on hand. For the first one, Gu Suihan was just too lazy to hide it. He was cultivating in the hardest yet simplest Way C the Way of Carnage. The main difficulty stemmed from the fact that any cultivator doing this would eventually suffer from the bad karma generated from all these unwarranted deaths, and die as a result. At the same time, it was a simple method because as long as one kept their conscience clear and their heart focused on cultivating this Way, they would not suffer from guilt or other thoughts that might distract them from cultivating properly. In short, the ones most suitable for cultivating this Way were heartless assholes and demons. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks As for the second part, Xiexin zhenren guessed that if Gu Suihan were at Origin Core before this and had to take over another body and restart his cultivation, it meant that his soul was incomplete or damaged very badly and would need a significant amount of spiritual herbs to nourish his three hun and gather his seven po together again. Unfortunately, even though Xiexin zhenren had a foolproof plan, his hypothesis was limited by his knowledge of this world. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that Gu Suihan had nearly reached the Immortal stage before arriving in this world. A simple cup of Soul Cleansing and Heart Enlightening Tea was nowhere near enough to do anything for his damaged soul. The teas not bad, but it carries a little too much violent Qi, said Gu Suihan without even looking up as he greedily continued to consume the tea even as he criticized it. What a shameless fellow thought Xiexin zhenren as his eyebrow twitched and he resisted the urge to slap Gu Suihan when he heard the fake earnestness in the younger mans voice. Xiexin zhenrens facial muscles stiffened as he said, You are correct, it does carry a little too much violent Qi, so its better not to drink anymore of it. He was about to keep the teapot when Gu Suihan reached out and snatched the teapot from him. Gu Suihan sighed and said, Since these poor souls have become tea and cannot reincarnate, then I should make sure theyve died a worthy death. Dont waste it. Gu Suihan then happily poured himself another cup. This fellow is unbelievably shameless, thought Xiexin zhenren as his eye began to twitch. If he hadnt been brought up well, he wouldnt have been able to endure Gu Suihans shameless attitude like this. His expression turned grim as he said, My fellow cultivator, I believe it is time you explained things to me. He wanted to know why an ancient like Gu Suihan would want to become part of the Seven Kill Sect. In general, most people who wanted to take over another body to restart their cultivation journey would make preparations beforehand. They would accumulate a large number of Spiritual Stones and amass huge amounts of herbs before making their comeback. The other category of people who did this were cultivators who were being chased down by enemies and chose to leave their own bodies for another purely out of desperation. Such cultivators were usually killed by whoever was hunting them down, and those who managed to survive would usually end up with a lousy new body since this new body had been chosen in a great hurry. In such cases, the cultivator and their new body were not always a good match and there would be a difference in aptitude. On top of that, the original soul of the new body would also fight against the new soul trying to take control of the body. All of this made it extra difficult for anybody to just take over a body without a plan. Gu Suihan and this body he was in seemed to be perfectly matched and Xiexin zhenren was only at Peak Origin Core, so as far as he could see, Gu Suihan had to be the former category. Im not up to anything. I just didnt want to suffer as a wandering cultivator and hoped to find a place to rely on for good resources, thats all, replied Gu Suihan calmly with a faint smile on his face. What else? Xiexin zhenren looked straight into Gu Suihans eyes and continued to ask. He was very sure that Gu Suihan had some scheme up his sleeve. That was what his intuition as a cultivator told him. What else? Gu Suihan looked a little bitter and his expression was a little bleak as he pointed his finger upward and did not speak anymore. I see. Xiexin zhenren looked less tense and his heart felt a little more at ease now. He thought that was all to Gu Suihans intentions. After all, it was true that wandering cultivators were actually more like the outliers of the world of cultivators. They were so happy to get their hands on any cultivation technique, even if it were incomplete. Spiritual Stones, pills, and herbs made them even happier. It was common for them to fight tooth and nail over such resources, no matter the amount available. More importantly, the furthest a wandering cultivator could go was Origin Core. The names of the people who could make it to the Upper World and the path upward was controlled entirely by the seven major sects. The Buddhists had found some other secretive way of getting to the Upper World but that was classified information as well. Wandering cultivators could never get their hands on this information. He concluded that Gu Suihan found out about something in his previous life and was, therefore, willing to sacrifice his entire life of cultivation to restart his journey, get into the Seven Kill Sect and decide what to do from there. My fellow cultivator, the things you know about might be a little different from reality since there are so many rumors floating around out there. Most of the sect members have heard a thing or two, but they do not know the full picture, said Xiexin zhenren with a smile after thinking about what to do. He decided to be honest with Gu Suihan. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only After all, in the past, the Seven Kill Sect would have gotten rid of someone like Gu Suihan. But now, they had a more urgent matter on hand and they needed Gu Suihan. Im not sure what youve heard, but there is a limit on how many can enter the Upper World each time. Being an internal disciple is not enough. Out of the seven major sects, the top 100 of the big three get to enter the Upper World, while the top 50 of the remaining four get to enter, making it a total of 500 people. You have to be the best of this world in order to enter the Upper World. He paused for a moment and took a sip of tea before continuing, Im not sure if youve heard about how the Ethereal Court has formed an alliance with several sects to fight the Seven Kill Sect, the War Demon Sect, and the Yin Principle Sect? They are prepared to wipe out the three sects in one go and take our vacancies. Theyre going to do that at the inter-sect competition thats happening in a few months? Gu Suihan raised a hand to cut Xiexin zhenren off. His expression was nasty and he looked like he wasnt willing to become part of this mess. Xiexin zhenren scoffed inwardly. This was not something Gu Suihan could decide for himself. But he maintained a gentle smile and said, But my fellow cultivator, you dont really have a choice. Youre already the center of the whirlpool, so how could you possibly get out of it? Chapter 86 Chapter 86 C Honest Conversation I could always quit the Seven Kill Sect, then wait until the fight between the sects is over and join the winning sect under a different identity. Gu Suihan looked mockingly at Xiexin zhenren. His words made it clear that he had never viewed himself as a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect, so he also did not intend to stick with this sect all the way either. Xiexin zhenren cursed inwardly. He knew this sort of logic that wandering cultivators had. These wandering cultivators would not work for nothing. In fact, he figured that Gu Suihan was already like this a long time ago. He believed that was why Gu Suihan had suddenly decided to lose in such a terrible fashion and back out of the internal disciple selection three years ago and run as far as he could from the sect. And what if the Seven Kill Sect ends up being the winner? There wont be anywhere in this world who will take you in then. And I dont think its so easy to find a body that has this much aptitude, right? said Xiexin zhenren calmly. Xiexin zhenren spoke in a flippant manner, but that was Gu Suihans biggest problem. It was true that finding a body of this caliber was extremely difficult. Gu Suihan had used his spiritual sense to scan more than a hundred households before finally finding this one. Therefore, if the Seven Kill Sect ended up becoming the winner, it was true that he wouldnt be able to sneak back into the sect. What are your plans? Gu Suihan paused to think for a moment before finally giving up on the idea of finding a second body to take over. There was only one reason for that. His soul was already in shambles, and it really couldnt take any more damage. Youve made the right decision, my fellow cultivator. Xiexin zhenren smiled faintly when he realized that he had managed to convince Gu Suihan. We plan to get three of the Peak Leaders to split their soul, plant one part into the body of a disciple who will be going for the competition, then wipe out all the disciples belonging to the Ethereal Court alliance inside the secret realm. That way, the alliance would not be left with enough people to fight us, and it will fall apart by itself, thereby ending our crisis. Split their souls? Gu Suihans eyes widened as he looked in shock at the unfazed Xiexin zhenren. Xiexin zhenren knew why Gu Suihan was so shocked. His reaction was honest as he sighed deeply and said, I dont suppose you know, but some of the Peak Leaders dont have much longer to live. The sect is in trouble now, and we owe our level of cultivation to the sect, so we ought to repay the sect and do our best for it. Its the natural cycle of things. We cant avoid it at all. Gu Suihan thought about what happened in the past and was suddenly enlightened. In other words, the last internal disciple selection was done so messily because you needed the disciples you wanted to get in? Xiexin zhenren looked at Gu Suihan with a conflicted look in his eye. Thats right. Thats exactly what happened. Ill be honest with you C you were one of my choices. But soul splitting comes with its own problems. It would certainly be a little too difficult to take control of your body forcibly. So, all of us had a discussion and decided to get through this crisis with your help instead. So, whos your current choice? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, but he wasnt angry about being initially selected for this purpose. Things had turned out to be quite different from his initial guess, but the ending was going to be the same. Whoever had to allow a split soul to take over their body would definitely end up suffering so badly that theyd rather die. Li Rong, said Xiexin zhenren with an indifferent smile. Gu Suihan scoffed quietly. That makes sense. It is indeed best to do this to someone related to you. He did not ask Xiexin zhenren superficial questions like why he had chosen to do such a thing and whether he felt guilty for doing this to his own son. Cultivators were selfish people, after all, and they had a very poor concept of emotions. It was too hard to decipher the Way and its rules if one were too emotional. Who are the rest? asked Gu Suihan curiously. Xiexin zhenren fell silent for a few moments, then said, Besides myself, theres Wan Fentian and Yun Lianyi, the Peak Leaders of Peak Two and Peak Three, respectively. The three of us will be doing this. How do you select who goes for the competition thats happening soon? Will the sect be holding another competition for that? Gu Suihan frowned and asked for more details about the upcoming competition. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Xiexin zhenren refilled his tea, then smiled sinisterly as he said, Not long after you left the sect for the mine, the oldest elder of Wonderful Sound Sect, Qingyin, passed away. And because that old hag died, the sect used it as an excuse to postpone the inter-sect competition that was supposed to happen. We thought that these other sects were going to swallow us up bit by bit. I didnt expect them to do it in such a big way. What do you mean? The older man snorted as if he had thought of something hilarious. His gaze was filled with disdain as he said, They decided that we should choose a hundred disciples from the Beginner, Mid, and Advanced Foundation Establishment stages to enter a secret realm at the same time. Inside there, they will be allowed to take any treasures they want and kill each other. The winner would be the one with the most number of survivors at the end of it, and those disciples will get to head to the Upper World. In other words, the competition this time will affect the power dynamics of the entire world of cultivation? That is correct, said Xiexin zhenren with a nod. Gu Suihan closed his eyes and thought about these things for a long time before finally saying, In that case, I need something to increase my capabilities. Xiexin zhenren looked like he was already expecting this. He glanced at Gu Suihans sword and asked, I see that you have already switched to sword cultivation, and this sword should be a spirit weapon too. I cant think of what else you might need. Even if I give you another spirit weapon or some other magic item, I dont think itll be of much use to you. Pills. I want pills that can heal injuries to the soul. You know very well why I want them. Gu Suihan tapped his fingers on the table and stared straight at Xiexin zhenren, determined to get those pills out of him. Xiexin zhenrens expression fell. If this hadnt happened, he would be willing to give Gu Suihan these pills. But now, the Peak Leaders undergoing the soul-splitting process would need to take large amounts of these pills in order to heal the damage done to their souls. By asking for these pills now, Gu Suihan was clearly insisting on getting some first if the sect wanted his help, so they had to give him the pills. Fine, Ill give you three bottles of soul healing pills. No more than that, said Xiexin zhenren in a low and steady voice even though he was seething inside. Before Gu Suihan could say anything, Xiexin zhenren waved his sleeve over the table, and three white jade bottles appeared. He then finished the rest of his tea and did not speak anymore, clearly giving the signal that the meeting was over and he was ready to see Gu Suihan out. I see. Thanks for the pills then, said Gu Suihan with a smug smile. He kept the pills away and flew off right away. He didnt want to stay either. His smile slowly faded as he flew out of Peak Four. He narrowed his eyes as he turned to look at the majestic mountain he had just left and scoffed inwardly. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only How could these people possibly think they could get him to do them a favor without offering him anything in return? The Peak Leaders had been too optimistic. These three bottles were only the beginning. Since he had agreed to become part of this, he was going to get as much as he could. As for that upcoming competition, he had other plans. Agreeing to help them in the way they wanted him to was just for show. To him, it didnt matter whether he was part of the Ethereal Courts alliance or on the Seven Kill Sects side. He would go wherever he felt would benefit him the most. Now that he had let Taohua go, he didnt have a maid to get things done for him, which annoyed him slightly. Even though he now carried an internal disciples token, he was too lazy to find a new place. He took his share of Spiritual Stones and other items from the Fortune Court before swiftly returning to the residence where he used to live. He put up the sign to indicate that he was going into seclusion, then walked into his meditation room. He was going to try getting the last part of the Geng Gold Sword Mantra cultivation technique. To his surprise, when he was about to start, he suddenly received a message via telepathy. The weapon spirit inside that broken knife was trying to contact him. Gu Suihan! What is this cultivation technique you made Liu Ming practice? Why is it so strange, and why did he turn out so differently from you? A demanding voice rang in his head, which made Gu Suihan frown immediately. He didnt even know what was going on with Liu Ming. He could sense the urgency in the weapon spirits voice, so he got up again and headed for where the weapon spirit was. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 C A Chance To Live Liu Ming had already become an East Compound disciple. The fact that someone of such poor caliber had made it all the way to this stage was the talk of the external disciples. Many of them were sure that he must have experienced a really amazing chance encounter of sorts. Everyone was trying to find out what it was or get something out of him. So many disciples tried to butter up to him. However, Liu Ming refused to see any of them. He shut himself up in his residence to cultivate and never went out. Nobody knew about the changes in Liu Mings body. As he advanced in the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach, the bloodthirstiness within him intensified. His previously innocent eyes looked a little reddish now. The two horns on his head could no longer be covered by his hair and were peeking out from beneath. His body had become even taller and broader, like a tower. The muscles on his body were extremely well-defined, and veins kept popping up on his neck and arms. He looked nothing like the frail and youthful man he once was. Whos that? Gu Suihan concealed himself and quietly stood in the corner of Liu Mings front yard and stared blankly at the man reading a book inside the house. Thats Liu Ming, said the weapon spirit a little exasperatedly. It had no idea how any of this happened at all. What did you do? asked Gu Suihan suddenly after observing Liu Ming very carefully. There was a frosty glint in his eyes now. Liu Ming seemed to sense something as he sat in the room. He suddenly turned and scanned the front yard carefully but found nothing. He laughed and shook his head at himself, thinking he had merely been too sensitive. The weapon spirit, on the other hand, could sense a threat in Gu Suihans voice. It shuddered and stuttered, N-no, II didnt do anything It started to feel fear inside because it realized that Gu Suihan was beginning to suspect something. Damn it, it thought, who in the world got this demon to return to the sect? Wasnt he trying to get away from some impending disaster or something? Why did he come back? Oh, I must have been mistaken. Gu Suihan seemed to have thought of something and suddenly withdrew the murderous aura he exuded just seconds ago. His tone of voice returned to normal again as he said, Theres nothing odd about this, really. He has a different rank of aptitude from me, so its not surprising that his body is unable to hold up against such a domineering cultivation technique. After his cultivation level increases, the changes in his body will slowly disappear too. Immediately after he said that Gu Suihan cut off his communication with the weapon spirit and flew out of Liu Mings residence. So, a weapon spirit has emotions too? What a tragic creature scoffed Gu Suihan to himself. He looked towards Liu Mings residence and was certain that the weapon spirit must have done something along the way to make Liu Mings appearance change like this. If Gu Suihan hadnt sensed that Liu Mings soul and spirit seemed normal, he would have thought the weapon spirit was trying to take over Liu Mings body. But it was also true that the weapon spirit had not told Gu Suihan the truth earlier. That proved that the weapon spirit had its own plans regarding Liu Ming. Either way, the weapon spirit had messed up Gu Suihans plans and the test he was conducting. This forced Gu Suihan to make the cruel decision to squeeze any value the weapon spirit had left, then wipe it out altogether. As he passed by Li Rongs residence, a mysterious smile crossed his lips as he flicked his fingers from beneath his sleeve and shot a jade slip into Li Rongs place. He turned to glance at where Liu Ming stayed, then smirked and left. The hustle and bustle of the sect quietened down after the sun had set. Nights in the sect were almost silent. Why are you looking for me? And why do we have to meet in the middle of the night? Li Rong appeared at a small pavilion where Gu Suihan was drinking leisurely by himself. Gu Suihan didnt answer him immediately. He looked intently at Li Rong for a while, then said rather sadly, Im here to send you on your way. Tsk. Li Rongs sullen expression turned into one of annoyance as he snorted and sat down to pour himself a cup of wine. Youre the first person I knew from the Seven Kill Sect after all, said Gu Suihan as he smacked his lips and gave Li Rong a faint smile even as Li Rong gulped down the wine unhappily. Since you already know everything, whats there left to say? Li Rong ignored Gu Suihans slightly saddened tone of voice and stared right into his eyes as he said hatefully, You know what the situation is like right now. Did you think there would be any way out of this? Even an ant has the will to live. I dont think you would just sit around and wait to die. The two of them continued speaking in such vague terms. If anyone else were to overhear them, they wouldnt have understood a single thing. Only they knew what each other was actually referring to. Li Rong raised an eyebrow when he heard Gu Suihans confident tone of voice and said, And what else can I do? Hes a Peak Leader, after all. If you give me the time, the Seven Kill Sect will be no more within the next hundred years. Would you believe me if I say that? Gu Suihan snorted. He had nothing but disdain for these supposedly high and mighty leaders of the sect, even though the Peak Leaders were at the Origin Core Stage and the Sect Leader was at the Nascent Change stage. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks I believe you, but that would have nothing to do with me, said Li Rong as he tried to remain calm. He wasnt wrong. Even if the sect disappeared entirely in the future, it would be none of Li Rongs business by then. I can help you to survive this. In fact, I can help you to do even more than that. Gu Suihan looked cryptically into the distance shrouded by the night sky. He was looking in the direction of where Peak Four was, the peak that Xiexin zhenren was the leader of. And what price do I have to pay? Li Rong knew there was no free lunch in the world. Even if there were, accepting it was definitely going to end up killing him. The Seven Kill Sect and its allies have to fail the upcoming inter-sect competition. Gu Suihan had a frightening glint in his eye that could send shivers down ones spine and shake ones soul with how murderous it was. Li Rong was a little scared now. He had no idea what Gu Suihan knew so far and what he intended to do. How would the fall of the Seven Kill Sect benefit either of them? Your father and other Peak Leaders intend to split their souls, and you have been chosen to be the vessel for your fathers partial soul. Gu Suihan laughed mysteriously. But the Ethereal Court and its allies are a force to be reckoned with too. They might not know exactly what the Seven Kill Sect intends to do, but they will definitely take precautions. In order to avoid detection, the partial souls will have to be stored within a magic weapon or some other item you and the other vessels will carry into the secret realm, then take over your bodies once you have successfully entered the secret realm. The other way would be to hide their partial souls inside your consciousness, then take over your bodies after entering the secret realm. In other words, either way, they can only take over our bodies after we enter the secret realm? How are you so sure that they will do it this way? Li Rongs eyes lit up as he realized that there was indeed a chance of surviving this ordeal. Thats right. As for why Im so sure, Gu Suihan laughed as a glimmer of disdain flashed in his eyes, its because every persons soul has its own unique frequency that matches the body it belongs to. Anyone who wipes out your consciousness and tries to take over a foreign physical body will go through a period of time where the soul and the body are not in harmony. Using this soul-splitting method had even worse results than taking over the body with a full soul, and it was much more dangerous too. Unfortunately, this was the best plan of action that the Peak Leaders could come up with, and in doing so, it gave Gu Suihan a chance to make a counterattack. That still doesnt assure me that Ill survive this, unlike what you said earlier, said Li Rong frankly as he looked straight at Gu Suihan. You will be able to survive. Trust me. Gu Suihan flashed his pearly whites as his narrowed eyes shone brightly. But he did not say elaborate or explain any of his plans in detail. I can only trust you now. What are you going to do? What do I need to do? Li Rong laughed bitterly and still looked rather depressed, but there was a slightly more hopeful look in his eyes now. Since youre the son of a Peak Leader, you would know who the best disciples of the other sects are. I need you to tell them what the Seven Kill Sect has planned for the upcoming competition. Gu Suihan ignored the horrified expression on Li Rongs face and continued, And to assure you that Im serious about this plan, Im going to give you a chance encounter. Sure. Li Rong looked very solemn as he considered Gu Suihans plan for just a few moments before nodding in agreement. He didnt have much of a choice anyway. If he didnt agree and went with his fathers plan, he would definitely die. But if he chose to go with Gu Suihans plan, he might survive after all. Now that the two of them had reached an agreement, the tension in the atmosphere earlier had eased. Li Rong didnt ask Gu Suihan what this chance encounter was, thinking that Gu Suihan was just teasing, referencing the reason that Li Rong had given him back then for getting close to him, which was that Xiexin zhenren had sensed that Li Rong would get a chance encounter outside the sect. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Do you know who Liu Ming is? said Gu Suihan, seemingly out of nowhere. Li Rong blinked in surprise and had no idea why Gu Suihan had mentioned this name, but his instinct told him that perhaps Gu Suihan wasnt actually kidding when he talked about giving him a chance encounter. Are you talking about that lucky young fellow who apparently stumbled upon an ancient cultivation technique? Li Rong clearly knew exactly who Gu Suihan was talking about and frowned as he described Liu Mings circumstances. How do you think he got this opportunity? Gu Suihan smirked in a contemptuous manner. You gave it to him? It suddenly hit Li Rong, and he stared in horror at Gu Suihan as he asked a second question, You did it on purpose? I was actually using him to test a particular cultivation technique, but due to some reasons, I have to give up this plan now. Gu Suihan got up and started walking towards Liu Mings residence. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 C The Price Of Helping The Hopeless MC The sect rules state that we cannot cause the death of another disciple; otherwise, the Disciplinary Court will lock you up in the Heavenly Fiends Tower, said Li Rong anxiously as he caught up with Gu Suihan. Not even Li Rong dared to break the sect rules. Id happily get locked up in there. That way, I wont have to be part of this complicated competition where everyone is trying to scheme against everyone else, said Gu Suihan with a laugh as he turned back to look at Li Rong. He sounded like he couldnt wait to make a trip to the legendary Heavenly Fiends Tower. Li Rong didnt know what to say to that. But after he remembered that Gu Suihan had been willing to give up the chance to become an internal disciple and hide far from the sect for a few years in order to avoid this same competition, it made sense. You intend for me to cultivate with that technique? Li Rongs head was filled with several questions. I intend to give you Liu Min. Gu Suihan looked up with a frosty glint in his eyes. You need a personal jiangshi, dont you? Ill give you one. Li Rongs eye twitched and looked a little conflicted now. He wasnt worried about whether Liu Ming was suitable to be a jiangshi or not since anybody that Gu Suihan had an eye on had to be extraordinary in his own way. The problem was that the rank of aptitude made a difference. Personal jiangshis needed the blood of their owners to become stronger, and the higher the rank of aptitude, the faster the jiangshi would become stronger. Liu Ming was famous for having a poor rank of aptitude, which was not what Li Rong wanted in his personal jiangshi at all. So now, he was really curious to find out what made Gu Suihan so confident that Liu Ming would make a good personal jiangshi for him. Gu Suihan and Li Rong sauntered into Liu Mings residence, which made Liu Ming wake up and leap out of bed instantly. He called out in a grave voice, Who are you? Someone whos here to kill you. Gu Suihans handsome features looked extremely sinister under the pale moonlight. Before Liu Ming could respond, Gu Suihan covered nearly 50 meters in an instant to appear behind Liu Ming. He flicked his fingers to send out tiny wisps of spiritual energy that ran down all of Liu Mings chakras. This energy dissipated any magic energy Liu Ming had within his body and broke all the joints in his four limbs. Liu Ming instantly collapsed onto the floor. You can take a good look. Gu Suihan put his hands behind his back again and told Li Rong to go ahead and inspect Liu Ming. Li Rong took a step forward and placed his palm gently on Liu Mings shoulder even as Liu Ming stared in horror at Li Rong. Shortly after Li Rong sent his spiritual energy through Liu Mings body to inspect it, he started frowning. Theres something wrong. Li Rong looked shocked. The information he was getting from his spiritual energy told him that there was a big problem with this person. Li Rong proceeded to retrieve a dagger from his storage ring and cut Liu Mings chest open, ignoring the deathly stare Liu Ming was giving him. Liu Mings skin was slit open, and blood spurted out. This scene was painted even eerier beneath the silvery moonlight. After turning the tip of the dagger a few times, Li Rong cut away a large section of Liu Mings flesh to reveal Liu Mings bones. Unlike what a normal human skeleton ought to look like, what Li Rong saw right now was practically a wall of ribs. Liu Ming had so many bones, and they were intertwined so tightly that there was no gap between them at all. Li Rong curiously stretched his fingers out to tap on the bones gently, making a tapping sound echo in the room. Hes not human? Li Rong turned to ask Gu Suihan with a shocked look on his face. Hes human alright, but the cultivation technique wasnt meant for humans. Gu Suihan smiled sinisterly as he stared indifferently at the panicky yet despairing Liu Ming lying on the floor. Liu Ming was not that stupid either. The short conversation and the actions of Li Rong and Gu Suihan answered all the questions he had over the past three years. The broken knife, the cultivation technique that had worked so well, that weapon spirit C none of it had happened by chance. Someone had planned for this to happen all along. For some reason, Liu Ming was reminded of how he had gone home a while back and threw the certificate of engagement in his fiances face. He had been so smug and arrogant, while she was filled with despair and regret. He had said in a dramatic fashion that a mans fortunes could change anytime, and she shouldnt have despised him back then for being poor or lacking. When he thought about these things now, it seemed like it had been nothing but a dream. And now, it was time to wake up from this dream. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks You can take this time to think about what you want to do with him. Im going inside to search for something, said Gu Suihan calmly to Li Rong, whose eyes had lit up greedily. He didnt wait for a response and turned to walk further into the house. Long time no see, said Gu Suihan in a mocking voice when he saw the broken knife lying on a table. What do you want? For some reason, the weapon spirits previously youthful and excitable voice had become old and jaded, a sign that life had been relatively peaceful in recent years. You should know that he wouldnt have turned out this way if you went according to my plan. Im not interested in who you were before you ended up in this knife, and youve gone against the rules I set for you, so your only fate is death, Gu Suihan pronounced judgment on the weapon spirit in a nonchalant voice. The weapon spirits voice became more agitated now as it yelled angrily, Werent you very curious about the secrets of this world? Havent you been trying to find out who I was all this time? Why Gu Suihan did not wait for it to finish speaking and snorted. Theres no why. If you dont want to tell me, Ive got plenty of other ways to find out. Here, Ill show you right now. A tiny whirlpool appeared in one of his palms. The center was pitch black, like a bottomless pit. Wisps of murderous Qi wafted out from the whirlpool and seemed to surround the broken knife as though they were actual threads, forcibly dragging the weapon spirit out of the knife even as it howled and wailed. A light gray object came out from the knife, and the rust on the knife slowly began to eat away at the pathetic remains of the sharp blade. What are you trying to do?! The weapon spirit struggled desperately as it tried to get out of the grasp of this whirlpool of Qi. It kept pushing against the Qi from the inside but failed to break through the tight net that Gu Suihan had woven. I dont only have a way to search the memories of humans. I know how to search the memories of other things like weapon spirits, said Gu Suihan without even flinching. He curled his fingers suddenly and caught the shrieking weapon spirit within his palm. He cut his index finger and squeezed one drop of blood out as he quietly chanted, Center of Heaven Soul Searching Technique. A bright light burst forth from the drop of blood on his finger and vibrated slightly as it fell onto the struggling weapon spirit. A blood-curdling scream filled the air. Thankfully, Gu Suihan had already covered the entire residence with a soundproofing formation. Otherwise, the entire East Compound was going to wake up at the rate the weapon spirit was screaming. Bam! A cloud of mist flew up from his palm to create a screen in the air that acted like a display monitor of sorts. Scenes from the past flashed by on the screen, replaying what happened like a silent movie. So, thats what happened. The smile on Gu Suihans face widened as he watched the mist screen. Liu Mings body had undergone some physical changes after he had mastered the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach, which made the weapon spirit both shocked and excited at the same time, so the weapon spirit found a cultivation technique meant for cultivators in the Way of Martial Arts in its memories and got Liu Ming to practice that too. Unfortunately, the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach technique was of a level that was much higher than the other technique, so the second technique was simply unable to get rid of the physical changes caused by the first. And after the two techniques were mixed together, Liu Ming ended up looking the way he was right now. The weapon spirit was a cultivator in the physical body arts from ancient times. He had reached the Nascent Stage or so and was extremely formidable during his time. Unfortunately, he fell to an enemys schemes and had no choice but to start all over again. Despite doing so, things did not go well for him, and he soon fell into obscurity. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only What this world used to look like in the weapon spirits day was also revealed to Gu Suihan. Demonic beasts that were as large as hills and mountains, cultivators who could spout philosophy all day, familiar commoner homes that were rundown and shabby C everything that the weapon spirit had been hiding all this time was no longer a secret to Gu Suihan. The scenes kept going and stopped only when they reached the part where Gu Suihan found the broken knife. The mist disappeared, and there were no more shrieks coming from Gu Suihans palm. The only thing left was the energy from the spirits soul, which was about the size of a babys fist. It was a faint gray color, and it rippled slightly as it rested quietly on Gu Suihans palm. Not bad. Gu Suihan was quite delighted with what he had and swallowed it in one mouthful. The pure soul energy was absorbed by his terribly damaged soul, slowly healing some of the numerous cracks on it. Suihans soul still looked like it was in bad shape, but it was much better now compared to where it had sat on the verge of collapse previously. He quickly seized this chance to swallow a few soul-nourishing pills in the hope of healing his soul further, but the effect was almost negligible. He could only see a difference after he had swallowed three bottles worth of pills. Ive just managed to repair it enough to reach Mid Origin Core. I still have a long, long way to go, thought Gu Suihan with a sigh after he stood up and inspected his soul. His expression slowly calmingdown again. Chapter 89 Published on Jul 25, 2022 ?10 min read?616 views Swallowing souls and wiping out the consciousness of other living creatures was also a quick way to heal severe injuries. Unfortunately, Gui Suihans level of cultivation was very low, and there were still some difficulties associated with handling low-level souls. The effects of which were so minimal it wasnt worth the effort. Thats why Gu Suihan had his eye on cultivators who were at least at Origin Core. Cultivators like Xiexin zhenren. Just as Gu Suihan was musing about idle things like this, Li Rongs somewhat exhausted voice resounded from outside the door, Lets go. After scanning the room and finding nothing else of interest, Gu Suihan calmly opened the door and looked at Li Rong, Done? Done, Li Rongs smile looked exhausted, but he also seemed to be very pleased with himself. Liu Ming was now standing, but his eyes were glazed over, and there was no emotion in them at all, like a pool of stagnant water. He wore a black cloak around himself and stood behind Li Rong as if he were in a daze. Youve turned him into a living corpse? Gu Suihan frowned after scanning Liu Ming with his spiritual sense. Arent you afraid hed fight back? This fellow has pretty strong willpower. Someone at his level? Li Rong scoffed without any change in his expression. He was confident that Liu Ming couldnt possibly do anything to him. Since Li Rong was so sure, Gu Suihan didnt say anymore. He stepped lightly on the ground, and the entire residence turned into nothing but a pile of rubble in an instant. It looked as though it had been left to rot for decades, and the entire place was in shambles. The craziest part was how the whole house had fallen apart without making a single sound. Did he do that to purposely strike terror in the hearts of others? thought Li Rong as he glanced at the rubble. His heart trembled when he looked at Gu Suihans calm expression from the corner of his eye. Several people had kept their eye on Liu Ming because he had advanced very quickly only recently. But regardless of why they were interested in Liu Ming, none of it mattered anymore. The next day, someone discovered the rubble that was once Liu Mings residence and was terribly shocked. The first thing they did was to report this to the Disciplinary Court. But the disciples from the Disciplinary Court merely looked around and did not seem interested in investigating what happened to Liu Ming. They didnt even ask about where the young man could have gone. Just like that, Liu Ming seemed to have vanished from the Seven Kill Sect without even raising any panic or commotion. Some of those who could guess what might have happened remained silent about it, while the Disciplinary Court often warned those who openly discussed this matter. After the higher-ups suppressed the mention of this incident for some time, talk of this matter died out, and everyone just buried it in their hearts. It was getting closer and closer to the day of the competition. At this juncture, the Seven Kill Sect gave the Wonderful Sound Sect a tight slap in the face. After Wan Xin and Linger had been confirmed to be who they said they were, Xiexin zhenren sent news to Qingrou zhenren of the Wonderful Sect, but nobody knew what agreement the two masters reached. The story going around the sect of how the two ladies ended up captured was not what really happened at that time either. The version everyone heard was that the Youthful Clarity Sect and the Wonderful Sound Sect had both sent disciples to kill disciples from the Seven Kill Sect, which was a really outrageous thing to do. Unfortunately, the Youthful Clarity disciples were no match for the Seven Kill disciples and ran for it because they were too afraid to fight. The Wonderful Sound disciples didnt run, but they were also no match for the Seven Kill disciples, so they were taken as prisoners. Its a poor attempt at driving a wedge between the two sects, but its a plan that creates trouble for our enemies without causing any damage to ourselves. After Li Rong told Gu Suihan about these things, Gu Suihan merely smiled faintly and did not explain what really happened. Thanks to this incident, a rift will quietly start forming between the Youthful Clarity and Wonderful Sound sects. Its a cheap shot, but it was bound to happen. Gu Suihan smirked before downing the light green wine in his cup. Li Rong nodded slightly, then changed the topic, The list of disciples going for the competition is out. The leaders of the three major factions are a part of it. I expected that, replied Gu Suihan. How did you know? Did Xiexin zhenren tell you? Li Rong didnt even bother addressing him as Father anymore. The two of them were on the verge of falling out now. If my guess is right, every single person who became an internal disciple over the past few years are all on that list. Gu Suihan chortled, The Seven Kill Sect had heard wind of some things several years ago, so they began making preparations since then. Why else did you think the sect would just allow a bunch of youngsters to set up factions like the Way Seekers Alliance and become so powerful within the sect? The Peak Leaders had quietly allowed these factions to form. The aim was to shortlist all the disciples that could become cannon fodder when the war actually came around. Hoho. Li Rong fell into deep thought and said, Im sure the faction leaders know whats going on. I just dont know what plans they have. Their plans are useless in the face of absolute power. Besides, I think youve forgotten that internal disciples have to leave their soul fire with the sect, said Gu Suihan. His expression turned frosty when he talked about the soul fire part. Xiexin zhenren was afraid that Gu Suihan would go back on his word, so he half-invited and half-threatened Gu Suihan into leaving his soul fire in the sect. On the surface, it was to keep tabs on Gu Suihan in case something bad happened to him. But of course, everyone knew the real reason why the sect wanted to keep tabs on him. Gu Suihan didnt want to do this, but he wasnt powerful enough to fight the higher-ups, so he complied. Are you saying that the sect is going to use the fact that they have our soul fire to threaten us into doing their bidding? Li Rongs expression instantly became murderous. Theres nothing surprising about that. Since theyve got our soul fire, they can do whatever they want to us. The icy glint in Gu Suihans eyes was like the stars in the night sky. Im sure you have a way to counter this. Otherwise, our plan isnt going to work. Li Rongs anxious heart calmed down a little when he noticed that Gu Suihan remained unfazed even in this situation. Gu Suihans lips curled upwards very slightly, but he didnt say anything and just looked up at the blue skies above. You do have a way, said Li Rong with a smile. He didnt worry about this matter anymore. It was nearly the end of the year. Snow fell heavily onto the Seven Kill Sect, and the wintry winds sliced through the snow-covered lands like knives. The main peak of the Seven Kill Sect was covered in a thick layer of snow, turning it into a winter wonderland. You Hantian sat expressionlessly in the clouds in front of the entrance to the sect and looked down at the 300 disciples that had been carefully selected. His expression was one of nonchalance, but many things were going through his mind. If they failed this time, the Seven Kill and War Demon sects would be forced to hide themselves in their ultimate safe place, which for them was the little world that Peak One had control over. They had to hide there to rest and recuperate for the next century. The Yin Principle Sect would definitely end up being obliterated. Even if they won, both sides would still suffer tremendous damage, and that would already be the best-case scenario. They could rest for a few decades, but they would still have to fight again after that. That was why the Peak Leaders had come up with this plan to secretly wipe out their opponents younger disciples and make sure it was impossible for them to stage a comeback. This time, I will personally bring all of you to where the competition will be held. Remember this: if you run into someone from the War Demon Sect or the Yin Principle Sect, you can form your own alliances to fight against the disciples from the Ethereal Courts alliance. Once inside the secret realm, the most important thing is to survive. All those valuable herbs and treasures are not important. After all, if youre dead, then theres no point in keeping these things. You Hantian looked down at the disciples; his voice resounded in their ears as loud and clear as the hourly gong, Those who survive this realm will get the chance to move to the Upper World. However, the total number of vacancies for all the sects is only 500. The other sect leaders and I will be watching the realm from outside, so we will only activate the exit once the number of survivors becomes 500. The disciples burst into an uproar after he said these things, What?! Thats as good as sending us to die! Thats why weve got to form our own alliances. Why dont we go in as a group? We can look out for one another that way. So, were like infantry on the frontlines. The first ones to die. How tragic. Theres nothing we can do about that. The sect holds so much power over us. The disciples were either murmuring among themselves quietly or were exclaiming and protesting loudly. Either way, most of them now had angry but helpless looks on their faces. They were angry that the Peak Leaders were basically sending them to their deaths. At the same time, they had no choice but to obey because the sect was keeping watch over their soul fire. If they disobeyed, the sect could snuff it out right now. Besides that, the various sects will come up with a list of items. Each disciple entering the secret realm will carry a jade token as proof of who you are. These tokens will come in different colors, one for each sect. Each token will be worth one portion of the items on the list, which will include a variety of high-grade rare herbs, pills, weapons and other similar treasures. You can exchange for as many items as you have jade tokens. This is a good chance for all of you, so make full use of it. These words caused another uproar among the disciples. The items on this list were the very things that they lacked the most, so providing these things made them feel better about this competition, and it also awakened the greed within each person. So, first a whip, then a candy, huh, murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he quietly stood by the side and watched everything with an indifferent look on his face. Chapter 90 Good luck! You Hantian looked down at the young faces below and smiled stiffly. He turned his back to them, and the sleeves of his robe, as well as his black hair, started flapping wildly even though there was no wind. He raised his hands to make a hand seal, and a beam of golden light shot into the majestic steep cliff below him. A muffled explosion resounded from below, and everything fell silent around them as if the air had frozen over. Everyone watched as a gigantic shadow slowly rose from below. Broken rocks flew in all directions along with all the snow on the cliff, shrouding everything in white instantly. Boom! Another low rumble echoed, and the ground started shaking. As the air seemed to press heavier and heavier down onto the people and rocks careened down from time to time, deep cracks appeared in the ground. Whatwhat is that? An internal disciple stared in horror at the shadow that was huge enough to cover half the sky. He trembled and moved several meters away. After the snow settled again, Gu Suihans eyes widened. A wariness rose in his heart as he stared at the huge creature before him. This was a zheng, a ferocious beast from ancient times! It looked like a red leopard with five tails and a horn sticking out from its head. Its back was covered in white fur, its four legs were thick and muscular, and the rest of its body was a dark gray color. Its roar resembled that of a rockfall, and it was at least 300 meters in length. Its eyes were a bloodthirsty red, its lips downturned, and the dust its feet kicked up was numerous enough to form clouds. This thing actually existed? Gu Suihan looked terribly shocked, and his heart actually trembled. According to what he knew, this beast had been completely wiped out by the Demonic Race a long time ago. He hadnt expected one to be still alive today, and this one looked like it was still a baby. Once it had become an adult, this beast would be able to cause floods and tsunamis by just exhaling. Its roar could be heard across thousands of miles. One step of its foot could shatter the Earth. If it sent out a lightning bolt with its horn, that could be a heavenly tribulation in itself. Somethings not right. Gu Suihans pupils constricted as he noticed the nearly 300-meter wingspan of the wings on the creatures back. This made more sense to him now. This creature has been cross-bred with something else. Its not a purebred zheng. A purebred zheng wouldnt have wings. Its like the Dragon Carp that Yun Lianyi was sitting on that day. That was also a creature that shared some genes with an ancient creature. But while the bloodline of the carp was almost completely diluted, this zhengs bloodline is still quite pure, and it has all the characteristics of a zheng. If not for those wings, I wouldnt have known that it wasnt purebred. Even though the zheng was considered one of the weaker creatures among all the beasts of ancient times, its still comparable to a cultivator at Nascent Change. The Seven Kill Sect must be hiding some other secrets; otherwise, it would be impossible for them to have domesticated a beast from ancient times. One possibility is the Demon Abyss I keep hearing about. There was a glimmer in Gu Suihans eyes, and he closed them slightly to hide the dull shine of excitement in his eye. He used his cultivation technique to calm down his slightly agitated emotions slowly. You Hantian patted the ferocious beast lying on the ground and talked to it in a gentle and kind manner, then turned to look at the shaken disciples behind him, All of you, get ready. The journey ahead is very long; thats why Ive made this beast come out. Get onto its back quickly and make sure you hang on. Everyone couldnt help but gulp nervously as their lips twitched. They felt fearful as they glanced a little anxiously at the beast that was staring back at them with that murderous look in its eye. Lets go. Gu Suihan calmly looked at Li Rong and smiled indifferently. He flew so swiftly that he looked like nothing but a blur, landing on the beasts back, and making sure he was in a stable position. ROARR! The beast let out a roar that sounded like the sound of huge rocks crashing into one another. The beast turned around and glared angrily at Gu Suihan, who stood on its back with a nonchalant look on his face. Electrical sparkles crackled around the beasts single horn, and it looked as though it was ready to smite this lowly human if he angered it. Be quiet! You Hantian raised his voice and brought his palm down on the beasts gigantic head as if he were angry about how uncooperative the zheng was behaving. The zheng whimpered in response as though it were trying to gain You Hantians favor. It stopped exuding that murderous and violent aura it had earlier and started nuzzling You Hantian like a puppy with an aggrieved look in its eyes. The rest had nearly collapsed in fright when they saw what happened earlier. The murderous aura that the beast exuded had made their bodies feel cold all over, and they really thought that Gu Suihan was going to die. To their surprise, Gu Suihan had remained completely unfazed and even had a look of slight disdain, as if he was telling it, You think you can kill me? You might look and sound impressive, but youre still a beast for humans to ride at the end of the day. Of course, this little smile was only picked up by the few who had been keeping their eye on Gu Suihan all this time. The remaining disciples pulled themselves together and flew toward the frightening beast even though their faces were pale, and they felt more like they were headed for a slaughterhouse. The beasts bright red tongue with thorns on it licked its lips and opened its mouth to yawn. This, unfortunately, terrified the young lady that was flying toward it. Her face paled, and she started crying. Its alright, Xiner, senior sister is here, dont worry. A voluptuous woman who walked with light footsteps and an elegant and classy air around her was right next to Xiner. She quickly pulled the younger girl into her arms and consoled her in a soft voice as she glanced furtively at the beast that didnt seem to know what it had done. Even so, Xiner still gripped her seniors arm tightly and shut her eyes, afraid to look at the beast. She was still trembling even after getting onto the back of the beast. Lets go. You Hantian looked at all the juniors behind him, then sat down on the zhengs humongous head. He patted its head, gave the command, and spoke no more. Not bad; its actually able to fly in the midst of fiendish Qi. Looks like being of mixed heritage doesnt disadvantage it altogether after all, murmured Gu Suihan quietly to himself as he looked down at the fluffy clouds. You know what beast this is? The Sect Leader and the rest have apparently asked a lot of people, but nobody knows what animal this is. They can only confirm that it has the genes of a creature from ancient times. Li Rong huddled over curiously. Its a zheng, said Gu Suihan simply as he glanced at Li Rong. A zheng? Li Rong repeated what he heard. He had never heard of this animal before. But after he saw that Gu Suihan had closed his eyes and didnt want to talk, he decided against asking further questions. We will need to fly for around three months or so. You can take this chance to understand how to use fiendish Qi and murderous Qi, You Hantian suddenly said to the disciples. The previously bored disciples immediately sat up and looked serious again because they knew that it was important to heed the Sect Leaders advice in such matters. The Origin Core stage had two major advantages over the Foundation Establishment stage. Firstly, it was the matter of turning your aura or your authoritativeness into an actual force that could cover its surroundings, becoming an area where it was advantageous to yourself, but it disadvantaged your enemies. Of course, this wasnt a properly defined area. You had to be at the Divine Soul stage in order to set the rules of a particular spacetime and turn it into a world within your own palm. The second was having fiendish Qi. Fiendish Qi was like improved murderous Qi since it pushed all the characteristics of murderous Qi to its limits. Fiendish Qi could harm both your enemies and yourself, so you had to gather it into your core in order to reduce the influence that fiendish Qi had on your consciousness and soul, using it to fight your enemies instead. Of course, Gu Suihan already knew all of this and had made use of it. Otherwise, there was no way he could unleash true pressure on others and hold up against the aura from cultivators at Origin Core. The violent Qi he had unleashed before was only one percent of what he was capable of. If he had unleashed it fully, Gui Suihans own physical body and severely injured soul would not be able to withstand the corrosive power of this Qi; as a bonus, every human within the next 10,000 miles would have turned into a ghost, and no grass would be able to grow in this area for the next thousand years. It would have turned this place into barren land. And so, while the few hundred other disciples were cultivating and trying to comprehend the fiendish Qi, Gu Suihan was the only one who still had a bored look on his face, even putting up a table so that he could have a drink by himself. Everyone else looked at him enviously, including the leaders of the three factions. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 C Extortion Time passed by slowly, and before long, everyone had spent more than a month on the back of the zheng. Cultivation took a very long time, so a month was merely the blink of an eye to them. The disciples who had been chosen for this inter-sect competition were the cream of the crop, so after You Hantian gave them hints from time to time, they slowly began to understand fiendish Qi. This way, they would save themselves time and energy when they were ready to move onto Origin Core. Gu Suihan remained among them, but he did not ask any questions at all and didnt bother being patient enough to enlighten himself any further. Besides cultivating, all he did all day was drink tea, and he even pulled out some food he had bought from local restaurants and enjoyed it by himself. Out of all the disciples, only Li Rong was shameless enough to try and get some free food from Gu Suihan. The rest only glared at Gu Suihan hatefully. The fragrance of the food that Gu Suihan enjoyed made them eat their dry rations even more angrily. But would they ask Gu Suihan for food? No way. They were supposed to be geniuses who only cared for cultivation, so there was no way they were going to put their pride aside and ask Gu Suihan to give them some food. Moreover, even if someone were willing to put their pride aside, Gu Suihan might not let them eat any of his food either. The world never lacked people who thought too highly of themselves. For example, this fellow. Hey, you! Hand over that magic storage bag of yours, and I, Zhou Wenxiang, will look out for you during the competition. Otherwise, too bad! A man with beady eyes and thin lips finally couldnt stand it anymore. He plonked himself down across from Gu Suihan and slammed a palm on the table, causing all the food on it to fly in all directions. Youre at Advanced Foundation Establishment, but your foundation in this stage is not stable, and youve consumed way too many pills. You dont have any chance of reaching Origin Core, and youre just going to die at the inter-sect competition. Gu Suihan raised his hand and used his spiritual energy to stop any of the food from landing on him. Then he used his spiritual sense to scan the man in front of him without bothering to ask for permission and not even bothering to mince his words. You must be tired of living! Zhou Wenxiang was furious because Gu Suihan had pointed out his weaknesses. He glared at Gu Suihan murderously and seemed ready to kill Gu Suihan whenever. You dare to try and kill me? Gu Suihan glanced quietly at You Hantian, who was seated not too far away with his eyes closed and curled his lips into a disdainful smile. Zhou Wenxiang noticed that You Hantian did not react, which delighted him and made his murderous intent even more apparent. Nine three-inch daggers appeared in his hands. The sounds of babies crying seemed to be coming from the blades, and a faint black mist was swirling around the sharp side of the blade, sparkling from time to time. Heavenly Fiend Mother of Nine. The surprised look in Gu Suihans eye only lasted a second before it faded. This weapon was extremely fatal, and the bad karma it produced was even worse than killing people normally. Also, you needed the lives of a woman whose eight characters were all Yin and her nine children. After refining their hun and removing their po, you needed to quench everything for the next 49 days for this to work. Once successful, you would have full control over all the mothers and their children, and they could make a weapon move as nimbly as a shadow and as quickly as a shooting star. The top of the blades were covered in the Heavenly Fiend Yin poison, which was something that could scorch a persons spirit beyond hope. Thats right! Id advise you to Get lost. Before Zhou Wenxiang could finish his sentence, Gu Suihan calmly spat these two words at the other man, and Questioning Heaven flew out from its sheath. The cold gleam of the sword was as terrifying as a jiaolong emerging from the sea. It drew a faint reddish line in the air before heading straight for the space in between Zhou Wenxiangs eyes. You wouldnt dare to attack me, Im sure! Zhou Wenxiang shouted in horror. The blades in his hands turned into nine beams of light that flew in a circle in the air as they clanged loudly against the sword coming towards his face. I not only dare to attack you. I dare to kill you too. Gu Suihans face remained expressionless, and there was a hardened look on his lips. His hand moved the sword nimbly through the air, allowing murderous Qi to surge out and howl loudly as it blocked the attack of the oncoming blades by deflecting them. As Zhou Wenxiang stumbled backward, he took the chance to bring the sword down. Clang! The sharp blade of Questioning Heaven came down accurately on the seemingly ordinary-looking black bangle around Zhou Wenxiangs wrist. AH! Zhou Wenxiangs eyes bulged angrily as he watched the spiritual weapon he had spent so much time and effort on cultivating suffer damage after clashing with Gu Suihans sword. A thick cloud of vengeful and hateful spirits flew out rapidly from the hole in the bangle. Their shrill howls and screeching gripped ones heart like they were sharp claws and struck terror in the hearts of anyone who heard them. Cultivators are supposed to comprehend the heart of the heavens, but youve killed the innocent for the sake of cultivating your weapon. How wicked! If the elders in the sect see that you have gone down a wicked path like that, they will get rid of you as well. You cannot remain alive. Gu Suihan spoke as though he were an upright man as he stood proudly, his long sword by his side and his robes flapping without the help of wind, as he glared angrily at the other man with his narrow eyes. If anyone who didnt know better were here, they would have started cheering, thinking that Gu Suihan was a righteous young gentleman. Of course, that is if you ignored that long sword overflowing with murderous Qi in his hand. I cant believe he had the gall to utter such words, thought Li Rong as his mouth fell open after hearing Gu Suihans utterly shameless words. The three faction leaders felt the same way. They exchanged glances and said quietly in unison, How shameless! The other disciples also looked at Gu Suihan with contempt. The sword in his hand clearly emanated way more violent Qi compared to Zhou Wenxiangs nine blades put together. How could Gu Suihan even accuse someone else of being wicked? But none of their accusatory and judgmental stares could make Gu Suihans expression flinch. He continued to stand out prominently like a white lotus flower among the large green leaves in the pond. His expression remained one of righteous anger. Even You Hantian opened his eyes slightly and raised an eyebrow at Gu Suihan when he heard those words. He didnt know what to say either. Now that Gu Suihan had made Zhou Wenxiang an evil that had to be rooted out, You Hantian couldnt interfere anymore. As Gu Suihan put it, Zhou Wenxiang had done something wicked behind the sects back, and Gu Suihan was now killing him on behalf of the sect. If You Hantian stepped in now, then that would make it seem like he did know about these evil deeds and deliberately let it go. Youre really asking for it now! Zhou Wenxiangs eyes were practically spewing fire now. His bangle rang noisily, and the nine blades flew from different directions back toward Gu Suihan as if they had heard a command to do so. Zhou Wenxiangs other hand suddenly became turned entirely black and gleamed like it was a black piece of metal as he stretched it toward Questioning Heaven. Oho, so you think youre Lu Xiaofeng? I cant believe youre using the Lingxi Finger[^note1], snorted Gu Suihan, saying things that his opponent couldnt understand at all. His sword suddenly switched directions and moved parallel to Zhou Wenxiangs chest. Nine Children Wind, Transform Into Shapeless Shadows! shouted Zhou Wenxiang loudly as he flicked his fingers against Gu Suihans sword, turned to dodge the blade, and made another hand seal. The flying blades that had turned into shapeless shadows suddenly stopped to switch directions, howling as they hurtled toward Gu Suihans vital body parts. Glow of the Sword, Protection from the Swords Spirit! After Gu Suihan let out that shout, a blinding golden glow surrounded his body as if he were a deity descending upon the Earth. The glow of his sword swirled around him and protected him from external attacks, making him seem like a hedgehog. Sword Qi Fills the Air! His sword Qi left his body and deflected all the blades coming his way. It then turned into a wave of sword Qi that surged toward Zhou Wenxiang instead. How dare you! Zhou Wenxiang felt all his hair stand on end as a shiver went down his spine. His eyes bulged as he saw the wave of sword Qi before him. He wanted to dodge the attack, but he could feel Gu Suihans sword encircling him like a venomous snake. If he dodged the sword Qi, he would become severely injured. If he didnt, hed die. Zhou Wenxiang chose the former and got ready to at least stay alive even after getting stabbed by Gu Suihans sword. At that exact moment, there was a flicker in You Hantians eyes as he disappeared in an instant. At the same time, Gu Suihans attack was completely neutralized. You Hantian had decided to interfere in the end. He didnt care if Zhou Wenxiang died at the hands of a disciple belonging to a different sect, but he didnt want his own sects disciples to kill each other before the inter-sect competition even started. Thats quite enough. You Hantian glanced at the two younger men. His expression remained calm, but the authoritativeness in his eyes did not allow for dissent. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow but stopped his attacks. His sword returned to its sheath, and he retracted his murderous aura. Zhou Wenxiang felt assured after the sect leader had intervened and glared fiercely at Gu Suihan, his threatening gaze as sharp as his blades. He turned to leave when Gu Suihan snorted and said, You going to leave just like that? What more do you want? Zhou Wenxiang could feel Gu Suihans unfeeling eyes staring at his back, and it sent shivers down his spine, so he couldnt help but turn around. These things cost me quite a number of Spiritual Stones, you know? Gu Suihan looked at him with disdain and pointed at the food that was all over the floor. Tsk! Those are food cooked by ordinary folks, so even one Spiritual Stone would be more than enough to pay for it all. If you want that, you can have one! Zhou Wenxiang was furious as he threw a Spiritual Stone at Gu Suihan. This is the meat of a ferocious beast from ancient times, and the wine is the legendary Spirit Cleansing Soul Nourishing Wine, while the bowl and chopsticks are made from 10,000-year-old ice jade, so everything costs at least 100,000 Spiritual Stones. You think Im just going to let you walk away? Gu Suihan didnt even look at the one Spiritual Stone that had landed on the floor and took a step forward to block Zhou Wenxiangs way. Questioning Heaven moved half an inch out of its sheath, and tensions between the two men ran high again. Thatsyoure spouting nonsense! Zhou Wenxiangs face was red from anger, and his eyes bulged as he glared furiously at Gu Suihan. Its utter nonsense, alright, thought Gu Suihan. But he merely curled his lips into a disdainful smile and glanced casually at You Hantian. You Hantian knew what Gu Suihan meant by that and started seething inside. If he didnt need Gu Suihan for the upcoming competition, he would have crushed the boy by now. But in the end, You Hantian gave Zhou Wenxiang a knowing glance, which made Zhou Wenxiang give in. This is all I have, said Zhou Wenxiang almost inaudibly with his head bowed. He was burning with fury, and his lips nearly bled from how hard he was biting them. He then threw an entire magic storage bag at Gu Suihan. 3,000 Spiritual Stones? Thats too little, said Gu Suihan as he scanned the bag with his spiritual sense but accepted it and didnt bother Zhou Wenxiang any further. He gathered all the food and wine on the floor and threw them off the back of the zheng. Zhou Wenxiang clenched his fists tightly, and one could even hear the sound of his veins popping on the back of his hand. A few seconds later, he looked up to glare venomously at Gu Suihan, then walked back into the crowd without even turning back. **The Clackers Uncle Snack Drawer** _Todays snack recommendation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyoniku_soseji This is a strange little snack that has a somewhat acquired taste. I honestly dont know why the manufacturers never improve the packaging (its really not the best, the perforation doesnt always work out and the fish sticks to the wrapper or cuts the meat its always so weird), but I like it anyway. Umami: **_ [^note1]: Lu Xiaofeng/Lingxi Finger A fictional character in the wuxia series by Gu Long about a martial artist who usually uses his bare hands to fight, and one of his well-known skills is the Lingxi Finger, which allows him to catch anything, including swords, between his two fingers. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 C Flying Ship Somebody must have put him up to it, and that person isnt very smart either, thought Gu Suihan as he quickly scanned all the disciples who were watching earlier as he sat back down again. His gaze eventually landed on a senior member of the sect who was chaperoning the disciples. That senior was none other than Disciplinarian Zhang. He was staring frostily at Gu Suihan now. Gu Suihan chuckled when he saw Disciplinarian Zhangs expression. He slowly opened his mouth and then spat on the floor. Disciplinarian Zhang narrowed his eyes immediately to hide the almost attention-catching murderous intent shooting out from his eyes. He didnt dare to show it openly because if You Hantian discovered it, he would definitely be punished. The Seven Kill Sects situation was not looking up, so if he stirred up more trouble at this point, an old man at Origin Core like himself would really be unable to bear the consequences of punishment from the sect leader. Even though he had hidden his murderous intent well, Gu Suihan was still able to detect it very faintly. After all, compared to Gu Suihans almost realistic murderous Qi, this little murderous intent of his wasnt even worth mentioning. Gu Suihan was sure that this competition wasnt going to finish in just one or two months. If the plan worked, he would face the combined attack of the Seven Kill, War Demon and Yin Principle sects after getting out of the secret realm. Even reaching Origin Core wasnt going to save him from that. After the fight earlier had ended, the disciples went back to whatever they were doing. Compared to watching petty fights between disciples, they were more concerned with whether they could comprehend anything useful to their cultivation on their journey to the competition. The last time Gu Suihan went with Xi Ran and the others to the place that an ancient cultivator supposedly left behind, he came back with a Three Lives Spirit Recovering flower. He had turned it into more than ten pills, but these pills were pretty much ordinary ones since his method of processing the flower was only able to bring out a maximum of 70% of the plants effect. Even so, taking those pills along with the three bottles of soul-nourishing pills that he got from Xiexin zhenren, the pure soul of the broken knifes weapon spirit, as well as the past few years of undisturbed cultivation, Suihans soul had finally managed to stop itself from falling apart and was slowly getting better. That was what Gu Suihan counted on to survive this world, and he couldnt afford anything bad to happen to his soul. At the same time, it was only because his soul was starting to heal that he could promise to help Li Rong destroy the portion of Xiexin zhenrens soul that was supposed to take hold of Li Rongs body. Once you set foot into the secret realm, crush the jade pendant I gave you. The partial soul of your father will be kept under control for the time being. I will leave a bit of my spiritual sense with you, use that to look for me within the next three days, and your problem will disappear, Gu Suihan said to Li Rong via telepathy. He saw that Li Rong was about to reply, so he narrowed his eyes and sent another message, Dont respond to me, You Hantian will detect it. Your telepathy skills are too ordinary to escape his eye. Li Rongs expression flinched slightly as he opened his mouth but did not say anything. He then closed his eyes again and continued with his cultivation. Gu Suihan had nothing to do, so he started observing the huge creature he was on closely with a mildly curious look in his eyes. This thing had disappeared without a trace when he was on Earth and had not reached Origin Core. When the world modernized, not only did such wild beasts disappear, but even the Demonic Race was wiped out completely. In those days, he had no choice but to swallow other souls in order to cultivate. If he didnt do that, he would have died by now. He didnt want to die, so it was better just to let everyone else die. Mythical beasts, the Demonic Race and the Upper World. Many characteristics of this world were familiar to him. Gu Suihan stared into the distance, his eyes shining like the stars in the galaxy. There was an old joke about how plants and animals were only disallowed to become higher beings after the Republic had been established [^note1], but that was actually applicable to the real world too. In fact, it wasnt only applicable to plants, animals or even the Demonic Race that required large amounts of Qi. Even cultivators like himself had gone down in numbers. The number of people with Spiritual Roots had decreased, and the amount of Qi and the number of heavenly abodes slowly disappeared. It was truly the end time for this group. It was not an apocalypse for ordinary people but for cultivators, demons and other creatures that had supernatural powers. All of them were forced to give up cultivation because there wasnt any more Qi in the air for them to absorb. When he thought about everything he had done on Earth, Gu Suihan could not help but shudder inwardly. He had spent centuries destroying millions of living creatures just to understand what his mentor back then had shouted just before he perished. Unfortunately, for the sake of staying alive, he had to give up everything and start over. When he thought about that mysterious whirlpool that seemed to contain many incredible secrets as well as the appearance of that dim and unfathomable will, his expression became bitter. If getting to the Immortal stage wasnt enough, he was going to cultivate until he got even higher than that. He didnt think that the supposed will of heaven could be lumped together with the will of the historical flood. Im just barely surviving. Even though I dont know if youre purposely hiding in the shadows or if youve been pushed into a corner, youre no longer the same as you used to be. Otherwise, I wouldnt have gotten a chance to escape, thought Gu Suihan as an indescribable murderous look filled his eyes. You Hantian suddenly opened his eyes and stared at the land below as though he had suddenly thought of something. He patted the head of the zheng and turned to say to the disciples behind him, Were right above the capital city of Fenglin, so well land there for a while to rest. Fenglin. Gu Suihan could not help but think of Nan Yuntian, as well as his daughter, Nan Xingyuan, who died at his hands. He was now at Mid Foundation Establishment, but Nan Yuntian was someone who could fight a Beginner Origin Core cultivator like Disciplinarian Zhang back then. In terms of cultivation level, trump cards and influence, Gu Suihan lost in every aspect. But there was one thing that Gu Suihan was confident in C he could always just run for it. Why should he fight Nan Yuntian head-on? So, Gu Suihan only thought about this matter for a short while and quickly focused on whether he could benefit from the country of Fenglin instead. After You Hantian made that announcement, the beast let out a long howl. Its bright and ear-deafening roar could be heard within a few hundred miles, which caused many animals to flee instantly. Several ordinary people within the capital city instantly looked into the sky in shock. After they noticed that ferocious and murderous-looking beast that spanned at least 300 meters in length, their mouths fell open before they started screaming and running in a panic. You Hantian! What are you trying to do? a firm and angry shout came from deep within the majestic and opulent palace just as the zheng flew above the capital city and frightened everyone who saw it. The shout was so powerful that all the disciples at Foundation Establishment paled. Their gazes were frantic and terrified. Quieten your hearts! Calm your spirits! You Hantians steady and calm voice instantly snapped all of them out of their fears. When they thought about how that angry shout had made them so afraid, they quickly started using their cultivation technique to do exactly what their sect leader had instructed them to. Old geezer! I heard that the cultivators in the Way of Martial Arts are sending some people to the inter-sect competition too, said You Hantian in a loud voice as he flew off the zheng and landed in front of the palace gates. What plans are you hatching? The person who shouted earlier had calmed down again. He was very pleased with the effect his shout had on You Hantians disciples earlier. Nothing, really. I just heard that you have a really huge flying ship that goes very fast and has plenty of space. You dont have that many people, and itll be such a waste of all that space. Why dont we all travel together? You Hantian snickered, and his eyes suddenly lit up as he looked around him, as if he were curious as to where this rumoured flying ship was hidden. Humph! Dream on! This beast of yours was just asserting its authority over my territory! Why dont you just take it all the way to the competition? The voice from the palace suddenly grew louder and higher in pitch. He was getting angry now. You Hantian chuckled and said in a threatening voice, I heard that the seventh prince is doing pretty well in the Youthful Clarity Sect. I was wondering if I ought to put up a Blacklist Mission. Youre asking for it! His voice was like the roar of a dragon as it echoed through the skies and shook everything within a ten-mile radius. Immediately after he spoke, a domineering figure suddenly emerged from the depths of the palace and appeared before You Hantian less than a second later. Am I? Either way, youre definitely not someone who can kill me, said You Hantian with a disdainful tone of voice and a smirk on his face. The other party had a squarish face and a large nose. He looked fairly advanced in age, but his eyes were bright and alert. He wore a dark yellow robe and exuded an authoritative aura even when he wasnt angry. When he heard You Hantians veiled threat, he immediately flew into a rage. But after pausing to think for a long time, he suddenly piped up, Fine; well go with what you say. But it will cost each person 100 Spiritual Stones. Sure. You Hantian motioned to his disciples to get off the zheng and said to them, 100 Spiritual Stones each, pay for it yourselves. If you dont want to, then you can walk to the destination on your own. If you do that, make sure you arent late; otherwise, youll be punished according to the sects disciplinary policy. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 C Meeting Nan Yuntian Again The Seven Kill Sect disciples clearly didnt really have a choice as to whether they should pay a hundred Spiritual Stones to take the palaces flying ship to their destination or not. Still, they were also fairly interested in this legendary flying ship themselves. After they paid up, they walked further into the palace in an orderly fashion. Along the way, young maids and eunuchs accompanying their masters would steal glances at them because they were fairly curious about these sect disciples that they had heard about so often. The monarchy hired some wandering cultivators, but you couldnt possibly compare those backward and uncouth people to the disciples carefully groomed and trained by a real sect. The difference was as great as the difference between the heavens and the earth. The disciples were already used to commoners staring at them this way. They subconsciously looked down on these people, and their sense of superiority was clearly apparent in their gaze, making others dislike them. To cultivators, ordinary folk were mere ants meant for them to kill and abuse as they liked. Even though they were walking through the palace of Fenglin and the residents of this place could not be considered truly ordinary folk, the cultivators still did not see them as equals. Gu Suihan walked right at the back of the group and looked around at the majestic palace. The architecture was not the most elegant and looked more imposing and domineering than pretty. He sneered unnoticeably, and there was a tinge of disdain in his eyes. To him, this half-assed sort of cultivation in the Way of Martial Arts was pointless. Nothing would come out of it, yet they were wasting all these resources. It was better just to remain an ordinary person and leave their life and death to fate. Gu Suihan! While everyone was still observing their surroundings, a shout came from one side of the palace, echoing loudly in the vast space and disturbing the peace. Nan Yuntian? thought Gu Suihan in dismay when he turned to where the voice had come from and raised an eyebrow. He couldnt believe how unlucky he was to run into a man with a deep grudge against him right here. Nan Yuntians expression was sullen, and his eyes seemed to spew fire. His jaw was so tense that it seemed a little contorted, and his grating voice sounded like a demon from hell. How dare you leave the Seven Kill Sect grounds! To be honest, said Gu Suihan a little embarrassedly as he rubbed his nose, Ive left the sect grounds several times already. You just never noticed. Why, you! Youre such an insolent and foul-mouthed young fellow! Not slaughtering you on the spot that day is the greatest mistake of my life! Im going to make sure you die today! Nan Yuntians teeth chattered, and the veins on his neck throbbed angrily. Gu Suihan burst out laughing and pointed at the place around him. He raised his chin arrogantly and sneered, Are you out of your mind? Do you dare to kill me in such a place? I highly doubt you can kill me, but even if you could, Im pretty sure your entire clan will become cannon fodder for the Seven Kill Sect to vent their anger on. Nan Yuntian snapped out of his fury upon hearing what Gu Suihan said and scanned the cultivation levels of all the young men and women in front of him. He got a terrible shock. Wasnt the inter-sect competition only open to internal disciples? Why was Gu Suihan here? Could it be?! Nan Yuntian stared at Gu Suihan in utter disbelief. Youre such an intelligent man, Castellan Nan. Gu Suihan seemed to have understood why Nan Yuntian looked so shocked, so he smirked and slowly removed his internal disciple jade token from his belt to wave it in Nan Yuntians face. His behaviour made everyone who knew how Gu Suihan became an internal disciple nearly smack their foreheads. Gu Suihan had been so unwilling to become an internal disciple that he ran away for three years, yet he was now behaving as though he was proud to be one. I wont let you get away with this, hissed Nan Yuntian hatefully after nearly boring a hole into Gu Suihans face. He marched out of the palace without even turning back. Gosh, you have enemies everywhere, remarked Li Rong. Running into such things is inevitable on the journey of cultivation. After getting rid of the younger ones, the older ones came after me. When it comes to such people, either you surrender completely, or you wipe them out completely, said Gu Suihan with a laugh, as though he wasnt bothered at all. But there was a glint in his eye like there was something up his sleeve. Li Rong noticed that glint in Gu Suihans eye, and he couldnt help but feel a little scared. He knew that Gu Suihan was thinking about how he was going to involve these cultivators in the Way of Martial Arts in their plan. After this incident, everyone not only kept their distance from Gu Suihan since they didnt want to be implicated for anything, but they would also glance warily at him from time to time. They did not bother hiding the distrust they had of him. But Gu Suihan was perfectly fine with that. He now had the reputation of being the troublemaker and attracted all the negative attention while Li Rong did what was necessary in secret. That helped to ensure that their plan was not exposed too early on. Eventually, the group was told that they would stay here to rest for a month before setting off again. After collecting more Spiritual Stones from the disciples, they were given a place to stay for the month. You Hantian had disappeared with the zheng long ago, probably to attend to other matters. The disciples had spent a long time flying, and it had also been a long time since they stepped out of the sect grounds, so after taking a rest, they started gathering in small groups and got ready to head out to have fun in the city. It didnt take long for the area to become quiet again. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with Gu Suihan, so he could have a small area to himself and didnt need to share the room with anybody else. He was cautious as he checked to make sure that everyone else had left before proceeding to set up several formations around his room. He then carefully took a round ball and small bottle out from his storage ring. The round ball was translucent and was only about the size of his fist. A light grey soul was floating about inside the ball, and a youthful face filled with hatred could be seen from time to time. The small bottle was filled with only enough blood to cover a fingernail, and it had already turned black and was all dried up. This soul belonged to the one who died at his hands back then, Nan Xingyuan. Gu Suihan was going to use Nan Xingyuans soul and blood as a medium to lay a curse on the living members of Nan Yuntians clan. In order to prevent them from finding a way to undo this curse easily, Gu Suihan decided on using a lesser-known curse C the Blood Failing and Soul Draining 100 Day technique. This technique cursed both the physical body and the persons hun and po. As long as you were related by blood to any victim, you would eventually suffer from the curse as well. The only issue with this technique was that it took a long time for anything to happen. It would take a full hundred days for any effects to be seen. The good part was that this was a failsafe method. As long as one successfully cursed one person, the entire clan would definitely be wiped out. It was a pretty extreme and cruel method. The blood of a descendant shall connect their souls, and her spirit shall cost them their lives. Gu Suihan was very focused as he took Nan Xingyuans soul out of the ball, holding her howling and wailing soul with one hand while using his other hand to scrape a little bit of blood from the bottle gently. As he shifted his Qi around, Nan Xingyuans soul was flattened to eventually become a barely visible thing that resembled a piece of paper. The blood he scraped off the bottle slowly liquefied, and his finger was like a pen as he used her blood like ink, drawing all sorts of mysterious runes onto the paper-like soul of Nan Xingyuan. The more runes he scribbled, the paler his face became. His lips were soon almost blue, and his face was as white as a sheet. But the glint in his eye became brighter and brighter, twinkling as brilliantly as the stars in the night sky. Then, as if he had established a connection to the greater universe and the nether world, the paper-like object that Nan Xingyuans soul had become suddenly shuddered violently and let out a loud and long howling sound. But all these sounds were absorbed by the formations that Gu Suihan had set up earlier. Gu Suihan suddenly stopped writing and then raised his hand like he was going to start writing again, but instead, he bit his tongue hard and sprayed blood into the middle of the runes he had inscribed earlier. In that instant, the paper soul seemed to have come alive. The runes on it moved about even more rapidly than before, and this large talisman actually gave off waves of vitality. The talisman flew several rounds around Gu Suihan, then came to an abrupt stop when he gave a loud shout. It instantly turned into a beam of light that shot out from his room and disappeared into the distance silently. Meanwhile, Nan Yuntian felt some uneasiness as he sat in his own room at home. He looked around his room warily but did not notice anything amiss. But for some reason, he started feeling stuffiness in his heart, as if something was watching him from the shadows, watching him the way a venomous snake hid in the dark to observe its prey. Not only was it hidden from sight, but it carried ill intentions. Nan Yuntian recalled how he had seen Gu Suihan several hours ago and felt like he had found the source of his uneasiness. All of this was coming from that young cultivator who seemed to be only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Gu Suihan! What exactly are you scheming? Nan Yuntian tried to calm his unsettled heart down even as he muttered these words to himself with a deep scowl on his face. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 C Of Human Relationships And Schemes Before Nan Yuntian could calm himself down, a woman came running into his room, crying in a panic as she wailed, Master, bad news! Xianer was playing with General Lis second son, and he fell into the river, and his life is in danger now! What! Nan Yuntian got up with a start and followed the woman to see how his son was doing. This was his fifth son who had a rare Seven Thunder Spiritual Root. He already doted dearly on this son, but after Nan Xingyuan died, he doted even more dearly on him. He didnt expect an accident like this to happen. On the way, Nan Yuntian asked angrily, Xianer is usually a very obedient boy. What was he doing with that awful child of General Lis? I have no idea either. Xianer suddenly said that he wanted to go out for a walk, then he ran into Li Chouxing, and they went to the river to play. But things turned out this way The woman cried miserably, tears covering her pretty and delicate features, which made her look rather pitiful. Nan Yuntian sighed heavily. He knew this was not her fault, to begin with. His heart went out to her when he saw tears streaming down her beautiful face. He couldnt allow anything bad to happen to his son. This son was his last hope, his only chance at getting back at Gu Suihan. In order to take revenge, he was prepared to pay any price. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan was still in his room. After laying that curse, all his skin had dried up, and he had no more Qi left. His gaze was empty and dull. Using such methods always came at a price. Gu Suihan didnt just look like a corpse but had also lost 20 years of his lifespan. He could clearly feel the loss of vitality in his body. But his remaining lifespan was enough for him to reach Origin Core, as long as that plan worked out. Ive really done myself a disservice, mused Gu Suihan quietly. It took him great effort to raise his withered arm to retrieve several bottles of pills from his storage ring and pour them all into his mouth. The pills gave off a huge amount of Qi which swiftly nourished his Spiritual Meridians and body. Gu Suihan breathed a long sigh of relief as he felt life course through his veins again. After his Spiritual Meridians were filled with Qi, he executed his cultivation technique and brought the Qi from his Spiritual Meridians to the rest of his body. He spent several hours just resting limply on his chair and only looked normal enough to leave the room when evening time came. If you didnt know him well enough, he still seemed to look about the same, except that he seemed a little more mature now. There was a faint ruggedness in his eyes, and he seemed more attractive now. Of course, that was only if you ignored the few strands of white hair in his sideburns. What happened to you? Li Rong instantly froze on the spot when he saw Gu Suihan. It was a normal skill for cultivators to be able to see even in the dark, so Li Rong could see the changes in Gu Suihan immediately. His gaze moved slightly to focus on the white hair on Gu Suihans sideburns, a sight that made his heart tremble in fear. What in the world was Gu Suihan doing all afternoon? How did he suffer so much damage? Im fine. Gu Suihan wasnt going to tell Li Rong what he had done. He just shook his head slightly to show that he was perfectly fine. Since Gu Suihan obviously didnt want to tell him, Li Rong didnt pursue this matter further. He moved on to the reason why he was here. I passed you information on the best disciples of the major sects the last time. Youve read it, right? Gu Suihan nodded. He remained silent for a while before saying in a curious tone of voice, Regardless of the sect, the one similarity they have is that they all have a top senior brother. Why is the Seven Kill Sect the only one among the major sects that does not have one? Li Rongs smile froze as he quietly said, We used to have one. But after Xuran zhenren was incapacitated, our senior brother went to the Demon Abyss in Xuran zhenrens place and we didnt have one after that. Who was he? Gu Suihan was a little curious. Xu Cangyue, said Li Rong softly with a conflicted look on his face. He and Xuran zhenren werent just master and disciple, right? said Gu Suihan in a slightly amused voice. How did you know? asked Li Rong in surprise. But when he saw how Gu Suihan smirked like he had guessed it right, he laughed and said, No, they werent related by blood. Xu Cangyue was an abandoned baby picked up by Xuran zhenren when Xuran zhenren was wandering the Earth and living among ordinary folk. He brought up Xu Cangyue, and when he discovered that Xu Cangyue had an aptitude for cultivation, he took him in as his own disciple. And because Xu Cangyue was very grateful to his master for taking care of him all his life, he was willing to take on any punishment on Xuran zhenrens behalf. Li Rong sighed sadly at the end. He was obviously touched by the relationship these two had despite not being related by blood. In comparison, his own biological father, Xiexin zhenren, was hoping to destroy his soul and take over his body. What a stark contrast, thought Li Rong. Perhaps thats not actually what happened. Gu Suihans eyes glowed like flames in the night as he chuckled at Li Rong. Oh? Li Rong looked like he was all ears. He was quite wary of Gu Suihan, but he also admired Gu Suihan for the way he did things and how he seemed able to sense everything with such accuracy. Gu Suihan smiled quietly and set up a soundproofing formation. They sat down at the table, and warm food and fragrant wine instantly appeared on it. After downing a cup of wine, he said, What if its the same case as yours? Same case as mine? Li Rong couldnt understand at first until he noticed the look in Gu Suihans eye. He sat up with a start and exclaimed, You mean, Xuran zhenren took over Xu Cangyues body? Perhaps, said Gu Suihan calmly. Perhaps this is just history repeating itself. In other words, the Ethereal Court and the rest had already started planning decades or even a century ago. In other words, out of the disciples that the Seven Kill Sect is sending, some might actually belong to the other side? Li Rong suddenly realized what Gu Suihan was driving at. If thats the case, then your plan Li Rong looked uncertain now. My plan will go even more smoothly. Gu Suihan grinned widely. After a pause, he looked out of the window and said quietly, Soul splitting isnt as scary as what people make it out to be. It hurts both the one splitting their soul and the one having to host it. But if the former is at a higher level of cultivation, they can slowly heal over time. The three Peak Leaders want to get into the secret realm by implanting their souls into your bodies, then wipe out the best disciples from the other sects. If they want to do that, theyll have to gather all the disciples from the Seven Kill, War Demon and Yin Principle sects, then attack together. Just the three of them will not be able to wipe out the opponents disciples. Thats only wishful thinking. Gu Suihan looked extremely confident. He knew how soul splitting worked. Even if Li Rong did allow his father to take over his body, Gu Suihan still knew how to take control of that split soul and consume it for his own benefit. Sowhen the Peak Leaders reveal themselves, the disciples that the Ethereal Courts side has planted among our fellow disciples will spread the word and fall for the plan? Li Rong suddenly felt like he was too stupid to keep up with what Gu Suihan was saying. Gu Suihans thought process was way beyond him. Either way, all of them are going to get hurt very badly. And if the best among them are severely injured, then people like us are going to go from being mere cannon fodder to becoming their central core of strength. Besides, people like you and I arent just their central core of strength, said Gu Suihan with a twinkle in his eye as he drank another cup of wine. Li Rong went into a daze. He simply couldnt understand how Gu Suihan managed to piece together so many random bits of information and analyze it so well. Or rather, he couldnt understand how Gu Suihan could have possibly guessed the details of this huge conspiracy. On top of that, he seemed to know exactly what each party was going to do. His conclusion was that it was impossible to use his finite mind to understand this ancient fellow who had taken over a younger body and restarted his cultivation journey. A moment later, Li Rong could only silently grumble about how unfair life was while becoming even more wary and afraid of Gu Suihan. Earlier on, you said that Xiexin zhenren would give me something that has a portion of his soul in it. But he didnt give me anything up until the time we left the sect grounds. Did you guess his intentions wrongly? Li Rong drank some wine to hide the fear in his eyes as he forced himself to calm down. Gu Suihan frowned upon hearing these words and scanned Li Rong with his spiritual sense in an instant. His creased brows smoothened again, and his eyes were bright. Hes given it to you already. But not recently. He gave it to you a few years ago. It suddenly dawned on Li Rong, and his first instinct was to get up from his seat frantically, but Gu Suihan held him down. Relax. It hasnt done anything yet, and its not too late to deal with it after we enter the secret realm. If you do anything now, youd only raise the alarm. This time, Li Rong couldnt sit still anymore. The moment he thought about how that thing was just inside his jiangshi storage bag, he became so terrified that all his hair stood on end. Thats right; Gu Suihan was referring to the Demon Lord Bronze Corpse that had chased him down so hard in that secret realm a few years ago. That corpse had such a tough and strong body that ordinary spiritual weapons couldnt even cut through its skin. The spiritual sense that Gu Suihan used to scan Li Rong earlier carried a tiny bit of Suihans divine sense. This low-level jiangshi storage bag couldnt keep his divine sense out at all. Besides, the fact that he could detect vitality in a bag filled with very dead bodies was unusual to begin with. When the time comes, just stuff the item I gave you into the bronze corpses mouth, and Xiexin zhenren wont be able to come out of it for some time. Gu Suihan burst out laughing merrily as he watched how frantic Li Rong had become. He wasnt the slightest bit worried. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 C Trouble Comes Knocking Gu Suihan wasnt interested in wandering around the capital, and the other disciples grew bored of the city after the novelty wore off. All of them started secluding themselves to continue with their cultivation. Meanwhile, all was not well at Nan Yuntians residence. The atmosphere in the house remained tense even though nothing had really happened, like the calm before the storm. After Nan Yuntians youngest son had been rescued from nearly drowning in the river, he remained unconscious for days. Nan Yuntian went to look for various cultivators to find out what was wrong but to no avail. The boys body and soul were perfectly fine, but he refused to wake up. One of the experts hired by the palace guessed that the boy was in this state because he had been cursed. The experts advice was for Nan Yuntian to find the person responsible for laying this curse and apologize to them; otherwise, the boy would definitely die. The world was a huge place with countless cultivators and countless schools of Daoist thought. Similarly, there were just as many people practising witchcraft and other dark arts. Something like a curse could only be lifted by the one who cast it. It was almost impossible to find any other way to dispel it. But even though Nan Yuntian figured that Gu Suihan had to be the one behind this, he hated the young man so much and wished death upon him. How could he bring himself to plead with Gu Suihan? At the same time, when he saw how his son became thinner and thinner and how his breathing became weaker and weaker each day, Nan Yuntian became filled with a rage that had nowhere to go. It was killing him from the inside. His hatred for Gu Suihan increased by the day, yet he could do nothing about it. While Nan Yuntian was inside his study, clutching his head and seething with rage, a clear voice rang in his ears from afar, Nan Yuntian, may I enter? Whats he doing here? muttered Nan Yuntian quietly to himself as he looked at the door with a puzzled expression on his face. He called out, Come in. After the person came in, Nan Yuntian looked at his visitor and asked, What brings you here, Disciplinarian Zhang? Nan Yuntians visitor was Disciplinarian Zhang, the same Disciplinarian Zhang who hated Gu Suihan so much. I heard that your son is ill, so I specially made a trip here to see if I could be of any help, said Disciplinarian Zhang as he took a seat without being offered one. He had come here with some plans in mind. After he heard that these physical cultivators who believed in the Way of Martial Arts were also joining the inter-sect competition, he started thinking about how best to use this situation to his advantage. Do you even know anything about curses? Nan Yuntian snorted as he looked at his visitor with disdain. He was clearly mocking Disciplinarian Zhang for using such a lousy excuse. Disciplinarian Zhang remained unaffected, and he even looked a little smug as he said, I actually do. I do know quite a bit about curses and their relevant techniques. Before coming, he had already heard about what happened in Nan Yuntians household, and he was secretly happy to hear about it only because he did know quite a bit about curses. He was hoping to take this chance to get closer to Nan Yuntian and join hands with Nan Yuntian to kill Gu Suihan in the secret realm during the competition. He had been eyeing that item that Gu Suihan stole from the tax ships many years ago, and he had been eyeing it for a long time now. Also, he thought that Gu Suihan had been able to reach Mid Foundation Establishment in just a few years because he had used up that item. If you can solve one of my biggest worries, I dont mind doing you a favour in return. Nan Yuntians expression was grim, and there was a ruthless gleam in his eye. If you cant solve my problem, then you have to leave something behind. Nan Yuntian was going to make this old man pay for it if he dared to hoodwink him. Disciplinarian Zhang broke into a cold sweat when he saw that ruthless gleam in Nan Yuntians eyes. There were a million and one possibilities when it came to curses, so it was impossible for anybody to guarantee results. At the same time, Nan Yuntian had real clout, and he meant what he said. Disciplinarian Zhang wondered if he had been too rash in deciding to offer help. But Nan Yuntian had made it very clear. If Disciplinarian Zhang could resolve this issue, Nan Yuntian would owe him a favour and would also be willing to work with him. However, if Disciplinarian Zhang failed to resolve the issue, then he would have to compensate Nan Yuntian, and he could forget about getting Nan Yuntian to help him with anything. This was not an easy decision to make, but when Disciplinarian Zhang thought about what Gu Suihan did before this, he decided to go with it and said through clenched teeth, Deal! I will try my best. Lets go. Nan Yuntian was anxious to settle this problem, so he got up immediately and walked out of the room, leaving a grim and conflicted-looking Disciplinarian Zhang behind. It was less than three days before the Seven Kill Sect disciples were due to depart for the competition. Gu Suihan was relaxing in the sun within his own little front yard, picking up a peeled fruit from time to time and stuffing it into his mouth. He rocked his body back and forth leisurely on a chair with his eyes closed. He looked like he was completely relaxed on the outside, but his mind was moving rapidly. He was going through all the possible movements required to complete the last part of the Geng Gold Sword Mantra cultivation technique. As he went through them, he would eliminate the things that didnt make sense and carefully analyze the ones that seemed correct. The thoughts in his mind were like the brilliant stars in a galaxy. His Qi moved about like shooting stars, and inspiration was bursting through his brain like fireworks as he concentrated on every possibility. Just when he had arrived at an important part of his thought process, a loud shout suddenly came from outside, Gu Suihan! Come out right now! His train of thought was instantly broken, and the trance-like state he was in disappeared as he snapped out of his own little world. He narrowed his eyes unhappily at being disrupted and instantly unleashed a murderous aura from his body. Questioning Heaven leapt three inches out of its sheath. His murderous Qi instantly covered an area within a few hundred meters radius, creating a reddish and bloody-smelling layer of clouds in the sky. The doors to his yard opened without him having to use his hands, and he didnt bother hiding the rage in his eyes, aiming it directly at the person standing outside the gate. If you dont have a good explanation for needing to see me right now, then forget about returning home in one piece. The man who had shouted for Gu Suihan outside the gate gulped nervously, and his heart palpitated with fear as he looked at the terrifying young man in front of him. But when he thought about who was behind him, he pulled himself together and did his best to remain calm. Youre the one who robbed the Fenglin tax ships back then? Gu Suihan burst out laughing from being too angry. He didnt say anything, but a bright red beam of light shot out from his eyes and hit the other man in the eyes as quickly and as violently as lightning. Boom! Everyone outside the gate stared in disbelief as the man who had shouted earlier was now nothing but a headless corpse. His skull was now a mess of bones and other liquids while blood spurted out from his neck. Any last words? Gu Suihan scanned the rest of the mans companions as his expression only grew more murderous. At that moment, the only sounds left were the harsh winds blowing past and the heavy, horrified breathing of the dead mans companions. An elegantly dressed young man behind the dead mans body looked warily at the bloody clouds in the sky that blotted out the sun as well as the corpse on the ground before him. He then looked up at Gu Suihan with a solemn look on his face and only forced himself to smile after a long time as he said, Brother Gu, this is indeed a very interesting way of receiving guests. But we mean no harm. Were just here to ask a few questions. A few questions? You mean no harm? Gu Suihan couldnt be bothered to talk to these people anymore. He gave his sheath a pat, and Questioning Heaven instantly flew out. Its sharp blade was pointed straight at the spot between the elegantly dressed young mans brows and unleashed a thick cloud that smelled of nothing but blood. The thick cloud filled the air like a jiaolong that stirred up the seas. His sword Qi surged like the tide, its humming becoming louder and louder. Gu Suihan flew forward so quickly that he became a blur, thrusting his sword toward his opponent with enough murderous Qi to fill the skies. How dare you! The elegantly dressed young man immediately got angry and took a step back in shock. But he quickly realized he was in danger, so his eyes widened and he took a large step to the side. The explosion that followed turned all the stone slabs on the ground into mere rubble. His bones rattled in unison and let out the roar of a tiger. His robes tore, revealing his bronzed, muscular arms covered in veins. The Great and Vast Sky! he yelled loudly as his fists were filled with enough internal energy to punch a hole in the sky. His heart thumped as loudly as war drums, booming loudly as he threw a powerful punch fearlessly toward the oncoming sword that was just a few inches away from him. Moments before the two were going to collide, Gu Suihans lips curled upwards into a mocking smile. What an idiot, thought Gu Suihan. By fighting a sword with a punch, it meant that either this young man was a complete idiot, or there was someone more powerful whom he could rely on to save him. Gu Suihan could see that immediately. The sword in his hand suddenly stopped just before it collided with the young mans fist. Gu Suihan stepped lightly on the ground to fly into the air. Stopping his attack so suddenly made him feel a little nauseous, but he instantly retreated a few hundred meters in a matter of seconds. His robes flapped loudly as he stared down at the people in front of him. He ran a finger down the blade of this sword, coating it with a thin layer of blood. With the nourishment of his blood and the energy within, Questioning Heaven suddenly vibrated as loudly as thunder. The ferocious beasts around the cross-guard seemed to come alive, and everyone felt like they could hear a hair-raising violent roar all around them. The tip of his sword drew so many patterns in the air, mincing the air with a sword Qi that was enough to shatter a dam or flood a city, then surged toward the elegantly dressed young man like clouds in a storm or like a rushing river. The elegantly dressed young mans eyes bulged, and his face paled from having to retract his attack. He stared a little despairingly at the sword Qi surging toward him like the gushing waters of a river, as though shooting stars were coming at him. He thought of dodging the attack, only to realize that he didnt have enough time to move at all. You resorted to trickery! he shouted furiously as his bronzed skin was covered in tiny wounds from the sharp sword Qi that rained on him. His instinct was to raise his arms in front of his head, howling miserably with a contorted look on his face as he tried to endure the excruciating pain that felt like he was being skinned alive. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 C Differing Schemes Time to die, Gu Suihan appeared behind the elegantly dressed young man in less than a second, his quiet murmur hitting the young mans ears along with his warm breath. When did you get there? The young man paled in horror as he had no choice but to ignore the sword Qi coming at him from the front and turned around to throw a punch at Gu Suihan. Unfortunately, all he heard was the sound of his fist whooshing through the air as it landed on nothing. The force of throwing his punch into the empty air made him lose his balance, and he stumbled forward. Other than losing his balance for a moment, he was perfectly fine. But the people who were standing behind him were not fine at all. These people were only his trusted assistants and followers who were nowhere near his level of cultivation. Once he stumbled out of the way, he exposed the people behind him to the wave of sword Qi that was meant for him. In that instant, all of them were sliced to pieces before they could even scream in horror. The young man was both grieved and furious to see this, his contorted face no longer as handsome as it was before. An uncontrollable rage seemed to burst out of his body like thousands of tiny slits all over his body. Suppression of the Great! The young man swung his fists, a determination to crush Gu Suihan filling his heart, and then he gave a great shout. A bloody red glow made from the evaporation of his own blood covered his entire body with a bloody mist and he transformed them into two bloodied dragons around his own arms. Who do you think you are? Gu Suihan snorted. He raised his sword and the smooth surface of the blade gleamed with a blinding light. The sharp blade glinted frostily and seemed just as cold-blooded and murderous as its owner. Worldly Passions! Gu Suihan swung his sword as though he was going to slice through everything in his way, but no sword Qi flew out from the blade. It was as if he were just a child playing with a toy sword. However, this seemingly simple and ordinary swing of the sword seemed to weigh down heavily on the young man. He felt as though a bright light had cut through the darkness and made everything clear. The frostiness from the blade filled the air, and he felt as though every pore on his body was being pricked by a tiny wisp of the swords will. His hair stood on end, and in his delirium, he thought he saw his usually strict and stern father, his sweet and gentle mother, and those brothers of his who kept trying to suck up to him just to get a piece of the inheritance. This is just a hallucination; its not real! The young mans eyes were bulging, and he roared angrily like an injured wild beast. His eyes brimmed with tears when he saw his family members before him. Im sorry, Im sorry he murmured miserably as he swung his fists and the bloodied dragons around them roared. Each punch would destroy the realistic illusion of his family members, which made him apologize to them instinctively. Even though he knew they were merely hallucinations, he felt like his heart was bleeding, and his punches became slower and slower. When the last person standing looked at him dotingly, the young mans face was already covered in tears, and his voice was hoarse as he stared at this gentle woman looking back at him so tenderly. He didnt dare to punch her even though he knew well that she was nothing but a figment of his imagination. He didnt want to lose sight of her and longed to see her for a while more. He loosened his fists without realizing it and collapsed onto the ground limply like he was a marionette whose strings were cut. His gaze was practically dead as he stared into the empty space before him. ImIm sorry! The young man whimpered miserably like he was a helpless little puppy. He finally threw one last punch and destroyed the illusion in front of him. But at the same time, it also destroyed the memories of the last person he cared about. Gu Suihan looked nonchalantly at the frail young man on the ground. There was a murderous glint in his eye as he drew his sword to chop the young mans head off. Stop! An elderly voice suddenly resounded, which raised alarm bells in Gu Suihans heart. His expression did not shift, but his sword exuded ten times more murderous Qi than before. The vibration of his sword reverberated in the small yard, and a frostiness seemed to cover the entire place like a giant web silently encompassing the small estate. The dark and bloody red clouds in the sky made the atmosphere even more pressurizing. Youre his father? Gu Suihan looked at the middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked cautiously. At the same time, his sword sucked in the thick murderous Qi around it like a whale sucking in water. The reddish blade of the sword stank of blood. Gu Suihan was already preparing to make a fatal move. If executed, this move could injure even someone at Origin Core. Thats right. The middle-aged man looked at the young man crying soundlessly and let out a long sigh. He bent over and patted his sons head, and an awkward but gentle expression appeared on his stern face. He then flung a magic storage bag at Gu Suihan and carried up the young man with his other arm as he said calmly, You can consider this to be compensation. Young man, I hope youll watch your actions. The murderous Qi within you is very strong, so I hope you wont end up like those predecessors who met tragic ends. Gu Suihan watched the two of them leave in silence, but his half-closed eyes were still filled with a terrifying amount of murderous Qi. Some scheme that was, muttered Gu Suihan after a long time. He waved his arm and cleared all the corpses in the yard, plonking himself back onto his bamboo chair with a smile as though nothing had ever happened. The royal family of Fenglin had probably sent these men. The young man had only been used to launch an attack on him and couldnt even be considered a pawn in the game. If Gu Suihan had died in that attack earlier, that would have been the end of things. Everyone was already sure that he was the one who robbed the tax ship back then, so it was easy to say that they killed him as a punishment for trying to rob Fenglin of its taxes. Nobody would investigate the death of someone who deserved to die. If Gu Suihan did not die but killed the young man just now, then he would end up on the opposing side of the martial cultivators during the inter-sect competition. The martial cultivators from Fenglin would have even more reason to gang up against him. If you were the one behind it, that would make sense, murmured Gu Suihan as the image of Nan Yuntians face appeared in his mind. At the same time, Gu Suihan wasnt omniscient either. Or at least, he had no idea that Disciplinarian Zhang was now in cahoots with Nan Yuntian. The curse doesnt just affect one person, though, he said softly before slowly closing his eyes to take a nap. The near drowning of Nan Yuntians son was considered news in the capital city. Everyone was relieved to hear that the son had been treated by a wandering cultivator a few days ago. But Nan Yuntian made sure that nobody knew that this wandering cultivator was actually Disciplinarian Zhang. That was part of their plan. Meanwhile, Mo Yuluo and the other faction leaders had quietly gathered in the yard next to Gu Suihans. Their expressions were grim as they discussed matters among themselves. Gu Suihan is not someone we can control at all. I would suggest that we kill him right now since hes exhausted from how much energy he used earlier in the day, said Fang Suyu with a sinister look in his eye. Mo Yuluo frowned slightly and said calmly, How do you know if that fellow is really exhausted from fighting? You saw what happened earlier. He dealt with that young man so quickly. Also, which one of us can really fight him one-on-one? Wang Aolin smiled gently. Brother Fang didnt say we should go alone. We can attack him together. Either way, this fellow is like a double-edged sword, so while hes useful to the sects plan, hes also very dangerous. I would prefer to go with something thats safe and ensures long-lasting results. Fang Suyus expression remained grim as he insisted on his earlier suggestion of killing Gu Suihan right now. Mo Yuluo immediately argued back, Gu Suihans soul fire is with the sect. He wouldnt dare to do anything to harm the sect. Mo Yuluo, why do I get the sense that you treat this boy differently? Are you in love with him? Wang Aolin clearly agreed with Fang Suyus suggestion and glanced mockingly at Mo Yuluo when he heard her response. His voice sounded rather displeased as well. He thought that Mo Yuluos first reaction would be to deny any feelings for Gu Suihan, and he could then push her to go along with Fang Suyus suggestion. To his surprise, Mo Yuluo laughed merrily and said, And so what if I am? His aptitude is so high; hes a bold, ruthless and decisive man; and hes even a senior cultivator whos merely restarted his cultivation journey. Besides, hes not bad-looking either. Why wouldnt I fall in love with him? Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin exchanged glances, but there was nothing they could say to that. They realized that Mo Yuluo wasnt going to agree no matter what they said, so they could only sigh. They threw Mo Yuluo an odd glance, then shook their heads and left. They really couldnt tell if she was telling the truth or not, but they cleverly chose not to guess or test a womans words. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 C A Waste Before long, only Mo Yuluo was left in the yard. After Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin left, a smug smile spread across her already charming face. She hadnt meant what she had said earlier, not even a little. She was just trying to find a reason not to fight Gu Suihan. She didnt think Gu Suihans previous level of cultivation only stopped at Origin Core. He could have been at Nascent Change for all anyone knew. So, to play it safe, Mo Yuluo decided not to risk her life at this juncture. It was better to leave someone like that to the Sect Leader. These old fellows are really tight-lipped, she murmured as her watery eyes flickered. She had a conflicted look in her eyes as she looked outside her yard. Until now, they still had no idea which one of them would become a vessel for the Peak Leaders to take over. They only knew that Xiexin zhenren was definitely going to take over Li Rongs body. The rest was anybodys guess. Woong! A loud ringing noise filled the air, shocking the disciples who were cultivating in their own rooms and nearly causing them to injure themselves. The soundproof formations they had set up in their rooms were unable to keep this ringing noise out. Damn it! Whos behind this noise? Argh! What a devious fellow! Cursing and swearing could be heard from inside the rooms. The disciples walked out one after another with nasty expressions on their faces as they searched for where that ringing noise was coming from. Thats the flying ship? One of the disciples paled in horror when he saw the huge thing in the sky. The other disciples around him looked up as well and gasped when they spotted the shadow approaching them. The flying ship had a similar design to a naval vessel, except that it was much larger. It was nearly a kilometer in length and looked like a sleeping beast. The ship walls were covered in little holes that resembled the entrances to ant nests. One could spot crossbows waiting to be fired sitting in those little holes. The body of the ship was covered in mysterious runes. A brilliant glow kept rippling through the runes as the ship moved. A greenish mist swirled around the bottom of the ship, quietly enabling the ship to float and move through the air. That wasnt quite what I expected, murmured Gu Suihan after observing the ship for some time. A look of disdain flashed quickly in his eyes. To him, this thing looked powerful and scary, but it was only enough to frighten low-level cultivators like these Foundation Establishment Seven Kill Sect disciples. If a few cultivators at Origin Core joined hands, this entire thing would definitely fall apart in less than six hours. Also, the rare materials used to make this thing were wasted upon thisthing. Gu Suihan stared hard at the gigantic vessel and was shocked to find that it was actually made from one whole 10,000-year green jade tree. That was such a terrible waste of that tree. A 10,000-year green jade tree that could reach this size must have been equivalent to a powerful demon during its lifetime. If someone as knowledgeable as Gu Suihan had been the one who discovered this tree, he would have used it much more wisely than this. He would never have turned it into this flying ship. This huge tree could have been made into a Dao-level weapon. This was something that could suppress Qi. Who in the world would use it for something as simplistic as a mode of transportation? What a fucking waste, cursed Gu Suihan as he spat on the ground after staring at the flying ship. His face was filled with contempt for it. What the hell is going on? Fenglin probably has access to better resources than the Seven Kill Sect. Thats the only reason why they would waste something as valuable as this tree. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and started coveting this tree. He had already asked around and found out that during the early stages, these cultivators in the Way of Martial Arts required spiritual herbs that could replenish their Qi and blood or herbs that could strengthen their muscles and bones, which meant that they didnt really need any of these rare and valuable natural treasures. In the later stages, they required Vow Power to maintain their cultivation level, so they didnt need such treasures either. Cultivators in the Way, however, could find a use for any spiritual item and used everything to its maximum. They were like locusts raiding a field, leaving nothing behind in their wake. Once Im done with this inter-sect competition, Ill come back here. Gu Suihans eyes burned with a greedy desire. Brother Gu, lets go. We need to gather inside the flying ship, Li Rongs voice came from outside his door. Got it. Ill be there in a moment, replied Gu Suihan. The greedy gleam in his eye disappeared, and he looked as indifferent and unbothered as he always did again. He wiped out any traces of his presence, then stood in the yard and looked at the well in front of him with a sinister look on his face. Ill give you a little present first and plant a few seeds. I hope youll be able to hold up until I return to reap the harvest. His storage ring flickered, and a dark green pill that smelled like blood appeared in his palm. He crushed the pill into powder and flung it into the well. He then looked intently at the palace before flying toward the flying ship. You must be some big shot within the Seven Kill Sect, huh? Youve made so many of us wait for YOU, snapped a shrill voice immediately after Gu Suihan landed. Whether hes a big shot or not is not up to you to decide, said Mo Yuluo with a scoff as she walked out from the crowd of disciples and glanced at Gu Suihan. Whos she? Gu Suihan glanced at the woman who sneered at him and noticed that she was dressed in royal robes. The fabric was printed with intricate floral patterns, and the gold and silver threads shone brightly in the light. Her curvaceous figure and fair skin made her seem very attractive, but she did not seem as attractive after one caught sight of her aggressive and nasty-looking face. Mo Yuluo rolled her eyes and chuckled. I heard shes the 17th princess or something. Her name is Lv Yueran. Her aptitude is just slightly above average; she has a childish mindset, insufficient experience, terrible upbringing, and also stupid. Based on her facial features, shes ruthless, heartless, hard on others, and malicious. Shes probably never coming back alive, said Gu Suihan flippantly as he shook his head after just glancing at Lv Yueran. He didnt seem to care that she was a princess. You! Youreyou must be tired of living! Lv Yuerans expression suddenly turned nasty, and her shrill voice made everyone frown. Gu Suihan smiled and took a step forward as he said very solemnly, I dont know who sent you out here to challenge me, but I need you to realize that I have no qualms about finishing you off right now. If you arent capable enough, then dont pick up the bad habit of challenging others like that. If youre not careful, youre going to be the one who ends up dead. He ignored Lv Yuerans pale and terrified expression and quietly scanned the rest of the martial cultivators. He snorted disdainfully at them as though he were mocking them for being such useless bums. How could they have sent a young and rash lady like that to challenge him? Which area is for the Seven Kill Sect disciples? Gu Suihan turned to ask one of the servants on board. Its The servant looked at the group of martial cultivators like he was in a very difficult position. He seemed to be scared to speak and couldnt get any words out of his mouth. Gu Suihan started to lose patience. The countless attempts by these worthless fellows to challenge him was stirring back up the murderous streak in him again. He grabbed hold of the servant by the neck, lifted him off the floor, and walked to the edge of the ship before saying emotionlessly, You have three seconds. Spit it out or die. Young man, youve gone overboard! an elderly voice rang out from behind the martial cultivators. A black figure suddenly rose from nowhere to attack Gu Suihan. Ive gone overboard? Gu Suihan didnt seem bothered by the oncoming attack and merely scoffed. Listen up. If that old geezer werent still alive, Fenglin would have been destroyed long ago. Id advise you not to think too highly of yourselves. After saying that, he released his grip around the servants neck, effectively dropping the man from a height of at least 3,000 meters, the servants screams slowly fading into silence. He then exerted force on his feet, making his body turn around with a start to blast all the violent Qi in his body toward the person attacking him. Questioning Heaven shot three inches out of its sheath. The sound of vengeful spirits howling filled the air as Gu Suihan drew his sword. The immense amount of sword Qi was like a tornado that could break through everything in its way. The cruel blade of the sword vibrated loudly, counterattacking with a loud ring. Gu Suihans chiseled face exuded sinister, murderous Qi. Old man, martial cultivators are no longer as powerful as they used to be. The Way of Martial Arts is destined to keep declining. And you are still dreaming of restoring it to its former glory? Why, you! The man roared angrily. He immediately stopped in his footsteps when he realized how fiercely Gu Suihan was fighting back. If the needs of cultivators in the Way of Martial Arts did not differ from the cultivators in the Truth, did you think we would have allowed people like yourself to stay alive? Gu Suihan continued moving forward, his sword now barely ten meters from his opponent. The martial cultivators will definitely take over the world! bellowed the old man furiously as he increased the amount of blood and Qi within his iron-like fists by threefold. He was like an enraged gorilla. His overwhelming blood and Qi burst forth from his body, creating the faint illusion of a ferocious beast behind him. Take over the world? For as long as cultivators of the Truth exist, martial cultivators will only remain on the losing end, said Gu Suihan with a snort. His sword was now only a meter away from his opponent. What are the rest of you waiting for? If you dont want this nonsense to keep happening on our way there, weve got to make sure these martial cultivators stop being so arrogant. Itll be so irritating to have them stir up trouble and challenge us every single day, Gu Suihan suddenly turned and yelled at the rest of the Seven Kill Sect disciples who were just watching by the side. Hes right. If these losers keep making trouble for us every day, theres no way any of us will be able to quieten our hearts and focus on cultivating. If we exhaust ourselves over fighting these people, we will lose out in the end. We will have trouble explaining things to the Sect Leader, and well embarrass fellow cultivators of the Truth, said Mo Yuluo in a grim voice. She raised her hands to form a hand seal, then thrust it toward her opponents. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 C Youre Getting Old What are you waiting for? Youre going to stick your necks out and let them slaughter you? The old mans eyes bulged angrily as he also turned to the rest of the martial cultivators behind him and shouted at them. Kill them! Were going to end this once and for all! Im going to avenge our ancestors who died and more! Humph! Since our ancestors could defeat all of you, theres no reason for us to be afraid! Attack them! NOW! A fight instantly broke out. Mo Yuluos first attack was like a fuse leading to dynamite that instantly exploded the centuries of hatred between the cultivators from the two different schools of thought. Young man, youre not bad, but thats about it. The old man slammed Gu Suihans sword away with his palm and smiled sinisterly, his brownish eyes as malicious as a snakes. Old thing, youre really useless, and youre so useless that you have absolutely no value. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and swung one fist fearlessly toward the old man while secretly thrusting his other hand toward the mans lower abdomen. What a wicked young man! The old man suddenly bent at the waist when he noticed Gu Suihans other hand and narrowly dodged an attack by the younger mans sword. Unfortunately for him, Gu Suihans sword was a foot longer than most, so even though the old man was quite agile, he had only moved sufficiently to dodge a regular sword. He now had a 30-centimeter-long wound. The old man leaped aside like a leopard and looked down at his wound, which was no longer bleeding because it had completely dried up. He stared rather fearfully at Gu Suihans strange sword that was still vibrating slightly and gleaming with blood and murderous Qi. After this sneak attack, the old man could sense that his already fading blood and Qi had actually reduced by a little. It had probably been absorbed by that strange sword belonging to Gu Suihan. Hows that? Old man, youve lived too long, so its time you returned to the soil, said Gu Suihan with a smirk as he looked at the angry but frightened older man who didnt know how to deal with Gu Suihan. The old man gritted his teeth and glowered at Gu Suihans sword with a nasty look on his face. Each time he managed almost to strike Gu Suihan, that weird sword would come toward him from the strangest angles. And you think I cant defeat you? roared the old man. A bloody mist burst forth from his arms, and something that looked like a tattoo could be seen under his tattered clothing. A huge surge of Qi and blood began to flow out from his body, turning into a faintly red and angular shape that surrounded his fists like a pair of boxing gloves. Runes covered the gloves and exuded a terrifying aura. Die now! The old man was really angry now and swore to kill this hateful young man there and then. His fists carried a heat as hot as flames, singeing the air and filling everyones nostrils with a burning smell. Inches Away C Ends of the World! Gu Suihan wasnt stupid enough to fight him head-on like this. His body wasnt made from super thick hide or hard muscles like the old mans since he didnt cultivate that. He moved nearly a hundred meters away from the old man as quickly as lightning, much to the fury of the old man. His storage ring flickered, and he started flinging countless talismans at his opponent instead. Mud Wall! Ice Wall! Fire Ball! Lightning! Ice Picks! Innumerable items, including balls and arrows of fire and electricity, hurtled toward the old man, creating beautiful fireworks in the high skies. None of those things were able to hold up against the old mans fists and burst immediately upon impact, but the bloodied mist of Qi and blood around his arms was slowly getting worn thin. Inches Away C Ends of the World! Gu Suihan smirked and flew as quickly as a shooting star to suddenly appear right next to the old man. He swung his sword horizontally to slice the old man in half at the waist. The General Crushes the Enemy! The old man narrowed his eyes suddenly, and all his pores opened when he sensed the sword coming his way. He moved to the side and swung both fists toward Gu Suihans sharp sword. A loud rumbling that sounded like a 10,000-strong army and their war drums coming to take the lives of their enemy resounded loudly through the flying ship. The thick murderous Qi that was usually found among soldiers at war formed a black roaring beast behind the old man. So what if youve got 10,000 soldiers on your side? Im still going to chop your head off. A gleam in Gu Suihans eyes shone brilliantly as Questioning Heaven let out the miserable howling of ghosts and spirits. A violent Qi exploded from its blade and turned the whole area into a blood-soaked battlefield. When the old mans fist collided with the younger mans sword, a scene that looked like the whole world was collapsing ensued. The sound of bloodthirsty soldiers and the overwhelming murderous Qi in the air immediately disappeared. All the martial cultivators and Seven Kill Sect disciples who were fighting earlier instinctively moved aside to avoid being within the line of destruction. The force from Gu Suihans sword was equivalent to the maximum force a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator could unleash. Everyone exchanged grim glances and looked at Gu Suihan with a terrified look in their eye. The thunderous sound of the impact rang in the ears of the other cultivators, and everything went black for a long time before they could see anything again. All of them stopped fighting and turned to where the old man and Gu Suihan were fighting earlier. Several moments later, the dust settled and revealed the two figures. Youre getting old! Blood dribbled from Gu Suihans lips, and his face was pale as he leaned against the railing. His clothes were blasted to mere shreds, and he was covered in wounds from head to toe, his bones exposed in some places. Even so, Gu Suihan still had a smile on his face, and he still seemed as domineering as ever, as contemptuous of the world as ever. The old man did not respond to Gu Suihans nasty but exhausted remark. He looked intently at the younger man for a moment, then turned and hobbled away, leaving behind a large pool of blood on the floor. Compared to how confident he was when he first launched an attack on Gu Suihan, the old man seemed frail and hunched over now. It was as though this battle had broken his will. Weve won this time, so we get to stay in the best part of the ship, and we dont have to worry about them making any trouble for us, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile as he looked at his fellow disciples and sat down weakly on the floor. Areare you alright? asked Mo Yuluo. Gu Suihan looked so tired, and the wounds all over his body were terrifying to even look at. Its not enough to kill me just yet. If youre really worried, then why dont you help me to a room? Thats better than standing around and asking stupid questions, said Gu Suihan as he looked strangely at Mo Yuluo after checking how badly wounded he was. Mo Yuluo froze when she heard these words. Even though cultivators did not care about the social norms of the mundane world, people were still going to gossip if she went to help a man back to a room when there were many other males around to do so. So when she heard Gu Suihan say something like this so flippantly, she couldnt help but roll her eyes at him. Her cheeks were a little flushed, but thankfully her face veiled prevented others from noticing that. After hesitating for a few moments, she could sense everyone staring at her as though they were all cheekily waiting to see what she would choose to do. She gritted her teeth and decided to stop hesitating. She went forward to carefully help Gu Suihan get up, then walked toward the most luxurious set of rooms inside the flying ship. Gu Suihan was really quite badly injured, so he leaned his entire body against her and let her half carry him. However, when she felt how heavily he was weighing down on her chest, she couldnt help but tremble in anger and wished she could just let go of him and abandon him there. But she couldnt do that because everyone else was still watching them from behind. Youre doing this on purpose! hissed Mo Yuluo quietly as her face turned slightly red. What do you mean? Gu Suihan looked at her in confusion. When he saw the unhappiness in her eyes, he said emotionlessly, If youre not willing to, then just let go of me. Theres no need to force yourself. Why, you! Mo Yuluo glared at him, and her teeth chattered in anger. She gripped him even more tightly and turned her face aside as though she were a little girl throwing a tantrum. Have I really fallen for him? Wondered Mo Yuluo worriedly. Her expression did not flinch, but her eyes would flutter as she glanced at him from time to time and struggled with her own emotions. You can let go now, Gu Suihan suddenly spoke, snapping Mo Yuluo out of her daze. Oh! she responded before letting go of him and walking away, her heart still confused by her feelings. Gu Suihan opened the room door and nodded after seeing the luxurious furnishings inside. He retrieved several items from his storage ring and cautiously set up several formations just in case. He then randomly sat down on the thick red carpeting on the floor, closed his eyes, and checked his injuries. Thankfully, his Ra-Asu skeleton had made his physical body a lot stronger than the average Foundation Establishment cultivator, so even though he was badly injured, they were all external injuries. His Spiritual Meridians were not injured at all. He swallowed several pills, applied some ointment to his wounds, then lay on the floor and closed his eyes. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 C Meet The Same End The Seven Kill Sects trump cards are those people, I suppose. Gu Suihan smiled sinisterly when he thought about the 200 odd other disciples who remained as bystanders during the fight earlier. Meanwhile, Disciplinarian Zhangs expression was grim as he looked silently in the direction in which Mo Yuluo had carried Gu Suihan off. He realized that he had underestimated Gu Suihan after all. This young man was much more formidable than he had expected. So what? Im sure you wont be able to escape their attacks forever. A malicious smile appeared on his sullen face. Am I really in love? Mo Yuluo had a conflicted look on her pretty face after she observed the surge of emotions in her heart. This uncontrollable wave of emotions did sound like various scenarios that Yun Lianyi described to her as part of falling in love. For some reason, whenever Gu Suihans handsome face appeared in her mind, her usually fair cheeks would start to redden, like the way young ladies in love would blush bashfully. Her shy expression would become alluring and make ones heart skip a beat. Argh! Gu Suihan, what in the world did you do? Mo Yuluo felt an uncontrollable increase in her heart rate, and her eyes were glazed over, but she was angry on the inside. She was angry inside because she could tell that none of this was normal behavior. Falling in love was something that slowly and quietly crept into ones heart. Worrying about another person or thinking about them all the time was normal, but she now felt weak and was unable to control her own body, as though she had been poisoned. This time, however, it was really not Gu Suihans fault at all. He had been so badly injured that he nearly fainted. Also, he had noticed how Disciplinarian Zhang had refused to fight, so he had been afraid that Disciplinarian Zhang might do something to sabotage the fight. He didnt have the time to give her an aphrodisiac, for crying out loud. Meanwhile, Mo Yuluos situation was only getting worse. Her entire body was covered in sweat as she lay weakly in the room next to Gu Suihans. Her clear eyes were clouded over, and she craved physical intimacy as her fair skin began to turn pinkish. As she tried her best to cling to whatever was left of her rationality, she trembled as she retrieved a bottle from her storage ring. It took all her strength to finally pull the lid off, and she poured all the pills inside into her mouth desperately, ignoring the drop of saliva that slowly made its way from her lips, down her neck, and into her cleavage. Some of the pills landed on the floor, and they began to give off a sour smell. But Mo Yuluo didnt care and forced the domineering mara energy within her body to circulate, purging all the pink Qi spread through her body. A sinister and hateful glare suddenly shot out from her eyes, causing the intricately carved wooden table in front of her to crumble instantly as though it had been left to rot for decades. Who did this? Mo Yuluo slowed down the energy circulating within her body and opened her mouth to exhale the last of the sweet pink Qi in her body. She had no idea who could have managed to do such a despicable thing to her without her noticing anything. Its not Gu Suihan. He has no reason to do that. After she calmed down, she immediately eliminated the possibility that he would have done something like that. He was someone who only cared about cultivating and was unable to develop any emotions for others. She couldnt think of any reason why Gu Suihan would have chosen such a time to drug her or if doing this would benefit him in any way. Fang Suyu and Wang Aolin crossed her mind as well, but she quickly eliminated them too. Doing something like this would only ruin the Seven Kill Sects plans. No, wait! Mo Yuluo suddenly paled as she pulled her perspiration-soaked clothes off her body and looked down at the blooming black rose on her lower abdomen. Didnt you say you were going to choose someone else? she uttered softly but hatefully through clenched teeth as her fingertips gently touched the quietly blooming rose. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. Mo Yuluo remembered very clearly that this flower marking on her body had looked like a bud all this time. Yet, it was blooming so beautifully right now. Many years ago, when Yun Lianyi took her in as a disciple, Yun Lianyi left this mark on her, saying that it was for her safety. This mark was supposed to carry a portion of her masters energy. This trump card had saved Mo Yuluo from danger countless times. She trusted Yun Lianyi wholeheartedly and treated her master like her family. Yet, the master who seemed to care so dearly for her turned out to be just like Xiexin zhenren. Yun Lianyi had tried to turn her into a vessel for her partial soul. Mo Yuluo laughed hollowly at herself as a despairing look covered her beautiful face. Her storage ring flickered, and two translucent reddish fruit the size of walnuts appeared in her palm. These joined hearts fruits. Falling in love. Gu Suihan. Mo Yuluos laughter was filled with despair. This was also part of Yun Lianyis plan. Yun Lianyi had told Mo Yuluo that these fruits could help her to avoid having to spend too much time and energy on love relationships because as long as she and the man she loved ate one fruit each, they would be bound together for life. They would become inseparable, and if one died, the other would too. If Mo Yuluos guess was right, Yun Lianyi had hoped to control her body when she was distracted and make her swallow one of the fruits. She would then make Mo Yuluo enter Gu Suihans room, use her body to distract Gu Suihan, and make him eat the other fruit. That way, not only would Yun Lianyi be able to control a ticking timebomb like Gu Suihan, but she could also wipe out Mo Yuluos consciousness and take over her body fully once Mo Yuluos will was broken by what she had done against her own will. Yun Lianyi had taken the risk to take over Mo Yuluos body now instead of waiting until they were inside the secret realm firstly because this was a good chance, and secondly because Mo Yuluos rank of aptitude was the same as Yun Lianyis. They both possessed Eight Water Spiritual Roots, and it was impossible for anybody to tell that Mo Yuluo wasnt Mo Yuluo anymore. Mo Yuluo sank into despair. There was no hope for her now. She was only at Mid Foundation Establishment. There was no way she could stop Yun Lianyis partial soul from taking over her body. Li Rong must be feeling the same sort of despair, murmured Mo Yuluo. She gave up trying to run away from her inevitable fate and just lay on the floor with a bitter smile on her face. Time flew by quickly, even as the martial cultivators and the Seven Kill Sect disciples continued to be on guard against each other. After Gu Suihans injuries had healed up, he did not leave his room at all. He lay on his bed with his eyes shut as though he were dead. But his consciousness was working very hard. Countless inspirations and thoughts were analyzed and enacted inside his head. His focused mind was able to quickly patch the missing later parts of the Geng Gold Sword Mantra. At the same time, this cultivation technique was moving through his Spiritual Meridians like it was second nature to him. Wisps of Qi were refined and added to his dantian, slowly filling it up. The faint shield around the flying ship enabled the cultivators who were only at Foundation Establishment to walk on the deck without fear of getting blown away. They could look at the endless clouds around them as well as the fiendish Qi that seemed almost solid. One day, as everything onboard was peaceful, the stable flying ship suddenly shook violently. A wave of slightly terrified greetings filled the air. Greetings, Great Elder. Greetings, Sect Leader. When the Great Elder of Fenglin heard the weak and tired greetings of the martial cultivators, he immediately scanned each one of them, and his expression instantly darkened. He could see that the martial cultivators who used to walk around confidently and arrogantly, with their heads high and their chests puffed out, now averted their gaze whenever they spotted a disciple from the Seven Kill Sect. They even had a bitter and helpless look on their faces from time to time. What happened? The Great Elder caught hold of a young man near to him to ask. Itsits those Seven Kill Sect disciplestheyre all awful bullies The young man felt like he finally found someone who could save them from this situation. He sniffled, and his eyes were actually teary as he glared at Seven Kill Sect disciples walking around complacently. He gritted his teeth and said, You werent around, so they bullied us just because theyve got more people than we do. You Hantian, did you put them up to this? The Great Elders eyes glinted frostily as a red dragon made from flames appeared behind him, its eyes staring straight at the amused You Hantian as it emanated a domineering aura. Oh no, I didnt do anything like that. In fact, its like that those little bastards on your side tried to attack first, said You Hantian with a shrug as he chuckled. He sounded so smug. The Great Elder immediately shouted back, Thats bullshit! Chapter 100 Chapter 100 C The Price These fellows were the ones who were being too arrogant and unreasonable! They suddenly said that they wanted to kill people from Fenglin, and we couldnt take it lying down, so we fought back, said the young man with a reddened face as he glanced a little fearfully at You Hantian. He dared not say anything rude since that man was the leader of the Seven Kill Sect, after all. We can talk about that later. In any case, youve gained a lot this time. Are you sure youre going to nitpick on something as petty as this? You Hantian smiled brightly at the other man. Humph! The Great Elder of Fenglin knew what You Hantian was talking about, so he just scoffed angrily before calming down again. Theyre back, so I suppose were about to arrive. Gu Suihan opened his eyes and stared straight at the ceiling as he sensed the imposing aura from the two men outside his room. Get yourselves ready; were going to land tomorrow and start the competition inside the secret realm, a firm voice suddenly resounded loudly in the ears of every disciple on board the flying ship. Gu Suihan shut his eyes again and remained lying on his bed after hearing those words. He laid as straight as a corpse, and his chest slowly moved less and less. Fifteen minutes later, he looked more like a dead person and did not seem to show any signs of life at all. Just when he was about to go into cultivation mode, someone started knocking on his door. His expression fell, and there was a nasty look in his eyes. He hated it when someone wanted to talk to him without making any prior arrangements. The knocking continued even though he hadnt answered the door for a long time. He figured it wasnt going to stop, so he rubbed the area between his brows and called out in an expressionless voice, Who is it? Its me! a familiar, clear, pleasant, and melodious voice rang out. Before Gu Suihan could respond, the person opened the door and walked into his room. What is it? Gu Suihan didnt seem to care that he had a guest and took his time to sit up in bed, then stared nonchalantly at his visitor. Mo Yuluo stared back at Gu Suihan and couldnt understand why he seemed so grumpy. She sat down next to his bed and looked at him intently with her pretty eyes framed by her long lashes, as though she was going to stare a hole into his head. What is it? Mo Yuluos silence made Gu Suihan grow impatient. His gaze flickered with a hostile glint and his lips curled downwards to show his irritation. Before you took over this body and restarted your cultivation, what level of cultivation were you at? Mo Yuluo suddenly spoke, causing her thin veil to fly up slightly, revealing her exhausted face. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow as a number of thoughts went through his mind. A second later, he raised a finger and used it like a gleaming blade as he drew a line in the air in front of her veil. The veil that was made from a special substance shattered immediately, revealing her pale and haggard face. Her eyes were usually as bright and alert as a cats, but they were dim and bloodshot now. Her usually pretty and glossy red lips were also pale. You It only took Gu Suihan one look to know that this woman had not been cultivating for a long time because she had been worried about something, and she hadnt even gotten enough sleep. He scanned her with his spiritual sense and discovered that her breathing was a little uneven, and she seemed to be on the brink of moving down one stage. What level of cultivation were you at? Mo Yuluo did not flinch even after what Gu Suihan did. After noticing the change in his expression, she even leaned forward a little, allowing him a full view of her deep cleavage. She stared straight at him as if she wasnt going to leave without an answer. Why are you asking me this question? I believe I said before that I was at Peak Origin Core. Gu Suihan did not become flustered by her actions and merely adjusted his sitting position a little before looking back at her with an amused expression. Thats not true. Thats what WE guessed, Mo Yuluo cut in with a scoff. Her frosty smile was still beautiful enough to mesmerize most. I get it now. Gu Suihan seemed to have noticed that tinge of despair and hatred in Mo Yuluos eyes. He used his long index finger to gently tap on her pale forehead, which made her automatically move away from him again. Youre one of the vessels for the Peak Leaders too. You werent supposed to know, but for some reason, you found out about it. The Peak Leader making use of you is Yun Lianyi, I suppose. He got out of bed, disregarding his disheveled clothing, and walked to the nearby table to pour himself a cup of tea. He drank the whole cup down at once. Youwere not only at Origin Core in your previous world. There was a glimmer of hopefulness in Mo Yuluos eyes. Hoho! Gu Suihan just laughed without agreeing or disagreeing. He paced the room a few times, then suddenly spun around and asked her, But youre You Hantians niece. Why would Yun Lianyi dare to do such a thing to you? Mo Yuluos expression fell, and her smile was self-deprecating. Yun Lianyi is my mother. You Hantian is my father. Unlike what everyone says, Im not actually his niece. That caught Gu Suihan by surprise, and he spat all his tea out before turning to stare at Mo Yuluo in shock. I, uh, thatwas pretty shocking news said Gu Suihan without hiding the astonishment in his eyes. You have a way to save me. The messy hair that Mo Yuluo pushed away from her face looked as tired as her face, but she was still gorgeous despite being so haggard. And why should I save you? Gu Suihan was not swayed by her beauty at all. The astonishment on his face had disappeared, and his usual calm and unbothered smile spread across his lips again. Mo Yuluo frowned at how Gu Suihan always wanted something in return and said quietly, What do you want. What can you give me? Gu Suihan refused to give her any clues on the minimum he wanted. 50,000 Spiritual Stones, three spiritual weapons, said Mo Yuluo through clenched teeth after taking a deep breath. Thats your offer? There was a sarcastic smile on his face. No, thats the highest price Im able to come up with. What do you think? Mo Yuluo sat across from him and stared at him again. Gu Suihan thought about it for a while, then suddenly looked up at her. Do you have details on the Seven Kill Sects plan for this inter-sect competition? Yes. The Sect Leader will watch over the proceedings, and there are five chosen vessels among the disciples. Once were inside the secret realm, theyll use their partial souls to wipe out the vessels soul and take over their bodies by force. They would then try to find a way to gather all the disciples belonging to the Seven Kill Sect, the War Demon Sect, and the Yin Principle Sect to unleash a battle technique that resembles what wolves from the same pack do. The whole group will split into several groups to hunt down all the disciples that belong to the other faction and kill their best disciples. Wiping out the best of the other factions next generation will help them to increase their chances of winning in later battles. Five vessels, murmured Gu Suihan, the look of enlightenment barely visible in his eyes. What do you intend to do? Mo Yuluo had noticed that Gu Suihan did not seem willing to be part of the Seven Kill Sects plans and seemed to have other plans. Li Rong and Gu Suihan had been in frequent contact over the past few months as well, so she was sure these two had plans. Since youre not able to pay a sufficient price, why should I help you? Gu Suihan fiddled with his teacup and switched the topic back. Im certain Li Rong couldnt have offered more than me. Why did you agree to help him then? Mo Yuluo had a hostile look in her eye because she thought that Gu Suihan was making life difficult for her on purpose. Do you know what price Li Rong has agreed to pay? Gu Suihan slowly raised his head and focused his eyes on Mo Yuluo as his lips curled upwards into a smirk. Mo Yuluo suddenly felt very uneasy inside, and she sounded a little anxious as she asked, What? Hes joining hands with me to make sure that the Seven Kill Sect fails this time. Were going to make sure the Seven Kill Sect suffers a heavy blow. Gu Suihan stared straight into Mo Yuluos pretty eyes as he emphasized every word, his seemingly nonchalant voice exuding a slight viciousness. Mo Yuluo gasped, and she had a look of shock in her eyes. Her lips trembled as she murmured to herself, Thats impossible. Why would he join hands with you to do something as reckless and insane as this? Never mind whether the plans succeed or not C once the inter-sect competition is over and youre found out, nobody in the world will take you in. In the world? Gu Suihans smile was filled with contempt. He clearly doubted the Seven Kill Sects capabilities. So, what can you offer me? Gu Suihan asked Mo Yuluo, his soft voice like the murmuring of a demon in her ears, attacking her already hurt and depressed heart. Whatcan I offer? A dazed look slowly appeared in her eyes. Was she able to become as unscrupulous as Li Rong? She couldnt bring herself to. Was she able to do something as insane as Gu Suihan? Her experience and boldness were nowhere near his. All of a sudden, she realized how childish and na?ve she had been. Howhelpless she had been all this time. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 C Better To Kill The Wrong Person Than To Miss One Actually, theres still one more thing you can offer in exchange, but you havent discovered it yet, thats all, said Gu Suihan suddenly to Mo Yuluo, breaking the silence in the quiet room. His voice was as gentle as water, flowing slowly into her delicate ears. What is it? asked Mo Yuluo, a little confusion making it into her low and hoarse voice. Yun Lianyi, said Gu Suihan calmly as he smiled faintly at her. What do you mean by that? Mo Yuluo felt a shiver down her spine, and an uneasiness filled her heart. Gu Suihan walked around the table to stand behind her and gently patted her frail shoulders as he said emotionlessly, Youre her disciple, and youre also her daughter. Im sure that youre very familiar with the way she behaves and her personality after interacting with her for so many years. What I want is for you to pretend to be taken over by her. Pretend to be Yun Lianyi and make a mess of things. Whatwhy do you want to do that? Mo Yuluo suddenly got up and turned to stare at Gu Suihans face, which was barely a foot away from hers. I want you to make a decision. Either you die, or they die. An evil smile spread across Gu Suihans face as his bright eyes stared emotionlessly at the frightened and uneasy gorgeous young woman. Think very carefully about it, he took half a step forward and whispered into her ear. While she was still in a daze, he used his spiritual energy to send her out of his room. After he had sent her out, Gu Suihan had a look of uncertainty on his face. Mo Yuluo, Yun Lianyi. This matter made him a little undecided. If he gained control over Mo Yuluo through this matter, then the Seven Kill Sect was going to face Armageddon. That was because the Peak that Yun Lianyi was in charge of was the Seven Kill Sects resources, including all their treasures. What Li Rongs father was in charge of couldnt be compared to this. Everything depends on what you choose to do. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze seemingly able to land on Mo Yuluo even through the door. I Mo Yuluo had a conflicted look in her eyes as though she could sense Gu Suihans staring. Her lips trembled, but she eventually returned to her own room without saying a word. She didnt want to die, but she didnt want her own mother to die either. Women were often more sentimental than men. Cultivators were no exception. Gu Suihan exhaled deeply and stopped thinking about this matter. Instead, he started thinking about how he should make cannon fodder out of Disciplinarian Zhang. He still remembered the secret realm that Disciplinarian Zhang had refined till this very day. Meanwhile, not long after the gigantic flying ship had left Fenglin, the entire country went into a state of panic. A plague was spreading through the palace. Anybody who got it would start swelling all over within three days, their minds would become foggy, and they would start becoming aggressive. On top of that, it spread incredibly quickly. Even the martial artists within the palace could not escape this plague. Those who got it went insane and started killing anybody they saw. This plague was passed on through wounds. As long as someone with this illness injured you, you would definitely catch it as well. All the royal doctors and even the clinics for the commoners were trying their best to find the source of this plague amidst their fears, hoping to solve this terrifying illness as quickly as possible. But as the days went by, more and more people were infected, and more and more people died. Several people chose to move out immediately, while even more had no choice but to shut themselves in their own houses fearfully. The only sounds left in the previously lively and bustling capital of the country were the winds and the rustling of overgrown grass. Very few people could be found on the streets, and smelly corpses lay everywhere. The walls of buildings were splattered with dried blood. The smell of death emanated through the entire city, as though it had been abandoned. The sad sounds of a cat meowing or a dog barking in the quiet streets made it eerier than it already was. The crown prince had unfortunately been scratched by a subordinate, and the powerful determination he had as a martial artist had failed against this mystifying plague. The king had no choice but to lock him up deep within the palace. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with violence as if he had gone mad. He would roar like an animal constantly, accompanied by the ear-deafening sounds of metal chains sweeping across the floor. In barely half a month, the entire country was crippled. There was no activity on the borders at all. Neighboring countries guarded their borders fiercely, arresting those who had escaped Fenglin and refusing them entry. They were very frightened of this plague as well since it spread so easily and there was no cure. Anybody infected was just waiting to die. Thinking about this was enough to send shivers down their spine. Tell the Grand Elder! Hurry! The kings face was pale, and his clothes were disheveled as he hid in his bedroom, shouting a little maniacally at his subordinates to carry out his orders. He repeated these words a few hundred times a day, but every time he sent out a jade slip to get in contact with the Grand Elder, nothing happened. It was as if he was throwing a statue made from mud into the ocean. This made him even more terrified than he already was. He was afraid that this was something created by someone with ill intentions and that it was not a naturally occurring plague. He suspected this because even the cultivators of martial arts could not hold up against it. Thinking about how his own son had become nothing more than a wild animal made him feel a chill in his bones. It should be working by now, muttered Gu Suihan as he happened to think about Fenglin. There was murderous qi swirling around his eyebrows. This was his revenge, his revenge against that middle-aged man who tried to use him as practice for his son. Gu Suihan did not know who the real mastermind was and wasnt sure if all of this was just a coincidence, but he was very unhappy. As a demon who had no regard for human life, the violent nature in Gu Suihans soul exploded instantly. Since he wasnt sure who the mastermind was, he was just going to kill them all. He would rather take a million innocent lives than miss out on one. He looked out of the window toward Fenglin, even though it was way too far for him to actually see it. The murderous look in his eyes intensified. These lowly little ants, he thought. He couldnt believe they actually thought they could have their way with him. They had been too stupid. The flying ship finally slowed down before slowly landing. Several vicious-looking beasts let out long howls and glared murderously at the flying ship as they flew around it. You Hantians tall and straight figure was as steady as a rock. He stood at the front of the ship, and there was a very faint smile on his serene face. The Grand Elder of Fenglin stood right next to him. When he saw those birds encircling the ship incessantly, he let out a disdainful snort. A roar exploded, resounding within a several hundred-mile radius of the ship like thunder. Everything fell silent for a moment as those ferocious birds instantly burst into a mess of blood and flesh. There was also a clear path through the clouds in front of the ship now. Were here. Gather on the deck. You Hantians voice resounded in every disciples ear. Regardless of whether they were cultivating, eating, drinking, or thinking, all of them trembled when they heard this seemingly gentle and harmless voice. Were finally here. Gu Suihan and Li Rong walked together toward the deck and looked down puzzledly at the numerous buildings below them that looked like ants. Mo Yuluo looked even more haggard now, and the attractive aura she used to exude was gone. She dragged her skirt across the floor like she was in ill health and the saddened look on her face made ones heart go out to her. You dont have a lot of time left, Gu Suihan said to her via telepathy as he walked past her. Argh! This man! Mo Yuluo had a conflicted look in her bloodshot eyes as she stared at Gu Suihans confident back, subconsciously touching the two joined hearts fruit in her storage ring as he walked away from her. On the deck, the disciples of the Seven Kill Sect and the cultivators from Fenglin stood in two very distinct groups, leaving a gap of at least 50 meters between them. The martial artists looked at the Seven Kill Sect disciples with hatred and murder in their eyes, especially when it came to the rather ordinary-looking Gu Suihan standing right in the middle. The Seven Kill Sect disciples chatted among themselves as per normal, but their eyes would carry a tinge of fear when they glanced at Gu Suihan from time to time. Boom! The flying ship creaked loudly as it crashed heavily to the ground, like a meteorite landing on Earth. The impact shook the ground so hard that it felt like an earthquake. There was now a hole that was at least 500 meters across and 50 meters deep. It displaced so much mud and rocks that the sunlight was blotted out for a few moments, and everyone was covered in the stench of soil. You did that on purpose, said You Hantian with a frown. All his sects disciples had fallen to the floor because they werent expecting to hit the ground so hard. So what if I did? The Grand Elder raised an eyebrow and smirked as he looked at the cultivators from his country who were still standing tall, their feet gripping the deck firmly. You Hantian sighed to himself, then waved his sleeve to gather all the disciples lying haphazardly on the floor and hid them inside his sleeve before looking up at all the soil in the air with a frosty smile on his face. He raised a hand to flick his fingers slightly. Several beams of spiritual energy shot into the sky like snakes, creating several tiny holes in the solid protective formation around the ship. The soil instantly crashed against the slightly damaged protective formation. The formation creaked under the weight of the soil and shattered before the Grand Elder even realized what was happening. The heavy layer of soil rained down like a mountain. The Grand Elders eyes widened, and he glared fiercely at the unfazed You Hantian. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 C Spirit Splitting Secret Technique Humph! The Grand Elder of Fenglin let out a snort. His robe started flapping even though there was no wind, and the illusion of a giant dragon flying into the sky appeared behind his flying gray hair. The dragon gleamed with a golden glow, lighting up the darkness with a beautiful brilliance. The wave of soil and rocks that were threatening to hit them like a meteorite were all quietly stopped by this golden glow even though it looked so gentle and fragile. There was a crisp pitter-pattering as the soil and rocks hit the glow, making it flicker and ripple. Yet, the wavering golden glow managed to keep out the soil and rocks. A full hour later, everyone saw a ray of sunshine come through, and the wave of soil and rocks had slowly disappeared. But the oncoming gray skies still reminded them of the danger they were in earlier. Lets go, said the Grand Elder of Fenglin with a huff at the frightened cultivators of martial arts. He made a hand seal, broke the thin protective formation around the flying ship, and leaped off the ship. Lets go. You Hantian was expressionless as he let all the disciples in his sleeve out and quickly followed the Grand Elder off the ship as well. Straighten yourselves out, and dont embarrass the Seven Kill Sect. A sect elder waved the dust in the air away and frowned deeply at the slightly disheveled disciples in front of him. He was clearly displeased with the way they looked. After some time, the frown on his face eased, and he looked more pleased with the disciples now. He flew up into the air and led the way. Its about to begin. Do you still stand a chance? Gu Suihan seemed a little excited, and he scanned the other disciples silently with his indifferent gaze. His thin lips moved slightly as he spoke to Disciplinarian Zhang via telepathy. Youre doomed! Disciplinarian Zhang suddenly stopped mid-air and turned to glare nastily at Gu Suihan, who was grinning back at the older man. He clenched the hands in his sleeve instinctively, and his veins bulged. The aggressive look on his face made those closest to him get a fright. Youre a wily old fox! Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes as he muttered those words to himself. If this old man didnt do anything and waited until Gu Suihan entered the secret realm, then it would only be too late. Gu Suihan had purposely agitated Disciplinarian Zhang since You Hantian wasnt around. The best would be to make their disagreement public, which would make the old man warier of the consequences if he tried to attack Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan was surprised that the old man had managed to hold his temper back. A cold wind blew through the forest covered in dead branches, fallen leaves, and snow. The grayish-white snow fell like ocean waves, roaring and crashing. The occasional resilient green trees that were still standing gave this solemn winter a rare sign of life. You Hantian and the leaders from the other sects were probably gathered somewhere to quarrel with one another over the details of what was to happen next. Small fries like Gu Suihan were not qualified to watch these elderly people shear each other until nothing but their ugly sides remained. Everyone quietly walked through the forest, and they soon came to a vast area covered in countless tents and huts. There was an odd aura in this place. Several cultivators were moving around, and it looked rather chaotic. But perhaps they still had some respect for one another, and the sects on opposing sides had gathered in a distinct area a distance from each other. The sects that had formed an alliance with the Ethereal Court stopped trying to hide this fact and put up all their tents across from the Seven Kill Sect and their allies. There was another area that was filled with disciples from other smaller sects. Well go over there. Disciplinarian Zhang scoured the entire place quickly. Once he found where the War Demon Sect was, he waved his sleeve and flew toward them. Before landing, everyone could hear the melodious and charming chatter of women, accompanied by a faint fragrance in their nostrils. The Yin Principle Sect. Some of the more senior disciples snickered with a slightly wary look in their eyes. There was an empty area that had clearly been reserved for the Seven Kill Sect disciples, but the disciples had to rely on themselves to put some sort of accommodation together. If they were able, they could use their skills and spells to make a hut. If not, they had to sit in a hole in a tree to cultivate. Gu Suihan walked by himself to a more secluded area near the border with the War Demon Sect. A stream wasnt too far away, and the space around him was empty. This wasnt too bad of a place. He threw out several soil and rock talismans, controlling them with almost robotic precision to make a little rock hut that measured less than 20 square meters in floorspace, all within an hour. After he entered the hut, he took out a sitting mound from his storage ring, set up some formations, then proceeded to cultivate. They were going to enter the secret realm soon, so there was no need to make this place too fancy. He took out many Spiritual Stones and placed them on the floor. There was so much qi in the air that they turned into a thick fog inside the hut, but with the help of the qi gathering formation that he had set up earlier, he absorbed it all rapidly. The white, gleaming Spiritual Stones turned to powder in seconds. Once that happened, he would just take out more Spiritual Stones and absorb their qi. The sword energy inside his body went through all his acupoints and spiritual meridians again and again. Each time it made one round, it would squeeze out impurities that could not be seen with the naked eye. At the same time, those bones of his that didnt look like they belonged to a human would also slowly go from ivory white to a more transparent crystal color as it was quenched time and again by the sword energy. Ra-Asu Sword Bones. One of the top ten skeletons of sword cultivators from ancient times. Its probably even more powerful than what the legends claim, thought Gu Suihan as he looked at his gleaming bones. He quietly undid the seal over Suihans spirit within his consciousness, and a bright glow filled the room as though a deity had transcended from heaven. His spirit was still very frail and weak, but the innumerable cracks that made it look like a fractured piece of glass had decreased in number. A vast and authoritative aura filled his entire consciousness. Runes swirled around his spirit, and a glimmer would flicker brightly and disappear the next second. Spirit splitting is the only way Ill be able to recover more quickly. Gu Suihan had a grim look on his face. Spirit splitting wasnt a stage in cultivation but a secret technique made to help a soul recover from its injuries. It would take you a long time to fill up one large pool with water, but if you split them into smaller pools and filled them all at the same time, you could save a lot of time. It was the same with spirit splitting. A spirit was made from ones core, nascent soul, and heart-soul, which resided in the upper, mid, and lower dantian of the body, respectively, before they merged to become ones spirit. The heart-soul was the amassing of qi. Cultivators had to rely on the qi inside here to cast spells and do supernatural things, like riding clouds, controlling mist, and piercing the sky with their sword qi and all that. The core gathered the three po and was situated in the upper dantian, which was where the consciousness was. Spiritual sense and divine sense were formed by the heaven hun, while the three po formed the core. Nascent change or nascent soul resided in the middle dantian. It was in charge of the five major organs; it gathered the seven po and kept ones libido in check. Some of the murderous qi and fiendish qi that the cultivators gathered and refined was controlled by this part. When all three reached completion, the core would rest on the nascent, and the heart-soul would be its base. This formed a complete spirit. If you shifted the spiritual root to become the backbone of the spirit, then you were on your way to the immortal stage. Splitting the spirit was the opposite. It was a process to split up the spirit and put them back into the dantians they came from to recuperate, then merge them together again once they had healed up separately. One had to ensure that the spirit would not just fall apart when splitting before using this technique. Suihans spirit had been on the verge of falling apart before this, so there was no way he could split it and let them heal separately. But now, it was stable enough, and it was a good time to do so too. Before that, I need to take back my soul fire. With my weakness in their hands, doing anything like this would endanger my own life. A bottomless whirlpool seemed to form within Gu Suihans bright eyes. All Souls Return to the Body! Gu Suihans eyes suddenly widened as a mysterious spinning wheel seemed to appear above his head. Surreal dao runes ran across the wheel like tiny little snakes. Suddenly, a powerful but silent force rippled across the wheel, causing it to spin more and more quickly. Gu Suihan slowly closed his eyes. His vast divine sense seemed as heavy as the skies, yet as silent as spring rains and as gentle as the breeze as it swept across the entire universe in an instant. Gu Suihan could feel a very weak connection, a tiny firefly in the boundless darkness. Return to the body! ordered Gu Suihan. The wavering and weak bit of soul fire suddenly became brighter, like it had found its way home. It crossed time and space and was swiftly absorbed by his spirit again. Spirit Splitting Secret Technique, keeping the top clear and bottom cloudy, return to where you once were. Without hesitation, Gu Suihan changed the position of his hands. Mysterious runes formed inside his consciousness and engraved themselves on the spirit with great force. Ahh! Suihans spirit let out an ear-deafening scream. The badly cracked and injured heart-soul suddenly descended and landed quietly into where all his qi were, becoming one with the thick pool of sword energy inside. The chubby, cute, and childlike translucent blue nascent soul fell into the middle part of the body. The core was now like a pearl glowing in the middle of the ocean as it gave off a faint light in his consciousness. Scatter the Three Huas, break down the Five Qis! Gu Suihan gritted his teeth as he forcibly broke apart the Three Huas and Five Qis inside his body. As it turned back into ordinary qi, he absorbed it into his body once more to repair his heart-soul. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 C Starting The Competition There was a slight cracking sound as some of the lines on Gu Suihans heart-soul disappeared, and it no longer looked as damaged as it had once been. Advanced Foundation Establishment. Gu Suihan suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were bright like the stars, with a strange swirling whirlpool within his pupils that seemed to encompass the greatest mysteries of life. Origin Core. Im only at Origin Core, muttered Gu Suihan like he had gone mad. His black hair flapped wildly despite the lack of wind, and the spinning wheel behind him had shattered. Only an odd symbol shone brightly in his pupils. Violence, bloodthirstiness, and a frostiness burst forth from his reddened eyes. In that instant, the entire hut was filled with the sounds of ghosts crying, wolves howling, flying sand, and moving stones. Questioning Heaven trembled violently on Gu Suihans lap like it was faced with its greatest enemy. Shush! The redness in Gu Suihans eyes slowly faded, and he frowned as he looked down at his tense sword. If someone else were around, they would have seen how the bloodied mist from Gu Suihans body was as bloody as thousands of dead bodies stacked on each other, reaching high up in the sky, and how a strange set of runes had formed in the middle of it. This time, all of them are going to become food for me. The extreme bloodthirsty look in his bloodshot eyes disappeared after a second. He stood up and looked at the wall in front of him as if he could see the thousands of disciples from varying schools of cultivation and martial arts outside. At that moment, he confirmed that it was impossible to unravel the mystery behind the hide he had inherited from his master in this world. The bloodthirstiness he had hidden for so long was finally ready to burst out of him. That demonic technique that could make ones hair stand on end and send shivers down ones spine was ready to descend on this world. Whos there? shouted someone within the Seven Kill Sect grounds in shock and anger. Xiexin zhenrens expression was aggressive as he roared like a madman. The tiny bit of Gu Suihans soul fire that he had in his sleeve had suddenly disappeared. Yet, all he could do was watch the soul fire fly away, and he couldnt stop it at all. This made him feel terribly uneasy, and a deep-seated terror instantly filled his heart. Why are you shouting? The spiritual sense of several others appeared at the top of the mountain where Xiexin zhenren was. The part of Gu Suihans soul fire that was left behind in the sect has suddenly disappeared, Xiexin zhenren replied to them via telepathy with a murderous look on his face. There are two possibilities. Either he used a secret technique to summon his soul fire back because hes trying to escape from our control and intends to ruin our plans; or two, its the Sect Leader who took that soul fire, and he intends to threaten Gu Suihan with it, responded Yun Lianyi after giving it some thought. Didnt you say Gu Suihan swore by the Way? If he goes against his promise, he wont be able to escape the threat of being possessed by his own wayward thoughts in the future, said Wan Fentian in an irritated voice. Xiexin zhenren was already in a foul mood, so when he heard Wan Fentians annoyed tone of voice, he retorted angrily, He did swear by the Way. I witnessed that with my own eyes. What are you worried about then? Did you think that this pathetic Lower World would have other people above Origin Core besides You Hantian and a few others? Yun Lianyi sounded sarcastic and even hateful. Any techniques and items required for a breakthrough are all with those old fogeys. That Gu Suihan is just a wandering cultivator, so I wouldnt think hed be capable of doing this himself. But Xiexin zhenren was still unsettled. Before he could go on, Wan Fentian cut him off impatiently, No buts. Gu Suihan is only at Foundation Establishment, so if he actually tries to ruin our plans, thats as good as a mayfly trying to shake a tree. Its a bold but futile dream. Theres no way one Gu Suihan could affect the big picture. After he had said that, all of them went their own way and ignored the extremely grim expression on Xiexin zhenrens face. Humph! Xiexin zhenren remained standing there for a few moments before angrily storming back to Peak Four. In the end, Mo Yuluo did not look for Gu Suihan again. As such, Gu Suihan had no choice but to go with his original plan. Time and fate were unpredictable things, and Gu Suihan was already prepared for such an event. Setting aside what plans Mo Yuluo might have, nobody could stand in the way of her will not to allow someone else to kill her and take over her body, even if that person was her own mother. Several days later, You Hantian finally came back. His brows were furrowed, and he was silent. It was clear that after so many days of arguing, the Seven Kill Sect had not managed to gain any advantage at all. After a long time, You Hantian finally exhaled deeply and said in a slightly frosty voice, Pack your things; were leaving in an hour for the secret realm. Its best that those from the same sect help each other through any difficulties. He knew what the Seven Kill Sect disciples were like. They usually believed in the survival of the fittest, and the techniques that were passed to the disciples were very disorganized. There were some disciples who cultivated in the sword, some in ghosts, some in magic, and so on. Their techniques generally leaned toward the more ruthless ones that were meant to kill. The disciples were also well-versed in pulling sneaky tricks while making attacks. So, You Hantian wanted to warn them against infighting. The crowd started moving. There were so many of them. Some of them were gentle and elegant, some fierce and murderous, some aloof and calm. There were all sorts of disciples in the mix. Besides the seven major sects, there were cultivators from smaller sects and people like the martial cultivators from Fenglin. Each group stuck to one another and left an empty space that was at least 3,000 meters in diameter in the middle. Lets begin, said You Hantian with a darkened expression as he threw the people from Vast Sky Sect a hostile glance. He didnt bother hiding any of his hatred for them. Immediately after, he saw that the leaders of the major sects took a step forward. Their expressions were solemn as they looked at one another from a distance of a few hundred meters, then they made hand seals at the same time in order to gather qi. An elderly man from the Ethereal Court flew into the air. A bright green light shot out from his hands, a pressuring and imposing energy bursting forth and pressing down on the lands below it. A strong wind blew up all the fallen leaves, quietly blowing past the hearts of each person and making them shiver. As the cold winds began to howl, snow filled the skies. The white sky slowly darkened, and a faintly red cloud slowly began to gather above them. Illusionary Demon Hole in the Sky! Activate! All of them shouted loudly at the same time. The beam from their hand seals froze, then turned into one golden beam that shot straight into the cloud above. KABOOM! An ear-deafening blast resounded in everyones ears. But even after absorbing all the energy from the leaders of the various sects, the blood-colored cloud did not grow any larger. Instead, it seemed to be getting smaller. Even though the cloud was getting smaller, the leaders immediately shifted a few hundred meters backward at the same time while forming layers and layers of protective forcefields to make sure the area in front of them was well protected. But even after doing that, they still did not relax. There was a gleam in their hands as they held up all sorts of spiritual weapons and magic treasures as they waited with bated breath. Fifteen minutes slowly ticked by. The bloodied cloud finally stopped moving after it had turned into a whirlpool that measured only about three meters across. Something dim flashed across the center of the cloud as if the cloud was brewing something. The green glow below it was even more brilliant than before. The energizing fragrance of plants instantly filled the air and made everyone feel refreshed after taking a breath of it. Sky Shattering Star Anchor! The elderly man from the Ethereal Court bit his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of his blood on the green glow. The green glow let out a long howl as it stabbed itself deep into the ground. It expanded in width and looked like a gigantic tree trunk without any branches or leaves. The huge pole had a golden glow on it as it surged upwards toward the mysterious whirlpool above. Boom! The whirlpool created by the bloodied cloud suddenly shook, and its rotation speed slowed down, but it never stopped. The tree trunk suddenly gave off the sound of something cracking and falling apart. Everyone watched in horror as thick, broken wooden pieces fell out from the whirlpool as the tree trunk wailed continuously. Is this something left behind from ancient times? murmured one of them, his eyes filled with greediness. He wasnt the only one. Everyones gaze was heated as they stared straight at how powerful the whirlpool was. It could even break the giant tree trunk even though the tree trunk had defied the rules of space. The star anchor is actually unable to lock its position down! It must be a high-level secret realm! the elderly man from the Ethereal Court suddenly started shouting with an excited look on his face. My friends, please help to contribute a little more energy. The old man gritted his teeth and swallowed several pills. The aggressive look in his eyes faded as quickly as it appeared. He suddenly used his palm to slam his own chest three times, causing him to spray three mouthfuls of blood out. At the same time, the other leaders who were watching did not go up to help but took one step backward with an indifferent look on their faces. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 C No Need To Hide, No Need To Worry This old fogey, You Hantian snorted as he, too, shifted a few hundred meters backward, calmly eying the old man in the middle. He didnt look like he was going to help at all. Humph! The old mans expression darkened when he saw that the leaders of sects like the Seven Kill Sect and the War Demon Sect had moved away instead of helping, but he did not say anything. He continued to unleash more and more qi from within his body at high speed, filling up the green pillar that resembled a tree trunk. Ill help you. A man who looked like an elder from the Vast Sky Sect took a step forward. A white glowing surge of energy containing righteous qi shot out from his body and entered the tree trunk. The loud sound of something ripping suddenly came from within the blood-colored whirlpool, as though something had stabbed a hole in it. Heavenly Illusion Stabilizing Technique! The old man from the Ethereal Court had turned pale, and there was blood seeping out from every orifice. His already graying hair had turned entirely white as his body emanated the unmistakable air of rot and decay. The huge pillar creaked noisily as if it couldnt take the pressure of the energy from the two men. Cracks appeared all over the pillar and quickly spread across its entire surface. It looked like it was going to fall apart at any moment. But instead of looking disappointed, the old man looked even more excited. His robes flapped wildly from the surge of energy in the air, and his face was deathly pale, but his eyes shone with a brilliant look of determination as well as a crazed willingness to do anything to make this attempt succeed. Bam! The pillar finally couldnt hold up anymore. One piece of the pillars surface fell off, and that seemed to give the cue for the rest to follow. Everyone watched as the pillar creaked more and more loudly as countless pieces rained down from the sky. Before long, the very surface of the pillar had been completely worn off the pillar, revealing a transparent core that gleamed colorfully like a crystal. It emanated an air of long-suffering and misery, which made everyone turn away instinctively. Here are your jade tokens. Everyone gets two of them. Smear one drop of blood on each token. The token will crumble once you die. Once there are no more than 500 people left inside, the way to the exit will appear on the token. Bring one with you, and give the other one to me. The deacons of the various sects got the command from their leaders and quickly retrieved a pile of jade tokens from their storage rings and bags to hand them out to their disciples. The jade tokens that the Seven Kill Sect disciples got were red in color and only carried the words Seven Kill Sect on them. There was no name or number on them at all. It was clear that who lived and who died did not matter to the higher-ups of the sect. Gu Suihan looked at the thin pieces of red jade in his hand, and there was a flicker in his eye. He made sure nobody was looking before retrieving a small bottle from his storage ring. He removed the cork, wiped his index finger over the mouth of the bottle, then used the same finger to wipe a bit of blood on his jade token. He put the bottle away after that. Here, Gu Suihan held out his jade token to the deacon without any expression on his face. The deacon just collected it from Gu Suihan without taking a look at it. There were a few hundred of them, after all. Nobody had the patience to inspect each piece carefully to see if anybody had done anything to the token. Enter the realm, said You Hantian calmly after he turned to look at the disciples. After getting the go-ahead from their leader, the disciples hesitated for a few moments with different expressions on their faces. Some were indifferent, some looked angry, and some were fearful. But once they caught sight of You Hantians emotionless face, they quickly flew toward the pillar that was now transparent. Gu Suihan took his time and seemed to be trying to stall for time as he watched more and more disciples grit their teeth and head into the secret realm. He didnt seem anxious at all and didnt even bother looking at the old man glaring furiously at him. Are you thinking of running away? Disciplinarian Zhang mocked Gu Suihan with a nasty look on his face when he noticed that Gu Suihan was still moving along at the same speed as an ordinary human. Gu Suihan turned to glance at Disciplinarian Zhang, then chuckled and smiled mysteriously. Instead of walking faster, he started walking even more slowly than before. Humph! Let me give you a hand. Disciplinarian Zhang sniggered, then waved his arm. A typhoon suddenly appeared, wrapping itself around Gu Suihan and carrying him toward the pillar. As more and more people entered the secret realm, the huge pillar that looked incredibly strong was slowly dimming, and its surface was no longer as transparent as before. It looked like it was going to revert back to being that wooden trunk with a green glow in no time. The typhoon carrying Gu Suihan helped him to cover a few kilometers in no time. It was now already getting very close to the pillar, and Gu Suihan did not try to fight back at all, as though he had already resigned himself to his fate. When he was only ten meters away from the pillar, the typhoon instantly fell apart to reveal a completely unhurt Gu Suihan. Before Disciplinarian Zhang could get over his shock at how Gu Suihan managed to remain unscathed, Gu Suihan took a deep breath and shouted very loudly, These jade slips contain the plans that the Seven Kill Sect has. If the Ethereal Court and its allies dont want to fail this competition, get one of these! Immediately after saying that, Gu Suihan scattered a few thousand gleaming jade slips into the air, then stepped into the secret realm and disappeared while everyone was still trying to wrap their heads around what just happened. Their plans? Those from other sects were puzzled, but they were not slow in acting. Before You Hantian could do anything, they quickly made hand seals in order to grab one of those jade slips before they hit the ground. How dare you! You Hantians eyes bulged angrily as his usually calm and collected expression turned into one of fury. He covered an area of 30,000 meters with a murderous aura, then waved his hand to send out a few thousand beams of energy toward the jade slips in the air. Why are you getting so jittery? some from the Ethereal Court let out a merry laugh as they shattered the aura trapping them and used a variety of methods to get their hands on one of those jade slips. Its a mess outside, and I think it must be a mess inside, too, murmured Gu Suihan to himself with a snort as he recovered from the dizziness that always came with being teleported. Before he had the time to observe his surroundings, he felt a fierce sword qi attempt to kill him, accompanied by a loud shout, Disciple of the Seven Kill Sect, prepare to die! A disciple dressed in the uniform of the Youthful Clarity Sect ran toward Gu Suihan with his sword raised. What an idiot, spat Gu Suihan with a smile. He touched his belt, and Questioning Heaven leaped out of its sheath, its blade releasing a bloody mist that filled the entire space. The blade sliced the neck of the Youthful Clarity Sect disciple even as the disciple screamed in horror and disbelief. Blood spurted from his neck as his head was now balancing on the tip of Questioning Heaven. Now that he didnt have to observe the many rules of the world he was in or the pressure from cultivators more powerful than himself, Gu Suihan felt so much more relaxed. It felt like the dark clouds that had been over his head all this time had cleared. Swallow the soul to repair the spirit! Without the pressure from powerful cultivators like You Hantian, the bloodthirstiness in Gu Suihans bones could finally be unleashed. His instantly recognizable calm expression now looked somewhat evil when matched with his murderous gaze. He grabbed the young mans head with his left hand. His five fingers glowed a bloody red as they stabbed themselves into the skull as though it was merely made from tofu. A faint gray mist was instantly absorbed by his hand, and he had a pleased smile on his face as if he was enjoying this very much. If you add up all the disciples from the various sects and factions, there must be a few thousand people in here. This many souls should be enough to restore me to Origin Core. Gu Suihan flung the dried-up head aside. He flicked his finger and used his spiritual energy to take the storage ring from the headless corpse for himself. The sword returned to its sheath, and the terrifying atmosphere in the air instantly disappeared. But the strange blood-colored symbol in his eyes grew brighter. A glow covered his body as the ordinary brocade robe of the Seven Kill Sect internal disciples transformed into a black cloak, covering his entire body like the pitch black night sky. There were several strange patterns on the cloak, and bloodied qi emanated from its hems, making Gu Suihans aura even more grim and sinister. This really brings back memories, said Gu Suihan as he looked down at his clothing. The tinge of wickedness in the smile on his pale face could really send shivers down ones spine. He was in the midst of a forest, but it was strewn with bones and flesh of corpses. No birds could be heard, and there wasnt even the sound of crickets or other small insects like that. The whole place was silent, and the dead trees made the atmosphere even colder and lonelier. This entire place is dead. Gu Suihan wasnt affected and strolled through this eerie forest, taking his time to observe his surroundings as though he wasnt worried about any dangers that might be lurking in the darkness. Gu Suihan suddenly stopped walking and looked at the dead and empty area behind him as he called out in a calm voice, Come out! Nobody answered him except for the cold breeze blowing through, which sounded like the wailing of ghosts, as well as the remaining echoes of Gu Suihans voice. You can die then, said Gu Suihan as if he were talking to himself. He pointed his finger at the empty space as if it were a sword, creating a glow of sword qi that measured several meters wide, which carried murderous qi as it surged wildly toward that area. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 C Theres No Good Or Evil In Cultivation Ah! A frantic cry came from the supposedly empty space. Ripples appeared in the air as a human-shaped object dodged the oncoming sword qi, which hit the ground and kicked up a large cloud of fallen leaves and dust. Come out! Gu Suihan stared curiously at the cloud of dust, and a cruel glint lit up his eyes. Ow an aggrieved voice winced as the figure slowly went from being transparent to gaining shape, revealing a young girl in her early teens. A sword qi extinguishing talisman. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow as he stared at the item in the hands of the girl with a pale and tear-stained face. The silvery glow around the somewhat mysterious-looking talisman was a little dull, and there was a large tear in the paper. This talisman was going to become worthless after a few more uses. This sort of thing was usually made by an elder of a sect in their free time and given to their favorite disciples or subordinates to protect themselves. Based on the way the talisman was made and the aura it exuded, this talisman was probably made by a cultivator at Origin Core. In other words, this young lady was someone pretty important. Gu Suihans gaze slowly moved to look up at the absolutely terrified face of the girl. He noticed her familiar clothing, and an evil smile spread across his lips. So, who was that man to you? His voice was gentle and even sounded a little adoring and concerned for her. That is if you ignored that expressionless face of his and that black cloak of his that seemed to exude a bloodthirstiness and a murderous aura. If you only heard his voice, he sounded like an older brother asking after his younger sister. Heshes my senior brother. The girl looked at the strange young man in front of her and took two steps backward instinctively. She trembled as she sniffled and said, Werewere disciples from the Youthful Clarity Sect. She found this young man very creepy, and the bloodthirstiness emanating from his cloak truly frightened her. His dead expression made her feel even more afraid. Gu Suihan bent over to help the girl to her feet. He helped her to get rid of all the soil on her clothes and even patted her hair which was tied up into two ponytails, as though he were really his younger sister. Your sect must have a way to communicate with one another, right? Yes, we do. The girls instinct was to avoid Gu Suihans large palm, but she shuddered when she recalled that frightening attack he made on her and dared not move anymore. Use it, said Gu Suihan as he pinched her little cheeks, disregarding her stare of disbelief. She trembled and dared not go against him. She retrieved a tiny sword from her storage ring that was only about 15 centimeters long and was covered in gold-colored mysterious runes. Activate it. Gu Suihans voice remained as gentle as ever and even sounded encouraging as he continued to gently stroke her little face. She glanced up at him, only to meet his demonic-looking lifeless eyes. Her heart sank, and her fair little hands trembled violently as she began to make several complicated hand seals before biting her tongue and spraying blood on the tiny sword. The tiny sword trembled and suddenly gave off an energy that threatened to slice through the skies above. The vibration of the blade resounded loudly. The runes on the tiny sword started swirling, and the brilliant gold inscriptions burst one after another. A shocking amount of sword qi burst forth from the tiny sword, and it quietly disappeared altogether, but an invisible ripple continued to spread into the distance slowly. Whos the top senior brother of the Youthful Clarity Sect? asked Gu Suihan quietly as he gazed at the glorious scene in the air with a slightly dazed look in his eyes. Li Xiaoyao, replied the girl. She had a bad feeling about this and immediately moved two steps away from Gu Suihan to increase the distance between the both of them. I see. Gu Suihan nodded. He took out a jade slip and held it out to her, smiling gently and revealing some of his pearly whites. You just need to pass this to Li Xiaoyao. Whats this? asked the girl instinctively before clamping a hand over her mouth with a terrified look on her face. Dont be afraid. This is just something for Li Xiaoyao, and he will know what it is once he reads it. Gu Suihan hid his hands in his sleeves and did not seem like he intended to kill her at all. He turned to fly up into the air, disappearing into the distance like a ghost. The fact that he hadnt killed her made the girl feel relieved. Her little hands gripped the slightly cold jade slip and went into a daze as she looked at where Gu Suihan once stood and had no idea what just happened. Hoho, its just a bit of sword qi. Ill gobble you up another time. A frosty glint shone in Gu Suihans bloodshot eyes. After flying several kilometers away from that eerie area, he suddenly landed and strolled on like an ordinary human. That young lady was definitely someone important. There was a cloud of sword qi sealed away in her consciousness. That was the reason why he had decided against attacking her. If he fought that sword qi at his level of cultivation, he would end up getting badly hurt and might even die. So, he quickly gave up the idea of attacking the girl. While Gu Suihan was wandering about aimlessly, he suddenly heard the sounds of low shouting and waves of magic spells being cast. He paused in his footsteps, then hurried like the wind as he soundlessly headed in the direction of the sounds. When he was a few hundred meters away, he suddenly stopped and hid among the trees like a venomous snake to quietly observe the scene in front of him. Observations from Above! His spiritual energy turned into a thin layer of mist that rested on his eyes. Everything in front of him instantly turned transparent. He stood atop a tree that had many branches to look down at where those sounds had been coming from earlier. On one side stood seven people dressed in the Seven Kill Sects uniform. The other side had a total of eight people, including three from the Youthful Clarity Sect, one from the Wonderful Sound Sect, and four from the Vast Sky Sect. Talismans and spells flew in all directions, and the sound of swords and blades colliding never stopped. It was clear that both sides were engaged in a fight to the very death. The Seven Kill Sect side had fewer people, but they were capable of many strange and formidable spells, so they were able to fight on their own without teaming up with their companions. Their opponents hailed from different sects, but they were coordinating their attacks. The two sides seemed to be on par at first, but the Seven Kill Sect was slowly losing to the other side. Gu Suihan wasnt going to be that fisherman who could haul in all the fish after they had fought each other nearly to death. As far as he could tell, the Seven Kill Sect disciples were probably going to die in less than an hour, and there was no way he could fight the other eight by himself. He changed back into his previous set of clothes, and his bloodshot eyes flickered before reverting to his usual deadpan stare. He then sauntered over to where the fight was happening. Whos that? Everyone could sense Gu Suihan coming their way since he didnt bother concealing his presence. Both sides stopped fighting and looked warily at the calm young man standing some distance away from them. YoureGu Suihan? one of the Seven Kill Sect disciples in well-fitting clothing and a spear in hand called out hesitantly. The rest of the Seven Kill Sect disciples started grinning, while their opponents expressions fell upon hearing these words. Thats right. Gu Suihan nodded but did not take a step forward, as though he was not interested in helping his fellow disciples at all. Brother Gu, youve come at a good time. Weve found a place where a cultivator died while meditating. Lets kill these disciples and explore the area together, said one of them excitedly with a gleam in his eye. Humph! We were the ones who discovered that place first! Why do you make it sound like you discovered it, and were the ones fighting with you for it? yelled out one of the disciples from the Vast Sky Sect as he stared at Gu Suihan with a hostile look on his face. He knew that a fight between the two sides was inevitable, but he was angry that the Seven Kill Sect disciple had not given credit to the right person. Sects like the Vast Sky Sect placed a lot of importance on their reputation. They didnt want to be known as a sect filled with disciples who killed others and consumed souls as if they were merely having a meal or drinking water. That was the Seven Kill Sects reputation. At the same time, cultivators themselves did not actually have any distinction between good and evil. Unlike the novels about them, there was no distinction between choosing a righteous path and an evil path. Nor was there discrimination against those cultivators who chose to cultivate elements deemed to be more sinister in nature. Gu Suihan snorted, and his sword immediately leaped out of its sheath. The sword flew toward one of the disciples from the Youthful Clarity Sect like a looming thunderstorm. Thats our chance! The Seven Kill Sect disciples exchanged glances and charged toward that Youthful Clarity Sect disciple excitedly. I ran into a little girl with two ponytails earlier. Do you know who she is? Even as Gu Suihans sword burst with sword qi and hurtled toward its opponent, he continued saying these words without giving any context. There was a young man with her as well. Shuanger! Do you know who she is?! How dare you attack her! Just as Gu Suihan had guessed, that girl was no ordinary person. Gu Suihan had just given a simple description, and the young man started shouting with an anxious look on his face. The sword he held up in front of him wavered slightly, revealing his true emotions. Falling Moon, Snow Frost. Gu Suihan had a mocking look in his eyes as a bloodied mist burst from his sword. As though a red moon hung high in the sky and snow was falling heavily, the temperature dropped suddenly as Questioning Heaven made its way toward the Youthful Clarity Sect disciple. Fights were meant to be an unscrupulous process. Gu Suihan never cared about observing rules or ethics or anything like that. Each attack he made was meant to kill his opponent. Sometimes he spoke, but that was to agitate his opponent and make his opponents heart waver. He was like a lion hunting a rabbit, after all. He didnt need to use all the strength he had. He would never put his life in danger because he was afraid of something his opponent might do or think. Sword Will Fills the Sky! My Sword Rises Above All! The Youthful Clarity Sect disciple snapped out of his anger in an instant. He turned his sword the other way and brought it down on Gu Suihans sword, barely managing to deflect the fatal blow that was aimed at him. At the same time, his left hand made some hand seals, and he bit his tongue to spray blood all over his sword. In that instant, an imposing surge of energy exploded from the blood on the sword. The Youthful Clarity Sect disciple glared so hatefully at Gu Suihans relaxed smirk as though his eyes were spewing fire. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 C Being Unscrupulous Spit it out! What have you done to Shuanger! The young man from the Youthful Clarity Sect brandished his sword. His powerful sword qi rained down continuously, covering the entire area around Gu Suihan and attacking Gu Suihans vital points. Gu Suihan exerted some strength in his feet and moved back quickly but elegantly. He continued teasing his opponent, Why dont you make a guess? To give you a hint, I have a thing for girls her age. As he spoke, the left hand he had hidden in his sleeve secretly made a hand seal, and he curled his fingers to gather his energy together. Youre asking for it! The young mans facial expression was contorted as he swung his sword in a beautiful arc, aiming it straight for the area between Gu Suihans brows like a rocket shooting into the sky. Hallucinations Appear! Gu Suihan took a step forward diagonally so that the sword would not stab into his face. But just before the young mans sword stabbed into his shoulder, Gu Suihan tapped the air with his left hand that he had hidden in his sleeve. Illusions instantly formed just a few feet away. Illusions! The young man was overcome with hatred, but he suddenly felt dizzy as Gu Suihans face disappeared. Instead, he saw Shuangers pained expression, as his sword stabbed deep into her chest. Shuanger! Are you alright? The young man knew that what he was seeing was a hallucination created by Gu Suihan, but he couldnt help but utter these words when he saw how much pain the young lady was in. Her convulsing body and deathly pale face made him unable to move the sword in his hand. What a pity. Why did you cultivate in the sword when you dont have an immovable spirit? Gu Suihan said mockingly with a quiet sigh. Questioning Heaven was like a venomous snake that had caught its prey, silently stabbing into the dantian of the young man who was still smiling foolishly in a daze. The blade went right through the area where the young mans qi was stored and pierced his spiritual root in his spinal cord. The young man could only see Shuanger reaching out to him with trembling hands, her large eyes staring adoringly at him as though she was about to touch his face. But when she was only half a foot away, she suddenly vomited a huge mouthful of blood mixed in with bits of internal organs. The light in her eyes went out instantly and turned into a lifeless gray. Shuanger! His hands trembled, and he let go of his sword, grabbing the illusion of Shuanger by the shoulders and slowly sinking to his knees. But the young lady in front of him suddenly shattered into a thousand pieces as though she were made from glass, blown away by the wind and sparkling brightly in the sun. AUGHHHH! These hallucinations!! The young man no longer had any strength to stand. The sword in front of him was still vibrating, but he did not have the energy to pick it up anymore. The wound in his abdomen was as large as a fist. Blood and bits of his internal organs gushed out from the wound, and he could feel his qi dissipating rapidly. Whatwhat did you do to her? asked the young man with a hopeful look on his face as he tugged at Gu Suihans hem, even though he knew he was definitely going to die. Why dont you make a guess? Gu Suihan had no pity for the young man as he used the flat side of his sword to pat the young mans face. The blade then sliced through the young mans neck quickly, sealing in his look of hatred forever. Gu Suihan didnt care about how the others were doing. He stretched his long, fair fingers out to grab the young mans severed head. A golden glow burst out of his fingertips like claws and stabbed into the lifeless skull to absorb the young mans soul. Gu Suihan had a look of satisfaction as the soul nourished his body. All of you are so slow, muttered Gu Suihan as he glared at the rest of the disciples who were still fighting. He turned and walked towards the small pile of dead bodies that had failed to survive this battle. A few soft spurting sounds could be heard as Gu Suihan absorbed their souls. The sensation was as refreshing as eating ice in the hot summer, and he had a relaxed expression on his face. He leaned against a tree, and his sword remained by his feet. He clearly had no intention of helping the rest to fight. Two of the Seven Kill Sect disciples who had defeated their opponents did not bother to help their fellow disciples either. They quietly swallowed some pills and tended to their wounds while casting glances at Gu Suihan from time to time. A look of fear flashed in their eyes. Junior brother! Another disciple noticed the cruel thing that Gu Suihan had just done to that young man from the Youthful Clarity Sect and became enraged as he yelled at Gu Suihan with bulging eyes. He gave up fighting his opponent as his sword left his hands with great determination and flew straight for Gu Suihan instead. Everywhere that the sword passed through minced the falling leaves and caused the soil to explode, leaving a deep trough in the ground. The blade gave off a murderous aura as it carried its owners will to kill Gu Suihan and reached Gu Suihan in seconds. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars, Move Like an Apparition! Gu Suihan was not bothered by the attack at all. He raised his long fingers and flicked them accurately on the flat side of the sword to push it off course, thereby dodging the fatal attack from this older Youthful Clarity Sect disciple very easily. Pfft! That seniors opponent grinned as he took the chance to stab the senior in the back. It didnt take him long to tear the Youthful Clarity Sect disciple to pieces. Ten Directions! shouted the Wonderful Sound Sect disciple as her fair palm lightly slapped away her opponents attack. She moved nearly 50 meters away as quickly as lightning and held up her zither horizontally in front of her. Her lips were pursed, and there was a look of determination on her face. The movement of the zither strings cut her fingers and caused them to bleed, but she did not seem to be bothered by the bleeding. The wind scattered her blood everywhere as she continued playing the zither, filling the air with bold and murderous melodies. The sound of the zither was pleasant to the ear, but every note it produced was like a knife. The countless sounds of knives filled the skies like sword qi, and she made each drop of blood from her fingers land on those knives. The blood gleamed brightly as it coordinated perfectly with the continuous melodies of the zither. A murderous wave surged toward the Seven Kill Sect disciple she was fighting like a flood. The clinking of metal-on-metal collision accompanied the melodious music of the zither. That Seven Kill Sect disciples were turned into minced meat almost instantly, becoming one with the faint bloodied mist in the air. But those knives did not stop there. They proceeded to fly toward the two Seven Kill Sect disciples who were tending to their wounds by the side. How dare you! The two disciples had never let their guard down, so they instantly sensed the sound of those knives coming for them. The knives were like a wave that was about to crash upon them in seconds, while the music continued to strike their eardrums without pausing at all, making them feel somewhat disoriented. Full Core of Fiendish Qi! Five Dragons Attack the Sky! Their heads hurt terribly, and their vision was blurry, but the two disciples instinctively made a counterattack as quickly as they could. But a second later, they both let out an angry shout, Whos there?! The searing pain they felt in their backs and the blood in their mouths horrified them. Let your junior brother send you on your way! a gentle yet unfeeling voice rang in their ears. Their pupils constricted as they tried their best to turn their heads to look. PFFT! Gu Suihan pulled back his bloodied palms that had a bit of flesh caught in his nails, then stabbed his fingers into the heads of the two Seven Kill Sect disciples to consume their souls even as the Wonderful Sound Sect disciple watched on in horror. Youyou The young woman had never seen a cultivator this ruthless before. She trembled as she took a few steps back like a frightened deer and stared fearfully at the young man, who seemed more like a demon at this point. Do you know who Wan Xin is? said Gu Suihan with a gentle smile as he used a simple spell to create water to wash off all the blood on his hands before looking at the rest of the disciples, who had stopped fighting and were looking warily at him. You know Senior Wan XinAHH! Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly let out a scream and stumbled as she fell to the ground. She turned to look hatefully at the young man with a gentle smile but murderous eyes who had suddenly appeared behind her and attacked her. How could you be so evil? The Seven Kill Sect is a major sect, after all. The young woman wiped away the blood on her lips and used all her energy to place her seven-string zither in front of her. She pressed a finger gently on the string and got ready to flick a string to attack Gu Suihan. For this competition, five of the Peak Leaders of the Seven Kill Sect have split their souls, and theyre somewhere in here now. So what if youre from Wonderful Sound Sect or the Ethereal Court? Youre all going to die miserably like youre made from nothing but clay. Gu Suihan chuckled, and Questioning Heaven flew out of its sheath. The violent and murderous qi it gave off instantly turned the surroundings into a battlefield strewn with blood and severed limbs. Burn the Zither to Cook the Crane! called out the young woman as she raised her wrist to look at her precious intricately carved ancient seven-string zither. A tear came to her eye, and she felt like her heart was bleeding. But the pain in her heart swiftly turned into resolve. She clasped her palms into a hand seal and slammed it onto her ringing zither before flinging the entire instrument at Gu Suihan. Youre Gu Suihan! I know who you are! I will be back to take revenge! The young woman glowered spitefully at the smiling Gu Suihan. With one thought, the zither instantly exploded mid-air. Gu Suihan was slightly surprised by this move, and he turned his sword qi into a thin screen to deflect the desperate but fierce attack by the young woman. That was enough for the young woman to get away. She wasted no time in pasting a bunch of talismans on herself, unleashed her spiritual energy, bit her tongue, and sprayed three mouthfuls of blood out to create a thin layer of bloodied mist around her. The mist covered her body, and she disappeared into thin air instantly. Oh, I almost forgot about the three of you, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he turned to smile at the last three disciples standing. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 C Chilly Soul And Icy Po The last three disciples standing consisted of two Seven Kill Sect disciples and one Vast Sky Sect disciple. Gu Suihan, you cruelly killed a fellow disciple, and your sneaky attacks are so vicious! Arent you afraid that you might be banished to the Demon Abyss? yelled one of them in a rather shaky voice. As he spoke, he summoned several ghosts to surround him tightly to prevent Gu Suihan from making a sneak attack. The Vast Sky Sect disciple spat hatefully, If you dare to attack us, the three of us will not go down without a fight. At worst, well all die together. The three who had been fighting each other just moments ago had suddenly united as one against Gu Suihans cruel methods. Dont worry. There are only four of us left now. Why should we keep fighting? Why dont we explore the place you have found and split the treasures we find inside equally? said Gu Suihan with a smile as he clasped a palm over his other fist politely. The ruthlessness he displayed earlier had disappeared completely. And you think wed believe you? The three of them snorted at Gu Suihans shameless behaviour. I can swear by the Way, said Gu Suihan with some exasperation. The three faltered and exchanged glances. One of them finally made a decision. Swear by the Way then. Swear not to make a sneak attack on us and not to take more than your fair share of the treasures in here. We will split everything equally. Hoho, Gu Suihan just scoffed and stared at them intensely, the contempt on his lips clear for all to see. They felt a little embarrassed by the way he stared an accusation at them, and they laughed awkwardly as they said, Well swear by the Way not to attack you too, so dont worry about that. After both sides had reached an agreement and watched each other take their oaths, the tension between them instantly eased. The three disciples instinctively glanced at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. They were not afraid of a fight since all of them had yet to reveal their trump cards. But they were not stupid either. Nobody knew what Gu Suihan would do if he suddenly turned violent. None of them wanted to die. They were forced to be on the same side, but they were still a little wary and were ready to fight if necessary. Lets go. Questioning Heaven gleamed brightly and was covered in a bloodied mist, which made it look exceptionally creepy against Gu Suihans fitting clothes. He entered the sinister-looking cave first and did not seem worried that the three behind him would pull any funny tricks. Once they entered the cave, everything went dark, and they felt a chill deep inside, which made them all shiver. Cultivators were neither afraid of the cold nor of the heat and usually wore one or two light layers of clothing. Their bodies never reacted so strongly to a change in temperature. This is a Chilly Soul and Icy Po formation, murmured Gu Suihan to himself. The bloodshot symbol in his eyes glinted as he looked at his surroundings. What a wily old fox, cursed Gu Suihan inwardly as he raised an eyebrow. The cultivator who left this behind meant business and had actually set up this formation just a meter from the entrance of the cave. The cave was very dark, and even cultivators would take time to get used to the dimness inside, so most would instantly unleash some spiritual energy to form a protective layer around themselves to prevent any sneak attacks. But spiritual energy was exactly what activated this formation. It was so cold that they could see a white cloud whenever they exhaled. Gu Suihan frowned as he looked at the thin layer of frost on his shoulders, and his heart grew heavy. This is a Chilly Soul and Icy Po formation. Look out for anything that might suddenly attack you from nowhere and search for the formation eye. The formation eye of this formation is a dead one, Gu Suihan warned the other three. Wheres that Chilly Soul? Hurry up and show yourself. Gu Suihans eyes glowed as he looked around, trying to locate the Chilly Soul of the formation. Chilly Souls were good stuff. They were intelligent creatures that grew in extremely cold places. To Gu Suihan, this thing spent many years in very cold places like glaciers, so its sentience had been well-refined by the harsh temperatures. It was very good for healing the wounds in his spirit. A biting wind blew, causing snow and frost to fill the air. The temperature instantly fell significantly again. Its snowing?! The Vast Sky Sect disciple felt something cold on his nose and wiped it off with his hand before looking up to see snow falling from above. His heart began to sink. He knew that this was a result of that formation in front of them, and it was probably still terribly warm outside. But even though he knew the formation caused this, he had no idea how to break the formation. His first instinct was to look toward the young man in a black cloak standing as straight as a sword in front of him. Wheres the formation eye? thought Gu Suihan, possibilities running through his mind as quickly as lightning as his eyes exuded a bloodied glow. His spiritual sense scanned the grounds as if he had a thousand hands, checking his surroundings and inspecting every inch. Formations worked by a particular philosophy, which was to reverse the positions and switch yin and yang. No matter what kind of formation it was, all of them aimed to confuse a person before killing them. But as long as one did not step into the formation, then it could not cause any harm, no matter how impressive its name was. Every formation requires a formation eye to maintain and control the formation. It was not something that cultivators could do by themselves. While Gu Suihan was thinking about these things with a frown on his face, he heard a long howl from afar. Heavy footsteps came toward them, and the four of them instantly turned to look before gasping. It wasnt that their enemy was too terrifying, but that it was too shocking. As far as Gu Suihan could remember, Chilly Souls had to be at least three meters tall in order to be enslaved by a formation and provide the formation with sufficient power. But the thing coming their way looked more like an ice sculpture of a human. It had all the facial features of a human, but its body was translucent, and one could see a light blue skeleton inside. It was as though a human had their flesh and blood removed, leaving only the skin and skeleton. There were no veins, internal organs, or hair. One of the Seven Kill Sect disciples couldnt help but gulp nervously. Looking at this thing gave him the creeps. This is a Chilly Soul! Gu Suihans eyes lit up. He suddenly turned around and said, This formation has been here for many years. According to the records, setting up this formation requires a Heavenly Fiend Chilly Soul to guard it. While an Icy Po is the main guard of the formation eye, which allows it to adjust the temperature while the Chilly Soul kills the enemy. But for some reason, only the Chilly Soul is left. Or perhaps the Icy Po still exists. If we dont act quickly, were doomed. Immediately after he said that he raised his sword to attack the Chilly Soul without waiting for the rest to respond. This thing is at least at Peak Foundation Establishment, and the Icy Po is definitely even more terrifying! Attacking it first will help us gain the upper hand! Attack it now! They exchanged glances and saw a tinge of viciousness in each others eyes. Gu Suihan brandished his sword, but it was as if it were merely slicing through the air. The blade did not face any resistance as it went right through the Chilly Soul to land on the frozen rock behind it. Keke! A sound that resembled mocking laughter suddenly echoed in the cold cave. Damn it! This thing can even conceal itself?! Gu Suihans eyes widened. He had never come across a Chilly Soul that could conceal itself. It can conceal itself, so watch your surroundings. This was not the time to be guarded against each other, so they stood with their backs together and looked around warily. Ahh! The Vast Sky Sect disciple was the first one to cry out. Everyone looked at him, only to see that one sleeve was torn, and there were three cuts on his arm that measured half a foot long. The blood could not flow out because the wound was frozen solid. The frostiness had also damaged the Spiritual Meridians inside his arm. Gu Suihan suddenly noticed something moving from the corner of his eye and yelled at one of the Seven Kill Sect disciples, Watch out! Unfortunately, he was a split second too late. This time, the disciple was stabbed in the chest. The wound was so deep that his bone was exposed, and he nearly lost his heart. My spiritual sense cant sense it, and talismans are useless against it. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, and his heart remained perfectly calm as he quickly analyzed the situation. Using the five elements is useless on this Chilly Soul. At the same time, the Chilly Soul keeps making sneak attacks, which means its not powerful enough to take us down head-on. It might only be at the same level as us. Hmm? The temperature seems like it isnt dropping anymore. Gu Suihan could keenly sense that the temperature had risen. Is it because it uses up too much energy making those attacks, so it doesnt have enough energy to sustain the snowy weather were facing here? Ghost Wave! The Seven Kill Sect disciple smeared medicine on his wound, and there was hatred in his eyes. He slammed the Ghost Controlling Flag made from human bones in his hand to the ground suddenly, causing countless wicked ghosts and vengeful spirits to rush out from the flag made from human skin. The black murderous qi formed a thick cloud of mist that filled the entire space as the ghosts howled and the spirits wailed. The disciple was going to fill up the entire area, which measured about 300 meters across, with those ghosts and spirits in order to reveal where the Chilly Soul was hiding. It was a fairly primitive method, but it worked. Its over there. The young man closed his eyes for a long time, then suddenly stretched his claws out as he flew to make a grab for an area on his left where a group of ghosts had disappeared. No, not there. Gu Suihan had a grim look in his eyes when he saw where the other disciple was headed. Instead of moving forward, he took three steps backward as his bloodshot eyes stared straight at the ceiling that had never changed at all this whole time. Thats where youre really hiding. Gu Suihan chuckled and drew his sword, the bloodied mist around it expanding and intensifying in the wind. Once it had gotten the snow and frost out of the way, Gu Suihan sent out the murderous qi from his sword to attack the seemingly empty space above like an angry dragon. An ear-piercing screech resounded, and it seemed a little frantic. There was a ripple in the air as something seemed to flash past very quickly. You cant run away. Gu Suihans eyes burned greedily as he swung his sword mightily at that thing, as though the sky was collapsing on it. That screech resounded again, this time with a more aggressive and decisive sound. Gu Suihan felt a gust of wind before three cuts appeared on his chest. I said, you cant run away! The murderous qi inside Gu Suihan surged out of his body as he moved as swiftly and quietly as a shadow. He stuck a finger on his left hand out like it was a sword. A thin black line that emanated a bloody-colored glow swirled around his finger, and he flung it to the front. The black and red line became longer as it flew through the air, encircling the empty space above. In no time, the line had tied up a creature that measured about seven feet. I see; youve changed your looks a little, snickered Gu Suihan as he noticed two large wings through the black and red line around it. The creature wailed pitifully as if it was pleading with Gu Suihan to let it off. Where is the Icy Po? asked Gu Suihan in an emotionless voice. Why do you bother asking it? It doesnt speak our language. Why dont I try using a soul searching technique on it? asked the ghost cultivator with a glimmer in his eye. Move aside. Gu Suihan glanced at the other disciple and ignored the disciples darkened expression. He grabbed the creatures head with one hand. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 C A Dragons Weakest Scale Screeeech! Screeeech! The Chilly Soul seemed to be able to sense the greediness in Gu Suihans seemingly indifferent gaze and started shrieking even more wildly as it desperately struggled to break free from the clutches of the red and black lines surrounding it. Youre sentient, which means youre also afraid to die. You have two choices. Either you lead us to the Icy Po in the formation eye, and Ill let you off, or well search your soul andI believe you know what will happen after that. Gu Suihan squatted down and ran his long and slim finger across its body. He made a slit in its body, removed a tiny piece of its flesh, and flung it aside with an evil smile on his face, as though he were a demon. The way Gu Suihan made his threats so gently and nonchalantly terrified the Chilly Soul. The pain from the wounds covering its body caused by the lines told it that there was no way this young man would keep his promise. Even if it cooperated and told Gu Suihan where the Icy Po was, Gu Suihan was still going to kill it. Butmaybe Gu Suihan might let it off. What if that happened? That tiny bit of hope that Gu Suihan would keep his promise slowly grew bigger and stronger until it completely filled its brain. You can use your spiritual sense to communicate with me via telepathy. You dont need to know my language, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he flicked the blood off his hand and watched the panicky Chilly Soul squeak and gesticulate. Itsin the sky, at the entrance to the cave, squeaked the Chilly Soul, disregarding the wounds that the lines made on its body as it continued to struggle. In the sky, at the entrance to the cave? Gu Suihan suddenly looked up at the sun outside that had been there since the beginning of time. His lips curled into a frosty smile. The Icy Po is in the sun. Thats the formation eye. Lets go! The rest exchanged glances, then leaped up to fly toward the sun that looked like it was tens of thousands of miles away. As they ascended, they were soon covered in frostbites as the temperature plummeted. The spiritual energy surging through their bodies was not as active as before, and their surroundings were quickly covered in a thick layer of snow as the temperature continued to fall. What else? Gu Suihan asked the creature after the rest had flown into the sky. Whatwhat else? stuttered the Chilly Po. Unfortunately, it was a bad actor. Its gaze was shifty, and it obviously had not told the full truth. Forget it. Gu Suihan calmly stretched his left hand toward it and stabbed his fingers into the Chilly Po even as it screeched in horror. Blood spurted all over the white snow as it struggled. The bright red drops looked terrifying. In just a few moments, the Chilly Pos movements grew weaker and weaker. It finally convulsed one last time and stopped moving altogether. Gu Suihan had a look of enjoyment on his face as his weakened dantian absorbed the frosty spirit inside the Chilly Souls consciousness greedily. There was a marked improvement in its condition after that. It was lying. The other three landed and stood in front of Gu Suihan with gloomy looks on their faces. Theres a formation in the sky. All of you are too impatient. If you had looked more carefully, you would have noticed it. Its not that complicated. Gu Suihan turned to keep the corpse on the ground that was slowly turning into ice in his magic ring. This was good stuff and rare to come by, so he wasnt going to just leave it here. Dont you think youve gone too far? When the Vast Sky Sect disciple saw what Gu Suihan was about to do, he took a step forward and stabbed his sword into the corpse that Gu Suihan was about to take for himself. I caught this thing, so its mine to keep. What are you trying to do? Gu Suihan slowly raised his head to look up at the angry young man in front of him. It was a combined effort. We ought to split it evenly. The Vast Sky Sect disciple looked at the other two and decided that it was best that all of them team up to fight Gu Suihan and get some benefits from him. Our fellow cultivating friend is correct. Even if youve contributed the most, we should still get something, said the disciple with the Ghost Controlling Flag. He moved swiftly across the snow and prevented Gu Suihan from moving backward. You idiot, hes already sworn by the Way. Would the two of you rather end up being consumed by the demons in your heart and lose all your cultivation? The last disciple seemed unwilling to cooperate at all as his darkened gaze stared back at the other two extremely greedy-looking disciples. He took a step back to show that he did not want to be part of this. The oath we made is slightly different in content from his. Did you notice? said the Seven Kill Sect disciple with the Ghost Controlling Flag smugly as he ignored Gu Suihan and made a grab for the corpse of the Chilly Soul on the ground. Do you know what demons of the heart are? Gu Suihan smirked contemptuously as though he were a lofty deity looking down at mortal ants. Everyones eyes widened as Questioning Heaven flew out of its sheath to fill the entire cave with a bloodied mist, blowing away much of the frost and melting the snow. The bloodied mist was like a dragon as it flew threateningly toward the disciple that was merely inches away. Alarm bells rang in the Vast Sky Sect disciples head, and there was a bright glow as a long spear appeared in his hands. He retreated when the bloody dragon flew toward him, hid the spear in his belt, and turned slightly before flinging the spear like the tongue of a venomous snake toward Gu Suihan from under his arm. There was no time to cast any spells now. The only way to force Gu Suihan to retreat was to attack, even if he was going to get injured in the process. Youd rather both of us get hurt? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow as he fixed his sharp eyes on his opponent, unleashing a sinister frostiness from his bloodshot eyes that suddenly lit up. Three Fingers of Yama C Shocking the Deities! The dead qi hiding in his sleeve gathered around his fingertip and turned black. Gu Suihan shot the qi out, making it slice through the air and punching in between the brows of the Seven Kill Sect disciple with a Ghost Controlling Flag just as he was about to gleefully keep the Chilly Souls corpse for himself. Pfft! Before the Seven Kill Sect disciple realized what just happened to him, his head exploded like a rotten watermelon. A thick blackish gray smoke rose from his head, and Gu Suihan grabbed hold of it and stuffed it into his mouth. At the same time, he held up his sword horizontally so that the tip of the spear coming for him hit the blade of the sword instead. Clang! Brilliant sparks accompanied the ear-piercing sound of metal against metal. The impact caused Gu Suihan to pale slightly and stumble backward, making two deep troughs in the snow. Pretending to attack me when you were actually attacking the other fellow? What a good move. The Vast Sky Sect disciple looked gravely at Gu Suihan as he caught sight of the headless and lifeless body next to him from the corner of his eye. What kind words. Gu Suihans ruby-like eyes twinkled as color returned to his face. The wounds made by the Chilly Soul earlier on burst open after he used so much energy to block the spear. Blood seeped out from his wounds, and the ripped parts of his clothing flapped in the cold wind. Haha! You made the first move, and youve broken your vow. When you reach Origin Core, demons are going to enter your heart. I look forward to that, said the other disciple with a cackle, the tip of his spear gleaming sinisterly. What a pathetic young man! What a narrow worldview! Gu Suihan snorted. His sword buzzed quietly as it absorbed the murderous qi around it and turned into a dark red blade with golden sparkles. He thrust it toward the Vast Sky Sect disciple like a shooting star. Humph! The Vast Sky Sect disciple was getting really angry now. The young man before him was only at Mid Foundation Establishment, which was the same level of cultivation as himself. Yet, Gu Suihan kept looking down on him. This made murderous thoughts brew inside his heart. Even though Questioning Heaven was coming for him, he did not panic. His spear was like a coiled snake that could not be seen, the sound of it flicking its tongue sending chills down ones spine. The Coiled Dragon Stretches Its Neck! Slaughtering Dragon Kill C Snap all Tendons! Gu Suihan looked at the spear filled with murderous qi that was coming at him with the energy of a ferocious beast and merely scoffed. The memories he had accumulated over centuries included countless formidable techniques. In the blink of an eye, he switched the direction of his sword, raising the murderous weapon suddenly. The sword carried a huge wave of murderous qi and crashed down hard on the back of the other disciples dragon-like spear. The Coiled Dragon C Swim Mode! The other disciple had received quite a shock, and he exerted strength in both arms. The spear whooshed loudly and as it kept swimming round and round the disciple. The disciple was the most important person to it, so it kept him well-protected in the center. Dragons supposedly had a weak scale that grew in the opposite direction on their throats, and anyone who went near it would incur the dragons wrath. In the same way, the disciple was like this weak scale that the spear wanted to protect. Gu Suihan had a disdainful smile when he realized that this spear was behaving like a dragon that was protecting the weakest part of its body. But what was a dragon? To put it bluntly, it was just a ferocious animal that was part of history. It wasnt even a demon of any kind. In prehistoric times, dragons and phoenixes were in the middle of the food chain. Im piercing through this scale, thought Gu Suihan. His bloodshot eyes shone brightly as he sensed the weakness in the spear swimming around the other disciple. The runes on his sword flowed around the blade, unleashing a huge amount of violent qi and creating waves of bloodied mist as it was thrust toward the other disciple. The other disciple felt like the area between his brows had been pierced. His mind was shaken, and the spear paused for a while even though it had been swimming about so smoothly earlier. Before he knew it, the sword that was ten meters away from him just a moment ago was now very near him. The Coiled Dragon C Slay the Spirit! He had no choice but to hold up the spear diagonally and step forward, resulting in several cracks forming in the ground. He shouted loudly as rocks flew in all directions, his spear moving confidently like an ancient dragon. The tip of the spear shone with a murderous gleam. The roaring of the dragon seemed too much for this Chilly Soul and Icy Po formation to take. It shook, and dust rained from above. How dare you try and slay me? shouted Gu Suihan. He moved like an apparition as if he could teleport himself, covering the distance between them in the blink of an eye as his sword buzzed loudly. Lets die together then! roared the other disciple spitefully with a determined look in his eyes. The spear in his hand spewed fire in all directions, and the sound of a dragon roaring and a phoenix cawing could be heard faintly as the spear was swung at Gu Suihan. Bam! The formation could no longer hold up against the impact of the fight so close to it. The sound of glass smashing echoed in the cave, and the winter wonderland in front of the three of them suddenly changed. The cave suddenly became dark, and the abrupt dimness confused the other disciple for a moment. That one second of confusion was all Gu Suihan needed. The other disciple immediately felt uneasy, but before he could react, he felt a sharp pain in between his brows. Everything in front of him went dark, and he soon breathed his last. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 C Swearing By The Way Is Bullshit And why didnt you do anything? asked Gu Suihan in a teasing voice after he had finished consuming the souls of the two disciples he had killed in seconds. The last Seven Kill Sect disciple standing shrugged. Im no match for you. I dont think thats the case. You should have been able to see through the coincidences that led to this. Gu Suihan kept the corpse of the Chilly Soul away and placed his sword back in its place on his belt. Gu Suihan had seemingly slaughtered the two men with ease, but half of it was possible because the circumstances had allowed for this to happen. The disciple with the Ghost Controlling Flag thought that with the oath in place, Gu Suihan would not attack, so he did not do anything to defend himself when he tried to take the Chilly Souls corpse for himself. At the same time, when Gu Suihan thrust his sword toward the Vast Sky Sect disciple, that disciple didnt think that Gu Suihan was serious about killing him either. Thanks to that mentality, the Ghost Controlling Flag disciple was killed by Gu Suihan before he even knew what hit him. As for the other disciple, he was no higher in cultivation level than Gu Suihan, so he was no match for the craftier Gu Suihan. On top of that, the other Seven Kill Sect disciple didnt try to help either, so it made sense that those two disciples ended up getting killed. My name is Zhou Xingwen, and senior brother Feng Ran is a good friend of mine, said the last Seven Kill Sect disciples quietly as he bowed. Senior brother said that if I even run into you, I must not make any attack, or it will be hard to say if I would survive. Feng Ran? Gu Suihan looked Zhou Xingwen up and down, then chuckled quietly. He knew that Feng Ran wouldnt have said it like that. He figured that Feng Ran would have told Zhou Xingwen just to run if he ever came across Gu Suihan by himself. Just run and dont bother to plead for mercy, or dont offend Gu Suihan. It would have been something along those lines. But I do want to know C why did you not keep to the oath you made? Are you really not afraid that demons will creep into your heart? Zhou Xingwen asked the question he had been thinking about and stared intensely at Gu Suihan. Do you know what swearing by the Way really means? Gu Suihan did not answer his question and returned a question instead. What is the Way? Zhou Xingwen frowned and fell deep into thought. He knew that Gu Suihan wasnt asking for the sake of asking. After thinking for some time, he said cautiously, The Way is the rules that govern Heaven and Earth. Swearing by the Way means to use ones heart of the Way to make an oath. So, if one does not follow the contents of the oath, the deeds and intentions will be misaligned and introduce demons into the heart. This will make it extra difficult to get through any tribulations. Eventually, your body will die, lose sight of the Way, and your cultivation will disappear altogether. That is correct. But the difficulty in getting through tribulations and the appearance of demons in the heart is a matter for your heart for the Way. Those two things occur because your own heart was not resolute enough. That has nothing to do with swearing by the Way. If your deeds and intentions are aligned, then even if youve killed a million people, it wont affect your heart. Why would any demons be able to creep in? Swearing by the Way is just a terrible lie that some weaklings came up with. Gu Suihan spoke rather flatly, but there was no mistaking the disdain in his expression. Zhou Xingwen was mortified and gasped. Are you saying that you decide right from wrong and good from evil, and it isnt affected by any external factors? Gu Suihans argument had completely overturned the worldview he had held for the past few decades. That is exactly what it is. Did you really think that the so-called Great Way was some mysterious thing? Its just the rules that govern the universe. Cultivation of the Way is to comprehend the rules. Attaining the Way is to assimilate into the rules. Get it? Gu Suihan did not continue this conversation and turned to look at the dim cave that appeared before him after the formation had shattered. He touched the cold and wet rock walls around him, then suddenly stretched his finger out to take aim at a fairly dark section of the cave roof. An ear-piercing screech suddenly resounded in the quiet cave. A black creature suddenly fell from the cave roof, and the wave of freezing air instantly caused the air to turn to frost. Zhou Xingwen gave a low shout, and a spark flashed for one second in the cave. Gu Suihans sword flew out of its sheath as the Icy Po shrieked. The stench of blood instantly filled the air as though they were standing in the midst of a bloody battlefield. The sword Qi that Questioning Heaven emanated caused Zhou Xingwen to move aside as it came crashing down on the creature. Immediately after Gu Suihan made his attack, his gaze was attracted to the thin silvery needle floating in Zhou Xingwens palm. Thats a Magnetic Spirit Needle. You really know a lot! exclaimed Zhou Xingwen in surprise. The silver needle was shiny and glowed brightly in the dim cave. It silently shot a formation out and trapped the creature. The tip of the needle had a greenish gleam as it flew toward the Icy Po. The creature screeched in pain, exuding dark blue waves of freezing murderous qi as it glared at Zhou Xingwen with its bloodshot eyes. That silver needle had clearly brought it great pain. Be quiet! Gu Suihan frowned as he held his sword less than half an inch from the creatures eyes. The Icy Po ignored Gu Suihan and continued to shriek and howl furiously as it tried to break free from the silver needles formation. There was a flash of red as Questioning Heaven flew out and chopped off the wings and limbs of the Icy Po in an instant, turning it into a mere cylinder of a body. When the Icy Po opened its mouth to shriek, Gu Suihan thrust the tip of the sword into its mouth, rotated his wrist, and pulled it back out. There was now a light blue piece of flesh on the sword. This is a creature that has been cultivating for at least 500 years, but definitely less than 1,000 years. Otherwise, it would have been able to form a skeleton and speak like a human, concluded Gu Suihan as he used his spiritual energy to cast an enlightening spell to observe this terrifying yet tragic-looking creature. This is for you. Gu Suihan threw the storage ring of the dead Seven Kill Sect disciple to Zhou Xingwen. His intentions were clear C he wanted this creature for himself, so as compensation, the Zhou Xingwen could have everything in this storage ring. Zhou Xingwen was happy to accept the storage ring. An Icy Po was hard to come by, but this storage ring carried everything that Seven Kill Sect disciple ever owned. That was equally valuable. Gu Suihan did not wait any longer and stabbed his sword into the skull of the Icy Po to suck its powerful soul out. The iciness from the creatures soul entered his body, and the frostiness made Gu Suihan exhale deeply with pleasure. Junior brother, is it a good time to talk about what you said to the Wonderful Sound Sect disciple earlier on? asked Zhou Xingwen with a smile. So, youre also a chess pawn meant to be sacrificed, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he sensed how his spirit was slowly healing. The Seven Kill Sect is going to make some major moves. I see from the emblem on your sleeve that youre from the Way Seekers Alliance. Go ask Mo Yuluo about it. Gu Suihan did not intend to explain anything to him, so after saying that, he walked further into the cave. It looks like the formation at the entrance of the cave was not left behind by the cultivator who died here. Otherwise, it couldnt have been full of weaknesses, and it wouldnt have been so easily broken. Gu Suihan looked down at a pile of dried bones on the ground and came to this realization. Zhou Xingwen was an intelligent man as well, so his eyes widened after he heard Gu Suihans analysis as he said, Are you saying that the Chilly Soul and Icy Po were the ones who put up the formation themselves? I suppose thats what happened. Look at these bones. These are the bones belonging to the Icy Po. I think the cultivator refined the Icy Po and Chilly Soul to become his personal spiritual beast, which is why the Icy Po eventually awakened its sentience by chance after the cultivator died. Its instinct was to protect its owner, so it set up this formation. Unfortunately, the formation turned out to be filled with weaknesses, and the Chilly Soul did not reach Heavenly Fiend level. Otherwise, it wouldnt have been so easy for us to shatter this formation. Gu Suihan looked around the cave in hope of finding something valuable. Zhou Xingwen squatted down and picked up a storage ring covered in dust from among the dry bones on the ground. He scanned it with his spiritual sense and was disappointed. There were only a few bottles of pills that had already gone bad, as well as some clothing that had rotted away. Besides those, there were a few magic weapons, but they were also covered with dust, and their runes faded after so many years had passed. They were even worse off than some of the best weapons that non-cultivators made. Dont bother holding out any hopes. There should be a jade slip with a cultivation technique in there, and the rest of the items are probably worthless, said Gu Suihan without even looking up as he continued feeling his way around the dusty platform made from rocks. What are you looking for? Zhou Xingwen was puzzled by Gu Suihans actions. Im looking for his last words. Gu Suihan cast a floating dust spell, which made the thick dust in the cave float into the air and compressed itself into a hardened piece of clay that was the size of a fist. Its here. Gu Suihans eyes lit up as he kicked away the rotting straw cushion. He took several steps forward, not caring that his feet were crushing the dry bones of the dead cultivator that had flown off the cushion and now were strewn all over the floor of the cave. With the cushion out of the way, a large number of bloodied words on the platform were revealed. Zhou Xingwen looked at Gu Suihan with some admiration as he wondered, How is it that doing such things is like second nature to this young man? He shivered in fear, and he felt uncomfortable inside. This place is a cultivators domain, and the rules follow the way the five elements both attract and repel each other. I have spent several years and found that this place contains the legacy left behind by the owner of the domain. The secret realm opens once every hundred years, and each time it opens, there is a possibility of obtaining this legacy. Unfortunately, the secret keys required for activating this legacy have not all surfaced yet. I tried my best, and I only got one secret key. Unfortunately, out of the nine secret keys, only eight have surfaced. What a tragedy. I was injured by an enemy and was unable to recover from these severe wounds, so I had no choice but to sit here and meditate until I die. If a fellow cultivator finds my bones, please send my remains to the Song family in the south. I will be very grateful if you do that. Hoho. Gu Suihan looked at the dried-up words written in blood on the platform and snorted. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 C Three Lives Annihilating Sword What do you think? Gu Suihan suddenly turned to ask Zhou Xingwen with a teasing smile on his face. A legacy? Secret keys? Zhou Xingwen looked rather excited because this was a major opportunity for his cultivation to advance. But when he heard how Gu Suihan spoke so emotionlessly, he couldnt help but shudder, and the excitement burning in his heart felt like it had just been doused in cold water. The greedy look blazing in his eyes slowly disappeared, and it was replaced with a rather humbled and thankful look instead. Theres a problem, he said after inspecting the platform more carefully and giving it some thought. Firstly, he claimed theres a legacy and that he has one secret key, but he didnt say where. Secondly, if someone takes the key away from the secret realm, doesnt that mean this legacy can never be activated? Also, this fellow was definitely not some cultivator who was just meditating and died. Nobody has ever heard of this secret realm in the past few centuries. How did he discover it? Gu Suihan snorted. Unlesstheres another entrance. Perhaps thats the actual entrance to the secret realm. The one we entered by was merely an entrance forced open by the combined energies of the leading members from each sect. Even so, where could he have hidden that secret key? Zhou Xingwens gaze flickered as he frowned disapprovingly at the pile of rotten items they had poured out from the dead mans storage ring. Who said the secret key had to be in the shape of a key? Gu Suihan stood on the platform and used his spiritual sense to search the rock very carefully. After that, he sat down where the straw cushion was earlier and looked around him. The platform isnt hiding anything, and its unlikely that its just lying around in the cave because that wouldnt make sense. So its got to be here. Gu Suihan suddenly looked up and stared straight at the luminous pearls set in the shape of a plum blossom above the platform. The secret key is here? Zhou Xingwen followed Gu Suihans gaze and looked up at the roof of the cave. Excitement filled his eyes as he ran and leapt to try and grab at the luminous pearls. Gu Suihan scoffed to himself but did not stop Zhou Xingwen. If the spiritual beast that this dead cultivator owned was so dangerous and clever, Gu Suihan was sure that the man himself was much more dangerous and intelligent. He was certain that there was a trap somewhere. He didnt mind letting Zhou Xingwen give it a shot. If things didnt work out, hed just kill Zhou Xingwen and absorb his soul. Even though everything Gu Suihan had said about swearing by the Way earlier was true, it was really hard to find anybody who could have a mind like Gu Suihans. Gu Suihan was neither good nor evil because that wasnt how he operated at all. He did everything for the sake of attaining the Way, so as long as his actions aligned with that, no demons could grow and sway him. Immediately after Zhou Xingwens hands touched one of the luminous pearls, the entire cave went dark, as if the pearls in the cave roof had absorbed all the light. Too bad. Gu Suihan quickly figured out what was probably going to happen next and narrowed his eyes as he looked up at Zhou Xingwen. The luminous pearl suddenly darkened and turned into a thick blackish brown liquid that slithered onto Zhou Xingwens arm before he could pull it away. What is this?! Zhou Xingwens face paled as he tried to shake it off his arm. Unfortunately, that black thing was firmly stuck to his arm like a leech. On top of that, it was also trying to expand to other parts of his body. Several wriggling legs stretched out toward his chest and abdomen as bloodthirsty red eyes lit up in the darkness. Its a Spirit Devouring Worm! Gu Suihan finally recognised this disgusting creature. He immediately turned and ran toward the entrance of the cave before Zhou Xingwen could call out to him. There was no way he could fight this thing as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. It was better to run while the creature was preoccupied with someone else. Junior brother, save me! roared Zhou Xingwen at the top of his lungs. The right arm that the black creature had wrapped itself around earlier was no longer there, leaving behind an empty sleeve. They seemed very hungry and moved rapidly toward Zhou Xingwens neck. Anything that it touched would have their Spiritual Meridians wrung dry, so there was no way for Zhou Xingwen to gather his spiritual energy properly. Excruciating pain hit Zhou Xingwens consciousness continuously like huge ocean waves. You cant just abandon me like that! Zhou Xingwens face was distorted from his anger and despair as he decided to take Gu Suihan down with him for deserting him. His healthy left hand made a gesture that formed a symbol in the air. He used the little spiritual energy he had left to turn the symbol into a seal and sent this dim but swift seal toward the fast disappearing Gu Suihan. Damn you! Gu Suihans expression turned nasty as he felt his light body suddenly become unnaturally heavy. The sudden change nearly made him trip over himself. A hefty mountain seal! Gu Suihan gritted his teeth as he turned to look at Zhou Xingwen, whose body was already half consumed by the black creature. The murderous nature Gu Suihan had kept hidden earlier suddenly exploded from deep inside his heart. Questioning Heaven leapt out of its sheath, turning the entire cave into a sea of blood. Countless vengeful souls and angry ghosts howled and wailed as innumerable broken limbs and minced flesh covered the ground. Kill them all! Three Lives Annihilating Sword C Severing the Previous Life! Waves of blood attached themselves to the sword, the reddish-brown blood mixed in with the dim golden sword qi from the blade. The sword gleaming with a blood red looked like it could slice through anything as it came down on Zhou Xingwen. Three Lives Annihilating Sword C Extinguishing the Current Life! His attack struck the black creature with one hit. Gu Suihan took a step forward as his swords glow drew a white line in the air. His intense murderous qi was hidden within this seemingly gorgeous and clean line, waiting to burst forth at the right moment. Screeeeech! The black creature let out an ear-piercing screech. It instantly covered the rest of Zhou Xingwen, who was left with only his head and torso, as though it felt threatened, bravely facing Gu Suihans sword head-on. Now! An unending wave of murderous qi exploded, solidifying into an almost solid block of sword qi that chopped the creature into two even as it screeched and shrieked. Bam! There was a heavy sound of something landing, but when Gu Suihan took a closer look, it was merely a green robe and a completely empty skull that had landed on the ground. It seemed like the creature was still hungry. It moved about on the ground, and the two halves of the creature quickly merged into one again. It screeched loudly and glared hatefully at Gu Suihan. Three Lives Annihilating Sword C Wiping Out the Next Life! Questioning Heaven buzzed loudly, and the battlefield seemed to turn into hell itself. The sword reabsorbed the spirits and limbs that had appeared earlier. The whole place stank of blood, but Gu Suihan had a completely calm look on his face. His weapon gleamed golden like the sun, its brilliant glow filling the entire place. Past, present and future lifetimes faded into oblivion as though they had never existed. Only the current moment was real. It was as though Questioning Heaven weighed 5,000 kilograms as it swept through the cave like a broom sweeping fallen leaves, natural and effortless. An indifferent aura that seemed otherworldly emanated from Gu Suihans body. In that instant, it was as if he had broken free from mortality to become a buddha who had attained nirvana, his expression both peaceful and genial. Everything is futility. You should not have existed till today. Gu Suihans gaze was as unfeeling as ice, as though he was a god who could decide right from wrong, pronouncing judgment on the guilty. His sword was like a pen that kept a record of sins. Its glow seemed to be able to destroy all things and was completely heartless as it flew soundlessly toward the Spirit Devouring Worm even as it shrieked in terror. The swords glow sliced across the creature silently, like it was cutting through mere smoke, taking away all the evil in the land with it, as well as any traces of the creature ever existing. Immediately after he had returned the sword to its sheath, Gu Suihan spewed a few mouthfuls of blood as though he had just been struck by lightning. He collapsed weakly to the ground and lay tiredly among the scattered bones around him. His clothes were torn, and his face was pale as he stared in a daze at the roof of the cave. He perspired profusely, leaving a damp mark on the ground. After resting for a while, he used the little strength he had left to swallow some pills. Whose domain is this? I cant believe they left an ancient beast behind, thought Gu Suihan as he leaned against the platform. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 C All These Wily Old Foxes Then again, I dont know if that secret key really exists or if the legacy that dead fellow mentioned is real. Gu Suihan now focused his attention on looking for the secret key. Could it still be up there after all? Gu Suihan looked up at the cave roof. There was a dim glow in the indentions left behind from where the Spirit Devouring Worm once hid. The cave was dark and humid, which made this dim glow seem especially bright. It was getting a little chilly in the cave. Gu Suihan was severely injured. The three sword moves he had made earlier seemed like they had not taken much effort, but actually, those moves had consumed the energy from his spiritual sense, hun and po. It wasnt his spiritual energy. It was his soul that had attacked the worms weak soul. That was how he managed to kill that creature. Otherwise, if that creature managed to touch him, he would not have been able to do anything about it. It took a lot of effort, but he shot a beam of spiritual energy at the glowing part of the roof, and he made that piece of rock land neatly in front of him. He used his palm as a knife to gently slice away the excess rock to reveal a reddish gold item embedded inside that gleamed prettily. It seriously exists? Gu Suihan looked at the intricately designed crescent-shaped object that was no larger than his palm and blinked in surprise. Damn you! Gu Suihan was an intelligent man who had survived for more than a thousand years. Nothing escaped his eye. He immediately realised what had happened and cursed the bones of the cultivator who had left that dying message behind. What really happened was actually quite simple. This cultivator probably discovered the formation at the cave entrance and thought that it was a chance to advance his cultivation. So, he put in a lot of effort into breaking most of the Chilly Soul and Icy Po formation, then used some way to get further in. Perhaps there was something on this platform that had attracted him, making him look around excitedly and then accidentally awakening the Spirit Devouring Worm that had been sleeping here for a long time. He was taken by surprise, and the worm began eating him up entirely. At that moment, the only thing he could do was to use his blood as ink and scribble these last words down, making sure to leave a death trap for the next person who found this place. Theres an old phrase that says that people tend to try and be a good person when they know theyre about to die. Gu Suihan called bullshit on that. This cultivator and the now-dead Zhou Xingwen were both people who tried to bring others down with them even when they were about to die. Fuck, spat Gu Suihan in pain before swallowing more pills. After he had recovered some of his waning spiritual energy, he stood up to keep the crescent-shaped secret key and walked toward the rotting items that the dead cultivator had left behind. Since the Spirit Devouring Worm had consumed that fellow, it meant that anything he got from the cave, like a spiritual weapon, would have been consumed as well. That would explain why the entire cave had nothing else but those bones and some rotten clothes. If he wanted to find any clues, the only way was to look through the dead mans storage ring. A disciples token? Gu Suihan noticed an ancient-looking token made from high-quality material, so he took a closer look and then threw it aside. This fellow had been a War Demon Sect disciple. There was a jade slip with a cultivation technique that most people would have fought tooth and nail over, but Gu Suihan merely glanced at it and then threw it aside as well. He had a million and one technique memorised. Found it. Gu Suihans face lit up slightly as he pulled out something that resembled a piece of animal hide. Tiny words were written on it. Just like what I expected. Too bad about those two spiritual weapons, muttered Gu Suihan to himself after a while. He sprayed spiritual energy from his palm and turned the hide to powder. His guess had been right. That War Demon Sect disciple had managed to get in here somehow, thinking it was a golden opportunity, only for it to turn out to be a death trap. The Spirit Devouring Worm had also consumed the spiritual weapon he had gotten, so Gu Suihan wasnt able to gain anything from this cave at all. This domain that has been disguising as a secret realm seems to have been discovered a long time ago. The Ethereal Court has been in charge of it, so thats probably why nobody has ever heard about it. But why did a War Demon Sect disciple appear here? Unless Gu Suihans gaze flickered as he thought of a possibility. The strange blood red symbol in his pupils moved silently as if it contained the entire galaxy within. The problem now is, how am I supposed to know who has the keys? Gu Suihan slowly rubbed a finger against the warm crescent-shaped secret key as he sprayed spiritual energy from his other palm, turning the cave into a wasteland. Once he had wiped out all traces of himself, he marched off. Mother, are you really going to be so heartless? Mo Yuluos face was pale as she lay weakly next to a pond, sniffling sadly while murmuring to herself. Falling in love and all that nonsense is transient, so why get entangled at all? I used to have such feelings for your father, but he ended up abandoning me. How could you dream of attaining the Way when you are distracted by all these worldly emotions? It is but a dream. Inside Mo Yuluos consciousness, a blurry figure spoke flatly to her. The voice seemed indifferent, but it also carried tiredness, as if it had gone through many vicissitudes. Mo Yuluo was like a helpless little deer, and her expression was dazed as she listened to her mothers heartless words. Her body shook when she heard the mention of her father, and her eyes slowly became more focused again. She murmured, I just want to know when you started taking notice of Gu Suihan and whats going on with the joined hearts fruit. I took note of him ever since I read the comments Disciplinarian Zhang had of him. The blurry figure that was actually the split soul of Yun Lianyi seemed rather surprised that, at this point, her daughter was asking about someone unrelated to her current situation. But she replied patiently anyway. Hes very much like your father. Ruthless, heartless and vicious. But unlike your father, he doesnt get himself entangled in any relationship. In fact, as long as youre a threat to him, it doesnt matter if youre male or female C hell exact revenge on you in the most vicious way possible. Could it be Mo Yuluo stared in shock at her mothers look of yearning and admiration and couldnt help but think of a possibility. A possibility that was nearly impossible. Youre overthinking this. Yun Lianyi threw her daughter a displeased glance. I just think of your father when I see him, thats all. Mo Yuluo couldnt stand it anymore. My father is You Hantian, not the one you love, Mo Yunyu, she yelled through her tears. Yun Lianyi sighed sadly, disregarding Mo Yuluos exclamation as she went on, After I got this pair of joined hearts fruit, I had been holding onto them dearly until I found out about your disagreement with Gu Suihan as well as what you told me about him being a cultivator who has restarted his cultivation journey after taking over another persons body. In that instant, I suddenly thought of using you to try and control him, then wiping out your consciousness and taking over your body. That way, the effect of the joined hearts fruit would remain but have no hold over me. Then, I would try to get some secrets out of him. When I told you about having to overcome the hurdle of falling in love, I was hoping that doing so would lead you to develop some feelings for him and eventually get Gu Suihan to consume the fruit. Unfortunately, I did this in too much of a hurry, and you ended up realising what was going on. Yun Lianyi seemed rather disappointed at this juncture. Hurhur, Mo Yuluo laughed self-deprecatingly before falling completely silent as she stared blankly at the slightly translucent face with sweet and gentle features in front of her. Ordinary people thought that the saddest thing in the world was to be unable to think or make decisions for themselves, while cultivators went after a life that was free of worldly emotions. But when it came to real life, how many could have control over their own lives? And how many could really be free of emotions? Yun Lianyi turned out to be able to be truly heartless to her own biological daughter. As the saying goes, even the ferocious tigress would not eat her cubs, so it was assumed that all mothers loved their children dearly. But what happens when the tigress is starving? Ive answered all your questions. That will make it a little easier to wipe out your consciousness. Yun Lianyi suddenly had an indifferent look in her pretty eyes. The tinge of gentleness and motherly love she had earlier was gone. Ha. We were meant to be emotionless beings, but we have been put inside emotional bodies, murmured Mo Yuluo sadly before she gave up resisting. Soul Splitting Secret Technique, Transfer of the Bloodline. Yun Lianyi suddenly leapt up and pounced toward Mo Yuluos flickering soul within her consciousness. Mo Yuluo? Just then, a tall figure walked toward Mo Yuluo, his emotionless face raising an eyebrow in surprise when he noticed the pretty face next to the pond. It was Gu Suihan. The poor child. Gu Suihan sat down rather curiously next to the exhausted-looking young woman dressed in chiffon robes and observed her condition closely. He clearly did not intend to help her at all. He waved his right hand over the empty area next to him. A small table, a teapot and teacups appeared. Fragrant steam rose from the teapot and swirled in the air. Gu Suihan poured two cups of tea out. He pushed one to the side where Mo Yuluo was, then picked up the other cup and drank its contents down noisily. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 C Turn Of Events The two fighting inside Mo Yuluos consciousness werent dummies, so they could immediately sense a presence outside the body, especially since Gu Suihan did nothing to conceal himself. The glow around Mo Yuluos soul was incredibly dim, but thankfully this was her consciousness, so she still held an advantage over her opponent. Yun Lianyi was a formidable cultivator, but she only had a portion of herself inside Mo Yuluo. On top of that, this partial soul was only half the size it had started out as. When Yun Lianyi tried to take over Mo Yuluo the last time, Mo Yuluo fought back in desperation and dealt Yun Lianyi quite the blow. Yun Lianyi had been taken by surprise and lost some strength, so she was now no more powerful than Mo Yuluo. Lets stop here, said Yun Lianyi as she pulled back first. Fine by me. Mo Yuluo nodded. She took control of her body back and let her consciousness resurface. Her long lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. She hid her right hand behind her back as it made a hand seal, ready to attack anytime. When she saw who it was, she blinked in surprise and asked, Its you. Why are you here? I just happened to pass by. Gu Suihan pushed the teacup on her side closer to her and shrugged as he said in a relaxed voice, I was just walking around aimlessly and happened to notice you. You just happened to pass by? Mo Yuluo glanced suspiciously at Gu Suihans earnest expression and didnt quite believe him. It was more likely that he had especially sought her out to attack her in some way. What do you want? Mo Yuluos breathing was weak, and she couldnt hide her terribly pale face. She didnt want to have anything to do with Gu Suihan at this point in time. Not especially when she had no idea if Gu Suihan was on her side or on Yun Lianyis side. Or perhaps he was just going to sit and watch them fight. Im here to watch a good show and to negotiate a deal. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow as he scanned Mo Yuluos concerningly pale face with a mocking smile on his face. His well-defined features seemed to exude a mysterious air. A deal? Mo Yuluo frowned slightly. She felt some repulsion when she heard Gu Suihan use such business-like terms. Ill talk to whichever one of you wins. Gu Suihan waved his hand to show that he wasnt interested in picking up the spoils from their fight. I dont believe you, said Mo Yuluo flatly. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Gu Suihans gleaming eyes with that strange symbol in his pupils. Its not up to you. Whether you believe me or not has nothing to do with me, said Gu Suihan as he blew on his tea and didnt even bother looking at her. Why, you! Mo Yuluos eyes bulged angrily as her teeth chattered. She looked like a kitten who wanted to bite someone. Youre right. Since youve already discovered whats really happening, then you get to call the shots. This bodys level of cultivation is not your match at all, a gentle and mature voice suddenly came out of Mo Yuluos mouth. An equally mature and sensible aura emanated from her body as though she were an authoritative, classy, elegant, and lofty queen. Gu Suihan greets the Peak Leader, said Gu Suihan flippantly as he glanced at the woman who had suddenly changed expression and aura. In that case, thenARGH! How despicable! shouted Mo Yuluo out of the blue with a nasty look on her face. She had clearly been attacked by Mo Yuluo again. Why even bother? remarked Gu Suihan with a tinge of schadenfreude. The left hand he had hidden in his sleeve had already silently turned as black as ink. Three Fingers of Yama C Worldly Passions! He raised his hand and pointed a finger at Mo Yuluo. It landed lightly on Mo Yuluos fair and smooth forehead, so silently and so gently, as though a breeze just blew past. In that instant, the two women inside Mo Yuluos consciousness felt like everything suddenly went dark, and the rumbling of thunder surrounded them. It was as though a demon was growling and murmuring inside Mo Yuluos consciousness. Screeches, wails, and the muttering of deities filled the space. As though a shapeless wave had risen in the air and crashed down on them, everything around them became blurry, and they felt like they were going back in time. Look, Mother! Heres a flower I just picked! Isnt it pretty? A toddler with an innocent smile was filled with joy as she handed the tiny flower in her hand to the elegant and quiet woman in white standing in front of her. The flowers that Yuluo picks are the prettiest, said the woman in a gentle voice as she caressed the little girls head. The gloominess in her eyes seemed to have faded a little. Peak Leader Mo went to handle the situation at the Demon Abyss, but a demon entered his spirit, and he has passed on, a deep voice suddenly resounded from afar. A tall and handsome man with striking features came flying over and landed in front of the woman. Uncle You, are you here to play with Yuluo? asked the little girl in a babyish voice. Hello, Yuluo. Im busy, and I cant play with you today. You can play with this first. Ill bring you out for some candies later. The mans usually unbothered expression turned to one of fatherly love when he heard that voice. He held out a pretty little toy to her and patted her head adoringly. Oh The little girl grabbed the toy from the man and responded a little disappointedly. She took a few steps in the other direction when she suddenly turned as though she was going to remind him to do something but was a little afraid as she said, Dont forget! and toddled off. If hes dead, then so be it. Ive severed ties with him a long time ago, so why did you come all the way here to tell me? The woman had a tinge of gentleness in her eyes as she watched the little girl walk a little unsteadily into the distance, even though her voice was emotionless. However, the grief on her face was apparent enough to make him sigh heavily. Thenwhats Yuluo going to do? Shes still so young. If word of what happened between us gets out, then shed The man looked conflicted even as he stared at the woman with love. Didnt you want complete control of the Seven Kill Sect? Ill help you. As for Yuluo, Ill tell her once shes older. Before that, you can be her uncle. The woman looked even gloomier than before, and the air was filled with a sense of tragedy. Well go with that then. Before the woman could snap out of her grief, the man suddenly stabbed his finger through the area between her brows, his violent spiritual energy mincing the womans soul in an instant. I know none of this is real, but I dont want to wake up. In that very moment, it seemed like she had gone back in time. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek as though she had been relieved of a terrible burden. She did not look the slightest bit surprised and merely looked calmly at the young man in front of her in that large black cloak, a bloodied symbol gleaming in his eyes and a faint smile on his lips. Mother! A hysterical shriek came from behind the man. The little girl had suddenly returned and was staring in horror at the young man who had replaced her Uncle You as well as her dead mother who was bleeding from between her brows. I need you because youre easier to control. Gu Suihan stroked the little girls fair and chubby cheeks, ignoring the fact that his fingers were still stained with the slightly warm blood of the little girls mother. Drink the tea. Mo Yuluo suddenly felt like her body was lighter now, as though it was missing something. Everything became blurry for a moment, and the next thing she saw was that faint smile on Gu Suihans face. You shouldnt have done that. Shewas my mother after all, said Mo Yuluo in a trembling voice as she saw the gray soul in Gu Suihans hands that emanated a familiar aura to her. I know. Gu Suihan downed a cup of warm tea and exhaled with a pleased look on his face. Youre easier to control. She, on the other hand, was hoping to die. I know. I knew what she was trying to do all along. Mo Yuluos eyes were filled with tears. She hugged her knees fearfully like an injured baby animal and murmured, No matter how realistic her acting was, Id always known what she was thinking. She was hoping to use this chance to help me get over the demons in my heart so that I could reach the Origin Core stage without worrying about any of these demons getting into my body. She gave me those joined heart fruits so that I would have someone to rely on after she died. She split her soul and placed herself in my head in hope that I would overcome her and become even stronger. I knew all this, but But you were just like her. You would rather die than let her die. Gu Suihan finished the sentence for her. He went on, If my guess is right, even if she wiped your consciousness out, it was only for a moment. She kept pushing you in order to force you to kill her. At the same time, you ambushed her twice, hoping to make her angry and kill you instead. Gu Suihan clicked his tongue and looked like he wished there was more to this story. What a moving tale! Unfortunately for both of you, I appeared. Shesdead? Mo Yuluo shuddered suddenly, her face pale as she stared at Gu Suihan. You should be able to sense her overwhelming soul power from here. Gu Suihan held up the cloud of gray mist in his left hand. He cast a spell, and the mist gathered to become a round and dark dantian. What exactly do you want me to do? Mo Yuluo pushed away the messy strands of hair on her face and looked intently at Gu Suihan, who seemed to have grown much older. His sideburns were a little white now. Stabbing that one finger into Yun Lianyi had cost Gu Suihan 30 years of his life. What in the world is the Seven Kill Sect hiding? What could be of such great value to make all the other sects join forces to destroy the sect? Humph! Its just vacancies in the Upper World. Mo Yuluo refused to answer his question honestly. You Hantian is my father. I will not betray his efforts. His efforts? Why is the Ethereal Court bent on annihilating the Seven Kill Sect? Why has this never happened before? Gu Suihan took another sip of tea as the bloody symbol in his eyes rotated and generated copious amounts of violent qi. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 C Its The Tea When Gu Suihan saw that Mo Yuluo had fallen into deep thought and wasnt talking anymore, he rapped his knuckles on the table and held up the gray, round dantian in his hand. The message he was sending was obvious to someone as intelligent as Mo Yuluo. Her expression fell as she said, Are you threatening me? Gu Suihan chuckled without saying anything, but the threat in his demeanor was even more obvious now. Mo Yuluo fell silent. Gu Suihans intentions were very clear. He was holding onto her mothers dantian, which was as good as holding onto her very own life. But at the same time, her own father was the leader of the Seven Kill Sect. Should she protect her mothers soul and allow Gu Suihan to have his way? Or should she ignore his threat and watch him wipe her own mother out? She was now faced with a very difficult decision to make. Guess what I did before entering this secret realm? Gu Suihan suddenly asked her a question out of nowhere, startling her out of her thoughts. What? Gu Suihan leaned forward and said in a slow voice, I scattered more than a thousand jade slips with the Seven Kill Sects plans written on it. Whats the use of doing that? Those people outside cant get into the secret realm. Mo Yuluo scoffed. But then theyll know that the Seven Kill Sect doesnt have that many Peak Leaders left to guard their territory right now. The sect is in danger. Gu Suihan chuckled, heartlessness glinting in his eyes. You! Youre so wicked! Mo Yuluos eyes bulged as she gritted her teeth. It had taken her several moments to squeeze those few words out through her fury. Aww, youre too kind. Mo Yuluo stared at Gu Suihans slightly amused expression and the mysterious symbol in his eyes and finally asked what she had wondered about for a very long time, Why are you so against the Seven Kill Sect? Did the Seven Kill Sect kill your previous body? Tsk. Did you think anybody in the Seven Kill Sect could possibly do that? A bunch of cultivators merely at Nascent Change? Disdain was written all over Gu Suihans face. His ruthless smile, his contemptuous attitude, and his mocking eyes were filled with nothing but disdain for the sect. Merely at Nascent Change? Mo Yuluo felt a trembling in her heart as terror seeped into it after she digested what Gu Suihan had just said. A terrifying conclusion popped into her mind. She couldnt sit still anymore and stood up with a start. She pointed a trembling finger at him and said, Youyouyou werent just at Nascent Change. Youyou were at Divine Soul? I hate it when others threaten me and make use of me, treating me as a pawn and kicking me aside once Im no longer of any use. Gu Suihans defined features exuded a calmness that made him seem a level above mere mortals. Very unfortunately, the Seven Kill Sect has done all of this. Back then, I had gone far, far away from the sect and did not intend to become part of this mess at all. But the sect insisted on pulling me back in and even tried to hold me hostage with my soul fire. Guess whats going to happen to all of you? Gu Suihan quietly put away the little table and the tea set. His body was as straight, resilient, and unbridled as a pine tree growing on a cliff. Wewe actually tried to take control of a senior at Divine Soul. Mo Yuluo collapsed onto the ground, ignoring how messy her hair was as she murmured to herself in horror, Youyou turned out to be a senior at the Divine Soul stage. She could no longer produce that smile she usually had on her pretty face. Her expression was filled with despair as she stared straight at Gu Suihan with a defeated and listless look in her eyes. So, are you going to cooperate or not? Gu Suihan had turned the tables. He stood up with that dantian still in his hands. Whether I cooperate or not, Im going to die. Is there a difference? uttered Mo Yuluo wearily. Her usually warm and melodious voice was now hoarse and bitter. There is a difference. If you cooperate, the Seven Kill Sect will be destroyed. If you dont, this world will cease to exist. Gu Suihan looked down at the beautiful woman in front of him. He was like a high and mighty deity as he exuded the violent qi of the millions of souls he had wiped out. This world will cease to exist?! Mo Yuluo exclaimed sadly and her sword that could freeze the entire pond in seconds leaped out of its sheath. She was prepared to die, like a moth flying into the fire. Snow and frost suddenly came raining down from the sky, her gleaming blade ringing like the call of the mythical Luanniao. She knew she was going to die, but she was going to give it her all anyway. Even though any hope of killing Gu Suihan was as weak as a candlelight in the midst of pure darkness, Mo Yuluo wasnt going to give up hope. She didnt want to betray her father, but she didnt want to watch Gu Suihan devour her mothers soul either. The only thing she could do now was to put in her best effort and kill Gu Suihan. Even if she didnt succeed, she would die without any guilt. How foolish. Like a mayfly hoping to sway a tree, said Gu Suihan emotionlessly as the symbol in his eyes gleamed brightly and the sword hanging from his belt flew out from its sheath. It was as though the world had been split into two. One side was filled with a bloody, reddish mist, a billowing murderous qi accompanied by the screams and wails of vengeful spirits and wicked ghosts. The other side was filled with snow and frost, murderous qi accumulated over millennia bursting forth like a glacier as the long screech of powerful mythical birds echoed. Sacrifice the Body to the Sword, to Last the Ages! Mo Yuluos knuckles were white as she gripped her sword tightly. A determined look flashed in her pretty eyes as she stared at the unmoving Gu Suihan, who also had a sword in his hand. She held her sword perpendicular to her chest, bit her tongue, and sprayed three mouthfuls of blood out. Her face was already as white as a sheet, but she persevered, making hand seals with her left hand and moving her body as though she were dancing. Her strange yet mesmerizing dance moves deftly hid her sword that had already absorbed all her blood. Ill show you what this sword can do. Gu Suihan flew out as silently as a ghost, raising the bloodied mist like he had gathered clouds from the ends of the world, filling the sky like a river flooding the banks. Everything happened so quickly that it didnt even create any spark or smoke to warn Mo Yuluo. When Mo Yuluo saw the bloodied mist of sword Qi surging so powerfully toward her, her expression turned bitter. She knew she had not been careful enough. There was no way a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could ever fathom the ways of an ancient cultivator at the Divine Soul stage. Even though she didnt think she stood a chance, and she knew that the situation was pretty much hopeless, the glint in her eyes shone even more brightly than before. They sparkled brilliantly like the stars in the night sky and gave off a glorious iridescence. As her lips parted slightly to speak, blood dribbled out. Her entire body seemed almost drained of all color, yet the sword in her hand buzzed almost loudly enough to burst an eardrum. Blood Sacrifice! Soul Sacrifice! To the Heavens! To the Earth! Kill and Destroy the Enemy! Her sword qi was like a phoenix spreading its wings, rising rapidly to break through the bloody waves above, chopping the vicious sword qi coming toward her. After she had sacrificed everything, she was able to break through the river of sword qi from the sky and thrust her sword toward Gu Suihan. Inches Away C Ends of the World! Her gaze became one of despair as Gu Suihan shifted slightly, and the distance between them suddenly increased exponentially. She felt like she was 10,000 miles away from him. No matter how quickly she tried to advance, her sword simply could not get close enough to him to attack him. Light of Heavenly Frost! she shouted. Her sword sent out dozens of black lines to cover the distance. The lines carried a bitter coldness, and it threatened to overwhelm Gu Suihan in seconds. Just as I had expected. Mo Yuluo did not feel even the slightest joy. She sensed that her sword hadnt stabbed into anything at all. Pfft! Mo Yuluo clutched her chest and stared in shock at the man sitting calmly in front of her. He was seated at a small table carved beautifully from white jade. The smell of tea came from a teapot on the table and filled the air with its fragrance. Sosoits the tea! Mo Yuluo seemed to have realized something and barely managed to say these words. Her gorgeous watery eyes slowly dimmed, and her fair arms fell weakly by her side to reveal a smooth, frosty white sword hilt, the wings of the phoenix on it spread wide like it was flying. That was her own sword. Gu Suihan looked at the beautiful woman in front of him, who was no longer breathing, and sipped his tea. He took in the intoxicating fragrance of the tea and said, Its not tea. Its a formation. There were light green runes on the bottom of the teapot that resembled decorative carvings. That quaint little teapot was actually the formation eye. What a pity. You had such a determined heart for the Way. If you hadnt run into me, you might have made it all the way to Nascent Change or further. Gu Suihan sighed quietly and waved his hand. Mo Yuluos pale but curvaceous body turned to powder and disappeared in the wind, along with the sword that was no longer sentient and had become nothing more than an ordinary blade. We were meant to be emotionless beings, but we have been put inside emotional bodies. Gu Suihan pondered these words that Mo Yuluo said and remained silent for a long time. The water in the pond melted, and a gentle breeze blew lightly on the surface. However, the reflection in the water did not include Gu Suihan. He was now several miles away from the pond. He held up the dantian with one hand, laughed, and pushed it into the area between his brows. His quiet and weak spirit suddenly gave off a bright light like it was a starving wild animal. The moment Yun Lianyis dantian entered the body, the spirit instantly devoured it. The cracks on his spirit were slowly healed, and the broken dao lines were now able to move a little. A vast and powerful air flowed out of Gu Suihan. If you had to compare it to a sea, it would be a sea of blood whose waves could reach the sky. If you had to compare it to a domain, it would be a combination of every hell in the world. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 C Asserting Authority Advanced Origin Core, murmured Gu Suihan after a long time. He slowly exhaled a mouthful of impurities. The burden that had been circling inside his mind for a long time also felt lighter now. He waved a hand to dispel the formation and walked out of the cave he had been sitting in. He squinted as his eyes took time to get used to the slightly glaring sunlight. Its been seven days. Why isnt Li Rong here yet? Did something bad happen to him? wondered Gu Suihan to himself as he subconsciously put a hand on the heavy sword hanging on his belt. Shuanger, do you know why he gave you this thing? A man dressed in embroidered robes, a fine headdress, and a magnificent sword on his back, bent down to speak to the sweet-faced little girl next to him in a gentle voice. His ink-black hair was neatly combed on both sides, most of it cascading past his shoulders, and a few flyaway strands swayed gently in the wind. It matched his deep-set eyes that shone brightly like the moon and stars in the sky, as well as his fair and genteel face with well-defined features. There was an indescribable charisma about the man. The little girl hung her head and held the mans hand tightly. When she heard what he asked her, two dimples appeared in her chubby little cheeks as she looked up at him. She gesticulated as she replied, That man was as handsome as you, senior brother. And just like you, he doesnt seem to like keeping his weapon inside his storage ring and prefers to leave it hanging on his belt. He wore black on the inside and had an equally black cloak on the outside. He looked like those wandering martial artists among the ordinary folk. Shuanger, Im asking if he did anything out of the ordinary when he gave you this item. The man sighed a little before patiently squatting down to pinch the girls cheeks as he looked dotingly at her. She wasnt too pleased as she slapped his hand off her cheeks. Her face was scrunched up as she pouted and said, He had a really weird smile on his face. Thats all. The girl was one of the Youthful Clarity Sect disciples that Gu Suihan had let off earlier, and the mild-mannered handsome man talking to her was the current top senior of the sect, Li Xiaoyao. Senior brother, you mustnt let that fellow off. He killed our fellow disciple just like that, so weve got to take revenge. A woman dressed in royal robes over her long pale yellow chiffon dress was standing among the crowd of a dozen people or so behind Li Xiaoyao. Thats going to be tough. Li Xiaoyao picked up the girl and turned to look at his riled-up juniors. He explained in a deep voice, According to Shuanger; he killed junior brother Wang with just one swing of his sword, which means he is a very formidable opponent. On top of that, he did not kill Shuanger and even got her to pass a message to us, which means he isnt afraid of us at all. The message in this jade slip is about a secret plan that the Seven Kill Sect has for this inter-sect competition. I dont know if its real or not, but thats not important right now. That fatal blow he dealt our fellow disciple is something we need to be wary of. All of you need to be careful. The woman who spoke earlier stared infatuatedly at Li Xiaoyao, and even an idiot could tell from her gaze that she was in love with him. But when she heard Li Xiaoyao warn the juniors, her expression faltered slightly as she said quietly, Senior brother, dont you think youre thinking too poorly of yourself? As far as Shuangers description of the man goes, he doesnt seem to fit the description of anyone on the list of cultivators we have to watch out for. Its better to be careful. All of you should know well that the difference between cultivators is more than their level of cultivation. The spells they can cast, the treasures and weapons they possess, the secret techniques theyve learned, and more C there are way too many variables. Li Xiaoyaos bright but fierce stare made the juniors feel rather pressured. And this man is a variable in himself. Nobody protested anymore when they saw the grim look on Li Xiaoyaos face and quietly reminded themselves to be warier. Hes here. That stench of blood. I smell it. Shuanger suddenly started struggling in Li Xiaoyaos arms. Her little face was pale, and her tiny hands gripped his hems tightly. Hes here? Everyone was horrified and looked around them immediately, summoning their spiritual energy as they got ready to attack anytime. What sharp senses you have, an emotionless voice as clear as a stream on a mountain rang from afar. A figure who was dressed in clothes as black as ink appeared in front of them, like the king of the night. May I ask which sect you are from? Li Xiaoyao put Shuanger down and gently stroked her little head as he stood in front of her to protect her while staring straight at Gu Suihan. My name is Gu Suihan, and Im currently a Seven Kill Sect disciple. Currently? Li Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow as he caught a word that Gu Suihan had thrown in rather nonchalantly. Gu Suihan looked at the ten odd cultivators standing around him with guarded expressions and shot them a harmless and gentle smile. How about we strike a deal? Before Li Xiaoyao could respond, the woman in royal robes glared hatefully at Gu Suihan and said, Im sorry, but were not interested in striking a deal with an enemy. Are the dogs you keep all so rude? Gu Suihans smile faded as he looked indifferently at the frowning Li Xiaoyao. He didnt even bother looking at the woman. Who are you calling a dog! The woman stared venomously at Gu Suihan with a furious look on her face. She raised her sword, and the blue sword qi around it surged toward Gu Suihan like a heavy downpour. Who do you think it is? Besides, did you really think you could fight me? Gu Suihan gently put his foot down and appeared a mere ten meters away from Li Xiaoyao. It was as if he was completely ignoring the powerful wave of sword qi rain coming toward him. Ill try! Li Xiaoyao boldly took half a step forward, and his right hand was already on the hilt of the sword he carried on his back. If you slip up, she dies. Gu Suihan looked approvingly at Li Xiaoyao. His sword buzzed as it flew out of its sheath, accompanied by a terrifying wave of murderous qi. The stench of blood that hit everyones nostrils not only struck terror in their hearts, but they also stared at him in horror now, as though he was a demon who had killed millions of people and had just thrown their bodies into the wilderness. Immediately after Questioning Heaven flew out of its sheath, Li Xiaoyao looked gravely at Gu Suihan as alarm bells went off in his head. How many people had this seemingly handsome middle-aged cultivator killed? Watch out, said Gu Suihan with a wicked smile on his face. His sword vibrated slightly as it pounced toward Li Xiaoyao like a blood-colored dragon. Li Xiaoyao was staring at Gu Suihan sternly, and his first instinct was to dodge the attack, but he suddenly remembered Gu Suihans nonchalant words and couldnt help but waver for a bit. Gu Suihans sword was now just inches away from him. Sword Protecting Method! There was no time to think. Instead of retreating, Li Xiaoyao moved forward instead. The round, opulent gems on his sword suddenly gleamed brightly, and he brandished the sword so quickly that it was nothing but a silvery glow. Regardless of which angle Gu Suihan tried to thrust his sword from, he couldnt get to Li Xiaoyao at all. Very interesting! You have actually understood the will of the sword. A surprised look appeared in Gu Suihans bloodshot eyes for just one second before disappearing. His sword was like the tongue of a venomous snake, while his body moved like a ghost as he quietly floated to Li Xiaoyaos back. I will not let you have your way! Li Xiaoyaos eyes bulged angrily. A silver glow burst from his sword, and he had the upper hand as he tapped the air with his left hand, and the swirling sword glow that measured no more than three inches wide swooshed shrilly toward Gu Suihan. At the same time, another whitish sword glow burst forth and flew toward Gu Suihans neck. Ghostly Shadows Seven Stars C Like a Shadow! Gu Suihan executed a technique and turned himself into a cloud of black mist, successfully dodging Li Xiaoyaos aggressive attack. Gu Suihan cackled and made Li Xiaoyao suddenly feel afraid. He immediately yelled out, Run and hide! If they were fighting one on one, Li Xiaoyao wouldnt have been afraid of Gu Suihan. But now, he had juniors behind him. He was trying his best to protect them, but unfortunately, the Way of the Sword was one that used the sword to attack, so its defense was not its strongest suit. Furthermore, his opponent was a demon with no moral boundaries like Gu Suihan. Too late! The bloodied symbol in Gu Suihans eyes rotated as though it were a black hole sucking everything in. Two almost unnoticeable beams of red light shot out from his eyes as he smiled and retreated. The woman in royal robes collapsed to the ground with a look of disbelief on her face, her pretty face twisted in horror. Her eyes were glazed over, and she was no longer breathing. Was that a secret technique that attacks the spirit? Li Xiaoyao had a nasty look on his face. The veins on his right arm bulged as he gripped his sword, crisscrossing like a green dragon. Can we talk about the deal now? Gu Suihan did not answer Li Xiaoyaos question and shrugged as he put his sword back in its sheath. Li Xiaoyao could not help but turn and look at his terrified and even silently trembling juniors and sighed heavily. Youve succeeded in asserting your authority around here. What deal do you want to strike? He took the jade slip he got from Shuanger out and smashed it in front of Gu Suihan before staring back indifferently at the handsome man with white sideburns. Gu Suihan knew what his actions meant. Li Xiaoyao was saying that once this deal was settled, regardless of whether it went well or not, he was going to avenge his junior no matter what. Mo Yuluo is dead and so is Yun Lianyi. Out of the remaining Peak Leaders, Xiexin zhenren is with Li Rong, but I dont know about the rest. I want you to find out who the rest are, but dont attack them. I need them for something else. Gu Suihan gave the terrified-looking Shuanger a friendly look, then said emotionlessly, You can tell me what your conditions are now. Give each one of us a secret technique. I want techniques that are no lower in level than the one you just used, demanded Li Xiaoyao. Otherwise, the deal is off. Sure. I can pay the deposit first. But I need you to swear by the Way too. Gu Suihan agreed readily since he could remember a few dozen of such techniques easily. He might as well let them have a few. As for Li Rong, Gu Suihan figured that since he hadnt appeared over the past few days, Xiexin zhenren had probably already wiped his consciousness out. Gu Suihan wasnt going to care if Li Rong was alive or dead. It was just that the plan to fool Li Rong didnt end up happening. He had hoped that Li Rong would come looking for him so that he could kill Li Rong and gain both souls. You can have this. This contains the Soul Ambush and Destroy secret technique, and only one person can read it. Once the jade slip detects a second spiritual sense trying to read it, it will shatter by itself, Gu Suihan kindly reminded Li Xiaoyao. Immediately after saying that, he slowly faded out of sight. This speed. As Li Xiaoyao watched Gu Suihan quickly disappear on the spot, he decided that Gu Suihan was even more dangerous than he had initially judged him to be. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 C Familiar Faces Gu Suihan inspected his slightly cracked bones and sighed quietly. He had to get to Nascent Change as quickly as possible, then re-sculpt his body. It was small, but there was still a gap between his own spirit and this physical body that he had taken over. This gap didnt seem like much, but it was enough to prevent him from being able to really use it the way he wanted to. There are so many cultivators inside here. If I take down one-third of them and get my hands on some rare natural treasures, I should be able to heal my spirit by at least a half, maybe even more, thought Gu Suihan to himself. Woong! Gu Suihan received a shock and pulled the crescent-shaped secret key from his pocket. The key was trembling slightly and several dim golden lines were now swirling around and through the translucent key. Craaack! The secret key suddenly floated into the air and a few bits on its surface crumbled and fell off. A beautiful green light glowed prettily in the sunlight. Then, as if it had completed its metamorphosis, the secret key shrank to half its size and looked even more delicate now. A pillar of green light suddenly shot out from the key into the sky, releasing a powerful presence into the air. At the same time, several similar pillars of light in varying colors shot into the air, as though they had been summoned. The colorful lights overlapped in the sky and the mesmerizing sight overhead was too dazzling to be ignored. This went on for slightly over five minutes. The key suddenly trembled, then retracted the light and fell back into Gu Suihans hand as though it was an ordinary item. Its excellent for making me a target, huh, mumbled Gu Suihan. He put it away and put a hand on his swords hilt as he walked on. Someone was coming his way. Gu Suihan, Ive finally found you! a nasty sneer resounded from behind Gu Suihan. There was a rustling sound as several people surrounded him silently. He scoffed when he saw who had come. Ever since Zhou Wenxiang entered the secret realm, he had been on the search for Gu Suihan in hope of taking revenge after Gu Suihan had humiliated him so badly on the flying ship. He thought that Gu Suihan was a sword cultivator and that he had lost only because he hadnt been prepared for a fight. Also, his uncle, Disciplinarian Zhang, had given him more information and a promise, so he was now very motivated and confident. Gu Suihan was now like a delicious cake that he was ready to trample underfoot. The others with him were Seven Kill Sect disciples that Disciplinarian Zhang had gathered to help him. Zhou Wenxiang did not like having them around because he didnt want to split any spoils with them, but after Disciplinarian Zhang warned him very sternly about Gu Suihan, he agreed to bring them along. You useless little ants, spat Gu Suihan before letting out a loud laugh. Questioning Heaven leaped out of its sheath and sliced through the air, heading straight for the pretty woman on his right with double metal rings in her hands. Zhou Wenxiang and the rest paled in horror. They didnt expect Gu Suihan to forgo any attempt to negotiate and launch an attack immediately. They quickly retreated a little frantically. This was a big difference between disciples from a sect and wandering cultivators. Sect disciples often placed importance on reputation and formality, so they would usually state their name and the feud they were having before making any attack. Wandering cultivators, on the other hand, couldnt be bothered to go through any of this nonsense. They did anything that ensured maximum profits. How childish. Their retreat had helped them to dodge Gu Suihans first attack, but it also meant that there were gaps created in their previously tight encirclement. Gu Suihan rotated his sword to create sword qi that measured more than 30 meters wide and brought it down toward Zhou Wenxiang and his companions before scooting off like a ghost in between one of the gaps. Get him! shouted one of them as he flung the bat made from bones at Gu Suihans back. Gu Suihan stopped himself and switched directions suddenly like a school of sardines in the ocean, successfully dodging the bat. He didnt intend to fight them at all. Zhou Wenxiangs face turned red in anger as he glared fiercely at Gu Suihan. He made dust rise up and turn into a huge net that looked like the sky was falling on Gu Suihan. Inches Away C Ends of the World! Gu Suihan also dodged the net nimbly and his next step sent him kilometers away into the distance. He had escaped Zhou Wenxiang and his companions in an instant. He wasnt stupid enough to stick around and fight these people. As the saying goes, many ants can bite an elephant to death. He was no elephant and the other party did have a lot of ants. Fighting them head-on was clearly suicidal. But Gu Suihan was someone who loved his life very dearly. Of course, he wasnt going to endanger his own life for nothing. Damn it! I will hunt you down one day, Gu Suihan!! Zhou Wenxiangs eyes were bloodshot and the terrifying hatefulness in his gaze threatened to burst right out of his eyeballs. A gentle breeze blew and Zhou Wenxiangs clothing swayed a little, to reveal a purplish-gold gleam beneath. He also had a secret key. Gu Suihan ate a few pills to calm his agitated qi and blood, rested for a while, then continued on his way. If he noticed anybody along the way, he would ambush them and slaughter them so that he could consume their souls to heal his own. Hmm? Gu Suihan was now resting in the branches of a tree. He had just killed a martial artist from some country, but that fellow was probably a prince or something. He had a lot of powerful weapons on hand and managed to muster up enough energy right before dying to severely injure Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan had no choice but to hide and take some time to heal before moving on. He made a surprised noise because he had noticed a familiar face. Senior brother, when will that place with the legacy be opened? What secrets does this secret realm hold? The sweet and gentle voice that just spoke belonged to a woman dressed in all white. She had a white chiffon shawl around her shoulders and a long red belt around her waist. Her collar was slightly open, revealing a small patch of skin as fair as the clouds. She had light makeup on and her gorgeous face seemed to have moved completely past its immature state to reveal an attractive womanly charm. Her watery eyes shone brightly like the stars in the night sky. This woman was none other than the Wonderful Sound Sect disciple that Gu Suihan had captured the last time, Wan Xin. But now, she no longer had that icy, elegant, and aloof air around her. If Gu Suihan hadnt recognized the frequency of her spiritual sense, he would have mistaken her for someone else. He looked down at who else was with her and saw that it was a group comprising of disciples from the Wonderful Sound Sect, the Ethereal Court, and the Vast Sky Sect. They had also captured a few Seven Kill Sect disciples. Wan Xin gazed infatuatedly at the man in the Ethereal Courts uniform and never took her eyes off him. The adoring emotion in those eyes was probably passionate enough to melt a glacier. This fellow must be an idiot. Wan Xin is no ordinary disciple since she has an elder at the Origin Core stage backing her. You actually tried to use a Mutual Joy spell on her to hypnotize her in the hope of turning her into your human cauldron so that you can make it to the next stage of cultivation? Youre seriously beyond hope, thought Gu Suihan to himself as he stared at the man with thin lips and beady eyes. He didnt think someone like Wan Xin would take a fancy to such a stupid man. This fellow was only at Mid Foundation Establishment level and he was so frail and skinny, that he looked like he would be blown away if the wind was just a little too strong. If this man lived on modern-day Earth, he would look like someone who was often found at drug rehabilitation centers. Even though there were always dumbasses who claim that its the inside that counts, that was really just a way of consoling themselves. If you were ugly, nobody in their right mind would even pay you any attention, much less fall in love with you. In Gu Suihans opinion, this fellow could forget about actually attracting Wan Xin. There were only a few exceptions C either this fellow was backed by some extraordinary people and she wanted to be protected by them, or he was holding onto some treasure of sorts, so she was purposely trying to get close to him in order to take it from him. Cultivators absorbed lots of qi, plundered the world for its treasures, and practiced cultivation techniques meant to turn them into higher beings, so while not everyone was extraordinarily good-looking, most of them were on the better side and had nice facial features. But there were always exceptions. This man, in particular, cultivated techniques that took energy from others. He looked starved and was clearly deficient in qi. His foundation was damaged and he hadnt bothered to take care of it, taking pills to force himself to move up in cultivation level instead. He was probably going to have trouble even moving beyond the Foundation Establishment stage. Ha! This is no secret realm. This is a domain left behind by a powerful cultivator. There are boundaries that show its a little world that formed after the cultivator meditated till he passed away. The cultivators legacy is inside that domain. The Ethereal Court has owned this place for hundreds of years and the legacy can only be activated once every hundred years, but we always fail to gather sufficient secret keys to do so and end up returning empty-handed. This time, however, one of the zhenrens in the Ethereal Court has prophesized that all the secret keys will be found and the legacy will definitely be activated. Thats why I insisted on coming in despite the danger. The man smirked as he took out a dark green stone that resembled a cats eye gemstone and had gold runes swirling about inside it. Upon closer look, it seemed like there were three very fine lines intersecting each other inside that gave off a gentle glow. Thats a secret key too? thought Gu Suihan as he raised an eyebrow and stared at the stone intently. Wan Xins heart trembled when she saw the secret key and there was a glint in her eyes for just one second before she continued looking infatuated with the Ethereal Court disciple. Its so pretty, murmured Wan Xin as she reached for the key in his hands as though she couldnt help herself. The man looked like he was in a difficult position and his instinct was to keep the key, but when he thought about how much effort he had put into bewitching Wan Xin, he hesitated. This moment of hesitation was enough for Wan Xin to take the key away from him. Her eyes gleamed brightly as she stared at the shiny object in her hands. When he took a whiff of the faint fragrance coming from the young lady beside him, the man was relieved and silently stretched his arm out to wrap it around her snatched waist. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 C Exposed So naughty! Wan Xin shifted slightly and just dodged the Ethereal Court disciples handsy move. She threw him a shy but flirty glance, which made the man feel a heat rise in his lower abdomen. His eyes glazed over a little, as though he had been mesmerized. This scene made Gu Suihans lips twitch violently. He had clearly seen the disgust in her eyes for that one fleeting moment, which made him conclude that all women possessed an innate ability to fool men. The rest of the group couldnt help but shut their eyes because they simply couldnt continue watching this. It looked like a lecherous goblin was trying to pin down a beautiful goddess. They felt as though their eyes were on fire. One of them finally couldnt take it anymore. A young lady in a pale yellow dress said, Senior sister, I think its best that we think about how to contact our other junior sisters. This place is filled with dangers and its very risky for anybody to walk around by themselves. The man snapped out of his daze and laughed a little awkwardly when he saw the rest staring disdainfully at him. He cleared his throat and put on a more serious voice, Youre right, its very dangerous here. Wed better think about how to proceed from here. But the glances he stole at Wan Xin were filled with even more desire than before. Ive already sent a signal out, so if there are any people nearby, they will definitely gather here, said one Vast Sky Sect disciple as he held up the dim jade token in his hand. Just then, several cultivators emanating a murderous aura appeared before the group. Both sides instantly looked like they were facing a formidable enemy and stared at each other with surprise. Gu Suihan was also surprised because the fierce group of cultivators who had just appeared were none other than Zhou Wenxiang and his companions who had tried to kill him earlier. How dare you capture our fellow Seven Kill Sect disciples! You must be tired of living! Zhou Wenxiang didnt say much more than that. Perhaps he had learned his lesson from what happened with Gu Suihan earlier. His group exchanged glances and made an attack immediately. They had eight people in their group, while Wan Xin only had six. Once they started fighting, Zhou Wenxiangs side quickly gained the upper hand. Gu Suihan continued squatting in the tree, as though he was one with his surroundings. He concealed his presence and silently observed the battle below. When someone managed to break through their defenses and was about to free the captured Seven Kill Sect disciples, the Ethereal Court disciple finally made his move. He raised his matchstick arm with an aggressive look in his eyes. He used his fingernails to cut himself hard and flicked the blood that flowed out into the air while making a hand seal with his left hand. Mutual Joy Murderous Yin, Reverse the Yin and Yang! What the hell?! Everyone recognized that move as a powerful one and their faces paled. Even Gu Suihan did a double take and quickly used his Gold Geng Sword Mantra to stop his breathing while allowing a small amount of spiritual energy to seep from his pores, forming a thin protective layer around him so that the sweet Mutual Joy Murderous Yin would not be absorbed into his body. You want all of us to die together? How dare you! yelled Zhou Wenxiang in a shrill voice as he retreated a few hundred meters in an instant. Dont be ridiculous, replied the man. He spat and waved his arm vigorously as he chanted loudly, Mutual Joy Murderous Yin, Attack of Heaven and Earth! The pink powder that gave off a saccharine yet bloody smell of murderous qi instantly turned into two whirlwinds that measured about 30 meters across. The wind was as sharp as a blade and stirred up several broken rocks. They moved toward Zhou Wenxiang like two jiaolongs. Run! The man trembled violently, his face pale as he grabbed Wan Xins fair wrist and turned to run. PFFT! The sound of someone getting attacked particularly viciously made everyone stop fighting and turn around in shock. The Ethereal Court disciple stared at the beautiful woman in front of him with utter disbelief in his eyes. How revolting. Wan Xin had a look of disgust as she pried the mans chicken feet-looking fingers off her wrist, as she withdrew her other hand, which was now bloodied and flesh-covered from his stomach. The infatuated look she had on her face earlier was nowhere to be found. Wh-why! said the man with a trembling voice as he reached out as though he wanted to strangle the woman in front of him. Because youre ugly, and youre also super gross. Wan Xin calmly wiped the blood off her pretty fingers with a handkerchief and allowed the wind to blow the handkerchief onto the mans face, covering his look of shock and horror. Women are really the most vicious creatures after all, thought Gu Suihan as he enjoyed the show unfolding below him. He was just short of getting himself a bucket of popcorn. That man had just given Wan Xin the secret key and she took him out so heartlessly. What a drama. Once the man had died, all the murderous qi he had released also faded. Zhou Wenxiang landed again after fighting off the two whirlwinds. His breathing was weak from being severely injured and his skin was covered in cuts, as though the whirlwinds had scraped off an entire layer. Everyone exchanged glances and quickly surrounded Wan Xin and her group again. However, they looked at the seemingly fragile and kindly Wan Xin more warily. The Wonderful Sound Sect were experts at using sound waves to attack their opponents, so their attacks always covered a large area. Zhou Wenxiangs group had two at Advanced Foundation Establishment and the rest were at Mid Foundation Establishment. Wan Xins group of six were all almost entirely unhurt and they also had the unpredictable Wan Xin on their side. The two sides were almost equal in strength now. Tell you what. Let our fellow Seven Kill Sect disciples go and well leave you alone. Hows that? said one of them with an awkward smile as he gulped. He was hoping to add to their numbers and kill off Wan Xins group. That sounds great. Wan Xin smiled prettily as waved her hand to send out three knives made from soundwaves, shattered the dantians of the three Seven Kill Sect disciples, then loosened their bonds and threw them at Zhou Wenxiangs group. Both sides were silent for some time until one of them couldnt stand it anymore. He swung his ghost-controlling flag and dozens of vengeful spirits came out to gobble up the three disciples howling in pain to end their suffering. Just when both sides were about to walk away, Wan Xin felt something shift in her belt. She had a look of surprise as she took out the secret key. The secret key suddenly became extremely hot and its outer layer kept peeling off as the stone trembled. It gave off a bedazzling glow as a dark green pillar of light shot into the sky. Whats that? Everyone turned to see that Zhou Wenxiang had suddenly taken out a purple jade token from his belt even as he sat on the ground to recover from his injuries. A golden light swirled around it and a purple pillar of light shot out from within and into the sky. All of them widened their eyes and they could see the greediness in each others gazes. Zhou Wenxiang was very badly hurt and that jade token was clearly something very precious. If they took this chance to attack Zhou Wenxiang Theres one more? Before they could decide what to do, someone else shouted again and they turned their heads once more. A golden pillar of light had shot into the sky from the trees a few hundred meters away from them. Fuck! Gu Suihan smacked his forehead as he watched the secret key go through another round of metamorphosis. He suddenly realized that this thing seemed to hate him or something. His location had been exposed twice now because of it. He saw everyone staring intensely at him, so he cleared his throat, jumped off the tree he was in, and grinned as he greeted them, Hello, hello, what a coincidence! Ive got some urgent matters to attend to, sosee you around! He had barely finished speaking when he mustered a wind beneath his feet and turned to run, covering a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. Stop right there! Both groups yelled after him at the same time. They were surprised and turned to look at one another. Wan Xin looked like her entire face had turned into frost and the murderous aura she emanated was terrifying. Her eyes were pretty but filled with nothing but hatred, while her chest heaved in anger. Zhou Wenxiang, was also clenching his teeth and his face was pale and twisted, as though he wanted to bite Gu Suihan to death. Why are you after him? Both groups asked each other in unison again. Run after him! Hes going to get away! Wan Xin glared at the other group, then ran after Gu Suihan as swiftly as a fairy on a cloud. Lets go after him too. One of them from the other group was about to give chase as well when he noticed the glint in the others eyes as they quietly surrounded Zhou Wenxiang, who was leaning against a tree weakly. Despicable fellow! Stop right there! shouted Wan Xin as she kept her eyes fixed on Gu Suihan and ignored how messy her silky hair was becoming. She sent out spell after spell as she threw talisman after talisman at him. Gu Suihan cursed as he dodged attack after attack, jumping left and right as he flew above walls of mud and ice, balls of ice, ice picks, and a variety of spells and talismans. He didnt even turn back as he yelled at her, Bloody hell! All we did was capture you! Youre lucky I didnt kill you! And you still dare to run after me?! You! Wan Xins expression became even more hateful when she heard what he said. Her brows were deeply furrowed and she clenched her teeth without saying anything, unleashing more spells and talismans even more rapidly than before. Damn it! This is the first time Ive met someone this bent on attacking me, spat Gu Suihan as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw that she was getting closer and closer to him. Her juniors obviously couldnt keep up and she was the only one running after him and refusing to give up. Thats enough! yelled Gu Suihan furiously after dodging yet another ball of water and narrowly missing a wall of ice that had suddenly appeared from beneath a bridge. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 C Desperately Trying To Survive Wan Xin continued to chase after Gu Suihan and was clearly not going to give up or let him off. Her slim fingers tapped on the air in front of her and sent out sparkly streams of talismans. Young lady! I said! I didnt kill you the last time, so thats as good as saving your life! Why are you eager to kill me?! yelled Gu Suihan as he bent his body nimbly and drew an arc in the air as he dodged more talismans. Wan Xin pursed her thin lips and her expression looked as ominous as storm clouds. It would have been better if Gu Suihan hadnt mentioned this incident. Any mention of what happened the last time filled her with absolute rage. Besides being given a fierce dressing down by her master, she was even locked in a cold and dark cell underground for several months. That was not something that most people could endure. Stop running if you dare! spat Wan Xin furiously. Her pretty feet stepped on the air like a fairy, creating faint ripples in the air as she increased her speed to chase Gu Suihan down. Gu Suihan could sense that Wan Xin was getting closer to him and felt a sense of dismay. If he wasnt still recovering from injuries, including cracks in his bones, he would have been able to fight an Advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator like Wan Xin head-on. He wouldnt have to scramble for his life like this. The chase went on and it didnt take long for them to cover a few hundred miles. The scenery around them slowly changed. The vast and dense forest slowly became more and more sparse, replaced by a barren desert. The entire place was filled with nothing but sand and there wasnt a single person in sight. And you think I really dont have the guts to fight back? Gu Suihans instinct told him that there was something special about this place. He stopped running right at the border of the forest and turned to glare hatefully at the determined Wan Xin. Fight me then! Wan Xin didnt give Gu Suihan a chance to speak again. She flicked her small hand in front of her and retrieved a seven-stringed zither that had dragons and phoenixes carved into its body from her storage ring. Her finger plucked the strings and sent out strong winds made from blades of sound. A beautiful melody slowly filled the air, each note touching the heart, bypassing Gu Suihans ears to echo inside his head. What trauma has this woman suffered? Shes actually able to play such mesmerizing sounds! The spirit inside Gu Suihans consciousness spun and gave off a bright glow that covered his entire consciousness and kept the intrusive sound of the zither out. Soul Burying Pentatonic Scale C the End of Youth! Wan Xin stared at the unaffected Gu Suihan and clenched her teeth. She changed the way she plucked the strings and the gentle melody of the zither that previously sounded like the sweet murmuring of a lover suddenly changed. It now became depressive and empty, like one lamenting the fleeting nature of youth. A deep sadness slowly filled the surroundings. The tree branches swayed and the grass rustled, as though they had become sentient and were accompanying Wan Xins zither. Gu Suihan placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword. His face was a little pale and he was beginning to sweat as well. The sounds of the zither were clearly taking their toll on him. The blood-colored symbol in his shining eyes glowed even more brightly than before, as though he was accumulating more and more murderous hatred. His lips, however, had a grave look that was barely noticeable. He realized that he actually didnt quite want to draw his sword. Swirling Red Spider Lily Seal C Severing Emotions! Gu Suihan knew he couldnt hesitate any longer. He bit the tip of his tongue hard and seized that short moment of alertness to use his hands to form a seal. He unleashed his qi and a red complex and odd-smelling magic seal formed in front of him. In that instant, his expression was peaceful, as though he were a buddha looking down on Earth, unfazed by the immorality flashing past him, like a venerable monk who was no longer tempted by worldly desires. He launched the seal toward the bloody red flowers coming toward him, the seal expanding as it approached the whirlwind of flowers. It had turned into a gigantic net by the time it crossed the 100-meter mark and came close to Wan Xin. Soul Burying Pentatonic Scale C Lamenting Worldly Desires! Wan Xins expression faltered as she stared in shock and horror at Gu Suihan. She couldnt figure out how a demon who had killed countless people could possibly unleash a seal that contained so much love and mercy for the world. The wind howled as it blew past her, making her smooth black hair fly and revealing her stern fair face. Her white dress billowed gently and the sun shining on her made the dark red lotus flower on her fair arm look especially striking. The sound of her zither changed again. The sad tune suddenly increased in pitch, making the strings tremble. The music was now like wandering poets sighing about how transient the world was and how everything was fleeting as smoke. The whirlwind of red spider lilies shattered the seal from Gu Suihan and Wan Xin gained the upper hand once more. Swirling Red Spider Lily Seal C Stop Lustful Desires! Gu Suihans face became paler and the glint in his eyes grew brighter as he thrust a seal out. It was a seal that seemed to be made from the energies of nature that could break all lustful desires and shatter the people befuddled by the ways of the world. Just when both of them were fighting with everything they had. A roar that seemed to resound through the entire universe suddenly came from somewhere in the vast, barren desert. The roar was so loud, that it stirred up sand and stones nearly a hundred meters into the air. A wild beast? Gu Suihan had a bitter look on his face. He was now literally sandwiched between two ferocious monsters. It was hard to decide what to do now. If you continue fighting, were both going to die here, said Gu Suihan when he felt the huge wave of sand and stones behind him. Wan Xin glared hatefully at the elegant and mature man with graying sideburns in front of her and scoffed indignantly as she kept her zither, then turned to leave. However, she kept her spiritual sense locked on him as if she was not going to let him off even though they agreed to stop fighting for the moment. Of course, Gu Suihan could sense the mildly murderous spiritual sense locked on him and cursed inwardly, but this was not the time to get annoyed with such things. He turned around to see a shadow behind the wave of sand and stones that stood at more than 20 meters in height. His eye twitched and he started running immediately. But when he stole a glance at Wan Xin who was still keeping a close distance from him at all times, he really became annoyed and tried suggesting to her, Why dont we split ways? That way, wed both have a 50-50 chance of escaping. At the same time, he retrieved a packet of demon-attracting powder from his storage ring and hid it in his hand. Dream on! I will not let you off! Wan Xin held up her zither again and glared fiercely at Gu Suihan. Damn it! Gu Suihan spat and tried to run faster in hope of losing Wan Xin. But the fight earlier on had already consumed a lot of his energy, plus he was one level lower in cultivation compared to Wan Xin, so he didnt have as much spiritual energy either. So, despite his efforts to accelerate, Wan Xin continued to keep up with him and kept the same distance as before. Craaack! Trees were uprooted and the shrubs were shredded as the wave of sand and stone rose to more than 60 meters high. The usually soft fine sand was now more like throwing stars as they rained down noisily on the forcefield the two of them had put up around them. The sand came down so hard, that it created ripples in the forcefield and almost shattered the forcefield several times. Didnt the Wonderful Sound Sect form an alliance with the Ethereal Court? Did they tell you anything about this secret realm? asked Gu Suihan as he avoided falling trees, sand, and rocks while wiping away the blood dribbling from his lips. Wan Xins white dress was now a sandy brown. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were torn. There were also several dirt streaks on her fair face, which made her look a little playful. As she continued running, she spat out a mouthful of sand without caring about how uncouth she looked and ignored Gu Suihans strange eyes as she pretended to be calm and said, No, they didnt! After that, there was no other sound besides the sound of the skies tearing and the sand rolling, as both of them concentrated on running. The beast behind them seemed to have its eye on them and refused to stop chasing after them. Gu Suihan was still only at Mid Foundation Establishment, after all, so he was getting paler and paler, while his speed was getting slower and slower. The spiritual energy forcefield around him kept flickering and it finally made a snapping noise before shattering completely. The forcefield had shattered too suddenly and he hadnt had the time to dodge anything, so a large rock hit him from behind, causing him to stumble and spray blood out from his mouth. Damn it! Youre just a bloody animal! You think I cant handle you? Gu Suihan seemed to become agitated after spewing blood, so he suddenly stopped running and turned to face the barely visible beast hiding behind the huge wave of sand and rocks. You can leave. Consider our feud settled. Gu Suihan looked at Wan Xin, who was slightly pale in the face and still trying to catch her breath. He took a step forward to stand in front of her. His sword flew out of its sheath and murderous qi that seemed enough to devastate the world exploded from his body. Questioning Heaven was now like a bloodthirsty demon revealing its ferocious bloodied fangs. You Wan Xin stared at the man in front of her who was protecting her from the beast and was stunned for a moment. She was confused for a few seconds, but that was it. She realized what was going on. This was Gu Suihans desperate attempt to get out of this deadly situation alive. By doing this, if he defeated the beast, he would have also gotten rid of her. If he couldnt defeat the beast, he was still going to die. At least it was a 50 percent chance. She opened her mouth but didnt know what to say as she just stared at him in silence. Finally, she whispered, Good luck! before leaving without even turning back. Even though she didnt want to give up trying to kill him, she knew she had to. This was Gu Suihans chance to survive and it was also her chance to survive. The reality of the situation was not like the way romance stories made things out to be. Cultivators did not make bad choices like those brainless female leads like insisting on dying together or something like that. At the same time, there was also no way Gu Suihan would have suddenly become a hero who wanted to save a damsel in distress either. Gu Suihan remained standing where he was without moving, like a skerry in the ocean. The blood-red symbol in his eyes rotated rapidly as he narrowed his eyes slightly. Nebulas being destroyed, the sun and moon being put out and other magnificent scenes like those slowly appeared in his eyes, then quickly absorbed again by the whirlpool created by the spinning symbol. Every tiny bit of spiritual energy in his body was now being used. His ivory-like skeleton gleamed as brightly as a gem and that was being twisted together unnaturally giving off a groan as if it had been placed under too much pressure. Line after line of gold markings began to slowly appear on the quiet and heavy sword that Gu Suihan held in his hand. The murderous qi around him that seemed thick enough to solidify was absorbed entirely by the blade. The sound of ghosts howling, deities shrieking and spirits wailing suddenly filled the air. Gu Suihan watched as the beast hidden behind the sand and stone came closer and closer to him. He stared straight at the red eyes of the beast that exuded nothing but violence and suddenly burst into a strange smile. Nine Swords of Destruction C Destroying the Stars! Chapter 118 Chapter 118 C Consumed The skies suddenly darkened and turned a dark red color. Only the nine brilliant stars in the bloody skies flickered in this quiet yet creepy atmosphere. If one looked carefully, one would have noticed that these stars seemed to be sentient as they swallowed the murderous qi scattered in the reddened skies. Descend! Gu Suihan pointed his sword at the sky, shouting as though he were a king who commanded an army of thousands of soldiers. The star that was the darkest in color glowed brightly, drawing an elegant arc in the sky as it came down as swiftly as a shooting star and was instantly absorbed by Questioning Heaven. Woong! Questioning Heavens blade rang softly, as though it had been awakened. The ferocious monsters surrounding the hilt of the sword seemed to have come alive as they roared, their bloodthirsty red eyes shooting out murderous beams of light. The sword qi measured less than half an inch, but the red color was so dark, it was almost black, and the stench of blood actually smelled oddly fragrant. The other stars fell from the sky and landed on the blade, their glow shining bright as runes swirled around the sword. Gu Suihan took a step forward with his sword in hand. His bright eyes were fixed on the beast that was slowly becoming clearer and clearer to the eye and he could even smell the creatures stench. Now! yelled Gu Suihan as he brought his sword down diagonally, the stars glimmering with an immeasurable force. ROAR! The creature instantly sensed danger, but after living peacefully for so many years, it ignored its instinct and leaped out of the wave of sand and stones, refusing to back down. The yellowish-brown indifferent and cruel eyes inside a head that was about 20 meters in diameter gleamed greedily. It seemed like there was some flesh left behind on its sharp teeth. Its head was covered in a dense layer of scales and its gigantic nostrils expanded in excitement as it breathed out a steady stream of air. The glow from the sword flashed brightly and its roaring resounded in the clouds. The murderous qi around Questioning Heaven exploded, instantly stabbing itself into the nose protruding from between the beasts eyes. Pfft! A fountain of blood flowed from the beasts nose and blood filled the air. A wound that measured slightly more than three meters appeared on the beasts head, so deep that its bone could be seen. The blood that sprayed out from the wound reached a height of nearly 50 meters. ROARRR! The creature roared furiously as it sent a massive sandstorm toward Gu Suihan. Finding a way in a desperate situation! Gu Suihans bloodshot eyes glowed brightly and looked eerie against his deathly pale face. He had no more spiritual energy left inside his body and his skeleton was covered in tiny cracks. He stabbed his sword into the ground to hold up his thin and frail body. At that moment, Gu Suihan gulped as he swallowed the pill that he had placed in his mouth beforehand in preparation for such a moment. He used the energy from the pill as he leaped toward the open mouth of the beast that was roaring in pain, enduring the sharp stabbing pain he felt with every step he took. Pfft! Questioning Heaven stabbed itself deep into the creature. The beast suddenly shuddered as it felt pain coming from a weak part of its body before twisting itself about even more furiously. The violent shaking made Gu Suihan feel like his body was about to fall apart and he felt a terrible pain coming from his internal organs. Blood kept spilling from his mouth, so he had to use both hands to cling onto his sword and continue using it to slice through the beast. Im not going to die. This is merely a beast that doesnt even have sentience. Theres no way it can kill me! A mocking smile spread across his lips as a murderous gleam seemed to flash in his eyes. Flesh Turns to Spirit! A black mist rose from his left hand and the flesh of his hand turned so dry, that it looked more like the claws of a demon. Gu Suihan frowned and his bloodshot eyes flickered as if he was trying to find something. Here it is! Gu Suihans eyes lit up as he fixed his gaze on a trembling organ not too far from him. His eyes could see in the dark, so he could see a never-ending flow of blood very clearly. He pulled his sword out, which came out with some flesh and blood. He then stomped hard on the hole he just made to leap toward the place he spotted just now. Gu Suihan used Questioning Heaven to steady himself, using one hand to stab the sword into the top so that he remained suspended. He had a maniacal smile as he raised his left hand which was covered in black mist and dug his fingers into that trembling organ. The creature struggled even more violently and he had no choice but to use his other hands and legs to hang on. This feels really good! Gu Suihans body was like a dried-up river bed and was now being nourished again by taking in the creatures blood. I need this to go faster, thought Gu Suihan. He used his other hand to rip a hole where his left hand was and put his entire body in. Flesh and blood goes back to the soul! Nourish my body! he chanted as the black mist around his right hand dug into the creature. Gu Suihan consumed the beasts life essence like a bottomless pit. The hairline cracks on his bones were slowly repaired while his severely injured organs started to heal. His bones started to gleam with a faint golden glow and the thin dark gold lines on them became more and more obvious, adding a mysterious air to his skeleton. His graying sideburns slowly turned black again and became extremely shiny. His crows feet ironed themselves out and his previously mature features slowly became more youthful. He looked like a young man in his twenties again. The beasts struggle began to weaken. It howled repeatedly and its body began to give off a rotting smell. Regretting it now? Too bad C its too late. He scoffed when he sensed that the beast was struggling less and less. He increased the suction force in his hands so as to absorb every last drop of vitality that this beast had. After a long time, the bloody symbol in his eyes became even more complex in design and more deeply set in his pupils. His thin and frail body began to fill out. His skin became fair and as smooth as silk. He didnt look anything like the haggard person he was before fighting the beast. Oh, and your soul too! Gu Suihan withdrew the sword that was done drinking all the blood it wanted. He walked out of the dried-up organ he had entered earlier, then unleashed enough sword qi to tear through the skin from inside. Poor, poor you! He stood on top of the deep wound he had created without caring about how the beast felt as he stared down at the barely breathing creature. He stretched his long and slim fingers out and stabbed them into the creatures skull, ignoring the pleading look in its eyes. His spiritual sense got to work as it activated a secret technique to draw the soul out. It took some effort to finally pull its gray soul out from its head. The attack that Gu Suihan had made with his sword earlier had not only injured the creatures body. Its weak and limp translucent soul was proof of that. That attack had hurt it both physically and spiritually. Unfortunately, Gu Suihan was only able to muster up one-hundredth of the power this move was actually capable of unleashing. Otherwise, never mind a cultivator at the Nascent Change stage C even the one who created this domain would have to kneel before him. I wonder if it has the bloodline of the Demonic Race. If its brain contains any information from ancient times, then fighting it would have turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He chuckled, then swallowed the soul immediately and began to refine it. A short while later, he opened his eyes again. The bloody red gleam in his eyes looked terrifying. Ah, too bad. It does have some information, but nothing on the language of the Demonic Race. I suppose its bloodline is way too diluted. He snapped out of his thoughts and split his sword into a few hundred beams of light that could delicately skin the creature and remove its bones. He consumed all of its insides and was left with just its pretty outer shell and its blackened skeleton. Gu Suihan was the type who made sure he consumed everything that was of benefit to himself. He wouldnt miss any opportunity. He looked around and started wondering where he was. The entire area around him was a yellowish brown because it was covered in nothing but sand. The wind stirred up the sand grains and they felt like needles as they hit his body. At the rate the wind was going, an ordinary person would have been sanded down to their bones in less than an hour. He looked at the dried-up bloodstains and figured out which direction he had come from. He then headed back that way. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 C As Many Ways To Kill As The Stars My fellow cultivator in the Way, where are you going? Gu Suihan had just returned to the border between the forest and the desert and heard a chuckling voice before he could even catch his breath. Li Rong? Gu Suihan turned around with a stern expression on his face. He immediately narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, Xiexin? Im so sorry about ruining your plans, my friend, said ~~Li Rong~~ Xiexin zhenren with a laugh and a smug look on his face. Gu Suihan smiled faintly but his eyes were filled with greed. He stared hungrily at Xiexin zhenren, who was now in Li Rongs body, just like how a pervert would stare at a pretty lady. The burning desire in his eyes made Xiexin zhenren shudder as a shiver ran down his spine. Youve finally arrived. Ive waited so long for you. Gu Suihan smiled sinisterly and revealed his pearly whites as he took a big step forward. His sword flew out of its sheath and he swung it at Xiexin zhenren immediately. He clearly wasnt interested in going through any formalities before fighting. Humph! Demon Lord Bronze Corpse, come out now! Xiexin zhenrens eye twitched when he saw how fiercely Gu Suihan was about to attack him and made a hand seal in order to summon a huge and heavy coffin made from black-colored wood. The runes on it lit up with a red glow and murderous demonic qi surged from the coffin. A blood-curdling howl came from deep within. Its just a bronze corpse C did you think Im still that Seven Kill Sect disciple with a lot to worry about? scoffed Gu Suihan. His blade suddenly shone brightly and its ringing resonated to the skies. It stirred up the wind and clouds as it came down accurately on the Demon Lord Bronze Corpse that had just gotten up from its coffin. SCREECH! Bright sparks flew in all directions. Gu Suihans left hand instantly turned into a demonic hand and he brought it down toward the corpses head hard. His nails instantly grew by three inches and they gleamed murderously in the light. You think you can pierce my bronze corpses head with just a bunch of sharp claws? Who do you think you are? One of those physical cultivators? Xiexin zhenren scoffed disdainfully. He slapped his sack of corpses and the entire place suddenly turned dark as a thick layer of miasma floated out from the coffin. Watch me set up my Eight Direction Demon Trapping Corpse formation! yelled Xiexin zhenren as he looked just as greedily at Gu Suihan. This boy was a high-level Gold Geng cultivator, so he would make a really good five-element king jiangshi. Jiangshi are dead but not stiff. Their bodies are strong but their souls are pathetic. Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone at Mid Foundation Establishment stage to fight the bronze corpse of an Origin Core cultivator. Gu Suihan grabbed the head of the bronze corpse with his demonic claws tightly. The ear-piercing scraping of his nails against the corpses head filled the air and the sparks from the friction measured almost three meters high. Gu Suihan knew that principle well C if he couldnt take it down with one strike, he had to run. He made use of the momentum that the bronze corpse had in retaliating and retreated a few hundred meters into the trees. He now stood on a tree branch and looked down at the group of corpses emanating huge amounts of yin energy. Xiexin zhenren glanced casually at the bronze corpse and his expression instantly turned to one of horror. The bright scalp of the bronze corpse now had five holes measuring a little more than an inch deep. He couldnt believe Gu Suihan had actually managed to stab his fingers through the skull of the corpse. The holes were wide enough for one to see those disgusting maggots crawling about inside. Hes really good, spat Xiexin zhenren through gritted teeth. Healing up these five holes was going to take quite a bit of effort on his part. Thinking about that really infuriated him. He raised a bell for summoning spirits and started shaking it. The tinkling sound of the bell filled the air and a strange scene followed soon after. The jiangshi were like soldiers that had received a command. They hopped a few times to form groups of twos and threes that surrounded Gu Suihan from all directions. The awful smell and the surge of murderous qi almost made Gu Suihan faint. When he snapped out of his initial repulsion, he realized that the jiangshi had encircled him and there was nowhere to run. His surroundings had become foggy and dizzying. The jiangshi howled and growled nonstop as they used their green, scaly nails to claw at Gu Suihan maliciously. How dare you use a cheap formation like this on me? You little bastard, youre really too green for this. Gu Suihan wasnt panicky at all. He split his sword qi to protect himself, so the poisonous claws of the jiangshi attacking him were mercilessly lopped off in seconds. Finger of Desire Severing and Soul Shocking! Gu Suihan used his sword to protect his body while a finger on his left hand turned into a sword as it shone with a dazzling golden light. The air around it was absorbed quietly and it looked like it was warping the space. It didnt look particularly impressive, but the effects were terrifying. That finger broke through the fog and cut through his dizzying surroundings. It shone brightly like the bold rays of the sun, its golden light as piercing as a phoenixs cry. Xiexin zhenren had barely managed to dodge the sword qi coming from that finger. His heart palpitated fearfully as he touched the hair accessory that had been knocked off its original position. He exclaimed with some disbelief, What in the world was that? Ill be happy to share more information with youCafter youre dead! If my guess is right, you didnt split your soul at all. Youve just completely taken over his body. Gu Suihan snickered and waved his arm. His sword qi fell like rain as it minced the mess of jiangshi in front of him. These jiangshi could be barely considered to be half as powerful as a cultivator at Qi Activation. Gu Suihan could kill them as easily as killing an ant. Nine Clouds, Eight Deserts, Seven Stars, Six Combinations, Five Elements, Four Phenomena, Three, Talents, Two Rites, One Qi Combined Forces Heaven Breaking Sword! Gu Suihan flew into the air and suddenly rattled off this long technique name that sounded more impressive than it really was. His sword howled loudly and the bright sword glow came down hard toward the slightly confused Xiexin zhenren like it was ready to split the ground in two. Xiexin zhenrens heart nearly stopped when he heard the long string of words and automatically assumed it was some powerful move. When he saw that powerful blade coming toward him, his heart instantly trembled and his instinct was to retreat as quickly as he could. You idiot! You actually believe that! Gu Suihan laughed as he suddenly let go of his sword and let it fly toward Xiexin zhenren by itself as he suddenly made a hand seal. A mysterious blood-red seal was instantly formed. He held it in his hand and a cloud seemed to carry his feet as he executed another technique. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars C Follow Like a Shadow! Before Xiexin zhenren could wrap his head around what was happening, Gu Suihan appeared right behind him in an instant, then suddenly popped up from the shadow beneath Xiexin zhenrens feet. Gu Suihan smiled faintly as he launched the seal in his hands and it hit his opponent in the abdomen. You tricked me! Xiexin zhenren finally realized what just happened. His entire face was red and he was utterly furious, partly from the pain and partly from his sheer anger. A good soldier doesnt mind resorting to trickery sometimes, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. Instead of moving backward, he swiftly floated upwards, grabbed hold of Questioning Heaven, and looked down at Xiexin zhenren. You ancient monster! Go to hell! Perhaps Xiexin zhenren knew that he couldnt meet Gu Suihans standards at all, so he let out a mighty roar as his spirit summoning bell suddenly exploded. The shards glowed brightly as they flew right into the part between the brows of the bronze corpse. ROAR! The bronze corpse let out a terrible roar. Its eyes were blackened and its entire body was covered in taut muscle. It took a thunderous step out, creating a deep hole in the ground as it leaped toward Gu Suihan in the air like a projectile. Inches Away C Ends of the World! Gu Suihan was no fool. He had retreated earlier so that he wouldnt end up killing himself along with his opponent. Once he saw the bronze corpse coming for him, he instantly disappeared out of sight because he was already prepared to do that. This fellow is really smart! Since he couldnt get me with one blow, he decided to just run for it! Xiexin zhenren glowered venomously in the direction where Gu Suihan was standing earlier. He did not dare to let his guard down, so he waved his arm and summoned the bronze corpse back to him so that they could protect him. He then quickly swallowed several pills in hope of recovering from his wounds as quickly as possible. Youre really still too green, sniggered Gu Suihan as he hid in a tree about 10 kilometers away. He narrowed his eyes and his storage ring gleamed as he retrieved a ballista made entirely from metal. It was almost six meters in length. He had stolen this thing from the Fenglin military arsenal. It was a meteoric metal ballista that was meant for attacking a citys walls. It wasnt a magic weapon and was worthless to cultivators, so Gu Suihan didnt run into any problems when he stole it. There was an arrow that was as thick as a babys fist in his hand. The part near the tip had been fashioned to look like the teeth of a saw and four channels carved into the body gleamed with a greenish glow. The metallic smell of the ballista and arrow could send shivers down ones spine. The arrow alone was about three meters long and weighed more than a hundred kilograms. It usually needed at least four or five martial artists to operate this thing, but Gu Suihan was at Foundation Establishment and didnt need anybody to help him. He adjusted the angle, covered the arrow in poison, then gently placed the arrow in the slot meant for it. He aimed straight for where Xiexin zhenren was sitting cross-legged and trying to recuperate as a frosty smile spread across his lips. Here goes the first one, whispered Gu Suihan as his strong fingers released the arrow. Boom! The release of the arrow sounded like the boom of thunder as it sliced through the air and stirred up a mighty wind. The inertia from the arrow made the ballista move three meters back, creating two deep troughs in the soil. The ear-piercing shriek of the arrow traveled several miles through the air. The trees it passed through were sliced by the wind it caused and stirred up splinters and cut leaves in its wake as it flew straight for Xiexin zhenren like a bolt of lightning. The arrow spun rapidly, stirring up a whirlwind that made it go even faster than before. One could even see a blur of purplish black behind it. What in the world? Xiexin zhenren was still on high alert, but when he heard that whooshing sound coming toward him, his body immediately moved several meters away before he even opened his eyes. The Demon Lord Bronze Corpse took a few heavy steps forward to protect its owner. What is that?! Xiexin zhenren stood up and exclaimed when he saw that whirlwind that seemed to be tearing through the skies toward himself. Heavenly Demons Fill the World C Bronze Corpse Shield! yelled Xiexin zhenren at the top of his lungs as he sensed the threat from the arrow. He immediately turned whatever spiritual energy he had just regained into a seal and slammed it onto the back of the bronze corpse like his life depended on it. ROAR! The bronze corpse let out a loud roar and its muscles made a cracking sound like it was a machine that had just been started up and all its gears were just beginning to move. Its thick veins and tendons tensed up like a bowstring that was pulled back all the way as it sank its feet into the ground until the soil came up to its knees. It folded its arms and curled its body as it waited for the arrow to strike it. Xiexin zhenren did not think of dodging at all because he could clearly see that the huge whirlwind coming behind the whooshing arrow in front had cut off every escape route he possibly had. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 C Tip Of The History Iceberg You wicked, wicked fellow! Xiexin zhenren gnashed his teeth furiously. The hatred in his eyes was so great, that no river could possibly wash it all away. Gu Suihan kept his ballista away and his previously dull gaze glowed brilliantly as he leaped into the sky and flew straight for where Xiexin zhenren was. He raised his long sword behind him, which seemed to draw a long blurry line in the air. If this werent a body I had taken overif I hadnt used so much energy earlierI wouldnt have had any trouble fighting this silly little trick of his, spat Xiexin zhenren in an indignant voice. He poured pills into his mouth like he was drinking water, then quickly hid inside the bronze corpse. DOOONG! The arrow was like a dragon as it roared through the air and slammed hard into the bronze corpse. It resounded loudly like it had struck a giant bell or a gong, ringing loudly enough for one to lose all their senses. Xiexin zhenren opened his mouth to exclaim in shock only to find that he couldnt utter a single sound. A golden glow was all around him and it was too bright for him to see anything. The bronze corpse had been moved nearly ten meters backward and had been pushed another five inches into the ground. Its arms had been blasted to smithereens and a gigantic arrow stuck out from its chest like a spear. The arrow had stabbed right through its body, shattered the bronze corpses spinal cord, and pierced through Xiexin zhenrens chest, like meat on a skewer. Gu Suihan clicked his tongue at the mess he had created. He swung his sword and the blade instantly sliced the roaring and struggling bronze corpse into half. The tip of his sword trembled slightly as it decapitated the bronze corpse. He released some black qi from his left hand, allowing the corrosive qi to land on the flying head of the bronze corpse. The qi instantly crushed the head and the maggots wriggling about inside also died and turned into tiny little carcasses. Gu Suihan drew Questioning Heaven back and the blade gleamed as brightly as the surface of a lake as he chopped off Xiexin zhenrens limbs even as he convulsed violently on the ground. He then flung the sword aside casually such that it stuck itself in a tree before looking down a little curiously at Xiexin zhenren. Time slowly ticked by. Xiexin zhenren slowly began to feel some pain. The whiteness in front of him seemed to clear up and he felt like he could hear something now. Pak! Gu Suihan used some sword qi to tear open Xiexin zhenrens bleeding shoulder wound a little more. Whatdo you want? Xiexin zhenren tried to move his head to look at the blurry figure before him. He knew that this blurry figure had to be Gu Suihan. He had lost to this ancient cultivator after all. I want to know a lot of things. Initially, I thought Id just search your soul, but just in case I miss out on something important, I decided to just ask you directly. As for whether youre going to die or not, lets talk about that later. I can swear by the Way C if you tell me the truth, Ill let you off, said Gu Suihan in one breath. As usual, he included the last bit about swearing by the Way just to gain the trust of the other party. Deal! Xiexin zhenren had a glimmer of hope in his eyes when he heard that Gu Suihan was going to swear by the Way and nodded to show that he was going to cooperate. Very good. First question. What was hidden inside that secret realm that Li Rong went to a few years ago? Of course, Gu Suihan was asking about the piece of wood that he had gotten from that secret realm that had ancient Demonic Race script carved into it. He was not letting go of any clues that could help him decipher that piece of animal hide. Xiexin zhenren tried his best to recall and said weakly, That was a secret realm left behind by a Demon from ancient times. The Seven Kill Sect had emptied that secret realm of anything valuable a long time ago. According to the Sect Leader, the secret realm was probably a herb garden left behind by a powerful Demon. But he seemed very wary of this thing and gave us strict instructions not to tell anyone about it. Besides some of the natural treasures, the Sect Leader kept everything else. I dont really know the details either. You Hantian. Gu Suihans bloodshot eyes flickered. He didnt really think Xiexin zhenren was lying to him since Xiexin zhenrens life was in his hands. Xiexin zhenren was now like a fish on a chopping board and he did not dare to lie to Gu Suihan at this juncture. Gu Suihan pondered this information for a moment, then asked, The man with the secret realm C Disciplinarian Zhang C refined that secret realm into a secret world such that it can now fight enemies? It was that old man Li from the Weapon Refinery Court. Nobody knows his history and it was the Sect Leader who brought him back from the Upper World. Hes very highly skilled. You Hantian again, muttered Gu Suihan as he narrowed his eyes to hide the gleam in them. Whats going on with the direct disciples of the Seven Kill Sect? The direct disciples? Xiexin zhenren laughed bitterly. I used to be a direct disciple. There were 99 of us. The Sect Leader led us to this secret realm to cultivate and train, then the major sects and other factions would start trying to kill each other off, which would then decide how many people could head to the Upper World as well as how many vacancies each faction had. The casualties would increase accordingly as well. Why are there a few thousand people in the secret realm this time? Did something happen in the Upper World? Gu Suihans eyes gleamed even more brightly. Thats right. Xiexin zhenren looked at Gu Suihan with some surprise, then said, Apparently the powers in the Upper World have suffered severe damages and they need more cultivators very urgently. What is going on with this secret realm then? asked Gu Suihan as he narrowed his eyes. Xiexin zhenren had a respectful look in his eyes, a reverence he had toward the most powerful. This secret realm? This is the battlefield where direct disciples always fight for the chance to be sent to the Upper World. Rumor has it that this place is actually the domain of a powerful cultivator and theyve left a legacy behind. Unfortunately, over the last few centuries, weve never been able to gather all nine secret keys, so we can only wait till the next batch, with nothing to show for it now. Very good. Last question. Gu Suihan gave Xiexin zhenren a pleased nod. He seemed fairly satisfied with these answers so far. Why is everyone so wary of the Demonic Race? Why are they so bent on destroying them completely? I heard that the Demonic Race once existed in this world, but the cultivators of the Upper World wiped them out despite having to pay a high price. There was a dreamy look in his eyes as he murmured, The human race, the Demonic Race, the Immortal Race, the Deity Race C the world has tens of thousands of races, but after several disasters from the past, a large majority have disappeared completely, leaving behind just these few races with certain special characteristics, that weve been able to reproduce till today. Every race has its own feud with another. Im not surprised if they had some deep hatred for one another that stemmed from ancient times. He sighed sadly. The Immortal Race? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and suddenly got up. The indifferent expression he had all this time disappeared. Immortalsare a race? Thats right. Even though the aim of cultivators like us is to become immortals, it is merely to become immortal humans and not actual immortals. I dont know how it works either. All Ive heard is that the Upper World cultivators revere the Immortals but do not fear them. The Immortal Race. The Immortal Race. They revere the Immortals but do not fear them, murmured Gu Suihan to himself. As he thought about the images he saw in the majestic river of history back then, his sparkling eyes sparkled even more brightly. Great! You can die now! Gu Suihan snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Xiexin zhenren, who had a tinge of joy in his eyes. He slammed his hand onto Xiexin zhenrens head and gobbled up the mans spirit that was filled with great hatred. Immortals? The Upper World? Im getting really excited now. Gu Suihan stared up at the unchanging sky and could not hide the wide, threatening smile on his face. His spirit had been healed by quite a bit this time. The most obvious cracks had already healed up and he was just left with the tiny little ones. After he checked his slightly more energetic spirit, he let out a long sigh. He still had a long way to go. Mo Yuluo, Yun Lianyi, Xiexin Zhenren, and Li Rong were all dead now. Now that two out of seven of the Peak Leaders were gone, the Seven Kill Sect was probably facing a lot of trouble right now. However, since You Hantian was a Nascent Change cultivator, his life probably wasnt in any danger. Gu Suihan had to finish his work here and get out as soon as possible. He had plenty of questions that needed answers. Woong! Suddenly, he felt something warm on his belt. He sighed inwardly and retrieved the crescent-shaped secret key that had gone through yet another evolution. Just like before, a beam of light shot out from the key and into the sky. This was already the third time it was doing this. Xiexin zhenren said there were nine secret keys C did that mean that this happened each time a new key appeared? Gu Suihan wasnt sure, so he unleashed his spiritual sense like a river, covering an area of more than a kilometer around himself. He knew that every time the key gave off this beam of light, a bloody battle would ensue. Hmm? Gu Suihans expression faltered as he raised the key to look carefully at the golden lines swirling around it and had a puzzled look in his eye. There seemed to be one more golden swirl compared to the last time. He remembered very clearly that there were only five golden lines and now, a sixth one had appeared. How very strange! Gu Suihan smiled, stuffed it back into his belt, took his sword, and continued walking. His spiritual sense had told him that there were cultivators in this direction. A few moments later, Gu Suihan used his spiritual energy to shake off the few drops of blood on his clothing and hung his sword back on his belt. He looked indifferently at the dried-up corpses on the ground that were mostly missing a limb here and there, took all their storage rings, and sauntered off. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 C Gold Striped Black Killer Snake Whats this? murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he pulled out a strange-looking rock from one of the storage rings he had taken from one of the cultivators he had killed earlier. The rock was about as large as an infants head and was black and shiny all over. Runes had gathered naturally on top of it and formed the picture of a strange-looking ferocious beast. In the sunlight, it seemed like he could see a faint flickering glow through the surface of the rock. It looked really mysterious. Could this be the egg of some beast? mumbled Gu Suihan as he didnt think too much about it and just stuffed it back into the storage ring. After that, he gathered his spiritual energy into his eyes as he made a hand seal. A bagua compass appeared in his hands and it gleamed faintly. Heavenly Spirit Searching Technique! This was a spell used for locating natural treasures. Given the current strength of his spiritual sense, Gu Suihan had just barely managed to gather all the qi from around him and use the compass to sense how dense the surrounding qi was, which would lead him to treasures. Here! Gu Suihans eyes flickered as he saw the compass needle move slowly and shake slightly as it pointed to the left. He put the compass away and flew rapidly toward where the needle had pointed. Since theres so much qi over there, it must be guarded by some ferocious beast. A purple light shot out from his eyes and swirled about in the air. So what if youre from the War Demon Sect? We discovered this place first! The sound of people arguing could be heard from the place he was headed for. There was much anger and indignation in their voices. There are people there? Gu Suihan paused, then flew into the trees nearby to look at what was going on through the leaves. There were three parties involved. One was Li Xiaoyao and his fellow disciples from the Youthful Clarity Sect, a group of Seven Kill Sect disciples, and the last group was from the Ethereal Court. Gu Suihans lips curled upwards into a snicker. The Youthful Clarity Sect was supposed to be in an alliance with the Ethereal Court and other sects, but that was a decision made by the higher-ups, which had nothing to do with all these small fries. If they were in danger, then they wouldnt mind joining forces to fight the enemy. But if there was something they could benefit from, then the selfish greed hidden deep within these cultivators would definitely show itself. There was an icy lake next to where they were arguing, and frosty air would bubble to the surface from time to time. An odd-looking rock could be seen peeking out from the surface. The bright green stem of a lotus was sprouting from the rock and the pretty green color was very pleasant to look at. Hmm? Gu Suihan could sense two sources of life coming from the rock. One belonged to the lotus, so where was the other one coming from? He filled his eyes with spiritual energy again. The bloodied symbol began to spin, forming a reddish glow over his eyes. This seeing spell helped him to see everything clearly. He noticed a sliver of gold next to the rock and tried to take a closer look. It was a small black and brown snake that measured about 30 centimeters long. It had one gold stripe that ran down its back. Its sinister eyes reflected a wave of very human anger and frostiness. It kept flicking its narrow and long tongue, and the saliva that dripped out from its mouth had corroded a deep hole in the rock. Is that a Gold Striped Black Killer Snake? Gu Suihans eyes widened in surprise. But why is it so small? Its not a purebred? Gold Striped Black Killer snakes were creatures from ancient times. Its venom was especially strong, so even a cultivator at Divine Soul could not hold up against it. A gold stripe ran down its back, its eyes were blue and its scales were black and brown. It could even exude venom from between its scales and the souls of anybody who came into contact with the venom would be corroded completely. This was a fairly famous magical beast from back then. What a bunch of idiots. This tiny thing might not be purebred, but theres no way you Foundation Establishment cultivators can hold up against its venom. Instead of running, theyre just standing around and waiting to die. As Gu Suihan mumbled these things, he pasted a few more talismans on himself, concealed his presence, and kept his eyes on what was happening below. SSSS! The snake that was coiled around the rock suddenly raised its head, flicked its tongue, then used its tail to launch itself into the air. It moved too quickly to see anything else except its bright gold stripe cutting through the air. Thats fast. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow in shock. If he hadnt also kept a close eye on this snake, he might have been caught by surprise as well. Ahh! Just as Gu Suihan had expected, a Youthful Clarity disciple let out a howl. A dark green color instantly spread from his wrist where he had been bitten and covered his entire body in seconds. That howl had been the last sound he could make before breathing his last. What was that? Everyone paled as they raised their weapons and looked around them cautiously. Were you the ones who did that? One of the Youthful Clarity disciples glared angrily at the Seven Kill Sect disciples. It wasnt really his fault for immediately concluding it was the Seven Kill Sect disciples. The Seven Kill Sect taught their disciples way too many types of cultivation methods, including sword cultivation, body cultivation, magic cultivation, ghost cultivation, and many more. It would not be surprising if someone had learned some technique to poison another person. What the hell are you talking about? If I were formidable enough to poison you like this, I wouldnt have to stand here and argue with you! retorted a Seven Kill Sect angrily. He scanned his surroundings carefully and looked like he was also trying to find out who was behind this. Before the Youthful Clarity Sect disciple could say more, Li Xiaoyao had already taken a look at the body on the ground and waved his arm about. Its not them. They couldnt possibly have used such an aggressive poison. Also, there was no gathering of qi before the attack either, so I think its a magical beast of sorts that did this. But The Youthful Clarity Sect disciple wanted to say more when they heard another tragic howl. Everyone was horrified and quickly pasted talismans all over themselves and put up a thick layer of spiritual energy to protect their bodies. They stared at the dead Ethereal Court disciple and gulped in fear. They looked at each other, only to find that everyone had an equally terrified look on their faces. They scanned the area with grim expressions but could not find any traces of what could have done this. Its a snake, said Li Xiaoyao confidently as he inspected the wound on the body and used some spell to confirm this. The other Ethereal Court disciples were trembling a little, but they looked rather relieved since at least they knew what they were up against now. Having an unknown attacker was even more frightening. What sort of snake is it? No idea. But it should be some ferocious beast from ancient times. Li Xiaoyao had drawn his sword and was looking around with a bright gleam in his eyes. Just then, there was a flash of gold in the air, accompanied by yet another howl before a Seven Kill Sect disciple collapsed onto the ground. Its here! Li Xiaoyaos sword rang loudly as it gave off a glow that measured a meter in width. The icy gleam of his blade came hurtling toward the incredibly quick gold light in the air. Its really just a dumb animal after all. Gu Suihan looked at the snake in disdain as he watched the events below unfold. The Gold Striped Black Killer Snake was quite smart for a snake, but it was not considered sentient and its instinct was to scare them away by killing a couple of disciples. Unfortunately, it had grossly underestimated the greed that cultivators had toward such natural treasures and how unaffected they were by the death of their companions in such situations. Gu Suihan, since youre here, come on out. Why do you hide like some coward? Li Xiaoyao suddenly stared intensely at where Gu Suihan was hiding and sent a beam of sword qi toward Gu Suihan with the wave of his arm. This startled Gu Suihan a little as he quickly raised a finger to block the sword qi. He jumped down from the tree in a leisurely fashion, then covered the short hundred-meter distance between himself and the rest. He didnt look embarrassed by the fact that he had been discovered at all and asked rather curiously, How did you discover me? Li Xiaoyao chuckled. My sword sensed a threat and it was a little more difficult than usual to circulate my sword will. But you wouldnt have known that it was me, said Gu Suihan immediately. Didnt you notice that this thing is about to evolve again? Li Xiaoyao removed a hexagonal ruby from his belt. There seemed to be gold lines swirling about inside the gemstone. Damn it! Gu Suihans expression fell. His eye twitched as he took out his crescent-shaped secret key. Ever since he got this thing, he had never really observed it very carefully. To him, this was just a domain that a cultivator at Divine Soul had created. Even if there was really some legacy left behind inside, that didnt hold much attraction for him. He was only interested in the demonic script from ancient times and the history buried within it. He didnt expect this stupid secret key to give him away again and again. Does this thing communicate with the other keys? asked Gu Suihan in a puzzled voice. Li Xiaoyao nodded slightly and explained, Yes, the secret keys can sense each other. I realized this not too long ago myself. How many keys have appeared so far? There should be seven now. Both of us have one each, Li Tian from the War Demon Sect has one, Wan Xin from the Wonderful Sound Sect has one, apparently, someone from the Seven Kill Sect has one and theres also one in the Vast Sky Sect. The Ethereal Court had one too, but Wan Xin snatched that one away. I have no idea who has the one thats just appeared, replied Li Xiaoyao honestly. Youre Gu Suihan? the Ethereal Court disciple who had been looking on from the side suddenly spoke up. Why, you want this? It didnt take a genius to know that this fellow was after the key in his hands. He turned to look at the other man curiously, tossing the key into the air and catching it again with a nonchalant look on his face. Thats right. Name your price. The man kept away his folding fan and looked solemnly at Gu Suihan. He didnt intend to try and snatch it from Gu Suihan. After all, Gu Suihan was someone whom a cultivator at Li Xiaoyaos level spoke to with such politeness. If he tried to force Gu Suihan to hand the key over, he might end up getting injured or even die. Most importantly, after observing the interaction between Gu Suihan and Li Xiaoyao closely, he noticed that Gu Suihan didnt seem the slightest bit interested in this legacy. That observation tempted him to try and negotiate for the key. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 C Intelligence Is A Good Thing To Have And what can you offer me? asked Gu Suihan in a calm and relaxed voice. This is a domain left behind by a cultivator at Divine Soul, so Im sure it contains his entire lifes legacy. Seven keys have already surfaced, so the chances of you getting your hands on one are getting smaller and smaller. The Ethereal Court disciple smiled faintly and said, The secret keys are just one of the conditions to open the door to the domain. Even if you dont sell it off now, then youd still have to compete with the others with the secret keys when you open the door. Only one person will be able to get the legacy, so this secret key itself isnt really that valuable. Youre not wrong in saying that. But thats all based on the assumption that I will head to the door and place my key where it should be along with the rest. Sowhat would happen if Ithrow the key away? Gu Suihan nodded like he was listening to the other disciple very seriously, but the disdain in his voice was very apparent. Youdoing that will do neither yourself nor others any good! yelled the Ethereal Court disciple in frustration. But there was really nothing more he could do to someone like Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan noticed the murderous glint in the other disciples eye, so he took a step forward and unleashed his murderous qi that filled the air with the bloody smell of a mountain of corpses. He stared indifferently at them as he placed a hand quietly on the hilt of his sword. So, how do we split this? The Ethereal Court disciple had noticed Gu Suihans hand, so he immediately held himself back, laughed awkwardly, and changed the topic as he turned to look at the bright green lotus plant in the lake that gave off such a refreshing smell. Im not interested in that. You can decide among yourselves. Gu Suihan only gave the plant a glance before squatting down to look at the barely breathing Gold Striped Black Killer Snake that convulsed from time to time. He had a faintly interested smile on his face as he picked it up by the tail and turned to leave. Wait! A Seven Kill Sect disciple with a very long beard suddenly called out in an arrogant voice. He moved like the wind as he flew toward Gu Suihan and blocked the young mans way. This disciple was a cultivator of poisons and was quite interested in anything that carried such toxins. He had become very excited when he saw how powerful the snakes venom was earlier and wanted the snake for himself. Unfortunately, the one who killed it was Li Xiaoyao and he didnt dare to snatch it from Li Xiaoyao. He was prepared to give up on it when he noticed that his fellow disciple had simply picked it up and was about to leave without even saying anything. The disciple couldnt hold himself back this time and stopped Gu Suihan immediately. Of course, he had heard of Gu Suihans name. He knew Gu Suihan as a disciple who had given up his chance to fight to become an internal disciple because he was too scared to compete. He didnt know why Li Xiaoyao seemed so wary of Gu Suihan, but he assumed that Gu Suihan had used some frightening magic tactics to scare Li Xiaoyao. That opinion made the disciple despise Li Xiaoyao immediately, and he thought to himself, So what if hes the top senior of the Youthful Clarity Sect? If he can be frightened so easily, then hes never going to succeed in life. Cheng Tai? Gu Suihan knew who this fellow was. There were very few Seven Kill Sect disciples who cultivated in poisons, after all. Thats right. Cheng Tai broke into a faint smile because he felt that things might go his way. He put on the air of a senior as he said in a deep voice, Junior brother, how about you give your senior brother this animal and Ill give you 500 Spiritual Stones for it? He patted himself on the back for being kind to a fellow disciple. 500 Spiritual Stones was nowhere near the actual value of this animal, but unfortunately for Gu Suihan, he was a Seven Kill Sect disciple. Cheng Tai had a thousand and one ways to make life difficult for a junior disciple if Gu Suihan refused to cooperate. You know, intelligence is a good thing to have. Its too bad that you dont have any. Gu Suihan coiled the snake around his wrist and drew his sword as though it were a long dragon. The bloody aura of the blade soared into the air like a giant ocean wave. How dare you! Cheng Tai was livid. The bowl in his hand gave off a green glow, accompanied by the stench of a dark green mist billowing out from the bowl. Youre just a piece of trash, said Gu Suihan with a look of contempt on his face. Those who chose to cultivate poisons were really just trying to find a shortcut by making use of these rare naturally occurring treasures. But in this world, almost all these ancient creatures had gone extinct and there were almost no more treasures left. There were no prospects for a cultivator like him, yet he seemed so proud to be one. Questioning Heaven was like a dragon as the river of bloody aura let out a mighty roar as Gu Suihan brandished it. It was like the galaxy was pouring down from space or like a shooting star falling onto the Earth. Gu Suihan brought his sword down as though he hadnt seen the poisonous fumes that most people would have immediately backed away from. Time to die! The bloodied symbol in Gu Suihans unfeeling gaze rotated at high speed like a whirlpool, sucking in Cheng Tais mind as it spun. The sword broke through the thick layer of miasma and sliced it into two. His left hand was already waiting for this moment and made a grab for Cheng Tais head to pull his soul out before the older man realized what was happening to him. He swallowed it immediately and fed it to his spirit that was recuperating from its injuries. The fight between the two had only lasted a moment. They felt a little dizzy as they watched how Gu Suihan had slaughtered a man whom everyone had been very wary of all this time. Furthermore, Gu Suihan hadnt even given his senior the chance to reincarnate or move to another body to restart his cultivation journey again, since Gu Suihan had ripped Cheng Tais soul out from his body and fed it to his own. Gu Suihan was like a demon from an age gone by. All of them paled in fright. The look of pleasure that was still on Gu Suihans face after he had consumed that soul sent shivers down their spine. They instinctively took several steps back to keep their distance from Gu Suihan. Why did you even try? snorted Gu Suihan after he spat at the dried-up remains of Cheng Tai on the ground. After his sword had absorbed every last bit of life from the body, he put it back in its sheath, gave Li Xiaoyao a glance, then walked away. Li Xiaoyao was no fool. His expression remained unchanged but the veins on the back of his palm were bulging. Gu Suihans message was clear. If Li Xiaoyao and his companions wanted to take revenge for the Youthful Clarity Sect disciples that Gu Suihan had killed, then they had to be prepared for Gu Suihan to fight back in the most unscrupulous way possible. He wasnt afraid of Gu Suihan, but his junior brothers and sisters werent the same. There was no way his juniors could compare to the scheming old fox that Gu Suihan was. As their top senior, he was responsible for protecting the lives of the future generation of the sect and was accountable to his elders. I have to kill you when we get to the place where the legacy is, hissed Li Xiaoyao to himself with a resolute expression on his face. More than three inches of sword qi shot out from his eyes, showing how unwavering his heart was. Stop pretending. Youre already awake. Gu Suihan lay on the green grass and glanced at the little snake that looked like just another twig on the ground. His lips curled into a disdainful smile. This fellow was actually hoping to make a sneak attack on him. Did this snake think that he was one of those good-for-nothing cultivators? His fingers shot out as swiftly as lightning, gripping the Gold Striped Black Killer Snake by the tail accurately and smashing it against Questioning Heaven, which was stabbed into the ground next to him. Ssss! The little snake struggled futilely as it glared at Gu Suihan with its triangular eyes. It refused to give up and tried to lunge for Gu Suihan. If thats the case, then its better that you die. Gu Suihan frowned and shot a beam of sword qi out from his eyes toward the tongue flickering snake without any mercy. SSS! The snake suddenly went berserk and actually turned around to try biting its own tail off just to get away from Gu Suihan alive. Unfortunately, Gu Suihans sword qi moved as quickly as lightning. His sword qi pierced through the snake before it could do anything and pinned it to the ground. Sss The snake finally gave up resisting and its blue eyes looked pleadingly at Gu Suihan. Looks like youre not stupid beyond hope after all, said Gu Suihan with a scoff. He cut his finger so that he could imprint a drop of blood on the forehead of the snake even as it looked resignedly at him. The blood formed a strange-looking symbol. Now that the seal had been made, Gu Suihan casually flung a few pills at the snake and left it alone, then closed his eyes to cultivate. The little snake wriggled its severely injured body and barely managed to get to where the pills were. It swallowed them, then coiled itself around Gu Suihans sword to slowly recuperate. The attack that Li Xiaoyao had made contained an incredibly sharp sword qi that had nearly minced the snake. On top of that, there was still some leftover sword qi circulating in a frenzy within the snakes body, which was preventing the snake from healing properly. Gu Suihans stare had actually forced the remaining sword qi out of its body so that it could recover as quickly as possible. Of course, this was a very dangerous method. If he hadnt done that properly or the snake did not manage to pull through, it would have died just like that. Then again, Gu Suihan didnt really care. He kept it only because it was useful to him, but not vital. A short while later, Gu Suihan had recovered his spiritual energy, so he pulled Questioning Heaven out of the ground and hung it on his belt. He glanced at the little snake coiled around its hilt but wasnt bothered by it. He flipped his cloak back and flew into the sky. He was going to head for the place where the legacy supposedly was. A gigantic pillar of light had appeared there suddenly just now. Gu Suihan suddenly had a rather uncanny feeling, as though there was someone familiar over there. This puzzled him and he decided to go over and check it out as quickly as possible. He had a premonition that this person would surprise him. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 C Make Things Worse I thought only seven keys had surfaced. Why is the door being revealed ahead of time? thought Gu Suihan as he used his finger to rub against the secret key hidden in his sleeve which had evolved several times now. He could sense that there must be some reason for this. What a coincidence. Gu Suihan sent his spiritual sense out and quickly detected a lot of qi on the move. He cast a spell to help him see better, flew into the air, and looked down to see a group of people about a kilometer away from him hurrying toward the pillar of light. The person leading the group was the Ethereal Court disciple who had tried to buy Gu Suihans secret key earlier on. When he heard that voice, he turned to see Gu Suihan in his black robe that flapped even in the absence of wind staring at him indifferently. His expression faltered slightly and he responded, Indeed! His voice was bright, but he suddenly started speeding up in a clear attempt to shake Gu Suihan off. Fate has brought us back together again, hasnt it? Why are you in such a hurry to leave, my fellow cultivator? Gu Suihans voice was soft and gentle, but it rang in the ears of everyone in the group. He appeared in front of them after he had finished saying these words. It was as though a ghost had suddenly appeared before them, which was a thought that sent shudders through the group. The one leading the group had a slightly grim expression as he put a palm over his other fist and gave Gu Suihan a polite smile. Fellow cultivator Gu, my name is Zhang Yan and Im an internal disciple of the Ethereal Court. May I ask why you are stopping us from moving forward? I assume you are the current top senior of the Ethereal Court. Gu Suihan glanced at the younger Foundation Establishment cultivators behind Zhang Yan with a strange twinkle in his eye. Zhang Yan cursed inwardly. The last thing he needed was to run into this lunatic lone ranger. To him, a person like Gu Suihan was an unscrupulous madman. Worse still, Gu Suihan was an extremely intelligent and formidable madman. I am here purely because of a series of coincidences. Compared to you, I am restrained by more responsibilities and Im not able to move as freely as you. Zhang Yan had no idea what Gu Suihan wanted, so he just responded politely while thinking hard of a way to get away from this crazy young man. Who knew what this fellow was scheming? Gu Suihan had a flicker in his eyes, like the twinkle of the stars, as though he didnt care about Zhang Yans polite response. Instead, he asked flatly, Im here to ask if youve ever met disciples from the War Demon Sect before. I have a good friend in that sect and I heard that hes in this secret realm as well. Im hoping to find him, so I thought Id ask you. Yes, Ive seen them before, said Zhang Yan without thinking as he looked at Gu Suihan in confusion for a second. He then looked at Gu Suihan warily because he could sense that this was no innocent question. That ridiculously fake smile on Gu Suihans face did not help at all. But no matter how grossed out he felt from seeing that smile on Gu Suihans face, Zhang Yan forced himself to smile as he asked a little curiously, What are you trying to do? Nothing, really. I just wanted to ask that. Gu Suihan laughed a little awkwardly, then excused himself and left. Zhang Yan simply couldnt think of what intentions Gu Suihan could possibly have, so he had no choice but to suppress the uneasiness in his heart and raised an arm to call his juniors together before continuing on their journey. The War Demon Sect has joined the alliance after all, thought Gu Suihan as he flew into the air. That means that only the Seven Kill Sect and the Yin Principle Sect are on their own. Based on his observations of the corpse inside the cave, that War Demon Sect disciple had died for at least a few hundred years. The Ethereal Court had probably discovered this domain a long time ago and wanted to use it as the venue for this inter-sect competition partly to greatly reduce the numbers and overall power of the Seven Kill Sect and the Yin Principle Sect, and partly to gain the trapped legacy. The other sects probably agreed to form this alliance because they too, coveted this legacy left behind by a Divine Soul cultivator. It wasnt difficult to see that gaining benefits was always the main thing on a cultivators mind. Suddenly switching sides or stabbing someone in the back was extremely commonplace. Gu Suihan was an example of this himself. The Seven Kill Sect was in a precarious situation and it was hard to say if theyd be able to get through this ordeal. Instead of working hard for the sect, he actually foiled the sects plans and made things even worse for them. That was as good as pushing the Seven Kill Sect to the edge of a cliff. You Hantian was a Nascent Change cultivator, so it was impossible for him not to have noticed anything. He definitely either had plans that nobody else knew about, or the Seven Kill Sect had a trump card up their sleeve. Gu Suihan started thinking through every detail of the Seven Kill Sect and tried to think of what this trump card could be. Was it the Demon Abyss? Or the Upper World? Or was it the secret realm containing the greatest secrets of the Seven Kill Sect that You Hantian was holding onto? All of these were possibilities. The gleam in Gu Suihans eyes grew brighter and brighter. As the layers of fog cleared up, he began to see the powerful one that had been hidden by the shadows all this time. Its here. Gu Suihan stood on a tree branch and looked out at a majestic giant bronze door in the distance. The giant door was built on a towering and steep mountain that looked like a 3,000-meter sword pointing at the sky. A large rock that measured nearly three meters wide sat in front of the door and there were nine slots on it. A few hundred people had already gathered and they were more or less split into three factions. They huddled together and stared warily at the other groups. The atmosphere between them was tense and it looked like a fight could break out at any moment. Perhaps Gu Suihan was the last one with a key to arrive. Once he walked toward them, everyone started whispering among themselves. They looked unkindly at him, but all of them gave way to him as he walked through the crowd. It was all because he was holding onto a gleaming secret key. Which sect is he from? I dont know. Ive not seen him before. Maybe hes a lucky fellow who happened to pick up a secret key. Oh? Then how about we Before that man could finish speaking, a gleaming sword stabbed into the area between his eyes and sliced his body into two. The stench of blood instantly filled the air and his limbs and flesh spilled all over the ground. Everyone instantly felt a shiver down their spine as they gasped and looked at Gu Suihan warily, as Gu Suihan put his sword aside and walked on as if nothing had just happened. The crowd was horrified, but nobody dared to speak anymore. Such wicked people. Gu Suihan scanned his surroundings with a look of disgust in his eyes. But he did not attack anybody else. He flew past everyone like a ghost and arrived at the large rock that was about 300 meters away. Have you brought what I wanted? asked Gu Suihan with a frown as he looked around while walking toward Li Xiaoyao. Ive got one. Li Xiaoyao dragged an exhausted Seven Kill Sect disciple who was all tied up and flung him onto the ground. At the same time, he used his chin to point at the group consisting of Seven Kill and Yin Principle disciples and said, The rest are there. And which Peak Leader are you? Gu Suihan squatted down and looked curiously at the tied-up disciple as he pulled out the rag in the disciples mouth. The disciple spat several times and glared venomously at Gu Suihan. I am Wang Xiantu! I cant believe theres a traitor like you in the Seven Kill Sect! If I get out of this alive Tsk! Gu Suihan scoffed disdainfully. He couldnt believe that this fellow still hoped to make it out alive at this stage. He had a black thread around his hand that solidified the violent and frosty qi around it into a black mist as he prepared to suck the soul out of Wang Xiantu. Stop right there! yelled a voice accompanied by a frosty qi aimed at the back of Gu Suihans head. Humph! Gu Suihan turned his head. Questioning Heaven shone like the sun as it came down heavily on his attacker while his left hand stabbed its fingers into Wang Xiantus skull and grabbed Wang Xiantus struggling soul out of his head. He then proceeded to swallow the soul immediately. Youhow DARE you! yelled Gu Suihans attacker furiously when he saw what Gu Suihan just did. The temperature of the area within a hundred meters of the two of them suddenly dropped to freezing point. Frosty qi surged through the area and turned the area into an icy zone in an instant. Not bad, but its too bad that this is a body youve taken over by force. Youre still limited by this bodys level of cultivation and youre not able to bend the rules of nature, Gu Suihan gave a compliment as he felt several ice crystals fall from the biting wind. They were so incredibly cold. Gu Suihan then moved like the wind, splitting himself into more than ten different images of himself. Some were smiling, some were sad, some were upset, and some were indifferent. Every single one of them looked so real. When the images disappeared, Gu Suihan disappeared into thin air as well. Hes behind us! The disciples with the keenest sense of sight from the various sects had a look of horror in their eyes as they saw a figure suddenly reappear, a figure who seemed to ascend directly from hell. Gu Suihans attacker had a bad premonition when Gu Suihan disappeared, so he quickly retreated and shouted loudly, Dark Elements and Heavenly Souls! Runes glowed brightly on his robe and the glow instantly created a protective wall of frosty qi around him. Gu Suihan reappeared from the shadow at his attackers feet. He raised his sword and thrust it at his attackers waist, but the seemingly frail protective wall blocked his sword. Bam! The collision between sword and wall caused the wall to shake, so the attacker flew into the air and cast a spell. His robe flapped wildly and his black hair danced even though there was no wind. The icy zone howled as it surrounded both of them. The icy wind was like knives, and the attacker turned the bits of ice in the air into several giant ice hurricanes. They roared furiously as they surrounded Gu Suihan, threatening to turn Gu Suihan into minced meat. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 C Familiar Faces Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars, Travel Through a Different Space! Since Gu Suihans attack failed to break through the protective wall with one strike and he was now surrounded by these icy hurricanes, he unleashed his sword qi like a rushing river, smashing aside the wind and snow all around him. He used this technique to pass through the space in front of him, walking right through the hurricanes as though he were an invisible person. He became one with his sword, its gleam measuring a few hundred meters as he spun out of the icy zone. Die! Gu Suihan took a leap forward, stepping on air as though it were flat ground. He brought his sword down on his attacker at the same time, drawing a long arc in the sky. Icy Aurora Mirror! yelled the attacker as he made several hand seals. Frosty qi suddenly gathered to form a thick mirror of ice in front of him. He rushed backwards, shooting dozens of talismans out of his sleeve, sending them flying toward Gu Suihan as they flickered brightly. Armor of Bloody Fiendish Qi, Clothing of Violent Qi! Gu Suihan wasnt taking any chances. He gathered his spiritual energy and a sudden surge of murderous qi filled the sky, dyeing it a faint bloody red color. It then fell back on his body to become a red robe and black armor. The miserable howls of vengeful ghosts and the angry wails of ferocious spirits echoed loudly. Their tragic cries sounded terrifying. How much bad karma has this fellow accumulated through the people hes killed?! This was the first time such a wary and frightened expression appeared on Li Xiaoyaos face. The murderous qi coming out of Gu Suihans body was so thick and solid that it seemed almost real and almost created a weather phenomenon. This young man was a mass murderer. A wicked tyrant. A complete lunatic. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars, Follow Like a Shadow! Gu Suihan ignored the fact that the glow of murderous qi around him was shattering. Instead of retreating, he continued moving forward with his sword in hand. The thick layer of murderous qi stuck onto the sword and dyed it blackish-red. He suddenly disappeared in the blink of an eye before reappearing from a shadow in the ground, thrusting his sword out from below. Nine Fiends of Soul Breaking C Sword of Soul Massacring! A black gas swirled eerily around the tip of his sword, accompanied by the roars of demons and deities, which made everyones hearts tremble and their scalps feel numb. Ice World, Heavenly Destruction! The attacker stopped in his tracks for a moment, then retreated in a frenzy as he absorbed all the coldness around him to create a bluish illusion behind him that stood at nearly 300 meters in height. The illusion howled as it raised its arms and brought its mighty fists down. Inches Away C Ends of the World! There was a fierce glint in Gu Suihans eyes as he forced himself to turn. He dodged the attack from the illusion and thrust his sword toward it. Sword qi surged from the sword along with black gas. Fiendish qi burst forth from the blade and shattered the other partys icy shield as if it were made from mere bamboo. After he had blasted everything in the way aside, he continued to hack his way toward his attackers lower body. How dare you! yelled his attacker furiously. Gu Suihan instinctively thrust his palm out to give up this good chance of killing his attacker and moved backward instead. He raised his arms like a roc and was lifted into the air. The technique he had just executed enabled him to move 300 meters backward in a second. Zhang Yan, Li Xiaoyao, and the rest saw that the attacker, who was a disciple from the Seven Kill Sect, wanted to continue fighting Gu Suihan. They seized this chance to quickly stand in the gap between the two and stop the fighting. Hoho! The legacy of the secret realm is just in front of us. You can settle your own private feuds later on. The most urgent matter at hand is this legacy. Which of my fellow cultivators have a secret key as well? Please step forward, said Wan Xin in a sweet and melodious voice as she walked closer to the rock. I have one. Li Xiaoyao stepped forward and revealed the pretty little orange gemstone in his hand. I have one too. Wan Xin revealed the one she had. Me too. A stocky, earnest-faced young man who looked like he came from a family of farmers stepped out from the group of War Demon Sect disciples and held out a yellow gemstone. He was Zou Kai, the top senior of the War Demon Sect. He was dressed very simply and looked harmless, but he was actually very aggressive, vicious, and willing to kill anytime. At the same time, the cultivator from the Seven Kill Sect who fought with Gu Suihan earlier took out a secret key that gleamed with a purple glow. But he kept glowering at Gu Suihan, as though he couldnt wait to tear Gu Suihan apart. In no time, every person with a key had come forward and showed that they really had one. There were supposed to be nine keys, but there were only eight of them now. Didnt you say these things are able to sense each other? Gu Suihan turned to look at Li Xiaoyao. Thats right. Li Xiaoyao nodded confidently. In that case Were right here. A voice came from the crowd. Everyone turned to look and saw that it was a group of cultivators who werent wearing the same thing. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. Since they didnt come from any of the sects, it meant that they were cultivators who didnt belong to one. When Gu Suihan saw who it was, he raised an eyebrow, his eyes flickering as a wicked smile spread across his lips. So its them. The others next to him looked at him curiously, while Wan Xin asked directly, Who are they? Wandering cultivators. I happened to run into them once, lied Gu Suihan without batting an eye. Wandering cultivators? You mean there are other entrances into this secret realm? said Wan Xin in a suspicious voice. Everyone now turned to look at Zhang Yan. Zhang Yan rubbed his nose and laughed bitterly. The Ethereal Court discovered this secret realm by chance, then we used a space anchoring spell to forcibly fix the location of the secret realm. Theoretically speaking, going in from there isnt the proper entrance. The secret key those wandering cultivators are holding onto should be the key to activating the proper entrance. If thats the case, does that mean once we get the legacy, we can leave by the proper entrance? Li Xiaoyaos eyes lit up as a possibility struck him. So what if we can get out of here ahead of time? Did you think youd be able to escape the disciplinary actions of the sect? said Wan Xin a little sadly even as she scoffed. Its very simple. Get all those disciples over there to fight each other right now and say that only the survivors get to leave the secret realm, said Gu Suihan flippantly as he glanced at the hundreds of others without a secret key. The craziest part was that the rest merely exchanged glances and looked like they might actually agree to this idea. Only the cultivator from the Seven Kill Sect had a nasty expression on his face as he glared straight at Gu Suihan. The rest had a flicker in their eyes and it was hard to say what they were thinking about. Meanwhile, the group of four that had arrived with the last key was actually Xi Ran, Zhou Xing, Wang Mingzhi, and the maid whom Gu Suihan had completely forgotten about from before C Taohua. Not bad, not bad. Youre at Foundation Establishment now. I dont know how you mustered the courage to cultivate in such wayward forms of cultivation, said Gu Suihan with a snort after he scanned Taohua with his spiritual sense and looked at her with a mocking smile, but you dont have much time, so youd better start praying now. Taohua was now as pretty as her name suggested, as she had blossomed into a gorgeous peach flower. She had a thin layer of chiffon around her revealing clothing. Her top was cropped, which exposed her fair and smooth snatched waist, while the slit in her long skirt reached up to her thighs. One could see a little inner thigh as she walked, which made many of them wish they could just push the skirt aside to see more of the scenery inside. Young master! Taohuas immediate reaction upon seeing Gu Suihan was to shiver and bow her head in fear. Gu Suihan ignored her after that. Regardless of the reason why he had chosen to part ways with her back then, it meant that she was no longer of any value to him and there was no need to take her back. He turned to smile faintly at Xi Ran. The secret key is that little thing in your hand, I suppose. Mister Gu, its been quite a while and you look even more handsome now, said Xi Ran as he laughed hollowly before quickly pulling out a gray round ball since the rest were glaring impatiently at him. There were now runes glowing on the ball, which turned the original gray surface into a polished gold color. The dazzling glow filled the sky along with the glow from the other eight keys. Everyone felt the secret keys in their hands shoot a beam of light out as they flew up to surround the gray ball, then vibrated and resonated loudly before flying straight into the slots in the large rock meant for them. Craaack! It was as though they had triggered a catch of sorts. Several curved lines slowly appeared on the previously smooth rock, swirling around the nine keys to form a strange and complicated formation. Thats a trap mechanism technique of using a formation to prevent the door from opening without the correct number of keys. This person is a real expert in left path techniques, murmured Gu Suihan with a tinge of true admiration in his voice. What were left path techniques? Left path techniques referred to formations, weapon refining, pill refining, puppeteering, trap mechanics, and other such items and skills that came from outside the body. Gu Suihan knew a lot of things, but it was mostly just touch and go. He didnt care for going deeper into any of such things, since it took up an unnecessarily large amount of time and effort to gain very little. He wasnt dumb and didnt see why he should torture himself over something like that. Maybe we dont even need the disciples to just fight each other on the spot. This secret realm might still manage to kill a lot of people, said Gu Suihan all of a sudden. His nonchalant expression had become rather solemn now. Wan Xin and the rest wanted to ask him more questions about this statement, but when they thought about how they were all here to get that legacy, they not only decided against asking but also glared nastily at Gu Suihan for trying to scare them. If you dont want to listen to the old man around here, then youll just die, thats all. Gu Suihan couldnt be bothered with them. He watched the bronze door slowly open, but instead of rushing in at the first chance he got, he took several steps back and stood next to the rock instead, beaming from ear to ear as he watched the sect disciples trip over each other to get through the door first like they were afraid that the legacy would be snatched away if they were just that bit too slow. The outside of the door looked perfectly normal, but it was surrounded by plenty of hidden trap mechanisms. Gu Suihan didnt know how to avoid these traps, but he had plenty of patience to wait and watch these impatient fellows rush in and get themselves killed so that he could understand more about these traps. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 C They Shoot Arrows Zhang Yan looked around him and was about to also dash through the doorway when he noticed Gu Suihan standing by the side, watching everyone pass by as if he had all the time in the world. His heart wavered a little and he put his foot back down before quietly inching toward where Gu Suihan was. Gui Suihan noticed what Zhang Yan was doing, but it didnt bother him and he simply smiled at Zhang Yan. Shes gone in. Zhang Yan couldnt help but point at the disappearing back view of Wan Xin, who had leaped into the door without hesitation. He kept his eye on Gu Suihan, as though he hoped to understand something from those mysterious eyes. Did they think a place that contains a legacy would be so easy to enter? Gu Suihan chuckled. Think about it. This cultivator was at Divine Soul. To put it bluntly, this cultivator has been wandering the Earth, and killing others was a piece of cake. Why would someone like him bother to leave a domain in this lousy place and put in the effort to make his legacy sound like the most mysterious thing in the world? The Ethereal Court keeps records of past speculations on the identity of this powerful cultivator made by some of my seniors. Their final conclusion on the matter is that this place could have been his hometown and he had some attachment to it, so he decided to leave it in this place in order to bless his descendants, said Zhang Yan quietly as he laughed hollowly. Gu Suihan snorted at this. Attachment to his hometown? What bullshit was that? Everyone knew what sort of personality a cultivator had. The Way was void of emotion, and that was what cultivators pursued. Someone at Divine Soul would have cut off any ties to the world and its desires. Only an idiot would believe such a reason. Of course, there were cultivators who had lots of lovers, and there were those who were into dual cultivation. There were also those who were too devoted to the love of their life to cut these connections. There were plenty of such cultivators. But they were all failures. There were no exceptions. Their emotional ties had made them hesitant and indecisive. They were all useless pieces of trash who allowed such things to trip them up, burden them or cause them unnecessary worry. As far as Gu Suihan knew, there were no cultivators that had managed to reach the Immortal stage while still maintaining such ties. After all, cultivators who were too emotional would have died long before. At the same time, Gu Suihan knew that the Way was nothing more than a bunch of rules. Rules were non-living things, so it was only natural for them to have no emotions, which explained why the Way didnt have any emotions either. As for the things that were a position higher than the rules, he didnt know anything about those things. But those were things he pursued as well. Gu Suihan didnt say anything in response, but that look of disdain and absolute contempt said everything. You dont believe it? Zhang Yan looked at Gu Suihan in surprise. Is that important? Gu Suihan smiled and pointed at the bronze door as he said calmly, Time to watch a good show. A good show? Zhang Yan turned to look, only to see dozens of cultivators come running out as quickly as they had dashed in earlier. The sounds of howling and screaming came from behind the door even as many disciples came running back out with blood all over their bodies and a look of horror on their faces, as though they were being chased by some wild animal. They were extremely panicky as they ran for their lives, not caring about how awful they looked. Zhang Yan turned to stare at Gu Suihan with an extremely grim look in his eye. His heart trembled and a crazy idea suddenly popped up in his mind. How did you know this would happen? Could it be Its very simple. There are only nine keys, so why doesnt the door limit the number of people going in? If theres no limit, then why bother having these secret keys? Gu Suihan tried to pull the crescent-shaped key he had obtained off himself, only to find that this key seemed to take him as its owner and refused to budge, so he gave up trying. Zhang Yan noticed what Gu Suihan was doing and pulled his secret key out as well. He held it up and felt like there was something different about the gem in his hand, but when he looked at it more carefully, it looked the same as before. Its a blood sacrifice! Li Xiaoyao had his sword raised as he ran out at the speed of light, appearing in front of Gu Suihan in the blink of an eye with a pale and unconscious Shuanger in his arms. Tsk, tsk, Gu Suihan clicked his tongue as he looked at Li Xiaoyao like he knew this was going to happen all along. Li Xiaoyaos clothing and sword were covered entirely in blood. A few moments later, Wan Xin, Zou Kai, and the rest came dashing out of the door as well. Their hair was a mess and their clothing was torn. They had clearly suffered from pretty severe injuries after going in. Theres a formation at the entrance. We didnt notice and stumbled into it. Zou Kai plucked off random torn pieces of flesh from his body and noticed that Zhang Yan was holding onto his key, so he unleashed a beam of spiritual energy to retrieve his own key. Its not just a formation. There are trap mechanisms as well. Wan Xins small face was pale and she looked so haggard from the earlier ordeal. She pulled her key out as well and stared strangely at Gu Suihan and Zhang Yan, who were the only relaxed ones with clean clothes among them. The formation eye is beneath the ground! yelled someone from the Vast Sky Sect as he stared at the needle of the special compass he had been using to find out where the formation eye was. Theres something underground! Gu Suihan flew nearly a kilometer up into the air like a whirlwind without hesitation. He stared grimly at the flat surface of the ground below as a reddish glow covered his eyes. ROAR! A roaring sound suddenly burst from beneath the ground but sounded muffled as it came through the thick layer of soil. Everyone, into the air! There was a good reason why these people were the top seniors of their sects. In times of crisis, they always remembered to look out for their fellow juniors. Everyone instantly flew off the ground. Hey fellow cultivator, let me borrow your life for a bit. Gu Suihan moved like a ghost as he drew his sword and a wave of sword qi that measured more than ten meters wide burst forth from the blade, giving off an ear-piercing swoosh as it cut through the air and landed heavily on the ground. At the same time, he suddenly turned and grabbed the nearest panicked Vast Sky Sect disciple next to him very calmly, gripped him firmly, and smashed the poor disciple into the large trench that his sword qi had created. Why, you! Zhou Haoqi, the top senior of the Vast Sky Sect flew into a rage. He instantly sprayed a stream of righteous qi at Gu Suihan, its cloudy white color resembling a guillotine coming for Gu Suihans neck. Look down there, you idiot, spat Gu Suihan disdainfully as he turned his feet the other way and dodged Zhou Haoqis angry attack. Whats that?! Everyone looked down and exclaimed in horror. They felt a shiver down their spines and really wanted to run for their lives now. Ferocious beasts, magical beasts, puppets, terracotta soldiers, jiangshis, ghosts C a random assortment of dead things gave off such a thick layer of miasma that it surged right out from the trench that Gu Suihan had created, filling the air and blocking the sun. As the miasma continued to billow out of the trench, it also made the slit in the ground wider and wider. Just a few moments later, the ground was covered in a dark layer of nasty creatures. I dont care about this stupid legacy anymore! shouted a cultivator in horror. His insides were churning as he flew higher into the sky and looked ready to leave anytime. Woosh! What the hell? These things shoot arrows?! Gu Suihan was shocked as he watched the stiffened terracotta soldiers and puppets raise their bows and shot arrows from them. In an instant, the sky was filled with a rain of arrows coming from the ground. Fuck! Gu Suihan pulled out a few hundred talismans from his storage ring and activated all of them at the same time to form a colorful shield of runes to block him from the arrows. Inches Away C Ends of the World! yelled Gu Suihan as he forced his spiritual energy to move at an unnaturally rapid speed around his body. As it passed through all his veins and meridians, it caused a wind to stir up beneath his feet that shot him straight toward the bronze door. Despite how suddenly everything had happened, he had noticed that those dead creatures seemed very wary of the bronze door and were afraid to even get too close to it. That gave Gu Suihan his only escape route. Follow him! Zhang Yan and the rest exchanged glances and quickly dashed toward the bronze door after Gu Suihan. To them, Gu Suihan was someone who did everything with great caution. He would not do anything he had insufficient confidence in and definitely would not do anything that might cause his demise. They had no idea why Gu Suihan had flown in such a hurry toward the bronze door, but they had noticed the problem with the dead creatures that were all over the ground, so they were now fighting tooth and nail to get to the bronze door. Doong! Doong! Doong! The rain of arrows flew into the protective layer that Gu Suihan had created earlier. But even though that was a forcefield made from a few hundred talismans, the arrows shattered right through it in an instant. Blazing Blood Secret Technique C One Step into the Sky! Gu Suihan cursed inwardly as he felt his protective layer weaken. He made another hand seal, which caused his clothes to rip as blood burst out from his pores, creating a mist around him as he flew straight into the bronze door. Damn it! Wan Xin and the rest felt their lips twitch when they saw how Gu Suihan had seemingly made a move in desperation. It didnt take them long to realize why he had done that and their faces paled as well. There was no time to worry about being consumed by a sudden change in their technique as they hurriedly switched to a different one which would help them to move even more quickly than before as they hurriedly followed behind Gu Suihan into the bronze door. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 C The True Nature Of The Way Pfft! Blood gushed out of Gu Suihans mouth uncontrollably immediately after he landed. His face was as pale as a sheet and he was barely breathing as he lay weakly on the ground next to the door, disregarding the bloody dismembered limbs strewn all around him. The ones who came in after him did not fare any better. All of them had equally pale faces and looked as pathetic as him. They trembled in fear as they looked out at the huge wave of dead things beyond the door, with some of them breathing a sigh of relief as they patted their chest. This is a blood sacrifice! This time, it was Wan Xin and the rest who said these words. It seemed like the powerful cultivator who left this legacy behind had left behind quite a number of traps. They hadnt even gone in yet and they had already been attacked twice. The group numbered more than a thousand earlier, but now, there were only a little over a hundred of them left. They scanned their surroundings with hateful expressions and bitter looks in their eyes. The door has never opened. Gu Suihan touched the thick and cold bronze door behind him as this thought suddenly popped up in his head. The bloodied symbol glowed in his eyes as he focused them on the outside of the door. The symbols spun slowly, sending out agitated beams of light. That rock was still where it was, but there were no formation runes on it and there were no actual slots for the secret keys. It was merely a more unique-looking rock with a smooth surface, with the shape of the secret keys on it that had been forcibly made by the people here. He turned to look behind him to come face to face with a door made from stone that measured nearly ten meters tall. Everyone was sitting close to it, while the dead things outside formed a wall around them that was so dense, nothing else could come in. But while the dead things emanated a murderous aura and a thick layer of miasma, they kept a distance of 30 meters from the cultivators at all times, seemingly afraid to get any closer. Thatsthats gross Wan Xin looked in disgust at the foul-smelling dead things outside while furiously popping pills into her mouth. Ensuring that she was always on top of her game was very important in such a place. Nobody knew if the person who smiled at you every day was secretly waiting for a good opportunity to stab you in the back. Everyone looked at each other warily and found their own little private spot even though there wasnt much space, to begin with. They put up a formation around themselves and quickly worked on healing their wounds. For that period of time, the growls and howls that once filled the air were muted. There was no sound at all as if they were on a barren island. About an hour later, the surviving cultivators started cleaning up and straightening their clothes out so that they looked less of a mess. But no matter how hard they tried, they simply could not get rid of the lingering fear reflected in their eyes. Search for Meridians, Aim for Acupoints C The Door of Life and Death! Everyone watched curiously as Gu Suihan ignored them and started making hand seals, his mouth chanting incantations while his feet moved in mystifying patterns. He looked like how those priests among the commoners danced during their rituals to ward off evil spirits and heal the sick. Heavenly Demons Break Their Desires! A three-inch red beam of light suddenly shot out from Gu Suihans eyes and a seal gathered in his palms before shooting out from behind him. At the same time, he yelled, Slam your secret keys into those slots in the instant the formation is broken! Otherwise, were all going to die! Everyone gasped as they instinctively looked at the blackish dead things outside. They couldnt help but gulp and feel a shiver down their spine. NOW! bellowed Gu Suihan as his feet stopped moving and he used his fair palms to suddenly thrust something into the air. Wan Xin and the rest felt as though their minds had gone blank and there was a ripple reverberating in the air around them. It was as if something in their consciousness had been removed and it shook their souls. When they heard Gu Suihan yell, they dared not waste any time and focused on the area where Gu Suihans seal had flown toward. They could vaguely make out a jade-like wall flickering in the distance, but the bright light coming from it made them shut their eyes. But Li Xiaoyao was no ordinary cultivator. The light was hurting his eyes and making him tear up, but he endured it and used a secret technique to remember where the slots on that jade wall were before using his spiritual energy to send his secret key into the right slot based on his memory. Woong! Everything was shaking as the surviving cultivators quickly stood up and waited with bated breath as they continued staring into the distance ahead. The sound of gears moving and an ear-deafening boom went on for the next 15 minutes. Once the sound started fading, they felt like someone had removed the fog in front of their eyes for one second, before hurtling them into darkness, where the smell of something rotting hit their nostrils. Were inside the door now? said Zou Kai grimly as his eyes widened. Look at the ground. Gu Suihan didnt reply to Zou Kais query directly as he waved his hand to cast a light-creating spell. A bright white light that felt as hopeful as the dawning of the sun filled the air, and it seemed as though the dark clouds over their minds had cleared up as well. This is one of the disciples who died just now. Wan Xin got up with a Wonderful Sound Sect disciples token in hand that she found from among the unrecognizable body parts on the ground. Xi Rans face was pale. He kicked aside some of the bones on the ground and said in a trembling voice, Butthey died only about two hours ago or so. How did they turn into this state so quickly? The bodies on the ground had already turned into dried bones, any blood and traces of flesh had dried up and hardened. The blackish bloodstains and weapons that had long lost any of the qi they once possessed were now covered in dust. It was as though everything here had died a hundred years ago. This seemingly creepy scene that made everyones hair stand on end was naturally a result of them traveling from one space to another. With regard to the concept of time, Gu Suihan couldnt be bothered by those idiots who used the rules governing time to explain these things. He had lived long enough to know about these things. There were a million and one rules governing the world, but at the end of the day, it was a matter of yin, yang, and the five elements working with or against one another. Of course, these were the more ordinary rules. There was also karma and space. Time? What the hell was time? Time was nothing but a way that living creatures used to calculate the movement of space. To be very precise, this bullshit about the passing of time and the rules around it didnt exist at all. All this talk about stopping time or going back in time C if you were able to understand the rules governing space well enough, you wouldnt have any trouble using it. Before coming to this world, Gu Suihan was cultivating water techniques. He just needed to wave his hand and blood would spray high enough to reach the clouds. He just needed to think about it and any body of water within the next 10,000 miles would be under his control. He could make the clouds move, fain fall, and the rivers flood with just one thought. After he came to this world, however, he turned out to have a body that had a Geng gold aptitude. Thankfully, gold and water went together, so Gu Suihan had some knowledge about it. That was why he decided to go down the simplest but also the most despised route of the Way of Life and Destruction. He could decide what lived and what died with just a thought. Even though his previous level of cultivation was all gone, his observation abilities had not regressed at all. This was especially evident in this Lower World which was nearly identical to the world of cultivation he came from previously. The ages go by, a hundred years pass in the blink of an eye. Not bad, not bad. Its just too bad that hes way too far from being able to create and destroy fates with the bat of an eye, or being able to move past the next 10,000 years with one hand, murmured Gu Suihan calmly to himself as he randomly kicked aside the dried bones on the ground that he picked at earlier. These people were killed in a second by hidden traps and weapons. Most of them did not even have the time to react. Li Xiaoyao gently put Shuanger down. Even though the situation was so dire earlier, he had not just abandoned this little girl. This young lady was probably more important than Gu Suihan had initially imagined since Li Xiaoyao looked so nervous. Gu Suihan glanced discreetly at Shuanger, then said quietly, Those hidden weapons were probably triggered by some ancient mechanical techniques, since theres no trace of any qi around here. Most of these cultivators wouldnt have noticed anything, so they dont have to be too upset that they had died from this attack. He himself had used such methods to kill others, even though this was a method that was usually despised by cultivators. The most recent example was Xiexin zhenren, the one who took over Li Rongs body. Li Xiaoyaos expression did not lighten up. Instead, it only became grimmer than before. Im worried about whether there are anymore hiding in the shadows. Of course there. For example, right now, said Gu Suihan in a nonchalant voice before suddenly moving backward rapidly. A gleam appeared where he was standing just a second ago and the swooshing sound echoed in everyones ears. Their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when they took a closer look. Dozens of thin needles that were half a foot long and gleaming with a greenish glow were two inches deep in the ground. That was how hard they had flown toward Gu Suihan. But what surprised them, even more, was the fact that they hadnt heard a single sound before the needles flew out. How did Gu Suihan manage to avoid them? Chapter 127 Chapter 127 C Warring Puppets How mysterious C I still cant tell how formidable he is, thought all the cultivators as they looked grimly at Gu Suihan. The cultivators grouped together according to which sect they were from and began to scan their surroundings like they were prepared for a great battle. Perhaps the darkness unsettled them greatly. The cultivators seemed to be competing with one another on who could illuminate the place better as they cast illuminating spell after illuminating spell, which made the place as bright as day. They now realized that they were in a huge hall, which had 18 pillars that were so wide, it would take more than just a few people to hug its entire circumference. Carvings of all sorts of demonic beasts adorned each pillar, baring their teeth and claws as though they were real. At the other end stood a gigantic rock platform that was dark gray in color. An elegant and intricately designed compass was on top of it. There were nine flights of stairs leading down from the rock platform. At the bottom of each pillar stood a statue of a human who looked extremely realistic. They were all dressed in black and held all sorts of weapons in their hands, their weapons gleaming brightly in the light. This is the legacy we were after? It seriously almost got us all killed. More than a thousand of us tried to enter but only a tenth of us survived. Im not sure if this person was even trying to choose an heir to this legacy, mumbled a cultivator from the Vast Sky Sect. His pupils constricted as he looked around at those domineering statues and thought of how those dead things had overwhelmed them earlier. Li Xiaoyao threw the cultivator a fierce glance, but his expression remained indifferent as he seemed to understand what was going on now. The legacy does exist, but it was not meant for us. Thats right. The illusionary formation at the door, the trap mechanisms and those gross things that came out from underground were all attempts to sift the sand and eliminate anybody clearly not up to par, Wan Xins bright voice echoed eerily in the large and quiet hall, making their hair stand on end. Zou Kai scratched his head and laughed hollowly, I think that the legacy left behind by this powerful cultivator senior was meant for a cultivator at Origin Core. Foundation Establishment cultivators like us are only going to end up dying from all the tests and traps in this place. And you think we can get out of here at this juncture? Xi Ran looked in despair as the dead things outside slowly stepped over the line they had previously kept and moved closer to the people inside. Then he looked fearfully at the completely silent statues in the hall and felt terribly depressed. The cultivators were not fools. The compass on the rock platform was definitely no ordinary compass, so they all began to wonder if those statues were really just dcor or if there was more to them than met the eye. Yet, even though everyone was excited to explore this place and check out the compass, nobody dared to be the one to take the first step forward. Nobody wanted to take this risk and end up dead. That cultivator designed one ploy to lead to another. A cultivator at Origin Core might be able to break through all these challenges, but were only at Foundation Establishment, so were not good enough to get through this, said Gu Suihan in a calm voice even as the look in his eye darkened. But weve come to a point where were going to die either way, so we might as well try and force our way out. His sword immediately started ringing as he placed his slim fingers on the hilt, ready to strike anytime. He slowly took a few steps forward and kept his eye on the murderous-looking magical beasts that adorned the huge red pillars. Surprisingly, he ignored the more obvious statues at the bottom. The demonic beasts on the pillars are alive, said Gu Suihan suddenly as he stood at the foot of a pillar and looked carefully at the carvings. Theyre alive? exclaimed everyone who had heard those words. They werent ignorant fools who knew nothing about such beasts. The carvings on the pillars included jiaolongs, venomous snakes, whales, and more. They did look extremely realistic, but nobody expected them to actually be alive. What did that mean? That meant that the person who had left this legacy behind had to be a truly formidable character. Many of these beasts had already disappeared off the face of this world, but the legends they left behind continued to remind the later generations about how terrifying and powerful the demonic race used to be. At the same time, someone who could capture such creatures and embed them into these pillars to be mere decoration had to be even more powerful. We can only advance and we cant go back, so weve got to try and find a way to survive no matter what. Speculating is pointless. We just need to give it a shot and wed know if there are any traps here. Zou Kais knuckles cracked loudly as he clenched his fists tightly. He grinned and marched over to one of the pillars. He carefully calculated the distance between himself and the statue there, then gave a low shout. The tattoo of the ferocious beast on his arms seemed to come alive. It had a cold gleam in its eyes and Zou Kai slowly emanated an air of tragedy from his body, which made everyone turn and look at him. Seven Steps of Warring Heavens C Beasts Soul into the Sky! yelled Zou Kai as his fists turned red and gave off smoke. He threw a punch that was as powerful as a mountain coming down, as powerful as a tank rolling along. There was an obvious vacuum left behind where his fists once were as they carried huge amounts of murderous qi and smashed into the pillar. Theres a formation. Gu Suihan slowly moved backward with some surprise as he looked up at the demonic beasts that seemed to have been agitated by that punch, letting out copious amounts of murderous qi as they growled ferociously. And there are trap mechanisms too! The sword will in Li Xiaoyaos eyes stared at the crack that Zou Kais punch had created, which revealed many intricately designed and constructed metal parts inside. Not bad. Combining traps and formations is a school of thought on its own, said Gu Suihan as he gave an approving nod. He drew his sword out of its sheath, thrusting the darkened blade gleaming with blood toward the crack that Zou Kai had made. Bam! Pak! The sound of something breaking resounded in the air as countless parts came flying out from inside, creating sparks along the way. The statues are moving! someone exclaimed as he pointed a trembling finger at the statues that creaked as they came to life. Warring puppets? This cultivator was really generous, huh. Zou Kai was like a ferocious beast himself, his steps echoing loudly as he ran as quickly as the wind back into the crowd. His mouth gaped as he saw the gleaming runes swirling around the blackened nails of the statues. Its best to attack while they havent fully regained consciousness, called out Wan Xin. She ran her hand over her seven-stringed glass zither, causing colorful and fiery energy to explode from within her and making the song of a phoenix resound from the instrument. As the agitated and resolute sound of the zither suddenly filled the air, it also made everyone feel an urge to rise up and kill something. Their eyes turned red as they glared fiercely at the statues and pounced toward them. Women are the most vicious of creatures, eh? Gu Suihan looked at the riled-up cultivators as they attacked like they had lost their minds and took several steps away from them. He had a grim look in his eye as he went past Wan Xins back. This girl seemed to have undergone some sort of trauma after she returned to the Wonderful Sound Sect. Her personality had changed almost entirely and she was nothing like the way she used to be. She had just sent her own juniors into battle without regard for their lives and was very proud of doing so too. Before this, he was sure that she would never have allowed such a thing to happen. Its best to stay as far away as possible from an unpredictable variable like her, thought Gu Suihan as he quietly hid in an inconspicuous part of the hall and watched the fight expressionlessly. After the warring puppets had been struck repeatedly by all sorts of talismans, the place where their eyes should be shone a bright red through the helmet. They shouted loudly, Intruders must die! and started brandishing their spears, sabers, axes, and other crazy-looking weapons. Youre just an ordinary soldier and you think you can break through my qi barrier? YouAHHH! A Vast Sky Sect disciple had a mocking look on his face for just one second before the warring puppets sword sliced his body into half without facing any resistance at all. The weapons are made from qi destroying metal! Everyone paled as they hurriedly dodged the weapons the warring puppets used to attack them. Move further away from them! yelled someone as he tried to fly upwards. But he suddenly felt his body become heavy and it was difficult for him to control his qi. He had only risen ten meters into the air when he ran out of qi and was shot in the head by the arrow of a warring puppet, which exploded his head and killed him instantly. There are qi scrambler stones on the floor! Everyone was filled with both anger and horror as they tried to retreat but stumbled over their own feet. After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, they had become too used to flying, so having to run around on the floor was something they hardly did anymore and they felt like their bodies were so heavy, unlike how light their bodies felt when they flew in the air with the support of qi. The warring puppets soon caught up with the retreating cultivators, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. The huge hall resounded with nothing but the sound of people killing and getting killed. Xi Ran and the rest were very glad that they hadnt rushed to the front like the rest, or else they would have died an even more tragic death. Before coming in here, Zhou Xing had died. As a jiangshi, he was difficult to injure with ordinary weapons or even spiritual weapons, but his lack of speed had always been a weakness. He had been too slow in running and ended up dying from suffering too many simultaneous attacks. So now, Xi Ran only had the extremely cautious and cowardly Wang Mingzhi as well as the perpetually depressed Taohua with him. The three of them snuck away and hid somewhere, not daring to fight at all. In such a situation, they were happy to just get out of this place alive, never mind getting the legacy. My dear fellow cultivator, why dont we seize this chance to sneak up there? Wang Mingzhi looked at the gleaming compass above the stairs and tried to instigate Xi Ran. Are you joking with me now? Xi Ran glared back at Wang Mingzhi and said sternly, Look at Li Xiaoyao and the rest! They might look like theyre fighting with everything they have now, but nobody knows what trump cards theyre hiding in their sleeves. And so what if you manage to get your hands on that thing? Do you even know how to use it? Do you even know what it is? Worse, you might fail to steal it AND lose your life! Meanwhile, Taohua scanned the area and could not find Gu Suihan among the crowd, which made her heart shudder. She knew very well how her previous employer worked. She could still remember clearly what happened on the day Lihua died. Gu Suihan had pretty much left the Seven Kill Sect and was now a wandering cultivator, but based on the cultivation techniques he had taught her, she knew very well that Gu Suihan not only knew complete techniques, but his techniques were way better than the methods the Seven Kill Sect disciples knew. That was how he could control the entire area in Qingguo back then within just a few years. YoungI mean, Gu Suihan has gone missing, whispered Taohua. Xi Rans eye twitched as he immediately exchanged glances with Wang Mingzhi. Their expressions were grim as they used their spiritual sense to try and locate Gu Suihan. They had interacted with him for a short period of time before this and that was already enough to make them wary and afraid of him. Now that they had Taohua with them, they werent sure if Gu Suihan might get angry with them and smite them. Gu Suihans gone! Wan Xin had noticed this too. She couldnt believe that the man in such a conspicuous large black embroidered cloak could have disappeared from under her nose. This threw her into a slight panic and she began to feel uneasy. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 C Causing Chaos; Bait Squeeaaak The pillar suddenly started giving off a very soft squeaking noise. But before the cultivators engaged in battle noticed it, the demonic beasts on the pillar let out a loud roar as 18 beams of light shot straight into the slightly damaged warring puppets. The sound did not stop as the pillars suddenly shot several gold chains toward each other, trapping everyone in the middle of the pillars. The gleam of weapons filled the air next. There were arrows, spears, needles, and poisoned darts among the variety of weapons that had been hiding inside the pillars all this time. At the same time, the floor became a trap as well. Round holes would appear from time to time, and three-meter-long spears would rise from the holes. The cultivators trapped in this circle howled in pain and cursed loudly as they slowly breathed their last. The warring puppets looked upwards and let out a long howl as the bloodied runes on their weapons shone with a reddish glow. Their sharp blades shot qi out each time they brandished their weapons, massacring the frenzied cultivators who could barely cope with staying alive. Filling those puppets with the souls of the beasts and the numerous traps was such a good idea, said Gu Suihan who was content to remain hidden in the shadows to the side, his gaze flickering as he watched the chaos within the pillars. The burning gleam in his eyes appeared for a second before fading again. He could see it now. The look of the warring puppets and their weapons bore a resemblance to the weapons used during the Warring States Period or the pre-Qin dynasty era. Ive seen these things before, murmured Gu Suihan to himself. He drew his sword and hacked his way through, kicking the warring puppets aside and leaving a trail of sparks as he dashed toward the end of the hall without stopping. Was that compass the key to breaking this formation? Gu Suihan had no idea, but he couldnt give up on the small chance that his guess was right just because he wasnt sure. Slash my way through, destroy these pillars and get that compass. Split Shadow Yin Yang Sword C Life and Death Are a Blur! Li Xiaoyao finally pulled his trump card out. A massive wave of sword qi burst out from his body and everyone felt a threat coming their way even as their hearts were filled with confusion. Now! yelled Li Xiaoyao. His meter-long sword was like a mountain that was able to flatten anything in its way. It broke through everything in its way, crashing against a pillar with a loud blast, causing the beautifully carved ferocious beast around it to be cut right in half before collapsing. Roar! They could hear an otherworldly howl that seemed to come from an ancient era. There was some relief in that howl as if it had been set free. Bam! The eyes of one of the warring puppets gleamed bright red, then it gave one last sad roar before it exploded and died. The pillars are the key to getting out of this place! Destroy them! yelled Wan Xin. The illusion of a phoenix appeared next to her again, screeching as it set everything around it on fire, including the souls of others. Wan Xin ignored the collateral damage around her as she made it crash head-on into the nearest giant pillar. Seven Moves of Warring Days C Suppress the Demons, Slaughter the Gods! roared Zou Kai. His already muscular body suddenly expanded like crazy to become a three-meter tall giant and his shredded clothing revealed the countless tattoos he had on his body. He roared loudly and his eyes turned red, as though he were possessed by an evil spirit. He took one step forward and gave the pillar nearest to him a mighty punch. Crack! A crisp sound resounded from his fists as more cracks quickly covered the surface of the rest of the pillar like a spiderweb. It only took a few moments for the pillar to crash. It felt as though the sky had collapsed. The tiny metal parts inside the pillar were mixed in with rocks as the pillar came crashing down. Run for it! The golden chains connecting the pillars began to darken, so Li Xiaoyao was the first one to slash his way through them and run toward where Gu Suihan was. There was no way of flying and the hidden weapons disregarded the protective qi forcefields the cultivators always relied on so much. The entire place was filled with casualties. Take out your secret keys. There are slots on that compass. Gu Suihan instantly spotted the empty slots that were around the size of a palm beneath the shiny surface of the compass. Swoosh! All of them hurriedly took their secret keys out and sent them flying into the correct slot. The compass seemed to have come to life as the needle started to spin slowly even as the hall threatened to crumble. There are only nine protruding spots on the rock platform and each protrusion has the image of one secret key on it. It looks like only nine people will be able to survive, said Gu Suihan after thinking for some time. WHAT?! Only nine people will survive? Those secret keys dont know one person from another, right? If we get hold of one, well get the chance to live. You are right. In that case, for my sake, I think its best that you just die here, senior brother. Junior sister, Ive always been so kind to you, so this time, do you think you couldARGH! You little bitch! Everyone was desperate to survive, so even though they were once disciples of the same sect, siblings, lovers, or best friends, none of that mattered now. Anybody who stood in the way between them and getting out of this accursed place alive had to die, regardless of whether they were senior and junior or bosom buddies. How vicious! Wan Xin gritted her teeth so hard, they almost broke. The hatred in her eyes was so much that not even a river could wash it out. Li Xiaoyao carried Shuanger with no expression on his face, but his veins from the back of his hand all the way up to his neck were about to pop as he gripped his sword tightly. His long sword rang loudly, as though it felt an urge to kill the person in front of him. Zou Kai had a nasty look on his face, but he didnt seem to care that his fellow disciples were now trying to kill each other. However, he did have a slightly wary look in his eye as he glanced at Gu Suihan. Young Master, help! Taohuas clothes were a mess and her soft and supple skin was now covered in bloody wounds. Her hair was in disarray as she ran toward Gu Suihan. Her call to him was filled with so much hurt and anger from the past. Sure! Gu Suihan smiled brightly at her as he took a step forward and pointed a finger at the area between her brows. She stared at him in utter disbelief as he sucked her soul out of her body and swallowed it whole. Ill help you get to hell. Hes truly that same demon who decided to massacre his entire family after entering the sect. He actually killed a woman he slept with before so swiftly without even considering their past, muttered Fang Suyu to himself as he noticed what Gu Suihan did while fighting the other cultivators. His heart shuddered. Hes really a demon. The compass had turned into an eight-sided eight trigram compass. Eight of the secret keys took an equal portion of the compass, while the one belonging to Xi Ran that seemed like the proper key to this secret realm had its space in the middle of the compass. The sounds of fighting grew even louder and there were fewer and fewer people standing in the hall. The number of people collapsing increased at an alarming rate. Gu Suihan calmly sat down on the protrusion with the image of his key on it and just watched the others fight each other with a bored look on his face while also taking an occasional glance at the silent Li Xiaoyao as he continued to hang onto Shuanger. He started wondering if the rock platform would allow Li Xiaoyao to bring Shuanger along with him. CRAAAACK! The rock platform resounded loudly as it slowly began to move downwards. A faint, milky white forcefield surrounded the rock platform and started expanding outwards. The giant pillars and their hidden weapons instantly turned to powder when they came into contact with the forcefield, which passed through everything without any resistance whatsoever. The few who survived stared at the unbothered Gu Suihan seated on his little protrusion and gave him a scowl. When they had flocked past the bronze door in hope of getting the promised legacy, those who died could not blame anyone for their deaths, since they had made that decision on their own. But if Gu Suihan hadnt used his sword to open up the ground and used the blood of a cultivator to draw out those dead things from beneath, they wouldnt have suffered such severe casualties. Also, if Gu Suihan hadnt purposely said those things inside this hall, the hundred-odd remaining cultivators would not have ended up killing each other and leaving barely more than ten of them alive. As they looked at Shuanger lying in Li Xiaoyaos arms, the ones who lay weakly on the rock platform after fighting a tough battle just now finally got it all worked out now. This rock platform did not actually have any real limit on the number of survivors. As long as you could get on it in time, youd survive. The protrusions that the nine with the keys were sitting on were only a red herring, which was what made all of them try to kill each other. The worst of all was Gu Suihan. He had clearly realized this, yet he still said those things and watched them kill each other. His wicked heart really made them feel nothing but hate for him. Such a wicked man is no different from those demons of old. Why dont we join hands and kill him? Wed work together better without him around, said Wang Mingzhi as he glowered venomously at Gu Suihan. He had managed to survive, but he was in a terrible state. His face was deathly pale as he had lost an arm and his body was covered in deep wounds. If Xi Ran hadnt pulled him onto the rock platform in time in the end, he would have perished with the rest below. He had barely escaped death and was missing an arm C it was little wonder he hated Gu Suihan so much. Gu Suihan merely snorted nonchalantly. What a useless bum. Well, Im right here. Who dares to try and kill me? Why, you! Wang Mingzhi trembled all over as he used his remaining right hand to point a finger at Gu Suihan, his eyes bulging viciously and his face red with anger as he opened his mouth but couldnt get any words out. He turned to look at Xi Ran in hope of getting some support, but Xi Ran stared at the floor and focused on recuperation, as though he hadnt heard what Wang Mingzhi said at all. Li Xiaoyao looked down at Shuanger and he had already returned his sword to its sheath. Wan Xin had a scowl on her face, but after hearing those words, she merely glanced at Wang Mingzhi as though he were an idiot. Zou Kai didnt even bother to look at Wang Mingzhi. Instead, he just sat down to munch on a nice piece of roast meat. Fang Suyu, Wang Aolin, and some other Seven Kill Sect disciples who made it had nasty looks on their faces as they gathered together and whispered among themselves. You know, the dog that wants to bite wouldnt make so much noise. But you? Youre an old dog who doesnt even have the strength to bite anybody, yet youre barking your head off here. Gu Suihan flipped his long robe aside to shoot a beam of sword qi at Wang Mingzhi. The older man howled as Gu Suihan sliced his remaining arm off, as well as his legs. He instantly turned into a human barrel. As if that wasnt enough, the sword qi split itself into tiny needles that pierced Wang Mingzhis eardrums and eyeballs. Once that was done, they flew up and down, sewing his mouth shut so that he couldnt scream so loudly anymore. Why are you doing this? Isnt it easier to just kill him? Why do you humiliate him so? Xi Ran couldnt help but speak up when he saw the state that Wang Mingzhi was in. They had known each other for many years after all. Are you certain that our road ahead is safe? Im keeping him alive so that I can test the waters. Or would you rather be the bait instead? said Gu Suihan with a disdainful sneer as he raised an eyebrow. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 C By Force After Gu Suihan said that, everyone exchanged glances but did not say anything. Their logic was simple. If Wang Mingzhi were to die, who would Gu Suihan choose as bait among them? The weak have no right to argue back. After thinking through the situation, they quickly came to a common understanding. Their gazes just glanced past Xi Ran and refused to meet his eye. They had clearly chosen to be on Gu Suihans side. What if we join hands and make YOU the bait? said Wan Xin with a sinister laugh as she looked straight at Gu Suihan. She spoke rather calmly, but her words were filled with malice. You and the rest here? Join hands? Gu Suihan laughed sarcastically as if he had heard a joke. His expression grew sullen as he said in a contemptuous voice, Did you think you were worthy of even doing such a thing? If I wanted to drag one or two of you down with me, I could, you know? Im just not sure if the one dying along with me would be you, you, orperhaps you? He pointed at Xi Ran, then Wan Xin, then Fang Suyu, and the rest. Hes really nuts, thought Li Xiaoyao as he sighed inwardly. It was impossible to threaten a madman unless one had invincible powers. Otherwise, someone like Gu Suihan would prove to be too unpredictable and would be more like a ticking time bomb. Wan Xin was being too simplistic in her thinking. The rock platform continued to move downwards in silence. Random broken rocks would land on the protective forcefield around the platform and turn to nothing in an instant. The rock platform moved at a steady speed, and in the last 15 minutes that they spent talking, it had probably gone nearly 10 kilometers underground, but it didnt seem like it was stopping anytime soon. Were almost there, said Gu Suihan with a pale face. He had used a secret technique to fly through the cultivators and get to the rock platform earlier, which had consumed nearly all of his energy, so he was feeling a little weak now. Unfortunately for him, not a single person in the remaining group of survivors was easy to get along with. All of them were the best among cultivators at the same level of cultivation, and some of them were even the top senior of their sect. They had plenty of tricks up their sleeves. The only one he could play around with was Wang Mingzhi since at least he could use this fellow to test for any traps later on. There was a glint in his eyes as he swallowed more blood-cleansing pills and frowned slightly. Crack! There was a soft sound as the rock platform suddenly came to halt. Lets go, said Gu Suihan calmly as he grabbed Wang Mingzhi by the hair and dragged the poor barrel of a man on the floor as he hopped off the rock platform. Nobody cared if Wang Mingzhi was going to die during this time, because even though cultivators werent entirely invincible, their bodies were much stronger than ordinary humans after all they had been refined by qi for a long enough time. The fact that the mess of wounds on Wang Mingzhis body was already healing up was an obvious example of this. After what they had experienced earlier, everyone made sure they had their secret keys in their hands, in case anything suddenly happened along the way. They stepped out of the light bubble around the rock platform and came to a dark and long corridor. It was six meters wide and nine meters high, and there were luminous stones that illuminated the corridor with an eerie green light, but it was impossible to see the other end of the corridor. This stunt again? murmured Gu Suihan with a sneer on his lips. It didnt take a genius to figure out that the corridor was definitely filled with traps. But they couldnt go back where they came, so they had to keep moving forward. This is the last thing I can use you for, so make your contribution worthwhile. Gu Suihan glanced down at Wang Mingzhi, who had left a trail of blood on the floor as he got dragged along. The storage ring on Gu Suihans finger gleamed as he retrieved a magic spear from inside. He ignored Wang Mingzhis muffled screams as he used the spear to pick Wang Mingzhi up and throw him down the corridor. Its only left with the few of us now. Didnt the elders of our sects say that the exit would be activated after a certain number of people had died? said Wang Aolin all of a sudden as he pulled out a reddish jade token from his pocket and clenched his teeth angrily. Dont you know what sort of place youre in? Li Xiaoyao glanced at Wang Aolin, took his own jade token out, and smashed it. He said grimly, This place was left behind by someone at Divine Soul. Did you think our elders who are only at Origin Core would be able to overwrite anything here? Damn it! I shouldnt have come in, said Fang Suyu in a frustrated voice as he spat on the floor. He regretted stupidly coming in here just because he coveted that legendary legacy. He wasnt the only one. Everyone else felt the same way. Actually, if we were outside, we would probably be dead by now, said Wan Xin after giving it some thought and remembering all those dead things outside. She gritted her teeth and said, Those dead things have probably scoured the entire domain by now. Just when everyone was still talking, a muffled sound suddenly echoed in the corridor. Lines appeared on the smooth walls and started turning to reveal tiny holes the size of an insects eye. A metallic gleam shone brightly as tiny needles shot out from the holes like rain. Wang Mingzhi, who had been struggling and rolling about on the floor all this time, didnt even get a chance to react. He became nothing but a pool of blood in seconds. Theres more up there, said Gu Suihan calmly as observed the frightened looks on the others faces and pointed to the top of the corridor. A small white light gathered around his fingertip and he gently released a milky white ball of light. It floated upwards and illuminated a sight that made all of their hair stand on end. There were many sharp-tipped rock spikes on the ceiling of the corridor, densely covered by bats the size of a palm that had turned into rocks. Perhaps they had been agitated by the ball of light created by a spiritual light spell. The rocky pieces on their bodies slowly fell off. They opened their bloodthirsty eyes which were the size of small beans and glared viciously at the group. In that instant, the entire ceiling of the long corridor was covered in a red glow. Their eyes flickered slightly like the stars in the night sky, covering the greenish glow from the luminous stones along the wall, replacing it with a hair-raising bloody red color. Thesethese are blood bats. Why are there so many of them? exclaimed Wan Xin. The goosebumps on her skin could be seen even through her chiffon clothing, while her gaze was filled with some fear, disgust, and horror. Theres more on the floor. Gu Suihan seemed eager to scare them as he drew a line of sword qi in the air that measured several meters long and thrust it toward the corridor floor. Bumps began to show on the previously flat floor when it sensed the sword qi coming its way and ear-piercing screeches could be heard from the floor. The floor tiles that looked like they were cut from rock started moving as though it was merely mud, rising up from the floor and turning into creatures that kept wriggling about. An azure bloodsucking worm? It was Fang Suyus turn to exclaim in disbelief. They dont dare to come any closer to us. Li Xiaoyao observed the floor carefully and noticed an obvious black line separating them from the worms. We cant get over there either, responded Wan Xin in an annoyed voice as she glared at Li Xiaoyao. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, then looked like he got it all figured out as he calmly said, Thats not necessarily true. Oh? The rest couldnt help but look curiously at Gu Suihan when they saw how confident he looked. This Divine Soul fellows aim is to choose an heir, so no matter how dangerous the journey might be, he would not have done anything that would prove fatal to every single person who comes by, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile, revealing his pearly whites. That intelligent smile on his face seemed strangely charming. Otherwise, nobody would be left standing. I take it that youve found a way to get across this place? Li Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. His expression did not lighten up and he looked even more troubled than before. He knew what Gu Suihan was talking about, but that presented him with another problem. He might be able to get through, but what about Shuanger? By force, was all Gu Suihan said before keeping silent again. A short while later, while everyone was still trying to think of how to get across this corridor, Gu Suihan suddenly made his move. He thrust his sword out like a venomous snake lying in wait, stabbing it toward Wang Aolin silently. How dare you! Wang Aolin still didnt realize what was going on yet, but the two other disciples, who were actually housing the souls of two Peak Leaders, immediately reacted and slammed a palm toward Gu Suihans sword with an angry shout. And why not? snorted Gu Suihan as he instantly disappeared. Before they could locate him again, a shadow as dark as ink appeared behind Wang Aolin. It took only one tap on Wang Aolins spiritual root located on his spine to send him howling in pain and flying like a kite with a broken string from sheer force. He crashed into the wall and slid down again weakly. Ill take your blood to nourish my soul! Gu Suihan was like a leech as he kept a firm grip on Wang Aolins chest. His face had turned an unnatural red color, while Wang Aolins face was pale and contorted. He couldnt stop trembling and his healthy body was slowly drying up. YouIeven when I become a ghost When did you become a ghost? Gu Suihan snorted even as Wang Aolin glared at him in indignation. He ignored the glaring, grabbed Wang Aolin by the head, and pulled the mans unwilling soul out before stuffing it into his own mouth. Did you think you could even become a ghost? That happened so quickly. Life and death were decided in a second. Wang Aolin had been murdered in the blink of an eye. He didnt even get the chance to fight back at all. How dare you! Prepare to die! The two Peak Leaders were so angry that their eyes were bloodshot as they yelled furiously at him, sending a huge wave of qi toward Gu Suihan. Till we meet again! If we ever do! Gu Suihan kept his sword away and thrust his palm out to meet with the huge wave of qi coming his way, using the force from the qi to fly through the corridor. His body burst with so much murderous qi, it was almost solid. A thick layer of bloodied mist enveloped him like he was a demon of old rising from the victims of a massacre. As he passed through the corridor, all the blood bats and bloodsucking worms immediately squirreled away as though they were faced with a natural enemy. Their squeaks were filled with terror as they echoed down the corridor. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 C All For Nothing Questioning Heaven leaped out of its sheath with a ringing sound, drawing silver flashes of light with each swing. The afterimages of the blade overlapped each other and a thick layer of sword qi protected Gu Suihans entire body. At the same time, several other hidden weapons shot out from all directions with relentless power which felt endless. The blade of the sword broke the thin needles and arrows that came its way and deflected any other hidden weapons. Sparks flew everywhere, accompanied by the crisp sound of metal against metal echoing in the corridor. Everyone was shocked as they stared admiringly at Gu Suihan walking down the corridor coolly and eventually disappearing out of sight. They couldnt help but gasp at what they just witnessed. Who in the world is he? Wan Xin, Li Xiaoyao, and the rest turned to face the frightened-looking Fang Suyu and the two other Peak Leaders with him. After going through these encounters, they finally realized that there was definitely more than met the eye. Gu Suihan knew way too much, regardless of whether it was spells, techniques, or in the way he did things. He seemed to have way more experience than he ought to. Hes a cultivator who restarted his journey after taking over his current body. We thought his previous level cultivation could have been Origin Core, said Fang Suyu in a deflated voice. Origin Core? Wan Xin scoffed disdainfully. Her sarcastic laughter made Fang Suyu and the two Peak Leaders feel really embarrassed. If a cultivator at his level was only at Origin Core, then all of us here arent even at Qi Activation, said Li Xiaoyao in an equally contemptuous tone. Their mocking remarks made the three from the Seven Kill Sect ashamed of themselves. But it wasnt their fault. Cultivators were filled with surprises and according to what they observed of Gu Suihan back then, considering him to be at Origin Core sounded reasonable. Of course, a lot of it had to do with how much exposure these people had. They didnt have much exposure to anyone above this level, so they were unable to recognize it when they had seen it. This stupid old fellow! I cant believe hes using the same old trick again and again, muttered Gu Suihan. He frowned as he looked at the corridor ahead with no end in sight. He had a grim and hardened look on his face as he called out, Meru Desire Overcoming Palm! Blood seeped out from his palm to form a bright red wan character. The sounds of buddha reading sutras and bodhisattva chanting filled the air and the smell of sandalwood seemed to emanate from Gu Suihans palm. A bright aura filled his surroundings as he thrust the wan out from his palm. It expanded exponentially and the sounds of buddhist chants grew even louder than before, making them feel peace in their hearts like never before. Piaaanng! The sound of glass shattering was especially bright in this echoey corridor. Gu Suihans palm thrust had shaken the space they were in and everything that they saw earlier slowly disappeared. After Gu Suihan got used to the dimness, he turned back to see Wan Xin and the rest standing about 60 meters away from him. They werent sure if they ought to move toward him or not. There is real within the surreal and surreal within the real. This fellow was really good at this, Gu Suihan complimented the cultivator who made this place, the one whom Li Xiaoyao and the rest respected as one who was at Divine Soul. He didnt bother saying anything to the rest and just continued walking on. He went up the short flight of stairs and stared dumbfoundedly at the majestic door in front of him made from gold, jade, and other gemstones with intricate carvings on them. The sparkle from the overload of gold and gemstones nearly blinded him with how old-fashioned it was. What shitty taste did this fellow have, muttered Gu Suihan to himself as he looked at the jade boxes that were well protected as they sat on nine jade stands in front of the door. He looked at them carefully, then retrieved his secret key and pressed it against one of the stands. He filled it with spiritual energy, which caused the opulent jade box to shatter, revealing some black clothing with very small and detailed Dao runes on them. It was a full set. There was a shirt, pants, a clip for the hair, a cape, shoes, a belt, and even underwear. There was an eye-catching and elegant red design embroidered on the hems of the collar. Good god, what a flashy fellow! At the same time, Gu Suihan realized that these items were made from some really good stuff. The underwear was made from starry silk, which was one of the most durable materials used for spiritual weapons. The hair clip was carved from frosty jade, which could keep ones mind clear at all times and even nourish the soul over time. It was also great for protecting one from attacks on the heart and mind. The top and bottom were made from the skin of an earth fire dragon and a black jade heavenly wolf. Ordinary spiritual weapons could not even make a dent in these materials. The shoes were made from the belly skin of a heavenly cloud luan. An ordinary person wearing these shoes could cover more than ten meters with one step, while it was entirely possible for a cultivator to cover 300 meters with one step. The belt was actually a storage item that provided a space measuring a little more than 30 square meters or so. That capacity was only average, but better than nothing. The most important part about all this was that the formation runes on these items were compatible with the items, so they were twice as powerful. Since thats the case, I think you might have some hidden traps waiting for me, said Gu Suihan with a snort. Instead of making a grab for the items, he awakened the Nascent Change spirit that had been resting inside his body for a long time, using Old Suihans spiritual sense to scan the entire area dozens of times. Once he was certain that there were no traps, he stripped the items of any marks from the previous owner, added his own, then put the clothes on. Once he placed the hair clip in his hair, along with putting on the shirts and pants, his eyes lit up and he could already sense more qi around him. A slight coldness entered his consciousness from the jade, which slowly nourished his soul. His black hair flew wildly even though there was no wind, while the cape turned out to be a very long cloak with a fiery pattern embroidered on it. There were also gemstones on the hair clip, which shone brilliantly and made it more attractive. After putting everything on, I feel like Ive become way more flashy than before, muttered Gu Suihan. This outfit made his overall aura seem both bolder and more sinister now. But even so, he wasnt going to take them off. There was no way anyone would throw aside something that could save your life just because you didnt like the look of it. Or at least Gu Suihan wasnt that type of person. Pretending to be stupid when youre not or keeping a low profile so as not to attract unnecessary attention was bullshit to him. If you werent capable, then it was fine to live your life with your tail between your legs all the time. But if you were capable and you still had to pretend to be stupid, then that wasnt keeping a low profile. That was literally just being stupid. He looked at the door made from gold and jade, then pressed his secret key into a slot that was on the door. Then he looked toward the rest of the boxes with a flicker in his eye as his desire for the other items grew more obvious. If one of the boxes already had a full set of clothing that were essentially top-notch spiritual weapons, then the other boxes definitely contained pretty good stuff too. Even though technically they required the right secret key to open, he felt that he could try a few other tricks and see if they worked. Cloud Searching Hand of Nothingness! Gu Suihans palm suddenly turned a translucent white and you could see his blood vessels and bones clearly. Particles shot out from his palm as they became one with the space around them and quietly made their way toward one of the other boxes. Gu Suihan broke into a sweat as he used all of his energy to keep this technique going. His face paled slightly and his eyes were slightly bloodshot. His body kept trembling but his palm remained as steady as a rock, unwavering as it made a grab for the box. Got it. His face lit up as he felt his now invisible hand touch something. But just when he was about to grab it, the box suddenly gave off a brilliant gold light and runes rang loudly as they weighed heavily on his invisible hand. Damn it. Theres a catch after all. Gu Suihans expression fell as he let go of the box and withdrew his right hand as it slowly went back to normal again. He had done all that for nothing. It wasnt that the technique wouldnt work in this situation or that the cultivator who set this up was really that incredible, but Gu Suihan was only at Foundation Establishment. These little traps that the cultivator had left behind were not traps that someone only at Foundation Establishment could get past. That was why he quickly chose to just give up. If he continued to hold onto the box, something in there might chop his hand right off. It doesnt matter. I can always just get it from them, said Gu Suihan to console himself. He stared intensely at the other end of the dark corridor and couldnt wait for Li Xiaoyao and the rest to come over. There was nothing else to do, so Gu Suihan quietened his heart and digested Wang Aolins blood and soul. He was in quite a hurry earlier on, so he didnt have time to process all that. Now that the rest were still hesitating on the other end of the corridor, it was a good time to recuperate and return his body to its peak condition. After all, if Gu Suihan were the one who designed this place, he would definitely have placed a million and one different traps. What theyd seen so far was only to give a small taste of what was to come to the cultivators who were here for the legacy and stir up their greed. This was just an appetizer C the main course was coming up later! It didnt take too long for him to hear some movement coming from the other side of the corridor. Gu Suihan quickly stopped what he was doing and got up to look at the people slowly walking out of the darkness on the other side. If his guess was correct, at least Xi Ran, Fang Suyu, and the two Peak Leaders with him werent going to make it. The two Peak Leaders of the Seven Kill Sect were at Origin Core, but they had only just reached this level and the technique they used to split their souls to get in here was very damaging to their prowess. It was going to be difficult just to get here in one piece. Yet another even had an additional person to carry. That was just ridiculous. As for Gu Suihan, his was nothing more than a happy accident. He had once been injured to the point where he lost his body and was only left with a fractured spirit, but it was still well and alive, and getting more and more powerful. There was no way a bunch of mere blood bats could fight that. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 C Kill Another How did you do it? Gu Suihan couldnt help feeling surprised when he saw who had made it across first. He had expected either Li Xiaoyao or the two Peak Leaders of the Seven Kill Sect to make it over first. Instead, the first person to make it was Xi Ran, one of the people he had been so sure wouldnt make it across. Xi Rans clothing was intact, his expression was relaxed and he walked confidently. It was as if he had just come to take a stroll in the park. He chuckled, then looked intently at Gu Suihan, You seem very surprised. Who in the world are you? Xi Ran, of course! Thats impossible. Gu Suihan was very certain as he rejected the other mans lazy answer. His expression was now extremely grim and the fake smile he usually had was nowhere to be seen. Xi Ran merely laughed again but did not engage in further conversation. He turned to walk up the steps to take a closer look at the remaining eight boxes made from jade and gold. Gu Suihan had a wary glint in his eye as he narrowed his eyes but stood by the side without saying anything. He scoffed inwardly as he thought, Xi Ran? This fellow is definitely not Xi Ran. The formations in this place are very different from the ones we went through in that secret realm years ago. Theres no way a wandering cultivator could have crossed that corridor with such ease. But regardless of whether Xi Ran had a trump card he hadnt used before, or if someone was impersonating him, Gu Suihan did not probe further into this matter. He just silently marked Xi Ran as an extremely dangerous person. Heavy footsteps resounded from the entrance and Gu Suihan turned to look, only to see Li Xiaoyao appear with his clothes all shredded and deep wounds covering his body. He was nearly all drenched in blood, stumbling as he slowly emerged with the already conscious Shuanger in his arms. Gu Suihan glanced at the two of them and wondered, Who exactly is this Shuanger? Why does Li Xiaoyao protect her so? But he didnt do anything about that thought and just took note of it. About 15 minutes later, the two Peak Leaders, Wan Xin, Zou Kai, and the top senior of the Vast Sky Sect that Gu Suihan hadnt taken note of at all, Zhou Haoqi, as well as Zhang Yan from the Ethereal Court appeared one after another. All of them looked exhausted, had pale faces, and were covered in wounds. It was clear that all of them had some sort of trump card that they finally had to use, but it drained them of all their energy and they could barely walk now. Fang Suyu and the other lucky few who made it thus far ran out of luck. The Peak Leaders were not the ones originally carrying a secret key, but now they had one each. So, it was likely that Fang Suyu and the rest had perished. Pills, spiritual weapons, cultivation techniques, secret techniques, muttered Gu Suihan to himself with a heavy heart as he calmly watched the rest retrieve the items from their boxes. It was clear that these were no items that the designer of this place had left for them out of his generosity, but because there were more dangers ahead of them. In order to make sure that these cultivators did not end up dying midway or just give up in despair, he decided to give them some of the good stuff first. The challenges ahead of them were definitely going to be way worse than the trials they went through earlier. Gu Suihan had not forgotten those creepy corpses when they first entered the main hall, as well as signs that the laws governing space had been altered. All of these pointed to the fact that the designer had not actually shown them everything he was capable of yet. The front part was just an appetizer. Id advise all of you to take some time to recuperate and get yourselves back to your peak condition. Great dangers lie ahead of us, but of course, great danger comes with great opportunity, said Gu Suihan as he watched all of them place their secret keys into their respective slots on the door. He took a few steps forward casually to stand in front of one of the Peak Leaders, whose face was covered with a big smile. Three Fingers of Yama C Nourish the Earth Silently! He silently thrust an index finger covered in an almost black mist that was hidden in his sleeve toward the Peak Leader. Questioning Heaven flew out of its sheath and he swung it violently toward Shuanger, who was hiding quietly next to Li Xiaoyao, the sword qi as ferocious as a wild beast. There was a loud swoosh as the blade came swinging toward her from nowhere. How dare you! What a despicable fellow! How could you do this again?! Several angry voices exclaimed as they quickly moved back to prevent themselves from being ensnared by that powerful wave of bloodied sword qi. Gu Suihan, youve gone too far! roared Li Xiaoyao furiously. The sword that was resting across his knees leaped out of its sheath. The sword qi that burst out from the blade was so intense, it peeled one layer of the jade flooring right off. The sword turned by itself, slicing through the air like a bolt of lightning as it hurtled toward the hand that Gu Suihan used to wield his sword. Oh, so you can control the sword with your mind. Gu Suihan was a little surprised anda little disdainful. Everyone was so distracted by Gu Suihans attack on Shuanger, so nobody noticed the malicious index finger coming for that Peak Leader. Before the Peak Leader knew it, that index finger had gone right through his clothing and stabbed into his waist with a tremendous amount of murderous qi. Gu Suihans finger was like a drill as it continued to make its way through the Peak Leaders body, piercing the mans dantian along the way. You!! The Peak Leader instantly howled in pain and turned instinctively to see who had attacked him, not realizing that this action would cost him his life. You what? Gu Suihan withdrew his left hand which was covered with blood and flesh. A thick black cloud of murderous qi swirled around his hand as he stretched his fingers and grabbed the Peak Leaders head as quickly as lightning. At the same time, his right hand rotated the sword and gently deflected Li Xiaoyaos hurried attack. As he pulled his sword back, he used it to take the Peak Leaders storage ring as well as the pill he was holding before his left hand finally dragged the Peak Leaders soul out and swallowed it whole. It sounded like many things had happened over a long time, but everything was over in mere seconds. But the time it had taken did not affect the final outcome. Yet another person had collapsed onto the floor, his eyes wide open in indignation. His clothing was stained with blood and it pooled under his body. You little ingrate! I swear Im going to kill you right now! The other Peak Leader was furious as he stared at the contorted corpse lying on the floor after what happened finally sank into his head. He pounced at Gu Suihan like a madman, creating a thin layer of frost that covered the entire area as he swung his fists. The icy murderous qi that he unleashed came roaring out of him like an unbridled dragon. Gu Suihan chuckled and looked unbothered as he decided against fighting the Peak Leader head-on. He moved his feet and slid backward to stop in the middle of the crowd next to the door. He moved so quickly, it was as though there was oil on the floor beneath him. If youve got the guts, you can try coming after me! said Gu Suihan gleefully as he hid behind the crowd. You! The Peak Leader wasnt stupid. When he noticed that none of the others were moving aside to let him attack Gu Suihan, he couldnt help but feel threatened and he stopped himself in time. But at the same time, Gu Suihans gleeful taunting made him so angry, he felt like he might lose it anytime. He had a bitter taste in his mouth as he noticed the others quietly moving to surround him, so he slammed his palm against the floor to create a deep crater that measured more than ten meters deep. The crater was filled with ice and frost that gave off cold air, which made the temperature drop to a nearly freezing point. Before this, nobody dared to attack the two Peak Leaders, especially since there were two of them plus other disciples. But now, things had changed completely. Besides, all of them were part of an alliance that had joined hands to get rid of the Seven Kill Sect. They didnt mind taking this chance to kill this important person of the sect. Enough of this. Hurry up and open the door, said Li Xiaoyao as he glared murderously at Gu Suihan and forced himself to remain calm. But his first instinct was to quickly protect the pale and shivering Shuanger. Gu Suihan flicked off the dust on his sleeve that didnt even exist and snorted at the very furious-looking Peak Leader. Ive never been a very magnanimous person. The Seven Kill Sect forced me into getting involved in this mess, so youd better be prepared for me to take revenge. Out of the five Peak Leaders here, four of you are dead. Youre going to die too. But thats not the end. Youre just focusing on my revenge, what you owe me. Tell me, do you think the Ethereal Court and the rest will still sit back and do nothing if there are only two out of seven Peak Leaders left? Youyoure a vicious one! The Peak Leaders expression was so contorted, he looked more like a demon. His eyes were bloodshot and bulging, while the frostiness in his heart seemed to be emanating from his hands. It was as if he was going to suddenly lose his mind and start killing everyone. But a few moments later, he suddenly lost that imposing aura. Instead, he just laughed bitterly, shook his head, then shut his eyes and did not say anything. You know, you do things like those martial cultivators from more than a thousand years ago, slaughtering others without a thought. They were such ruthless and cruel people. Im sure you understand what it means to avoid burning bridges, said Wan Xin as her long lashes trembled slightly. Youve offended a lot of powerful factions, so theres no way anybody will let you live. Havent you heard of that phrase? Gu Suihan smiled faintly and didnt seem to care for her advice. If you want to get rid of a plant, youve got to cut its leaves andremove its roots. Everyone else couldnt help but exchange glances. They could see the same thing in each others eyes C Gu Suihan was an absolute madman. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 C Tiger Among The Pigs Everyone fell silent after hearing what Gu Suihan just said. They remained silent for some time. Lets go, said Wan Xin with a sigh. It was hard to tell what she was thinking about, but she didnt appear to be paying close attention as she pressed her secret key into its slot on the door and gave Gu Suihan a conflicted look. Click! The sound of a catch falling in place resounded loudly in the silence. The door made from gold, jade, and several jewels started opening. The first thing that struck them was the stench of rot and decay. Their footsteps were heavy and their expressions grim as they walked past the door. What they saw next made their faces pale in horror as they said in unison, You might see gold and jade on the outside, but the insides are nothing but decay and degeneration. Moonstones were embedded in several parts of the large hall they were now in, so everything was illuminated clearly. No dust-clearing formation was used on this place, said Wan Xin quietly as she noticed the thick layer of dust on the floor and the footprints left behind by them. She channeled qi to her feet and flew a meter above the ground, but when she tried to fly upwards some more, she realized she couldnt at all. Its qi destroying metal. Zou Kai glanced at the sweat forming on the tip of Wan Xins nose from trying so hard to fly higher and swept away part of the dust on the floor to reveal the sinister-looking shiny black metallic floor. Crap, thought everyone as they exchanged glances. Not being able to fly also curtailed them in other aspects. The methods they could use to fight would decrease as a result. There are also warring puppets here. Gu Suihan looked grimly at the armored figures standing silently in the middle of the hall, covered with a thick layer of dust. He slowly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. My fellow cultivator Xi, why dont you test what these fellows are made of? Youve got the main key, so for all you know, they might be nice and spare your life, said Gu Suihan quietly as he glanced at Xi Ran, who still looked very relaxed. Oh? Youve been taking notice of me, huh? said Xi Ran with a faint smile as a sly look spread across his fair face. But he didnt seem like he was going to make a move at all. Ill do it myself then. Gu Suihan wasnt counting on successfully agitating this man into action, so he stared at the nine dust-covered warring puppets in front of him and said, Well rely on ourselves. Lets do that! Zou Kai and the rest nodded slightly. Light shone from their palm as they retrieved all sorts of spiritual weapons and talismans. They activated their qi and several surges of aggressive, warm, steady but ferocious qi started emanating from their bodies. Die! shouted Wan Xin as she plucked strings of her glass zither, sending a gush of iridescent qi toward the puppets. Woong! Sensing the movement of qi, the darkened eyes of the once still warring puppets lit up into two menacing red dots. A cruel sense of violence seeped out from those red dots, and a foreboding sense of danger seemed to radiate from them. Fuck! Warring spirits?! cursed Gu Suihan. Immediately after he took the first step, he turned the other way and ran like crazy as if he had just spotted some truly terrifying animal. Before the rest realized what was going on, Gu Suihan was on his way out of the hall like a rabbit whose tail was on fire. A frantic Zhang Yan was also running out behind Gu Suihan. He didnt even bother to turn back and simply pasted more than ten talismans on himself. The talismans burned so brightly, he looked like a giant lightbulb on the run. What in the world? The rest were stunned, but they instinctively withdrew their attacks and ran after Zhang Yan as well. Doong! Just when Gu Suihan was about to step out of the hall, the seemingly fragile pretty jade and gold door suddenly shut itself, trapping all of them inside the hall. Fuck! Gu Suihan cursed again as he screeched to a halt and glowered speechlessly at the door in front of him. The sparkling jewels on the door kept blinding him with their shine as if they were mocking him for thinking too highly of himself. The others who had run toward the door later were still confused. They still had no idea why the previously aggressive and confident Gu Suihan would suddenly run like there was no tomorrow. They had merely followed suit since Gu Suihan seemed fairly terrified of those warring puppets. Whats going on? Zou Kai frowned as he looked at the grim-faced Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan pointed at the equally grim-faced Zhang Yan and motioned to him to explain. Zhang Yan smiled bitterly as he looked back at the confused stares of the rest and said, Warring puppets arent really very scary, since the difference mainly lies between the quality of their material. But at the end of the day, theyre merely puppets. However, once someone fills these warring puppets with a warring spirit, then its a completely different story. Warring spirits are the souls of ordinary soldiers who have gone through more than a hundred wars, so they are filled with nothing but murder. These harvested spirits are preserved with their murderous qi by a special technique, thats all. But what makes them truly terrifying is the fact that warring spirits are sentient. In other words, once those warring spirits have a body they can use, they turn into killing machines. And theyre killing machines that are sentient and know how to fight and kill others, added Gu Suihan with a nasty look on his face as he pointed at the nine warring puppets in the middle of the hall that had shaken off the dust on their bodies and were slowly getting into formation. How scheming, spat Wan Xin angrily. This was the fiercest language she knew how to use since she was brought up to behave like a demure young lady in a very strict environment. So, my fellow cultivator Xi. Now that things have come to this, are you still going to hide what youre truly capable of? Gu Suihan snorted as he glanced at the clearly unbothered Xi Ran. I am merely a wandering cultivator, so there isnt any more I am capable of, said Xi Ran as he rubbed his nose awkwardly and averted his gaze. Damn you! Zou Kai couldnt stand it anymore and yelled so loudly, his saliva nearly spraying all over Xi Rans face. Stop hiding and fight! Or were all going to die! Gu Suihan gripped the hilt of his sword and stared straight at the warring puppets that were approaching them slowly as they emanated a murderous air. Nine Swords for World Destruction C Reverse Flow of the Milky Way! Gu Suihan drew his sword and a bloody murderous qi instantly filled the hall as though a terrible war had just occurred, making the place feel like it was covered in a thick layer of broken limbs, chunks of flesh, splatters of blood, and mud drenched in blood. Stars seemed to twinkle in the space above them and nine of them shifted to fall onto Earth. A silvery flash of light appeared and the whole world seemed to turn upside down as the stars landed on Questioning Heaven, their brilliant sparkle gleaming brighter than anything anyone had ever seen. The Milky Way was flowing in the opposite direction and overflowing with qi. The blade started to turn a purplish black as the weight of the murderous qi covered it. Gu Suihan swung his sword toward the front most warring puppet, slicing through the Milky Way and bringing it down like it could annihilate anything in its way. The warring puppet let out a roar that did not sound like something a human was capable of making. Its footsteps were heavy as it got into position and raised its weapon. As the other warring puppets fell into place, bloody lines appeared beneath their feet to form a gigantic and complex formation diagram. The sound of vengeful spirits roared and the warring spirits growled as the murderous qi in each one of them was absorbed by the warring puppet right in front, forming a barrier of light that could hold up the sky. Bam! The two objects collided, reverberating violently and causing the thick layer of dust on the floor to fly as though it were a sandstorm. Everything went dark suddenly. Crack! There was a crisp sound as tiny crack lines gradually appeared on the light barrier after that gloriously bright sword qi from the stars had crashed into it like it weighed a ton. The impact made the warring puppet in the front sink a good three feet into the floor. Now! Zhang Yan yelled loudly and swung his right arm. He held a giant metal pen in his hand like the sort a magistrate had, and thrust the bright red tip of the pen toward the warring puppets. Kill them all! Zou Kai roared angrily and the green veins bulging on the back of his clenched fists looked like dragons hiding beneath his skin as he walked forwards like a giant roc. Each punch he made created a giant wave of qi and he sent it toward the light barrier that looked like it was about to shatter. There was a resolute glint in Wan Xins pretty eyes as she bit her tongue to spray some blood on her seven-string glass zither. In that instant, the sound of a phoenix filled the air as the illusionary form of one flew out from the zither. It flew toward the light barrier like it was ready to die a death in glory, its zeal threatening to set everything around it on fire. Li Xiaoyao made sure that Shuanger remained behind him as his meter-long blade instantly gave off a sword will that could slice through the skies. His entire person seemed to become one giant sword. The long river of sword qi cut through everything and surged forth. In that instant, everyone put aside all their former biases and feuds to work together. This was everything they had. If the light barrier shattered, then they stood a chance of fighting these warring puppets. If they couldnt even get through this, then it was better for them to just give up and kill themselves right now. Xi Ran let out a long and depressing sigh. He suddenly thrust his fair palm with long fingers out, and his palm was like a black hole that had the power to change the laws of nature. FUUCKK! Gu Suihan stared at that vacuum in Xi Rans palm and cursed furiously without realizing how loud he was, What the fuck? Youre at Origin Core? Gu Suihans voice rose almost an octave higher as he stared in shock at Xi Ran. He moved backward and squirreled all the way to the side of the hall in a matter of seconds. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 C No Bad Deals Allowed That outcry from Gu Suihan attracted everyones attention instantly. All of them exchanged glances and they didnt know how to react. They were all at Mid to Advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators who were already the best among their peers. They knew well what would happen to them if an Origin Core cultivator appeared in such a situation. There was only one way this whole thing would end. The warring puppets would be killed, then it was their turn to die. There was no way they were going to survive this. As for those stories and legends about how an MC would ~suddenly~ become super powerful and level up at the most important moment and slay the bad guy like he was merely slaughtering a chicken, that was bullshit. In reality, the difference in the quality and quantity of qi between these stages could not be compared at all. A cultivator at Origin Core could gather three hun and refine murderous qi to become part of themselves even at the initial stages. They could even form a simple domain. The Foundation Establishment cultivators, on the other hand, could only rely on their level of aptitude to use some fiendish and murderous qi to hurt their enemies, and they could barely even manage that. The difference between the two stages was like the difference between the clouds and the mud in the ground. In the blink of an eye, not a single person remained within 50 meters of Xi Ran. All of them were huddled by the side in small groups as they watched Xi Ran cautiously. They were afraid that Xi Ran might suddenly thrust a palm at them and theyd lose their lives if they werent careful. Xi Ran didnt expect Gu Suihan to be so observant. He had only let slip a tiny bit of fiendish murderous qi and Gu Suihan had caught sight of it. On top of that, Gu Suihan even announced it so loudly. While he was still feeling a little stunned by this sudden turn of events, he noticed the warring puppets that were slowly approaching him, staring at him like he were prey. His expression grew grimmer and grimmer by the second. Iwellhurhurwere all in the same boat, arent we? Why behave like this? Xi Ran compared what he was capable of against the warring puppets that didnt seem the slightest bit affected by the earlier attacks and wasnt confident of fighting them. To hell with you! Youre powerful enough to send out your spiritual sense in the midst of battle to distract us! We wouldnt even have known what hit us! yelled Zhang Yan angrily as he silently shifted further backward, hoping to increase the gap between himself and Xi Ran. Zou Kais face was pale. Thinking about how he had been with such a dangerous person for such a long time made him feel fearful. Well Xi Ran looked at the looming warring puppets and gulped. He suddenly spun around and disappeared like an apparition. Before anyone realized what was going on, Gu Suihan ran to the other side of the hall like a frightened bunny, while Xi Ran slowly appeared where Gu Suihan had been hiding earlier. Youre asking to get killed! spat Gu Suihan. His expression was as dark as the night sky as he executed a technique that helped him to disappear beneath the floor, and reappear in the shadows beneath Wan Xins feet before pasting a body hiding talisman, a sword qi hiding talisman and other similar talismans on himself in less than a second, then curled himself into a corner of the hall like a little rat. The rest of them were no ordinary humans after all, so when Gu Suihan reappeared for that instant, they noticed the movement of qi in the air, but he then disappeared without a trace immediately after that. They were so confused that they started looking around them in hope of finding out where Gu Suihan was hiding. The warring puppets had a warring spirit within them, so they were not mindless puppets. They had sensed the burst of qi from Xi Ran when he tried to attack Gu Suihan earlier and knew that he was the biggest threat to them. They started to target Xi Ran, changing their formation to slowly look more like a large web that surrounded him. Most cultivators would run the other way if they ran into someone at Origin Core, but Gu Suihan was in a rather different position. If he put old Suihans spirit back together again, he would be at Divine Soul. He had split it into three parts, but each part was complete. If he wanted to, he could pay a high price and kill Xi Ran. The problem was, what was he going to do with these warring puppets, as well as these equally scheming other cultivators here with him? If he were to be severely injured, he was certain that the other cultivators would be more than happy to slaughter him. I cant deal with so many warring puppets all by myself. If you dont want to die, help me to stall four of them, Ill deal with the other five, said Xi Ran with a nasty expression on his face as he looked toward the other cultivators. Well need two of us to stall one, so the maximum number of warring puppets we can stall is three. You deal with the other six. Zhang Yan exchanged glances with the rest and they all nodded. They had gone through working together, a split in faction and now, they were back to working together again. Only an idiot would treasure their pride now. Pride wasnt as important as life, after all. Cultivators were selfish pricks who loved their own lives above all solely because they needed to stay alive to attain the Way and control the laws of nature. They were willing to pay any price to do that. Gu Suihan, youre still going to keep hiding? Wan Xin looked around for him, her shrill and icy voice making everyone shudder. Well, I mean, if I didnt have to Gu Suihan laughed awkwardly and slowly reappeared behind them. Ill try to separate the three on the left from the rest, whispered Zhang Yan. He drew a line in the air with his metal pen and its red ink made a long trench appear that divided the three leftmost warring puppets from the rest. The three warring puppets are connected with a formation too! Damn it! Li Xiaoyao glared at the faint reddish formation diagram beneath the three warring puppets feet. Based on their actions, I think theres no way to actually separate them. Well have to fight them as a whole. The warring puppets were now nearer and were less than 60 meters away from them now. Wan Xin slammed a palm against her zither and the sound of metal strings ringing filled the air. It made their pores enlarge and their blood move faster through their bodies. A light green beam of qi gathered and turned into several ghostly soldiers that roared and howled as they pounced at the warring puppets. Borrowing Power from the Heavens and the Earth C Turn the Ground into a Prison with One Stroke! Zhang Yan bit his finger so that his blood sprayed over his pen. Runes appeared and the bloody red ink on its tip instantly turned as black as ink. Qi turned into an invisible chain that wove itself such that the warring puppets were stuck where they were. A warring puppet with a spear let out a long howl and angrily slashed at the chains with the wide and heavy blade that was a blackish red from the murderous qi around it. 10,000 Transformations Sword of Three Lives C Dust Returns to Dust! Gu Suihan rotated his sword and the aggressive sword qi instantly turned into thin, pliable but resilient strands of silk that wound around the joints of the puppets four limbs tightly. Seven Emotions Return to the Soil C Unending Love! Li Xiaoyao finally made his move. Everything seemed to suddenly go dark, as though the only source of light was his sword. The brilliant sword was like an evil spirit coming to take ones soul away as it silently aimed for the warring puppets neck. Its weakness is the soul fire in its skull, not its joints! Zhang Yan became very anxious and his body kept trembling. He was clearly having trouble holding on. The warring puppet roared angrily and it was impossible to meet its bright red eyes. It took a heavy step forward, brandishing it like a dragon as it broke through the silk strands and the chains. The warring puppet thrust the spear straight at Zhang Yan. The entire hall suddenly shook and everyone couldnt help but back off in horror. Zhang Yans face was pale as he saw the spear coming for him. Countless talismans flew out from his sleeve and turned into mud wall after mud wall, ice wall after ice wall that stood between himself and the spear. But the spear kept moving as though there were nothing there. It pierced through every obstacle and nothing could hold it back for even one moment. Li Shu Dies for Tao Shu! yelled Zou Kai. He leaped up, leaving a deep impression on the floor. He threw a punch so hard that it made a crackling noise as it sliced through the air. The soul of a beast flew out from the tattoo on his right arm and stood right in front of Zhang Yan. There was a muffled sound as the spear pierced the beast. It looked like it was in terrible pain, but it bared its teeth and refused to move away. A Thousand Moving Shadows! Now that he was given time to take a breather, Zhang Yan instantly turned into a thousand shadows, moved several meters away, and then merged together again, thereby dodging that fearsome spear. Its not damaged in any way at all. What is this armor made of? Its even stronger than the 18 warring puppets we fought the last time, murmured Gu Suihan with a somber expression. He had noticed that the armor of these warring puppets had remained just as shiny as before despite the continuous attacks on them. Zhang Yan moved even further back and his gaze also fell on the dark-colored but shiny armor of the warring puppets. He said in a dismayed voice, These warring puppets are made of way better material than the ones we saw earlier. Theyre not getting damaged at all. We have to fight them from the inside. All of them knew what he was saying. Despite how all of them had joined hands to attack the warring puppets, they hadnt even zinged a single hair on their heads and one of them had nearly been stabbed by a spear. Fighting them from the inside meant attacking the warring spirit inside their heads. They had to find some mysterious method to wipe that spirit out. I think Brother Gu has a way to deal with this. Li Xiaoyao instantly betrayed Gu Suihan without hesitating. He remembered the Soul Ambush and Destroy secret technique that Gu Suihan had used to strike a deal with him. WellI know a secret technique, but Ill need time to cultivate and it also requires some extremely rare and expensive natural treasures to make it more effective. Im sure Brother Li knows what Im talking about. It wasnt so easy to trip Gu Suihan up. He kicked the ball right back into Li Xiaoyaos court. Thatis true. Li Xiaoyao nearly gnashed his teeth to powder in anger. The secret technique he got from Gu Suihan was essentially sorcery. In order to master it, one had to reach Origin Core, then refine the core with the souls of 10,000 people to turn the soul into a pearl and you would be able to execute this technique. But he wasnt like Gu Suihan. Massacring living creatures for himself was something that he could never bring himself to do. In other words, this secret technique was useless to him. Gu Suihan had given him a secret technique like what he had asked for, but whether he could attain it or not was part of the conditions set out. You could say that Li Xiaoyao had gotten the short end of the stick, and it was a very, very, short end. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 C Turn Of Events We have no choice but to count on him. Gu Suihan looked toward Xi Ran, who was fighting six warring puppets by himself. He looked a mess compared to his opponents, but this was only because cultivators were simply flesh and blood while these warring puppets were encased in almost perfect armor. It was not surprising that he was losing, given that he was fighting six at once. Wan Xin and the rest started getting worried when they realized that Xi Ran was beginning to lose the fight. Use the fiendish murderous qi inside your dantian! If youve already gathered dantian fire, use that to burn their spirits! yelled Zhang Yan with a nasty look on his face. Dantian fire? Xi Ran laughed sadly to himself. He was merely a wandering cultivator, after all. If he hadnt gotten a chance encounter in that secret realm and managed to reach Origin Core through a series of coincidences, he would still be merely at Foundation Establishment now. His current level was still unstable, so there was no way he had been at Origin Core long enough to gather dantian fire. Calm your heart down and use your spiritual sense to amalgamate and attack the warring puppets! yelled Gu Suihan. This was not the time to hide any secrets or techniques he knew. Amalgamate? Xi Ran seemed to understand what Gu Suihan was saying as he unleashed his spiritual sense to fill the hall, then slowly gather it back together to form an area of sorts. The warring puppets suddenly stopped moving as quickly as before. Every time they swung their weapons or took a step forward, they looked extremely stiff and unnatural. The formation lines beneath their feet started spinning and the reddish glow from the lines suddenly brightened as the reddened eyes of two of the puppets slowly dimmed. On the contrary, the other four puppets suddenly became stronger and moved more aggressively than before. Sacrificing their lives to help their comrades? These warring puppets fight pretty hard too, muttered Gu Suihan as he raised an eyebrow. There was little more he could do now. Unless Xi Ran could suddenly understand how to use his spiritual sense to form his own area with its own rules, or understand the Way of these puppets, get into their universe, and suppress the puppets, there was no other way of getting out of this mess. Wait, thats not right. Gu Suihans eyes flickered as he looked intently at the worried-looking surviving Seven Kill Sect Peak Leader. You used a technique to split your soul, so youre not at Origin Core yet, but youre still much more powerful than all of us still struggling at Mid to barely Advanced Foundation Establishment. Also, when we were fighting just now, you spread your icy domain around as well. I The Peak Leader looked like he had just swallowed a fly. It was true that he had used a technique to split his soul, but he was still only at Foundation Establishment. The domain he could gather was only at a tenth of what he was capable of creating when he was at his peak, so he was now not much better of than Xi Ran, who was just beginning to understand how to even make this work. Moreover, he had just intended to be a bystander and see if he could pick up some benefits or spoils from the fight without having to actually fight. He didnt expect Gu Suihan to expose him so easily. What are you waiting for? Waiting to die?! said Zou Kai angrily, the veins on his forehead bulging like they were about to explode. He could see exactly what this Peak Leader was thinking. Two of the nine warring puppets have already lost the warring spirit controlling them, so things arent so bad now. Take this chance to kill off those two soulless puppets and break their formation, yelled Zhang Yan as he spotted the two warring puppets that were moving very slowly and had no more light in their eyes. Weve got to do this quickly. If the three on this side meet with them, were in trouble, said Li Xiaoyao after he had comforted Shuanger. Immediately after he said that he flew toward the puppets like a beam of light. Come on! The rest glared at the Peak Leader who was slowly making his way toward Xi Ran and hurried him before running toward where Li Xiaoyao had gone. Kill them all! The bloodied symbol in Gu Suihans eyes started rotating and turned into two blackened whirlpools. The suction power from his eyes made the two puppets subconsciously meet his eyes. A bloodied flare flickered like candlelight in the wind. The murderous qi from fighting a hundred valiant battles seemed to be attracted to those eyes like it was a magnet and Gu Suiha absorbed everything. Zhang Yans magistrate pen tip tapped lightly on a gap between the warring puppets armor as it stopped moving like he had pronounced judgment on it. A soul was absorbed, a spirit taken and forced back into Samsara. The mysterious runes suddenly brightened and the power from the laws governing it exploded. A powerful suction force that could not be shaken off started sucking powerfully even as the warring spirit roared indignantly. And turned into a black liquid as black as ink on the tip of the pen. Theres one more. Gu Suihan looked in surprise at the gleeful Zhang Yan as well as that mysterious metal pen in his hand. His gaze flickered as if he were thinking about something. Just like the previous time, Wan Xin and the rest helped to stall the other warring puppets from coming to this ones rescue. Gu Suihan controlled the last warring puppet, which took a lot of energy out of him, then got Zhang Yan to suck out its warring spirit and extinguish its consciousness. Again! Zhang Yans face was red from excitement as he kept touching the flickering metal pen he kept in his belt. Again my ass, spat Gu Suihan as he ran further into the hall. To him, Zhang Yan was drunk on success he did not achieve himself. He was already lucky enough to have looked like he had made a great contribution, but now, he wanted to fight the rest of them as well?! He must be an idiot, thought Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan was headed instead for the mysterious items on the platform that the nine warring puppets had been guarding so fiercely earlier on. He had noticed earlier on that while the nine platforms didnt look like much, each was individually protected by its own formation. In fact, he didnt think that they were protected by only one formation. He had not forgotten how the designer of this place was also an expert in trap mechanisms. But now, this was one of the few possibilities of getting out of this place alive. The rest of these people were not easy to deal with. Secretly killing them like he did the last couple of times wasnt going to work anymore, so the only thing he could do now was to try and break away from them. Hes trying to steal the things while we fight ourselves to death! Gu Suihans actions alarmed the rest as the same thought popped up in their minds at the same time. We cant let him have his way! Li Xiaoyao and the rest immediately abandoned the warring puppets and flew toward where Gu Suihan was. Damn it! Xi Ran had barely dodged a sword that came his way and noticed what was going on. He flew into a rage and slapped the warring puppet in front of him away, went around another warring puppet in the way like a cloud of smoke, then ran like a storm toward the deeper end of the hall as well. Their reactions are really quick! Gu Suihan groaned as he saw them coming after him. He pushed himself to go faster toward the platforms. Humph! Xi Ran was at Origin Core after all, so no matter how formidable Gu Suihan was, there was no way he could outrun Xi Ran. He could only watch as Xi Ran scoffed, overtook him, and flew onto the platform. The soldier that advances first could end in glory or end in tragedy. As Gu Suihan watched Xi Ran overtake him, he slowed down instead of speeding up and made a comment as he paused to watch what would happen to Xi Ran. You hoped to steal the spoils while we were all fighting away? You canWHAT THE HELL?! Xi Ran had just made it onto the platform and started mocking Gu Suihan when he exclaimed from shock at how the platform was suddenly transforming. I was right. Gu Suihan watched carefully as a brilliant gold light shone from behind the cracks in the platform that formed after Xi Ran stepped on it. The outer layer of the seemingly normal-looking rocks started to peel away like it was molting. Boom! Boom! A sound that resembled the sound of a heart beating suddenly resounded in the quiet hall, the deep and slightly muffled thump echoing nonstop. Whats that?! Xi Ran got angry and gathered qi in his palms before raising his arms to bring it down hard. But that attack never came to fruition. Xi Rans face paled as he stared at the skinny claw that was holding onto his wrist. Thats right. Xi Ran could confirm that the word claw was the right one to describe this thing gripping him. It was a hand that was so skinny that it had no trace of flesh or blood and was nothing more than skin wrapped around bones. It seemed fragile and weak, but it held his furious attack back without any problem. The rest looked at this scene in front of them and gulped. All of them quickly came to a stop and looked on as if they were waiting to witness a good show. Crack! Another arm as skinny as a matchstick emerged from the platform and made its way toward the immobile Xi Rans neck. Xi Rans life was hanging by a thread. He used his other hand to stop the arm from coming any closer and yelled, Thousand Ghosts and Evil Spirits Flag! Now! His storage ring sparkled as a pretty but eerie little flag swirling with yin qi appeared suddenly. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 C Huangquan Evil Ghost Stop! Gu Suihan couldnt help but exclaim. He almost wanted to run up to Xi Ran to stop him from doing what he was about to do, but given the distance between them, it was faster to yell. You know what that thing is? Wan Xin suddenly spun around to stare at Gu Suihan. The others also looked strangely at him. After all, Gu Suihan had proven to be correct in his predictions so far, which meant that he knew a lot more than what an ordinary cultivator at their level did. That is a Heavenly Yin Murderous Rock, and that creature is a Huangquan Evil Ghost, Gu Suihan squeezed the words out of his mouth as he stared in disbelief at the claw that Xi Ran was fighting with. Zou Kai was about to ask more when they heard Xi Ran wail, And it can swallow my king of ghosts and all those vengeful souls? How can it be?! They turned to look back at Xi Ran and gasped as their hair all stood on end. A chill instantly ran down their spines. They watched as the ghost flag brightened and turned into a huge net as the ghost king commanded countless vengeful spirits to unleash all the yin and murderous qi they contained. The army of vengeful spirits instantly attacked the two arms that had emerged from the platform. But the next thing that happened was what frightened them all. The innumerable spirit army seemed enough in number to fill the entire hall, yet once they came into contact with those arms, they were sucked into the cracks in the platform and disappeared completely. The army of spirits was like a mud sculpture that had been thrown into the sea. They disappeared completely without a trace. If you dont want to die, then kill Xi Ran right now and stop letting him fill that creatures stomach with more vengeful spirits. Gu Suihans expression was so icy, you could shave a layer of ice off it. The bloodied symbol in his eyes suddenly shone brightly to unleash a violent qi that came from massacring thousands. The hall was suddenly filled with a murderous qi that was a hundred times more sinister and concentrated as compared to the warring puppets they fought earlier. It was as though the entire hall had become a bloody battlefield. Im going to take revenge in this lifetime! Gu Suihan nearly gnashed his teeth to powder. He really wished Xi Ran had not dashed onto the platform so rashly. Now that this had happened, never mind surviving this ordeal C staying alive for another two hours was already a blessing from heaven. He held up his sword, which sucked in the thick layer of murderous Qi from Gu Suihan like a whale sucking in water. The blade trembled and rang loudly. Gu Suihan raised it with a determination to kill Xi Ran and hacked it toward Xi Rans head. How dare you!! Xi Ran stared in disbelief at Gu Suihans threatening glare as alarm bells went off in his head. He gave a loud shout and raised his ghost flag. The pole made from human bones became like the sting of a venomous scorpion. It gleamed frostily and howled as it flew toward Gu Suihans chest. Tsk! Gu Suihan snorted. His sword hilt trembled as he climbed onto it. His deadened eyes which resembled rubies lit up instantly as he slammed the end of his sword and bit down on Xi Rans immobile wrist. At the same time, he rotated his sword in order to deflect the flag pole that was just inches away. How dare you do this to me! Xi Rans eyes bulged as he turned his qi into a cloak. It was now a qi cloak with a greenish glow and gave off a slight fragrance. As it slowly covered his wrist, he used the qi from the cloak to force the blackish blood out. Dragon Roar of a Warrior! bellowed Zou Kai. He swung both fists with the illusion of a jiaolong around them toward Xi Rans weakest point, which was the back of his waist. Xi Ran was now too focused on forcing out the poison from his body and watching Gu Suihan warily, so he did not notice Zou Kai coming for him. Why, you! Pfft! Xi Ran was both shocked and angered, his face pale as he spewed a mouthful of blood. He glared venomously at Zou Kai and wanted to fight back, but he couldnt move either hand at all. ROAR! The sound of a ghost howling filled the air. Gu Suihan and the rest exchanged glances in horror and stumbled backward from the soundwaves of the loud roaring sound. They looked up to see that the platform was covered in more and more cracks now. Tiny pieces of rocks the size of raindrops hit Li Xiaoyao and the rest. Their protective shield kept seeing ripples as it got hit repeatedly, then it started flickering. It was clearly not going to hold up for long. Cover me! roared the top senior of the Vast Sky Sect, Zhou Haoqi. His face was flushed as he used all his strength to raise his ancient sword. A surge of righteous qi instantly burst forth from the blade. Uphold Righteousness! Return to dust, you ghosts! The dazzling white light was like a holy sword that could cleanse the world. It flickered brightly as it swept through the hall from Zhou Haoqis hand. SCREEEEE! The vengeful spirits wailed and the ghosts howled fiercely. In that instant, the sounds of grieving filled the hall. Everywhere that the light touched made any trace of the non-living disappear, leaving behind the stench of decay to prove that they once existed. Before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, something from within the cracked rock platform suddenly let out an earth-shattering roar. ROAAARRRR! Rock fragments flew in all directions and yin qi gathered. All of them instinctively moved backward and looked at the greenish-gray giant head that was slowly peeking out from the rock platform. Whatin the worldis this thing?! Zou Kais teeth chattered as he felt his insides churn. This is the Huangquan Evil Ghost that I was talking about earlier. Gu Suihan gripped Questioning Heaven so hard that his knuckles were turning white. He glared fiercely at the struggling and howling Xi Ran with much hatred as he said, If Xi Ran hadnt unleashed all those ghosts from his flag and fed this fellow, we might have stood a chance of surviving. A Huangquan Evil Ghost is a vengeful ghost from ancient times who forcibly climbed out from the Huangquan river instead of going through reincarnation. After spending centuries inside the waters of the Huangquan river, its spirit and soul have been refined and become a physical entity. When it was born out from that rock, it was weak and hungry, so all it could do was grab Xi Ran with its claws and it couldnt move any further than that. But now? Hoho! Were doomed! Gu Suihan had an indignant look in his eyes and a depressed look on his face. Whats going on with the warring puppets? asked Zhang Yan as he quietly turned around to see that the seven warring puppets behind them had a conflicted look in their blood-red eyes. Them? Theyre scared too. They came after us because that was their duty. But now that the Huangquan Evil Ghost has been set free, then even if we die, they wont escape death. A warring spirit is a lot more powerful than the soul of an ordinary cultivator after all, said Gu Suihan after he threw a glance at the warring puppets. Is there really no other way out? Isnt this supposed to be where a great Divine Soul senior left a legacy? He couldnt possibly have designed it such that we would all end up dead here, right? said Wan Xin in a trembling voice and tense brows. Her face was pale as she watched the giant Huangquan Evil Ghost slowly emerge before them. What is it trying to do? wondered Gu Suihan. His eyes lit up as he observed the ghosts movements carefully. The ghosts huge nose suddenly went close to Xi Ran, who was not far from it, and took a deep sniff. Its dim yellow eyes immediately lit up greedily. Another claw broke through the platform and reached for Xi Rans collar as the man watched on with a deathly pale face. It grabbed a glowing pearl right out. Thats his secret key! Gu Suihan and the rest watched without even daring to blink, afraid that they might miss anything. ROARRR! The ghost roared loudly again, its ugly face suddenly covered with a smile that looked more like it was going to gobble someone up. Its sinister eyes looked away from Xi Ran and turned to look at the other stunned cultivators some distance away. Why does it want the secret keys? Is it merely another security guard? Gu Suihan moved past the rest of them with light footsteps, choosing to advance instead of retreat as he held his sword up and dashed toward the Huangquan Evil Ghost. ROARR! The ghost bellowed and its claws slashed through the air like two long and thin chains, aiming them at the young man coming toward it. Hes a cultivator of ghosts, so its easy for you to do whatever you want to him. Did you think Im as useless as him? Gu Suihan snorted. After seeing that the ghost had merely taken Xi Rans key and did not try to kill him after that, Gu Suihan was certain that as long as he handed over his secret key, he would live. The ghost was attacking him now only because the last time it did that to Xi Ran, it got a tasty meal of vengeful ghosts. It was hoping to achieve the same thing with Gu Suihan. Rolling Cloud Hand of Destruction! Gu Suihan put in all his energy and the lines on his palm began to spin wildly to slowly turn into a spurt of gray qi. The will to destroy all things in the world suddenly appeared in Gu Suihan, making him seem like a high and mighty king who could decide on ones life and death. A whirlpool appeared in his bloodshot eyes, as though countless nebulas were swirling at once, as he stared at the rather shocked eyes of the ghost. In that instant, the Huangquan Evil Ghost felt like his entire world was spinning. Gu Suihan was at a much higher level of power than it was, but it won by being much bigger. So, even though it had gone into a daze for a moment, it quickly snapped out of it and glared murderously at Gu Suihan. It bared its teeth as it howled loudly and opened its huge and hungry mouth. Now! muttered Gu Suihan as he had already taken that short moment where the ghost was in shock to cover the area between the ghosts brows gently with his fair palm. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 C Legacy? What A Joke ROAARR! The Huangquan Evil Ghosts furious eyes had a look of pain in them now. Its claws flailed about as it tried to chase this ant in front of it away. Unfortunately, Gu Suihans palm was like a magnet that stuck itself firmly on the ghosts forehead. In fact, his five fingers were actually trying to pull the skin of its forehead apart so that his palm could enter. Ever since this ghost had gained sentience, it had only suffered such humiliation once before, and that was when it had been suppressed here by the designer of this domain. It immediately took a deep breath, then let out a huge roar. The soundwaves were powerful enough to shake ones soul, making the person who heard it feel giddy, nauseous, as well as giving them trouble seeing and hearing. Calm the Heart! Focus the Spirit! Gu Suihans face was as pale as a sheet. Blood trickled out from his ears, nose, and mouth to form several meandering little snakes of blood. His right hand did not have enough energy to hold onto his sword and he let it clang loudly onto the floor. Even so, his gaze remained indifferent and the bloodied whirlpool in his eyes seemed to churn faster as an excited smile actually spread across his lips. The ghost continued to claw at Gu Suihan, but unfortunately for it, Gu Suihan was no longer wearing his ordinary clothes but the spiritual weapon cloak he got from the jade and gold box earlier on. Its claws kept getting repelled, while Gu Suihans body was like a snake that had gone stiff. His pale face suddenly turned unnaturally red before he sprayed a mouthful of blood out at the ghosts head. As long as Ive got the secret key on me, you cant kill me. Ive guessed it right, muttered Gu Suihan to himself excitedly as he kept his murderous eyes fixed on the increasingly frustrated Huangquan Evil Ghost. The palm he kept on its forehead suddenly unleashed a powerful suction force and he sucked in its slightly cool soul energy even as the look in the ghosts eyes turned to one of horror. This time, the ghost really started panicking. The power it had accumulated and refined over countless years exploded in that instant, making it seem like a storm had just hit the hall. The warring puppets in the distance had a flicker in their eyes and the redness had dimmed significantly. They were clearly not holding up well. Wan Xin and the rest had long lost their consciousness during this battle of energies and lay helplessly on the floor. Xi Ran and the Seven Kill Sect Peak Leader were conscious, but their faces were pale, so they did their best to meditate and concentrate on keeping their soul together in order to keep themselves from harm. You cant kill me! yelled Gu Suihan ferociously as a bloodthirsty look appeared on his face. Blood began to seep from his pores and he was quickly covered in blood all over. That and his already bleeding orifices made him look like a demon himself. ROARRR! The ghost was getting angry now. It could feel that it was getting hungrier and hungrier, while it was becoming weaker and weaker. It wanted to get rid of this ant on its face, but its body refused to listen, leaving Gu Suihan hanging on his face. One line, two lines, three linescountless crack lines on Old Suihans1 spirit slowly healed up and it began to glow faintly as if it had come back to life. Gu Suihan could feel that the dull ache that had been bothering him all this time was slowly being washed away and weakened by the cool soul energy from the ghost. But its too bad, you wont die. Gu Suihan looked at the Huangquan Evil Ghost who had shrunk in size but still looked as threatening as ever and sighed with regret written all over his face. He reluctantly let go of it, then flung it aside. The redness in his eyes continued to glow brightly as he quietly turned to look at the rest who were all trying their best to meditate and heal their bodies. After a short while, Gu Suihan sadly gave up on the tempting idea of killing them all. He spun around to put one foot on the Huangquan Evil Ghost, then sent his spiritual sense into the other partys consciousness. What is going on in here? If youre so capable, you can go ahead and kill me! Im not going to tell you anything! the grating voice of the ghost rang in his head. It didnt bother to hide any of its vengefulness toward Gu Suihan. Of course, Im not powerful enough to kill you. But have you thought about what those warring puppets would do to you once were gone? Gu Suihan glanced casually at the warring puppets that were coming closer and closer as he slowly picked Questioning Heaven up and smiled frostily at the ghost. Humph! At worst, Ill just go back down there. Im sure they cant get in. The ghost looked at the warring puppets with its snake-like eyes and didnt seem bothered by Gu Suihans threat. Whats your job here then? said Gu Suihan all of a sudden. He chuckled and added, I suppose that fellow didnt expect you to misbehave like this. Why, you The ghost shuddered when it heard Gu Suihans words. Hes deadhes been dead for many, many years Its muttering was filled with fear and terror, as well as a deep hatred. Back then, he just wanted me to collect the secret keys, throw anybody who got here into this old well, then place the keys in the slots around the well. Then I could go back to sleep after that. Old well? Gu Suihans eyes widened slightly. He turned to see a hole as dark as a bottomless pit, as well as the nine slots around it that had several complicated carvings on their border. He wants to refine souls in order to be reincarnated? Gu Suihans long history of experience allowed him to immediately arrive at this possibility. The dead things outside the door, the warring puppets with warring spirits inside the hall, and a Huangquan Evil Ghost filled with soul energy. All for the sake of accomplishing this? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and his gaze flickered. But one could argue that this is a pointless method. You need to use spiritual blood to drench the body in order to keep it fresh. After that, you need to keep absorbing souls in order to make sure the consciousness doesnt fall apart by waiting patiently for greedy cultivators thinking theyre here to obtain a legacy. Theyd end up killing one another or getting killed, leaving the strongest ones to enter this formation. Only then can you refine your blood, raise your body up, gather your soul and revive your spirit. You can put yourself together all over again, which means that not only will you recover from your wounds, but you could even form the legendary perfect Dao body by making up for the flaws during your previous cultivation journey. You could reach perfection. Hoho! What a scheming fellow, said Gu Suihan with a snort as he turned to look at the Huangquan Evil Ghost. Now he knew why the ghost said that it could just go back inside the rock platform and the warring puppets wouldnt dare to enter. The physical body of the designer of this place was lying inside this well. He was at Divine Soul, so even if he were physically dead and lost what he had cultivated, his remains would still be able to emanate a powerful aura. These warring puppets were made by this fellow and they knew what this fellow was made of. They were filled with a warring spirit and were sentient to a certain extent, but they still fell short of ordinary humans. Having a spirit just made them a little more nimble. Excellent! Since this junior of mine is so kind, then I dont have to be so polite anymore. Gu Suihans eyes were blazing excitedly as they stared at the old well. Inside was the soul and consciousness of a powerful Divine Soul cultivator that was now in deep sleep, as well as a body that was about to transform into a Dao body. If my guess is right, that fellow used some evil technique to trap you here, right? Otherwise, Im pretty sure that one Divine Soul cultivator would only be at par with you at your peak, Gu Suihan said to the ghost via telepathy with a faint smile. His eyes twinkled a little as he squatted on the floor and looked at the ghost. Back then, that old fellow had considered the possibility that you might not have any powers left, so he planted these warring puppets here so that once you were awake, you could have something to eat, replenish your energy and carry out his plan. But sometimes things dont go according to plan. Nobody would have expected the cultivators to ultimately stumble their way here to be a bunch of Foundation Establishment cultivators, with just two at Origin Core. Of which, one of them had not stabilized his current stage while the other one has only part of his soul in his body. That means were not enough to make up a sacrifice to that fellow. Sonow, there is what could possibly be your best chance at getting out of here. The eyes of the Huangquan Evil Ghost lit up as it stared unblinkingly at Gu Suihan. It seemed to realize what Gu Suihan was thinking about as it stared at that meaningful smile on the young mans face. You want me to help you kill him? Thats not possible! Hes at Divine Soul, after all. Even if youre born with the best aptitude for cultivation, youre still only at Foundation Establishment. Its impossible to do that. If I were merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator, how was I able to hold up against that storm you created with your soul? Gu Suihan returned the question with a faint smile. Well, thats because The ghost was stumped for a moment before it glanced up at Gu Suihan and seemed to have suddenly thought of something. It flailed frantically and retreated rapidly as it asked in a trembling voice, Youyoure also a Divine Soul cultivator? Old Suihan is referring to the soul of the original Suihan, the one which had crossed over from a different world. ?? Chapter 137 Chapter 137 C Divine Soul; Massacre Very clever! Gu Suihan patted the Huangquan Evil Ghosts head. Now, go arrange everything according to what that fellow wants. I didnt even agree to this the ghost protested. But once it met Gu Suihans icy stare, it instantly gave up trying. The ghost turned to look at the nervous warring puppets, then grinned nastily as it activated the powers that the designer had left it. ROARR! The warring puppets let out a loud roar as they came pouncing toward the Huangquan Evil Ghost. They werent going to just stand there and wait to get killed. All of you were supposed to be my food in the first place, so why bother fighting back? yelled the ghost. It used all the strength it had to turn its soul into invisible cones that silently flew into the soul fire inside the heads of the warring puppets. It gouged the soul fire of the puppets out even as they howled indignantly before swallowing them whole. Its spiritual sense filled the hall like a storm and its body expanded again. It soon a monster standing at around 10 meters. Go! The ghost used its spiritual sense to take back all the secret keys from the others, then used its claws to fling all of them into the well. Pfft! Xi Ran spewed a huge mouthful of blood and stumbled backward as he attempted to dodge the ghosts sudden attack. Unfortunately, he was drained of too much energy and he couldnt fight those claws. He could only curse and swear as the ghost flung him into the well. What do we do now? The ghost looked at Gu Suihan with an excited look in its eyes. This was its only hope of regaining freedom, so it didnt want to do anything that might jeopardize that. That fellow must have put some heavy protections around the place where his physical body and his spirit are sleeping. If you want the plan to work, we have to damage his body or hide it, so that it becomes too hard for him to put the two together and come back to life. Gu Suihan snorted as he put his sword back in its sheath and hopped into the well. If I take this chance to activate the formation and trap this young fellow The Huangquan Evil Ghosts sinister eyes kept flickering as he thought about whether it ought to kill Gu Suihan as well, but it quickly shook its head again and rejected this tempting idea. This was the only chance of regaining freedom he had seen in centuries. To give up this chance for the sake of getting back was something that only an idiot would do. Gu Suihan landed lightly and saw that Wan Xin and the rest were trapped in a square cage, which made his eyes flicker ruthlessly. He then turned to look at the giant crystal coffin in the middle. Thats where his physical body is? murmured Gu Suihan, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he was also in a cage now. Why arent you coming out? asked the ghost in shock when it saw what had happened to Gu Suihan. Put the secret keys in place and activate the formation, commanded Gu Suihan in a low voice as he licked his dry lips. If I succeed this time, you will be able to regain your freedom. But even if I fail, its no loss to you. It was clear that Gu Suihan had realized that remaining outside the well would make it impossible to go anywhere near the physical body, given that it was protected by a formation. He had no choice but to change his plans. Good luck, I guess. The ghost gave Gu Suihan a conflicted look, then leaped back out to put the secret keys in the slots around the opening. Woong! A brilliant light suddenly illuminated the opening and runes swam about like tiny tadpoles as they slowly closed the opening to the well. A symbol lay over the opening and sealed everything within. Has it started? murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he looked at the physical body in front of him that was still pinkish and healthy looking despite being dead for so long. A layer of powder that resembled ice slowly peeled off the coffin which was clearly governed by a different set of rules, revealing a dizzying mass of runes. The sound of a mechanism whirring slowly filled the air. Gu Suihan kept his eye on the coffin in front of him that kept changing. His body suddenly made a cracking sound as he turned into a ten-centimeter gnome in an instant, thereby dodging the sharp spikes that had jabbed themselves into the cage from all directions. Ahh! Xi Ran and the rest regained consciousness from the pain and tried to escape the cage, but it was made from a material that simply would not break. They tried to dodge the spikes coming toward them, but it was no use. Li Xiaoyaos four limbs were skewered by the spikes and he was suspended in mid-air. He noticed that the rest were in the same situation and called out to them, What on Earth is going on? I dont know. But it looks likewere being sacrificed? Wan Xins white dress was already dyed a bloody red even as more blood dripped continuously from her body, hitting the bottom of the cage and disappearing. This fellow is trying to revive himself?! said Zhang Yan in disbelief as a thought struck him, making him widen his eyes. What material is this? Why doesnt it budge? Li Xiaoyao was dismayed as he looked at the spikes that had pierced his body and did not dare to move at all. The pain was so severe, he could feel it in his bones. At the same time, he could clearly feel that any sword qi he unleashed or spells he cast would be absorbed silently by this cage. A long spike entered the cage where Gu Suihans shrunken body was and stabbed into his body. Youre too late! Gu Suihans expression didnt even flinch, as if he didnt feel any pain at all. His lips curled into a sinister smile. The dantian shall be like a womb with child, the spirit shall solidify, he muttered quietly as he completed the set of hand seals. All of a sudden, a tremendous aura that seemed able to weigh the world down burst from his body, causing the others who were howling in pain to look at him. They stared at Gu Suihan as though he was some monster. The origin core that glowed inside his subconscious seemed to sense something calling to it from below, so it fell into his chest where the weak and tiny little nascent soul inside his chest opened his little mouth to swallow the spirit. His heavily damaged heart-soul within his dantian instantly absorbed all the qi inside the body, trembling as it slowly rose to sit just beneath the nascent soul. Peak Divine Soul! Gu Suihan slowly opened his eyes again. He filled the whole area with his spiritual sense, breaking through the subconscious of the others and forcibly swallowing their souls. Noooo! A shrill voice suddenly shrieked. Gu Suihan turned to see where that voice had come from, only to see that it was Shuanger. Her body was curled up in one corner of the cage and a thin layer of someone elses spiritual sense had surrounded her and prevented the spikes from coming close to her. Youre the descendant of a Divine Soul cultivator? Too bad youve only kept part of your soul inside her, so youre only as powerful as someone at Peak Origin Core. Gu Suihans spiritual sense leaped toward Shuanger like an ocean wave. Bam! The sword qi that the spiritual sense protecting Shuanger possessed shook and flickered as if it was having trouble holding up. The sound of something shattering could be heard next, as the shield around the girl broke like glass. How dare you! A powerful sword will shot out from Shuangers subconscious, deflecting Gu Suihans spiritual sense and gathering to form the faint illusion of a middle-aged man. He glared angrily at Gu Suihan and did not hide his intention to kill the younger man. Even though he was just an illusion created by his spiritual sense, he was like a giant sword, since the sword will he possessed was enough to stir up a storm. Xi Ran and the rest were now bodies with no souls, so the cage closed in on them and crushed their bodies, causing their blood to flow down. At the same time, the runes on the coffin suddenly glowed brightly and the bloody smell in the well actually started giving off a pleasant smell. The blood from the bodies eventually covered the transparent crystal coffin with a layer of red, creating a very strange atmosphere within the well. What is this? The illusion of a Divine Soul cultivator that had come out from Shuanger frowned as he looked around with a puzzled look on his face. You cant tell? Gu Suihan threw him a glance before gathering his spiritual sense again, turning them into invisible sabers that hacked the cage grilles. The cage that Li Xiaoyao and the rest could not break no matter how hard they tried was sliced into pieces by Gu Suihan as if it were merely made from tofu. This cage was made from the already extinct qi-consuming magic steel. It could consume qi of any sort and the more it consumed, the tougher it became. But it was no use to those cultivators who had solidified their cores and spiritual sense like Gu Suihan. Wait, hes refining souls in order to reincarnate? The middle-aged man paled and the illusion of his body kept flickering. His physical bodyhas come back to life! Gu Suihan looked at the peaceful shell of a body in the coffin. He could sense that almost unnoticeable sound of a heart beating within. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 C Immortality! Illusionary Realm! Crack! A crisp sound arose from within the coffin. Gu Suihan and the middle-aged man stopped their conversation and hurriedly turned around. Ba-thump! Ba-thump! The sound of a heartbeat slowly grew louder and louder, beating like a war drum. A frostiness filled the well quickly, making the temperature fall drastically. Once he wakes up, neither of us will be able to get away, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he deliberately cast a glance at the unconscious Shuanger. And what do you think we should do? The middle-aged man furrowed his brows and stared at Gu Suihan. Based on the energy that Gu Suihan had given off earlier, the middle-aged man quickly understood that Gu Suihan was no Foundation Establishment cultivator. This young man was actually an ancient fellow who had taken over someone elses body. After all, no Foundation Establishment cultivator could possibly be such a genius that they could shapeshift with their spiritual sense. Help me break the formation on this coffin and let me take over the body first. Then well join hands and destroy the spirit thats also awakened. Gu Suihan eyed the physical body that was clearly gaining life again. I cant hold up like this for too long, since Im only a partial soul. What if you hurt Shuanger in the future? the middle-aged man immediately raised objections. His whole reason for existence was to ensure Shuangers safety and Gu Suihan was definitely no upright man. What if Gu Suihan uses Shuanger to threaten him once this ordeal was over? What was he going to do then? If you dont want to cooperate, then youre going to die now and she wont make it either. If you cooperate, then I might actually be kind to her, said Gu Suihan with a frosty smile, his flippant words spelling out a threat that made the middle-aged man fly into a rage. After staring daggers at one another for some time, the middle-aged man finally caved in and agreed to cooperate with Gu Suihan. The bodys consciousness has not been fully extinguished and its just nearby. How are you so sure you can take over this body successfully? asked the middle-aged man. This technique requires one to wash away all traces of their old self during the process of refining the physical body. So, even if this body belongs to that cultivator, it wont be difficult. Gu Suihan remained confident. If he could take over this body successfully, this body would be so much more powerful than the one he possessed right now. Hesabout to wake up, said the middle-aged man. As the illusion of a split soul, he was naturally more sensitive in certain aspects. Ive finallymade it! A hoarse voice suddenly rang out as it uttered words with indescribable loneliness and excitement. Now! yelled Gu Suihan. He sent his spiritual sense out to cover the entirety of the not-very-large well to search for where that voice had come from. Its coming from below the coffin! yelled the middle-aged man. He used his sword will to slash the cage open, then used it to hack at the coffin without caring about whether the body inside would be damaged or not as a result, clearly aiming to destroy the body. Youre asking to get killed! shouted Gu Suihan in a nasty tone of voice. He gathered his spiritual sense again and transformed it into a reddish light that glinted frostily as it aimed for the middle-aged man. It was an imposing aura that enveloped Shuanger as well. Humph! The middle-aged man scoffed angrily. There was a flash in his right hand as a silver sword appeared and he brought it down toward Gu Suihan. Everywhere the silver sword touched, the frosty glint from Gu Suihan was destroyed. His blade trembled slightly as its soul-destroying will rapidly flew toward Gu Suihan. Explode! Gu Suihan bellowed loudly and his flesh turned into a bloody mess, exposing his thickened skeleton made from the chaotic intertwining of bones. The empty sockets where his eyes were supposed to be looked like they were about to swallow someone. Come out now! As the sword will of the middle-aged man came toward him, Gu Suihans ribs moved and a small, delicate and adorable baby suddenly appeared. The bloody glow behind him looked like a nebula and the white heart-soul in the lower part of his body was covered in swirling dust. His eyes lit up as a golden glow flickered around his lower abdomen. Youve gathered your heart-soul? The middle-aged man was horrified and retreated in shock, making sure that Shuanger was safely behind him. His ethereal body kept flickering, as though it was unable to hold up under the sheer pressure of Gu Suihans murderous qi. Youyou are an Immortal? The voice beneath was filled with fear, its exclamation reflecting the terror it felt. Time to die! The eyes of Gu Suihans combined origin core and nascent soul infant seemed to contain the sun, moon, and stars, the wind, the clouds, and the heavens all moving as one rotating system. His eyes seemed to contain an irresistible suction power and he absorbed the middle-aged man into his body through his eyes even as the middle-aged man howled in terror. As the qi in his body moved rapidly, his face kept changing expression for a short moment before reverting to that indifferent gaze unique to Gu Suihan. Many of the lines in the ugly web of crack lines on his divine soul had also healed up. And you! Gu Suihan sent his divine soul toward the underside of the coffin and looked on apathetically at the nascent soul before him that was just as injured as his. This nascent soul did not have a heart-soul beneath it and the glow around its head was barely there. I dont want to die! I dont want to die! The face of the nascent soul looked terrified for a moment, then a determined and aggressive expression flashed across its face. Im going to just give it my all! Gu Suihan had a surprised look in his eyes as his expression fell. He knew what situation he was in right now. After he had deflected the sword of the middle-aged man and swallowed the older mans soul in what seemed like an effortless motion, he was actually almost out of energy. He was hoping that what he did just now was enough to frighten this revived corpse sufficiently so that he could swallow it as well. But this consciousness belonged to a Divine Soul cultivator after all. No cultivator at such a high level was stupid enough to be frightened like that. When it realized that Gu Suihan was going to consume it, it decided to forgo everything and bring Gu Suihan down with it. Flowers are not flowers! Mist is not mist! Dust returns to the ground! Dirt returns to the ground! Awaken the worldly desires! Connect to the illusionary realm! Gu Suihan formed a hand seal forcefully and light burst from his eyes, making them sparkle as brightly as gemstones. Countless complicated and strange-looking runes shot out from his gaze that could terrify thousands and headed straight for the eyes of the other party. Awaken now! A voice in the distance rang out softly like a sigh. Gu Suihan and the other party felt their world spin before their eyes and the next thing they knew, they were staring blankly at one another, feeling like they had forgotten something. Suihan, whats wrong with me? The young man who just spoke had some freckles on his face, wore casual clothing, and looked younger than he was because of his messy hairstyle. He was now looking confusedly at another young man. The other young man felt confused as well, but he quickly responded, Qingming, maybe youre in a daze because you just woke up. Whats happened? Did you have a nightmare? Here, finish your breakfast. The young man named Suihan had waist-length black hair that was smooth and shiny, which matched his supple skin and delicate perfect facial features that made him look feminine. He wore a knee-length trench coat, with the first two buttons of his shirt left carelessly unbuttoned, revealing his high collarbones and his slightly muscular chest. Maybe, mumbled Qingming. He glanced enviously at Suihans feminine looks and couldnt help but feel sour. Seriously though C how does a man like you manage to look this pretty? This is totally why I dont have a girlfriend now! Hoho, Suihan chuckled and shook his head casually as he picked up a thick book lying on the table and started reading it. Wed better go or wed be late. If were late, our tickets will be useless. Qingming wolfed his breakfast down, grabbed his jacket, and dragged Suihan out with him. Suihan sighed exasperatedly and said flatly, Its just a movie, isnt it? You can just stream it online later or something. What? No! Were going for a movie premiere! And I heard the producers invested a few hundred million into it! Also, several celebrities are going to be there. Qingming ignored the complaints of Suihan and dragged him along. He slammed the door behind him shut and ran toward the garage. Fine, fine. Let go of me, Ill drive the car over. Suihan sighed as he broke free of his friends grasp and walked toward the garage at his own pace, even though Qingming kept yelling impatiently at him to hurry up. Lets go. Suihan peeked his head out of the window. The eager Qingming hopped into the car in seconds and gave the command, Onward! Immediately after they set off, Qingming touched the sides of the car enviously and said a little sadly, If only I had a Porsche like you. That would be so nice. II dont even have a job now. You could work in my company. I didnt say you couldnt do that, said Suihan with a chuckle. He said in a relaxed voice, Its a family business, so I dont have the final say in everything, but its not difficult to just get you a position in the company. Its alright, Suihan. I know you mean well, but I insist on relying on my own two hands to carve a career out for myself, said Qingming with a determined and resolute look on his face. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 C Illusionary Realm; Waking Up Hoho, Suihan chuckled without saying anything. Wanting to rely on yourself to carve out a career was easier said than done. Qingming wanted to be an actor. Everyone close enough to him knew that. He was a good actor, but the entertainment industry needed more than mere talent. Becoming famous had never been a matter of talent. You needed connections, money, and backers. The two of them were thinking about different things while sitting inside the car, so only the faint sound of their breathing could be heard for a while. Suihan, youve got everything it takes to be a celebrity. Why dont you become one? Qingming asked suddenly. Youve got backers, youve got plenty of connections, youre ridiculously good looking and your actings not bad. Why not? He sounded so genuinely puzzled as if he couldnt understand why his good friend would give up this wonderful chance despite having all the qualifications needed for this job. I dont have any ambitions. I just want to enjoy life, said Suihan flatly. But there was a stir in his mind as if he felt like he did have something he wanted to do, and it was a goal that he had nearly no hope of achieving. What in the world did I forget? wondered Suihan to himself, a slightly confused look appearing in his beautiful eyes reflected in the car window. He felt like he had forgotten something important, something terribly, terribly important. But he simply couldnt recall and he felt as though there was something missing in his heart. I had a very strange dream yesterday, but I dont remember anything after I woke up. I just feel this emptiness in my heart, as though Ive forgotten something, murmured Qingming as he leaned back in his seat. Suihans heart leaped in shock when he heard that his friend had the same experienced. He glanced at Qingming but kept a straight face as he said, A dream? Was it a wet dream? Is that why you remember you even had a dream? No Qingmings eyes were a little unfocused as he stared blankly out of the window. It was some crisis. I was nearly killed in that dream. So, it was an exciting dream with ups and downs? Not bad, not bad at all, sniggered Suihan as he laughed at his friend. He parked the car and patted the dazed Qingming on the shoulder. Were here. Lets go. Forget it, I dont want to think about it anymore. Its only giving me a headache. Lets go watch the movie. Qingming snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head as he dismissed all the strange ideas running through his mind. He clenched his fists gently and said resolutely, Suihans managed to get me a ticket to this premiere, so Ive got to seize this opportunity and get to know some big shots. Well be watching the movie first, followed by a cocktail party, which is where youll have to get to work. Ill just be there to look pretty, Suihan whispered into Qingmings ear and gave him a fist bump to encourage his friend. More and more people streamed into the venue and the theater finally dimmed. A melodious tune filled the theater and the movie started. It was a movie about cultivators. The script was simple and it was a good old story about the righteous versus evil. The upright and noble MC was dumb enough to bring along a bunch of companions who were more trouble than help, but the antagonist was even dumber. He refused to fight and kept sending useless person after useless person to attack the MC, which only resulted in giving the MC more fighting experience. The ending wasnt too bad, though. Instead of the usual good triumphing over evil ending, both sides died. That was a more realistic ending than most movies in the same genre. The dialogue was so cheesy and the storyline was so dumb. If the special effects werent so good, Suihan would have fallen asleep within the first 15 minutes. This was basically yet another standard film that was going to sell only because they used popular actors. There was no real substance to this movie and there was nothing new about it. Many movies released in the recent year were similar and none of them were worth paying to watch in the cinema. Its over? mumbled Suihan as he rubbed his eyes drearily. It seems like this movie wasnt our friends cup of tea, huh, a voice that sounded like he was trying very hard to suppress his anger came from next to Suihan. Thats right. Its just trash! Suihan didnt even bother to look at who had spoken to him. Why, you! The one who had spoken flew into a rage and stood up with a start. He pointed at the big screen in front and yelled, The special effects alone cost $80 million and even the supporting actors are all A-list actors. The entire movie cost more than $300 million to make and you say its TRASH?! His agitated voice rang loud and clear inside the quiet theater, which attracted a lot of attention. Some were curious, while some were disgusted. But most of them were surprised by what the man had said because that implied that the person next to him had called the movie trash, which was what started this in the first place. I did call it trash. You mean I cant say that? If you think its not bad, thats just your opinion and it has nothing to do with me. Now, fuck off and leave me alone. Suihan finally turned to look at who was talking to him. It was a young man with a squarish, fair face, a tall and muscular body, large eyes, and a broad nose. He was one of the supporting actors in the movie. But that fact didnt bother Suihan and he still spoke coldly to him anyway. What poor manners you have, cursing without even batting an eye. Your parents must have brought you up poorly, snapped the young man with a furious look on his face. Suihans comment had affected him so badly, he was trembling all over in anger. My parents? Suihan looked confused for a moment. His first thought was that he didnt have parents, but his memory told him very clearly that his parents were still well and alive. Tsk, youre just one of those spoiled rich kids, muttered the young man when he saw Suihans pretty face and expensive clothes even though he also had a jealous look in his eyes. An old man next to him tugged at his elbow and the young man sat down again reluctantly. He said politely to the old man, Master, I was just Master? There was a glint in Suihans eyes as though a thought had just hit him. ImIm Gu Suihan, ImIm an Immortal! Suihan, are you alright? Qingming shook the dazed Gu Suihan worriedly and glared angrily at the young man next to his friend. Im fine. The gleam in Gu Suihans eyes slowly faded. He glanced at Qingming, then stood up and wrapped his fingers around the neck of the young man next to him. What are you trying to do? The old man with the young man started to panic, bewildered as to why Gu Suihan would attack his protg over a few words. The young man struggled like crazy, but Gu Suihan kept a firm grip on his throat and lifted him from his seat. What a pitiful little ant! Gu Suihan had a little pity with a tinge of disgust in his eyes when he saw the pleading look in the young mans eyes. He let go of the young man again, then headed for the exit as if nothing happened. Suihan, Suihan! Qingming called out after his good friend in an anxious voice, but he had noticed a difference in the way his friend carried himself. Those domineering words had made his heart palpitate fearfully. He could sense thatthis old friend of his was somewhat different now. Im leaving first. You can try to find some opportunities at the party, said Gu Suihan as he turned around to smile at Qingming before leaving. How do I weaken his will? Gu Suihan lay lazily on the couch and started thinking of a good way to deal with Qingming. Regaining his memories so quickly had shocked him at first, but he was also pleasantly surprised. That meant that he could set up everything to trap Qingming and use minimum effort to kill him. He couldnt touch Qingmings family, though. Not only would that not work, but it might also trigger something in Qingming that would help him to regain his memories. Once that happened, he would no longer have this advantage over Qingming. His career! Gu Suihan remembered the stubborn and obsessed look in Qingmings eyes. His eyes slowly lit up, shining as brightly as a gemstone. Ill raise him up, then let him fall, murmured Gu Suihan as he started twirling a strand of hair absentmindedly. Suihan, Im home, Qingmings depressed voice came from the door. Gu Suihan snapped out of his thoughts and hid his evil aura and the sinister glint in his eyes, replacing them with a warm smile, It didnt go well? Yeah. They saw that I wasnt good-looking enough and didnt want to talk to me beyond one or two sentences. They didnt even let me have a name card. Qingming flung his jacket onto the couch like he was pissed. Why dont I help you to make some arrangements? There was an unnoticeable gleam in Gu Suihans eyes. You should have a company and a manager at least. Qingming bounced up from the couch like a frightened rabbit. He said angrily, No! Ive told you many times already! I want to rely on myself Dont you think youve been very selfish? Gu Suihan cut Qingming off with a wave of his hand and said sternly, Your familys not very well-to-do and can only be considered average or worse. Putting you through school was already difficult enough for them. You still have two younger sisters and theyve been forced to stop school because there isnt enough money left for them. Youve graduated for more than a year now, but youve not gotten a proper job and youre still living off your parents. Have you ever considered how your family feels? II didnt want things to turn out this way either! But II really cant accept this either! Qingmings eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the patterns on the coffee table. I still want to make a name for myself with my own efforts. But have you ever considered how many more years your family can support you like this? said Gu Suihan quietly. His expression was gentle and he sounded like a good friend trying to give sound advice, but he also sounded like a devil tempting a mortal. Your parents are getting on in age and they really should be looking at retirement since youre old enough to work. But theyre still worried about you, so they continue to work hard even at this age. Are you sure you can bear to watch them continue living like this? Thenthen what should I do? wailed Qingming as he clutched his head in agony. Tell you what. Ill find you a company to sign you on and get them to give you a few small jobs. Once youve gotten more exposure, you just need to accumulate a bit of reputation and you can start taking on better acting roles. That way, you can still make it big with your own efforts, even while I help you a little here and there, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile as he came up with a big plan for his friends road to stardom that allowed his friend no room for negotiation. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 C Life Like A Movie I feel like Ive seriously forgotten something. It was late at night. Qingming was lying in bed and staring at the ceiling in a daze while muttering these words to himself. This was a message from deep within his subconscious. He felt like if he could remember what it was that he had forgotten, he would be able to avert a terrible disaster. Damn it! What is it? The veins on his forehead bulged slightly, making his youngish face look oddly frightening in the moonlight. You can just show them my name card. Ive already spoken to them before this, so theyll get everything arranged for you. Gu Suihan threw Qingming the car keys and went back to his bedroom. Qingming could sense that after that day at the movie premiere, this old classmate and good friend of his had suddenly become a little unfamiliar to him. But then again, Suihan had always been an aloof fellow, so he just shook his head and kept the name card that his friend had given to him. He gritted his teeth and told himself, I cant let my family down anymore. The game has begun! Its time to slowly spiral into despair and depression and never wake up from it. Gu Suihan stood by the window with a smile on his face as he watched Qingming drive the car out. A gentle breeze blew his hair away from his face, revealing those delicate features of his, as well as the frosty, spine-chilling look in his eyes. Everything had gone very well. In fact, things had gone so exceptionally well that Qingming had this shit-eating grin on his face even hours after he had returned. The artiste management company had signed a contract with Qingming because of Gu Suihan, and the terms were pretty broad too. On top of that, while they were talking, the manager was notified of an audition for a movie. It felt as though all the best things that had ever happened to Qingming had occurred on the same day. His footsteps felt exceptionally light and he felt like he was dreaming. A year later, Qingming began acting in movies. Three years later, the company had repackaged his image successfully and turned him into a superstar with a bright future ahead. Five years later, Qingming was crowned best actor and started trying to get work overseas. At the same time, the sincere but frightened attitude he used to have as a nobody was slowly changing. He contacted Gu Suihan less and less as well. Qingming fell in love with a girl who was also an actress. Unfortunately, she came from a humble background and didnt want to do anything that compromised her values for the sake of becoming famous, so she ended up being nothing more than an extra for many movies in a row. As a result, Qingming ran into her while filming several times in a row. He became curious about her and started to notice her more and more. He eventually became attracted to her determination and her unyielding spirit, falling helplessly in love with her. Unfortunately, the terms of his contract and the incessant pestering of the paparazzi made it impossible for him to do anything about it. He finally managed to find a bit of spare time to ask her out for a meal. The way she looked at him with such surprise and admiration made him feel really good inside. As time went by, the two of them started opening up to one another and they became closer and closer. But good things dont last long. Half a year later, not long after he had made this relationship public, she was severely injured in a car accident and suffered major burns. Her pretty features were completely disfigured by this accident. Qingming was devastated and often went to visit her, but her disfigured face as she lay on the hospital bed only made the pain in his already broken heart feel worse. Before he could recover from this heartbreaking event, one of his younger sisters was kidnapped and the kidnappers demanded ransom from him. But after he arrived with the money, the kidnappers made him pick one of two equally crazy options. 1) They would Livestream him fucking a female dog. After that, they would not take any of the ransom money and they would also set his younger sister free. 2) Choose to kill one of his younger sisters. After that, they would take the money, but they would never harass his other sister or him again. These options were posted on several high-traffic sites by the kidnappers, which quickly drew a lot of attention from the public. Qingming was cornered. His parents were pleading with him to do something, his fans were speculating about what he would do, and the kidnappers were threatening to kill his sister. He felt so helpless, he thought about committing suicide. But he couldnt bear to die either. Regardless of which option he chose, it would destroy his future forever. At this juncture, the old friend he had forgotten about for a long time, called to console him. At the same time, Gu Suihan gave him an idea. It was a bad idea, but Qingming was now like a drowning man grasping at straws, so he decided to go with what Gu Suihan told him without thinking too deeply about it. This very bad idea was to hire a killer to kill both his sisters and make it look like the kidnappers had gone back on their word. It was a simple plan but also a completely inhuman one. But Qingming was on the verge of breaking down. All he thought about was his own future, his life, his status. Who cared about these younger sisters? That ended his nightmare. Someone happened to be taking a hike in the woods, discovered this mess in an abandoned hut, and called the police. The result of the investigation was that both sisters had been kidnapped, gang raped, and forced to take large amounts of stimulant drugs. The kidnappers got into a disagreement with one another and ended up killing each other. Once Qingming saw that everything had gone the way he had wanted, he lost consciousness from being so stressed. All he could think of was, this whole thing is finally over! But when he regained consciousness, the first thing that greeted him was the police barging into his residence to arrest him. His mother had turned him in for hiring a hitman as well as fabricating the crime scene. She even had a recording to prove it. That was the last straw. Qingming felt blood come up his throat and he coughed it right out before blacking out again. Why put yourself through this? The mastermind behind all of this, Gu Suihan, sat in front of the window and looked nonchalantly at the scrawny Qingming seated across him, his voice filled with pity. Its your fault! Its all your fault! Qingmings eyes turned bloodshot when he saw Gu Suihan and he had a nasty look on his face as tried to lunge at Gu Suihan. Unfortunately, his skinny self was only able to make the chains around his wrists clang loudly and he couldnt get to Gu Suihan at all. He could only glare venomously at Gu Suihan and curse and swear in a loud voice. Everything has ended. Gu Suihan stood up and looked down at the man on the other side of the window, the greedy look in his eyes intensifying. Youve truly become a part of this world now. Whatwhat do you mean by that? You bastard! Qingmings twisted face froze for a second before he started cursing again. His clear eyes grew dim and even redder than before. Gu Suihan ignored Qingming, who was yelling and kicking behind him like a mad dog. He took a step out and seemed to break out of that dimension. Everything around him suddenly stopped moving as if it were merely a painting, creaked loudly, then broke into a million pieces. Gu Suihan found himself in a dim place. He was back in the space beneath that coffin inside the well. He stared at the soul that had lost its consciousness and couldnt hold back the greed in his heart. He reached out to grab the soul and swallowed every last bit of energy the soul had. Very, very tasty! Gu Suihan smacked his lips to savor the taste of that soul. He gave a pleased nod when he saw how his divine soul had healed up considerably. He then turned slowly to look at the coffin itself. His divine soul floated up to look down at this perfect body and he looked like he was in a dilemma. Should he use the powerful energy from this perfect body to make a brand new body that suited him perfectly, or should he just shift his soul to this new body directly? The good part about the former was that doing so would not cause any problems with incompatibility or anything like that. The good part about the latter was that this perfect body wasnt going to waste. And this too. It would be such a waste. Gu Suihan looked down at the solid and scary-looking skeleton of his current body that was still standing below with hesitation. He started off with cultivating the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach, then stopped abruptly when he realized it was problematic. He switched to cultivating the Geng Gold Sword Mantra and used sword qi to refine and stop his skeleton from turning him fully into an asura. Otherwise, he would turn out like Liu Ming, his body covered in abnormal growths and turning into a mindless killing machine. Even so, it wasnt as if the skeleton was completely useless. In fact, this skeleton was the main reason why Gu Suihan had managed to survive a lot of tough attacks. Giving it up would be such a waste. Playing safe is more important. After thinking about it more carefully, Gu Suihan finally decided to just merge the bodies and recreate a perfect body for himself to avoid any problems in the future. Divine soul into the owner, into the blood, the orifices, the veins, the bones. Recreate the cultivated body, follow my original destiny! Gu Suihan tapped the air with a finger and caused the seemingly tough coffin to fall apart. He watched greedily as the perfect body bubbling with life slowly broke down into lumps of flesh. A white, shiny liquid formed around his divine soul to slowly turn into bones. Each one was of the perfect length and shape and size. Flesh and blood slowly formed over those bones. Then like was being covered by a layer of paint, skin grew over his flesh and hair grew from his pores. As the body formation process came to an end, Gu Suihans divine soul was now properly part of his subconscious. This old familiar feeling he hadnt felt in a long time made him feel a little emotional. If Qingming were still alive and saw what Gu Suihan looked like now, he would definitely get a shock. Gu Suihan now looked just like that impossibly good-looking young man in that illusionary dimension. He gave a low shout and hundreds of bottles containing pills flew out from his storage ring. They uncorked themselves and hundreds of pills of varying colors flew into his mouth and he swallowed them all. At the same time, qi began to surge through this body with no level of cultivation. It started cycling through the stages, starting with Qi Activation, then Beginner Foundation Establishment, Mid Foundation Establishment, and Advanced Foundation Establishment before finally stopping at Peak Foundation Establishment. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 C Ive Lost My Memory Somethings wrong! As Gu Suihan allowed the qi to surge through his almost perfect body, his expression did not brighten up at all. Instead, he glared grimly at the empty coffin. This bodyis terribly weak, muttered Gu Suihan to himself. As he thought about the changes that happened around him when he was creating this body, his expression fell. It wasnt real! Is thisan illusion? He sent his spiritual sense out and filled the entire place with his murderous aura, inspecting the changes in every inch around him. Craaack! There was a cracking sound as the crystal-like coffin slowly shattered. The tadpole-looking blood-colored runes on it instantly turned into countless ugly demonic faces that opened their mouths like they were shrieking as they flew toward Gu Suihan. What a vicious move! Gu Suihans expression was stern as his fingertips exploded. He pulled out ten blood vessels and turned them into an intricate spider web that stood between himself and those ugly faces. His sword resounded loudly and its blade shone frostily as it flew out of its sheath. Sea of Blood to the Sky! he yelled as veins bulged from his forehead. He grabbed the handle of his sword and swung it diagonally. Qi surged through his body, passing through his meridians and turning into a giant wave that could reach the sky. The sound of the ocean filled this small space underground. The countless blood-colored demonic faces were all trapped by Gu Suihans bloodied spiderweb. They shrieked and shook violently from side to side in an attempt to dodge the bloody wave coming to consume them. Heaven Restraining Blood Prison! A bright glow appeared suddenly as Gu Suihan gently flicked his fingers. The blood drops that flew out instantly grew larger in mid-air, becoming pillars of blood from nowhere, which quickly formed a cage with small gaps. The blade came whooshing down and the bloody wave swallowed the monsters that had come pouncing toward him. Thisis the actual body! Gu Suihan panted heavily as he kept his eye on the adorable baby that was revealed after the coffin had completely shattered. Uhh A weak groan resounded behind him, making him spin around with a start. Shes actually still alive? His pupils constricted as he glanced at the frail Shuanger covered entirely in bloodstains. He immediately grabbed the baby, then sprayed out qi from his hands which consumed the baby in its entirety without leaving a single trace behind. ROAAAR! A roar like a tigers suddenly exploded within Gu Suihans body. His bones turned from white to a faint gold color, and runes in a darker gold color appeared on the surface. His skin became smoother and supple. Every fibre and vein in his body became more tightly meshed, making his body as tough as granite. Thats what a real perfect body should be like, murmured Gu Suihan. He brandished his sword in a seemingly casual fashion, but each swing of his sword landed precisely on several hidden points that made up a huge formation. If he had been that bit too late and allowed the formation to be triggered, then he was going to remain a human, losing years of his life in an instant and turning into dry bones. That was the terrifying part about being able to set your own laws of nature. You could cause the death of a person without even doing anything. Not even a cultivator could escape that. Should I kill heror not? Gu Suihan stood in front of Shuanger and looked a little hesitant. He was hesitating because the split soul illusion left behind by that middle-aged man inside Shuanger had been concealed behind many, many dimensional walls, so his original body had no idea what had truly happened to his split soul. In other words, Gu Suihan didnt have to worry about being hunted down by the middle-aged man. But of course, that was assuming Gu Suihan didnt go about doing anything that might make the middle-aged man sense anything amiss. Ill let her live. Lets see if we can resolve this unwanted tragedy. After thinking about it for a while, he decided not to kill Shuanger. Little girl! I know youre awake, so you can stop pretending. Gu Suihan reached out to nudge the young lady and called out gently to her. Youwheres Brother Xiaoyao? She curled herself up and hid fearfully in a corner as she stared at the unfamiliar face in front of her. Her mind was completely blank. HeI dont know either. I just woke up too. Gu Suihan nearly told her the truth, but stopped himself immediately and suddenly put a palm to his forehead, as though he was suffering a headache. They stared at each other for a long while before she stammered, Bigbig brothercan youcan you turn around? II want to get changed. Gu Suihans lips twitched as he thought to himself, Youre just a little girl. Why would you even be bothered by something like this? But he smiled gently at her and turned around. He was bored and started cultivating. A long while later, her weak voice called out from behind, ImIm done. Where are you from? asked Gu Suihan gently as he looked at the timid girl with a blank expression on his face. IIm a Youthful Clarity Sect disciple. Shuanger looked up at Gu Suihans almost-perfect face and blushed. Is the Brother Xiaoyao you mentioned earlier your senior? Gu Suihan looked innocently at her, as though he was completely clueless. After they spoke more to each other, Shuanger began to relax and she started staring at Gu Suihan with her large eyes. Big brother, youre really pretty. She finally felt comfortable enough to speak her mind as she looked enviously at Gu Suihans features which were even prettier than her own. Gu Suihan didnt know what to say to that. Big brother, whats your name? Ive lost my memory and I just regained consciousness earlier. I dont know anything anymore. How pitiful! Gu Suihan tried not to roll his eyes. How do we get out of here? I have no idea. The two of them exchanged a bunch of childish and pointless words as they sat down in one corner. Bam! A muffled sound came from the opening of the well. The two of them paled and turned around, only to see a strange-looking creature with a nasty face that stood at only a meter tall fall into the well. Its a monster! yelped Shuanger as she hid behind Gu Suihan and trembled. Both sides stared at each other with shocked looks on their faces. Gu Suihan finally twitched his lips and sent his spiritual sense out to communicate with the creature. Do you know how we can get out of here? That comical-looking monster was none other than the Huangquan Evil Ghost. After noticing the noise in the well had stopped, it had waited patiently for a while before coming down to take a look. It didnt expect to see two pretty ladies. But before it could snap out of its daze, that nightmarish, familiar voice filled its consciousness. The ghost shuddered and it frantically scanned its surroundings with its beady eyes. But when it noticed the lip-twitching movement on one of the pretty ladies, it paused and blinked in confusion. After hesitating for a moment, it asked the voice in its head cautiously, Youyou are? That old fellows dead. Who do you think I am? replied Gu Suihan with a snort. The ghost immediately gulped as he realized that the person in front of him was technically also an old fellow. But for some reason, he looked completely different. Could it be that he How do we get out? repeated Gu Suihan. He didnt care for the thoughts running through the ghosts mind. I dont know, replied the ghost after snapping out of its thoughts. Why did you come in? I was worried about you, so The Huangquan Evil Ghost was ready to dish out the speech he had prepared earlier, but halfway through, he caught sight of Gu Suihans icy stare and paused before cleverly choosing not to go on with his speech. Well, uhtheres a bit of a commotion out there, so I came in to seek shelter, said the Huangquan Evil Ghost with an awkward laugh as he finally told Gu Suihan the truth. What commotion? asked Gu Suihan as his face fell. The domainis disappearing! said the ghost fearfully. Its disappearing?! Gu Suihan finally spoke. He sent his spiritual sense out to see what was going on outside the well. His face turned deathly pale when he saw the horrifying sight outside. In that instant, he exchanged glances with the ghost. They could see the deep anguish in each others eyes. Find the exit now! yelled Gu Suihan. His body looked like an illusion and his eyes glowed like lightning as he sent out his vast spiritual sense to scan every inch of the bottom of the well. Its here! The ghost clambered frantically over to where Gu Suihan was pointing to. Its an illusionary formation! Gu Suihan drew his sword and unleashed enough qi to shatter the formation, then took another step forward. Qi gathering formation! Now! Presence concealing formation! Now! Teleportation formation! The three of them lit up as they stared at the antique formation compass in front of them. High-grade spiritual stones! As the entrance to the well slowly started disappearing, he shuddered and quickly took out several spiritual stones from his storage ring and stuffed them into the appropriate slots. He carried Shuanger and ignored how the Huangquan Evil Ghost was clinging onto his clothes like an octopus and stepped into the formation. Woong! There was a bright flash as a pillar of light shot into the sky. Qi exploded as the formation compass was activated, causing the complex runes in the air to move rapidly. The formation compass itself then exploded with a powerful wave of qi. After that, Gu Suihan slowly disappeared from the formation compass. Boom! The storm brewing in the space stirred up a wind that broke down all the dimensional walls. The biting cold winds blew with a vengeance and completely destroyed the formation. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 C Cooperate And Massacre The City Gu Suihan landed on the ground, flat on his face. He climbed to his feet and spat out the sand in his mouth. He felt something on his leg and looked down to take a closer look. Once he realized what was on his leg, his expression turned nasty as he said, Why did you come out as well? He thought that this fellow had been left behind to disappear along with the space he had just escaped. Instead, this thing had clung onto his leg and came out with him. Get lost! Dont let me see you again! Gu Suihan used telepathy to speak to the Huangquan Evil Ghost. Before the latter could respond, he exerted some energy and left the ghost far, far behind him. Were here, alright. Gu Suihan was filled with glee when he looked around him. The place he was in was covered in nothing but sand. There were mounds and rocks in several places. Behind him stood a withered and cracked giant tree that seemed like a long sword that soared into the sky. It stood all by itself in this barren land. Excellent. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and put Shuanger down as he looked at the sal tree that was completely void of life and had become a dead thing. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly raised his palm and drew several lines in the air. The qi from his palm sliced the tree into countless pieces, which blew away in the wind and disappeared without a trace. Now, its time to find out how things have been going, thought Gu Suihan as he picked up Shuanger again and flew toward Qingguo. Damn it! How dare he abandon me here! The Huangquan Evil Ghost crouched on the ground, hiding in the shadow of a rock quietly as it watched Gu Suihan leave with a scowl on its face. Before it could finish grumbling, a dark shadow loomed over it. Shocked, it looked up only to see that Gu Suihan had returned after running off earlier. Ill help you to kill some people and you can swallow their souls. Were even after that. Gu Suihan looked down at the shrunken evil ghost at his feet with an indifferent look on his face. He had suddenly thought of this wonderful idea. Before this, he had not gone around massacring ordinary people and low-level cultivators partly because it wasnt worth it. His spirit had been severely injured back then and it took immense effort to wipe out another persons consciousness and swallow a spirit. So, if he was going to go through that process, he was going to make sure that persons soul was worth all that effort. Moreover, the Seven Kill Sect had been a powerful organization back then and he had only been at Foundation Establishment. Offending all sorts of factions was not something he could afford to do. But now, things were different. He had a rebuilt body plus the spirit he swallowed in Qingmings domain as well as purified energies from various souls. That was how he had barely managed to get himself to the Advanced Origin Core stage. Most importantly, that deep crack in his spirit was slowly healing up. He no longer had to worry about his spirit collapsing again. On top of all that, the Seven Kill Sect was definitely in a bad place now. He didnt have to worry about them either. As for the Huangquan Evil Ghost. It could swallow souls without fearing any repercussions, and once the ghost had refined all the souls it had consumed, Gu Suihan could absorb them again and the soul energy he would get at that stage would be even more beneficial. Impossible! The Huangquan Evil Ghosts eyes darted about before it yelled its refusal back at Gu Suihan. Do you think youve got the right to refuse me? Gu Suihan snorted as his threatening gaze scanned the ghost. The ghost met Gu Suihans sinister eyes and shuddered. It shrank back and kept its mouth shut. Lets go. Gu Suihan didnt bother waiting for any reply. He unleashed a beam of energy that enveloped all three of them and he dragged the Huangquan Evil Ghost along toward Qingguo. Food! So much food! The Huangquan Evil Ghost clung onto Gu Suihan and looked down excitedly with its beady eyes as it salivated. It didnt bother hiding that look of greed on its face. Gobble them up then, said Gu Suihan nonchalantly as he narrowed his eyes and looked down at the town below. His gaze didnt even flicker like it was a pool of dead stagnant water. Gobble, gobble, gobble! The ghosts eyes were bloodshot and it squealed as it stretched its arms toward the town. But it looked back at Gu Suihan with a hesitant look. The way it opened its mouth to speak and shut it again was hilarious. Spread the Bloody Glow! Dim the Clouds! Gu Suihan knew why the ghost was hesitant, so he raised his arm, and soul energy mixed with murderous qi instantly covered the little town below like it had swallowed the sky. The ordinary people in the town felt the sky above them suddenly go dark, followed by the faint smell of blood. AHHH! A monster! Whats that?! Its a monster! Run! Move aside! Run!!! Almost immediately after the ghost had landed in the town, panicked screams and shouts filled the town along with frantic, mindless sounds of people pushing each other and running desperately. The entire town plunged into despair. The skies were clear, but it looked as though it was nighttime in the town. The murderous qi covered the town with a deep red glow, as though it was covered in broken limbs. Nobody could see anything in the town at all. The screams and howls they could hear right next to them struck terror in their hearts. Their first instinct was to clutch their heads and run in an attempt to shake off the demon coming after them. How tragic, murmured Gu Suihan. His beautiful face was as unmoved as the waters in an abandoned well, while his gemlike eyes reflected the tragic horror happening inside the town. That felt amazing! An hour later, the Huangquan Evil Ghost smacked its lips with a satisfied smile on its face. It had grown by another foot or so. The souls of ordinary humans are too tainted and too weak. And after the martial cultivators have stripped them of their energies, the remaining soul energy inside them is pathetic. Gu Suihan glanced nonchalantly at the town that had been wiped out completely. He withdrew his soul power, then raised his hands to send out more than ten balls of fire along with some wind spells. In less than 15 minutes, this town that had once been fairly well-developed and peaceful was razed to the ground. Next place. Gu Suihan walked in the air as though it was flat ground and disappeared in an instant. This place is a little dangerous, isnt it? The ghost glanced at Gu Suihan apprehensively with a frown. It could sense the presence of several cultivators here. Ill deal with those fellows. Theyre just a bunch of martial artists and half-assed wandering cultivators, after all. Gu Suihan had a frosty look in his eyes as he passed Shuanger to the ghost, told it to ensure her safety, then shot into the distance like a shooting star, then fell again like a meteorite, landing right in the middle of the city in what looked like the castellans manor without bothering to conceal his presence in any way. Whos there? Dont you know the rules? Youre not allowed to fly within the city. Worthless little ants. Gu Suihann ignored their shouts as he scanned them coldly. He raised his sword and a river that seemed made from blood howled and roared as it spun rapidly and soared toward them. How dare you! Kill him! Prepare to die! Several threatening shouts rose into the air, but their bodies shook violently after that. They sprayed out mouthfuls of blood and their faces were as pale as a sheet as they stumbled backward. They stared in horror at Gu Suihan and their eyes were filled with despair as they looked at the bloody wave that could cover the skies as it surged toward them. Now! Gu Suihan sent out his spiritual sense, its impact instantly making everyone freeze and stop any attempts to attack him. In that instant, the bloody wave crashed down on them and consumed all of them with the tremendous murderous qi within it. Kaboom! A thunderous boom echoed for miles. Everyone in the city instantly looked up, only to watch the castellans manor crumble and collapse like it was merely made from bubbles. Tiny rocks and wood splinters flew in all directions. One could vaguely see the broken walls amidst the dust. Now! shouted Gu Suihan as he swung his sword. A bloodied mist quickly spread across the skies above the city and a strange air filled the place. Its nighttime already? No, Its caused by that cultivator! Run!! Im coming!! yelled the Huangquan Evil Ghost excitedly after he passed Shuanger back to Gu Suihan. It landed in the city and started terrifying the confused crowd below. The problem with cultivating weapon techniques is that one can become overly reliant on external factors. Gu Suihan looked down at his sword and frowned when he saw how the tip was turning a bloody red, as though countless vengeful ghosts and souls were struggling and howling within it. After going through so much, Questioning Heaven had become more sentient. Its bloodthirstiness had also intensified in proportion. Unless they were being extra careful, if any ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator were to hold Questioning Heaven, murderous qi would immediately take over their consciousness and turn them into a ruthless killing machine who slaughtered people like a mad person. As though it could sense what Gu Suihan was thinking about, Questioning Heaven trembled a few times, then seemed to plead with Gu Suihan in hope of gaining its owners favor. Youre not the weapon Ive bound to myself, so theres no way you can sway my thoughts, said Gu Suihan with a snort. He filled his finger with his spiritual sense and used the finger to wipe the blade down even as Questioning Heaven whined and struggled in protest. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 C HesStill Alive! Questioning Heaven suddenly stiffened up and stayed that way as if it had died. The sentience it once displayed had been erased. After getting to Origin Core, I need to gather a domain again or reform my spiritual world. How troublesome, murmured Gu Suihan after he casually returned Questioning Heaven to its sheath and fell into deep thought when he looked at the completely still black snake sculpture around the hilt of the sword. The former was way too troublesome. More importantly, this recreation of his body happened earlier than he had planned, so Gu Suihan could abandon his ideas of becoming a sword cultivator and he didnt need to form a domain by being obsessed with massacres. Compared to that, he had a better option. A spiritual world! Gu Suihan pursed his lips together and they curled into a strange little smile. The biggest difference between a domain and a spiritual world was what happened after one understood the laws of nature. The former was to combine ones heart, actions, and techniques to become more obsessive, become one with the laws of nature, then rise above them. The latter was to turn the laws of nature into something physical and make it your own practice ground where everything went according to your heart. You could make mountains collapse and the earth split with one thought. You could burn up everything inside with the wave of an arm. That was pretty much what the sword or fist will in those novels from the mundane world were referring to. Of course, these descriptions were only similar. The real imagery of the spiritual world had nothing to do with being one with your sword or shit like that. It was to use all your strength in exchange for benefits. Domains were the same, except that the path was different. You want to go down the path of the spiritual world? After the Huangquan Evil Ghost was done massacring all the residents of the city, it noticed a difference in Gu Suihans aura and couldnt help but raise an eyebrow, confused. Thats right. Then you should know the biggest difference between a spiritual world and a domain. To put it plainly, the former is basically a road leading to death. The latter is more in line with the will of heaven and aligns your body with your heart for the Way. Youd be able to go much longer down the way with the latter. Ive already decided. The Way I have chosen is a difficult one in the first place. Throwing a bit more difficulty in along the way isnt going to make a difference. Gu Suihans eyes were as cold as ice. His impossibly beautiful features gave off the message that he was to be the ruler of the universe. Anyone in my way shall be killed. Whatwhat a domineering personality. The Huangquan Evil Ghost had a different glimmer in its beady eyes and a grim look on its face when it looked at the tall and slim man in front of it. It knew very well that if it couldnt be friends with such a person, it must never become enemies with him. Otherwise, there would be more trouble than just a few unnecessary deaths. Next place! Gu Suihan nodded slightly when he saw that the Huangquan Evil Ghost had grown in stature again. He picked up Shuanger and flew onward. His next target was the capital of Qingguo itself. This is truly a man with no heart. The Huangquan Evil Ghost looked down at the destruction below and couldnt help but make a face when he remembered that indifferent look in Gu Suihans eyes, as though all those human lives had been nothing more than ants. It kept its wariness of Gu Suihan deep inside its heart. A man with no heart. Those words had appeared in Disciplinarian Zhangs analysis of Gu Suihan and Mo Yuluo had remembered that very well. And now, yet another person had noticed it. Someone who never worried about the consequence; didnt care about what was considered right or wrong, and didnt classify their own actions as good or evil. One who was never tied down by love, unmoved by benefit, was as cold as ice, and utterly ruthless was a person whom a cultivator described as one with no heart. This placeis no simple place at all, said the Huangquan Evil Ghost to Gu Suihan via telepathy as it stood outside the gates of the city and crouched on the ground with a grim look on its face. It truly isnt simple, so we need to make some plans. Gu Suihan looked up at the fairly familiar gates and nodded slightly. He said quietly, We need to take only whats worth taking. Our target this time isnt these lowly commoners but the martial artists of the royal family. Their souls arent as powerful as a cultivators would be, but its filled with the will formed from the Way of Martial Arts and their own energy, qi, and spirit. I think theres some benefit in taking that. The Way of Martial Arts? The Huangquan Evil Ghost looked confused. It had lived for many years but it had never heard of this term before. Its eyes suddenly flew open and it stared in horror at Gu Suihan. Do you mean Gu Suihans expression turned solemn as he nodded. I have the same guess as you. But by the time all of this reached this world, half of it was lost, so it isnt as formidable as you imagine it to be. I see. The ghost relaxed a little and it looked relieved. Even the passing glimmer of fear in its eyes had faded significantly. That race from ancient times had been way too terrifying. If they hadnt slowly disappeared from the world, the world wouldnt now be filled with thousands of different races fighting each other. Even so, any legacy left behind by them could still strike terror in ones heart. That was etched into the histories of countless races, including a deep humiliation and blood and tears that could not be described in words. That old fellow should know what the Upper World is like. After being around him, I suppose he must have revealed a number of things. Do you know anything? Gu Suihan suddenly remembered Qingming, the old fellow whose soul had been swallowed by Gu Suihan, and turned to look at the ghost. The Upper World? The ghosts face suddenly turned nasty. Its eyes were bloodshot and it gnashed its teeth as it spat these words out. Thatsthats a kingdom thats similar to the ones among ordinary humans. That tyrant rules over the entire kingdom, said the ghost as it slowly chose its words carefully, its gaze seeping with a deep hatred. Theythey even control the waters of the Huangquan River. II was forcibly made by them. Made? Gu Suihans face paled. This was something that not even immortals were capable of doing. I was not created from scratch. The ghost shook its head when it saw Gu Suihans horrified expression. It continued in a deep voice, I was modified from what I used to be. I used to be a wandering cultivator. I was captured, then my hun and po were pulled out of my body and forcibly combined with that of a Huangquan Evil Ghost. Thats how Ive become this thing that neither looks like a human nor a ghost. Thats actually possible? Gu Suihan was still shocked. Of course, he wasnt feeling angry for the ghost, since plenty of people died all the time, and modifying something that already existed was something that those people on Earth did on a daily basis for scientific research, except that Earth only worked with ordinary people as their subjects. What shocked him was the fact that this kingdom of the Upper World was actually capable of such a thing. That made it way more powerful than a cultivator. When he first saw this ghost, he thought that it was merely a mutant. In other words, the techniques that the other party had were rather mature. You could even say that the other party had a complete understanding of how this was done. Whats that kingdom called? asked Gu Suihan quietly as a horrifying thought suddenly crossed his mind. The kingdom is namedQin! Qin!! Gu Suihans face turned ashen and he couldnt hide the shock in his eyes. His head was filled with the word Qin and it kept shaking. That tyrantis his nameis his name Ying Zheng? asked Gu Suihan in a trembling voice. He gripped his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white and his veins bulged. Yes, said the ghost in a bitter voice, its claws subconsciously drawing line after line in the ground. That one-word answer from the ghost was like a bolt out of the blue that struck Gu Suihans mind, making him shudder. He nearly collapsed to the ground. The words Qin, tyrant and Ying Zheng kept flashing inside his mind, making his head spin and hurt terribly. He gently massaged the area between his brows and tried to relieve the pain caused by the information within these few words. He started murmuring to himself, Its realthose imagestheyre actually real. Hes escaped, including the entire kingdom! What images? Whos escaped? The ghost listened to Gu Suihan mumble incoherently and couldnt help but think about what Gu Suihan was saying. Lets go. After a long time, Gu Suihan finally calmed back down again. But his face remained just as pale. Since our target are those martial artists, then you can use these commoners to draw the attention of our targets, said Gu Suihan in a slightly hoarse voice. The ghost put aside the messy thoughts running through its head earlier and looked at the busy streets that were teeming with ordinary people. Its lips curled into a sinister and murderous smile. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 C Have You Heard Of Heaven Before Where are you going? asked the Huangquan Evil Ghost via telepathy, confusion filling his voice, as it watched Gu Suihan walk toward the city gates like an ordinary human who wasnt capable of flying or anything like that. Before entering the secret realm, I did something that could shake up the entire world of cultivation. I want to check out what the current situation is so that we dont end up being unprepared and getting killed instead. Gu Suihan walked on without turning back, concealing his presence as he carried Shuanger into the city like he was an ordinary young master. And what about me? The Huangquan Evil Ghost hid in a shadow and shuddered as it saw how sunny it was. It hadnt reached a point where it could move in the sun yet. Find some ordinary humans, gobble their souls up, then hide. Whenever you can, terrorize the people but do not go around massacring them. Just do enough to create a commotion. Gu Suihan glanced at the soldiers guarding the city gate and set up an illusionary formation. Then he reached for their heads with his pretty, slim, fair hands. Gobble the soul and take their memories! That was the fastest way of gaining information about the city. Sailing Wind Martial Arts AcademyFearsome Sword Martial Arts Academy Gu Suihan flung aside the soldiers who were bleeding from every orifice and were no longer breathing, then used a bit of qi to shake off the bloodstains on his hands. There was a tinge of redness in his eyes as he smirked and walked toward the two martial arts academies. Damn it! The Huangquan Evil Ghost spat, then angrily turned itself into a shadow as it entered one of the bodies of the soldiers that Gu Suihan just killed. Gu Suihan walked as quickly as the wind and went around every bend unnoticed. In no time, he found himself standing in front of the entrance to a martial arts academy that took up a fairly large space. Oh my, my! Which family does this young master here hail from? Hello, sir! Are you here to learn martial arts from the Sailing Wind Martial Arts Academy? Gu Suihan glanced at the two who just spoke to him, then looked up at the gigantic signboard with an ornate golden border and the two words Sailing Wind engraved in bold strokes. He did not stop to speak to them, walking up the steps briskly and heading for the inside of the academy. A gentle wind made the soft hair covering the sides of his face fly a little, revealing those features that would make anyone jealous. Two pieces of trash. Gu Suihan sauntered past the two men with the wind in his step. Thud! The two men standing guard outside the academy crashed to the ground like marionettes as their lives were sucked out of their bodies. Dust flew up as they landed, covering their dim and empty gazes. Gu Suihans spiritual sense was like a venomous snake on the lookout for prey as it quietly covered the entirety of the academy. Its here. His unfeeling gaze turned toward the yard. Who are you? A middle-aged man dressed suitably for martial arts training seemed to sense danger, so he flexed his muscular arms and marched out of the yard. His eyes widened as he stared at the seemingly frail and feminine-looking young man in front of him unblinkingly, while the qi and energy flowed out of him uncontrollably. He reached out and tried to fight the force sapping his body of life, but the pain he felt inside drowned out the tiny bit of consciousness he had left. Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Like exploding watermelons, the heads of the ten odd martial artists who had come running when they heard the voice of their senior suddenly exploded. White mush and blood splattered everywhere. The Seven Kill Sect couldnt hold up after all. And the War Demon Sect was in cahoots with the Ethereal Court after all. The world of cultivation has finally descended into chaos, murmured Gu Suihan as he walked into a smaller room next to the main hall, found a secret door to another room, and took all the spiritual stones, precious minerals, and herbs they stored inside, then left without looking back. He was headed to the other martial arts academy. As one of the more famous academies in the capital, it was common for many people to visit the academy. They were here to either visit a well-known martial artist, challenge someone to a fight, or just learn a few moves. The news about how the Sailing Wind Martial Arts Academy had turned into nothing but a pile of dead bodies spread through the city like wildfire. People crowded in fear in front of the academy and peeked in through the door to see a sight that looked like it was straight from hell. Many started whispering among themselves in hope of getting more inside information. But before the government officials could send people to investigate what had happened, the news that another martial arts academy had just suffered the same fate spread through the city as well. Everyone who heard about it talked among themselves in horror and they were filled with uneasiness. This was the capital city after all, yet something so blatantly cruel had happened in broad daylight under their noses. This not only caused panic among the commoners but it also made everyone in the palace become fearful. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan stood next to a well and smiled faintly as he crushed a bright red pill to powder and let it fall into the well. Good luck to all of you. He sent his spiritual sense out and summoned the Huangquan Evil Ghost. What do we do now? asked the ghost in a deep voice as it looked at the increasingly frantic people in the city. We wait. We wait? We wait for the real chaos to settle in, said Gu Suihan as he randomly tossed the unconscious Shuanger to one side, shut his eyes, and did not say anymore. The ghost was rather annoyed by how cryptic Gu Suihan was. But he looked at the girl who had been sleeping throughout all of this and asked curiously, Who exactly is this little girl? I have no idea, but I think she has something to do with the Upper World. Gu Suihan glanced at Shuanger with a flicker in his gaze, as though he was thinking about something. The Upper World? repeated the ghost through gnashed teeth as it clawed at the things around it, scratching everything in the way. Gu Suihan looked at it and asked curiously, Whats the political system like in the Upper World? As long as that tyrant is around, what sort of system do you expect? The ghost suddenly seemed angry enough to eat someone. He terrorizes everyone. If anybody disobeys or protests, that person is dead meat, including all his descendants and extended family. Whats going on with these sects then? I found out that sects like the Seven Kill Sect had come down from the Upper World, said Gu Suihan slowly. These sects? The ghost snorted and didnt bother to hide the sheer disdain on its face. But when it spotted Gu Suihans indifferent gaze, it couldnt help but try to look less disdainful. These sects are more like a bunch of animals that the Qin kingdom rears. If the tyrant didnt need them to conquer new lands or didnt need them as cannon fodder, he would have turned the families of these sects to ashes a long time ago. Oh? So, why do you have such an expression on your face? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow. Thats because even though these influential families and sects are so meek and afraid when they face that tyrant, they oppress the wandering cultivators even more. The ghosts ugly face was twisted in anger. Oh? The ghost spoke with pain in its voice and its yellow-brown pupils kept constricting, showing the deep hatred within its heart. Under the rule of the Qin kingdom, if the kingdom needs them, all cultivators must comply with the kingdoms demands. Conquering new lands requires a huge number of cultivators to lead the way. In order to escape the edict, the sects capture wandering cultivators, erase their memories, then use these wandering cultivators to replace them in this mission that clearly leads to death. Thats a pretty good workaround. The kingdom just needs people who are willing to die in battle anyway. Who actually forms these troops isnt important. Gu Suihan nodded with some admiration and looked like he agreed with doing things this way. Humph! The ghost snorted angrily when it heard Gu Suihan complimenting the behavior of the sects. At the same time, the ghost actually agreed with this method as well. But it only agreed with the concept. If it was called to be cannon fodder, there was no way it was going to agree to that. Nobody would. If humans, or rather, any living thing with sentience were to face a situation where their own benefits or lives were at stake, they would use a strength that they never realized existed in them to fight back. But for everyone watching from the sides, they could remain indifferent and logical. Even so, there were still countless saints and pretentious people who enjoyed using bullshit like ethics, conscience, and other such vomit-inducing terms to rally people together and make them go against their survival instincts. All living things were reasonable only after they were certain that they were in a good and safe situation. Only then would they have the capacity to argue or follow all this garbage about good and evil. Hypocrisy, pretense, scheming, greed, lust, desire C these are all the evil roots of living things. Humans are a product of all these things merged together, thought Gu Suihan silently. But he felt no emotion at all. It had been a long time since he saw himself as human. Otherwise, he wouldnt have persisted in cultivating the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach back then despite knowing the threats and possible problems that came with doing so. The soul is complete, the body flawless. The rules like clothes, the imagery turned into energy. Cutting ties with the seven relationships of mankind, severing the six desires. The hun and po roam freely, leaving their constraints. That was a portrayal of what a cultivator ought to be. Regardless of whether it was a philosophy to turn the Way into the only thing you cared about, or to rise above worldly desires and be unaffected emotionally, or to be heartless and removed from the world C all these different paths, the one thing that all cultivators were pursuing were basically to fulfill the obsession in their hearts. This obsession was what was called the Heart for the Way. The True Self. Some wanted to live freely, others hoped to live forever. Some wanted to become the most powerful, some wanted to travel through space. The manifestation was different, but they all stemmed from the same idea. Have youheard of heavenbefore? said Gu Suihan slowly as he looked emotionlessly at the Huangquan Evil Ghost. The frosty glint in his eyes made the ghost shudder as a chill ran through its entire body. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 C Death Isnt Scary Heaven? Whatswhats that? Gu Suihans piercing gaze made the Huangquan Evil Ghost shudder almost instinctively. It was as though Gu Suihan was the real evil ghost. His oppressing, sinister, and frosty gaze scanned the evil ghosts face several times as if he was trying to check if it was telling the truth or not. But after he saw that the ghost still looked just as confused, he sighed inwardly and said, Never mind. If you dont know what it is, then forget it. Lets go back to what we were talking about earlier. Why did the sects run to this lower world? I dont think theres anything in this lousy place thats worth coming all the way here for, right? It wasnt that complicated. Those useless bums came down because they didnt have a choice, explained the ghost in a contemptuous voice. These useless bums wanted to avoid getting annihilated by the Qin kingdom but they were a bit too weak to fight the major sects of the Upper World, so they had no choice but to join forces, put their stuff together and buy this little world. They barely managed to survive. But even so, I suppose they have to pay extremely high tribute to the Upper World from time to time so that theyd be allowed to continue living here. I see. No wonder those direct disciples have to keep going to the Upper World. There was a flicker in Gu Suihans eyes as he started to understand these things better and had more guesses about the alliance between the various factions in this little world. As they interacted, the tension between them lightened up a little and they understood each other a little better now. Lets go. Gu Suihan looked out at the cloudless night sky and got up. The massacrehas begun. Nighttime was the best time to cause rampant chaos without being detected or noticed. There would be certain factions who would want to seize the opportunity to do certain things under the cover of the night. The capital of Qingguo was usually quiet by this hour, but today, all the lights were on and the entire city was up in arms. ROAAR! Its a monster! Dazhuang, whats wrong with you? Youre scaring your motherAHHH! Liner, what in the world are you doing?! Thats your younger sister! The entire capital city had fallen into complete chaos. Killing, violence, pillage, and even cannibalism. This was a night when blood flooded the streets. What sort of spell did you use? The Huangquan Evil Ghost frowned as it looked down at the escalating chaos and felt its heart pound in fear. Its just a small trick. Not worth mentioning, said Gu Suihan flippantly before flying towards the palace. The ghost dodged the attack of one human who had turned into a flesh-eating monster, then smashed that humans head and flicked his remains off. It asked confused, Just a small trick? Youre wiping out living creatures! If youre not careful, you might wipe out the whole world. Arent you afraid of being consumed by karma? Karma? Gu Suihan snorted. The world goes through constant change but it goes on anyway. There are floods, there are droughts, there is destruction, and the laws governing this world are all over the place. Doing this breaks the almost unnoticeable rule of karma inside this pathetic little world. Why should I be afraid of that? Youre not a cultivator from this place, alright. The ghost swallowed its saliva and said, Youre not even from any of the hundreds of worlds governed by the Qin kingdom. Why dont you guess where Im from? Gu Suihan smiled mysteriously at the ghost and allowed its imagination to run wild. He leaped soundlessly over the thick and high walls of the palace like a bat in the shadows of a cave. Argh! I cant wait to see how you function in the Upper World! sneered the ghost as it snorted at how Gu Suihan seemed to be acting all mysterious. This is Qingguos palace, said Gu Suihan as he stood at the highest point of the palace and looked around. He used his spiritual sense to cover the entire palace grounds. The authoritative pressure from the man who ruled over Qingguo mingled with the murderous qi from the sea of dead bodies that uniquely belonged to Gu Suihan, filling the air with a thick bloodied smell. The murderous qi was so dense, it covered the clear night skies with a thin layer of red, bending even the light rays of the moon. Gu Suihan slowly gave off a faint but strange aura that came from his very bones, which made the Huangquan Evil Ghost next to him hold its breath. It dared not even move an inch. This was an instinctive action. A reverence the weak had for the strong. Youreyoure not only at Divine Soul stageIm sure youre not The ghost was having a lot of trouble trying to hold up against the dense aura that Gu Suihan was inadvertently emanating and its eyes nearly bulged out. A bloodthirstiness surged toward it like an ocean wave, making it wail in pain as its body creaked under the pressure. Thankfully, Gu Suihan noticed the trouble it was having in time. He turned his murderous qi into a gentle wave that protected the ghost and Shuanger from being attacked by it. Die! Die! All shall die! shouted Gu Suihan as he leaped into the sky, his expression so aggressive it was twisted. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with a bloodthirstiness that seemed to shoot out from them. Anybody within his line of sight, whether they were guards, maidservants, or officials, all were turned into minced meat. Who is this wicked person who dares to cause chaos in my country? resounded an authoritative voice. Gu Suihan snapped out of his murderous state and his gaze slowly went back to normal. Long time no see, Your Majesty! Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and smiled frostily when he saw the king of Qingguo march out angrily in his royal purple robes. You are? The king could see right through the primitive illusionary formation set up in the palace and stared straight at the impossibly good-looking young man in front of him with a quizzical look in his eyes. He felt like he had seen this man before. Those indifferent eyes and this assertive layer of murderous qi seemed so familiar. When he spotted the young mans lofty gaze, as though he was a god peering down at ants, a thought hit his mind and he finally remembered who this was. You areGu Suihan! Your memorys not bad! Gu Suihan drew his sword, its blade gleaming like shooting stars. The thick layer of murderous qi was absorbed into its blade and he swung it fiercely at the king. In what way has my country offended you? Why have you done such a perverse thing to my people? The kings sharp eyes saw through the thick fog in the city and saw the chaotic, cruel, and inhumane acts being done among the people, and could not help but bellow at Gu Suihan in fury. There are so many problems in the world. Is there really a need to tie everything to karma? Meanwhile, the Huangquan Evil Ghost sniggered and moved almost invisibly through the palace, its ugly claws working swiftly as it began a massacre within the royal grounds. How dare you! barked the king. He swung his fists like a dragon and took a mighty step forward, which made a clear indention in the floor. The illusion of a strange-looking ferocious beast appeared behind him like an angry dragon rising from the sea waters. The fervent prayer of the people of Qingguo! Come together to decide the destiny of this country! Help your king to smite the enemy! roared the king furiously, his voice echoing throughout the entire capital city. Its actually a real thing! exclaimed Gu Suihan when he saw the illusion of a ferocious beast emerging from the king. According to legend, some monarchies would gather their energy from the faith of their citizens. Not only would doing this bless the people, but this energy could also ensure the smooth running of the country. If a king was still able to gather this energy from his people in times of trouble or disaster, it would gather sufficiently to become a defense weapon. The king could combine the hearts of every citizen and use the combined energies to defeat any enemies. However, this combined energy had a lot of limitations. If the attack was not happening within the boundary of the country itself, then it was completely useless. Also, if the king failed to win the hearts of his citizens and allowed disasters to affect his people, any energy collected would be extremely weak and it wouldnt be able to become anything effective against enemies. So, you think you have an advantage in numbers? Like how enough beetles can kill a tree or enough ants can kill an elephant? Gu Suihan snorted. You think too highly of yourself. He gathered his spiritual sense, which made his spirit glow within his consciousness. The runes formed by countless laws of nature flickered continuously around his spirit. The immense murderous and fiendish qi grew as deep as an abyss, as sinister as a demon. In just a few seconds, it had solidified into the illusion of a demon made from innumerable vengeful souls, measuring about 300 meters in height. ROAAARR! The illusion let out a mighty roar, the relentless soundwaves like sharp swords as they reduced several buildings and pavilions within the palace to rubble. Its roar was like thunder, shaking both the sky and the earth. The surviving residents of the city started bleeding from every orifice because their bodies couldnt take it, quickly losing their minds and eventually breathing their last. This is impossible! The king of Qingguo stared in disbelief at the gigantic demon and staggered backward. His eyes could barely focus as he murmured, Qingguo has millions of citizens and my predecessors have spent the last few centuries accumulating the energies of the people, but it is still only this big. Youre only at Peak Foundation Establishment! How could you possibly refine this much murderous and fiendish qi?! The living creatures I have killed have gone beyond hundreds of millions! Whats a few million to me? Thats nothing! Gu Suihans expression was vicious and his eyes had turned into two deep red whirlpools, as though a demon had arrived on Earth. Hundreds of millions! The light in the kings eyes dimmed, while the ferocious beast behind him let out a sad howl as the demon behind Gu Suihan grabbed it and stuffed it into its mouth. The energies accumulated were gone and his fate was sealed. The king was as pale as a sheet as he stumbled backward until he hit some rubble. He leaned heavily against it with a resolute look in his eye while glaring hatefully at Gu Suihan and bellowed furiously even as his voice cracked, You will suffer retribution! You will get your just deserts and you will be consumed by karma! Youre going to die! Die horribly! Im going to keep my eyes on you and watch you die tragically! Immediately after he said those words, all the pores on his skin exploded violently. Blood sprayed everywhere and filled the air. He turned into ash in the blink of an eye. His voice continued to echo with those curses and a cold wind blew past noisily. The majestic structures and red pillared buildings of the palace that were still standing just moments ago had become nothing but a pile of destruction. The wind blew past the wasteland, gathering a few pieces of broken stones and torn cloth. It was a tragic sight to behold. Retribution? Death? There was a flicker in Gu Suihans eyes. If that could help him to find out the truth, death was nothing to him! Chapter 146 Chapter 146 C Sect Leader Gathering Spit it out! Gu Suihan spun around and narrowed his eyes as he looked indifferently at the gigantic illusion of a demon. ROARRR! The illusion roared loudly, glaring hatefully at the tiny human before it like it was sentient. Countless vengeful ghosts continued to fly about, cutting through the illusion repeatedly and letting out ear-piercing shrieks. Trash will always be nothing but trash. If I were you, I would just shrink back and just keep meditating while finding a chance to make a sneak attack. Perhaps I could get a small chance to take revenge. Gu Suihan looked at the innumerable vengeful souls that made up the illusion with contempt. He smiled frostily, revealing his pearly whites. They looked especially sinister in the moonlight. Dont you know? The bird that flies first is also always the one who gets shot first? Thunder resounded and threatened to bring the sky down. The indignant living creatures whom Gu Suihan had slaughtered turned into negative karmic energy that surrounded him and seemed large enough to cover the sky. They roared angrily and howled miserably as they fought to pounce on Gu Suihan. Some of them had nasty expressions, some had twisted faces and some were filled with hatred, but one thing they had in common was the murderous look in their eyes. Their vacant stare was filled with the deep hatred their owners had toward Gu Suihan. Their instinct was to combine the pathetic and frail little will they had to become a wave of ghosts and take revenge on the man who killed them. How foolish! chuckled Gu Suihan. His voice was tinged with disdain, his gaze lofty as though they were mere ants. It made the Huangquan Evil Ghost that wasnt hiding too far away from all of this shudder in terror. Heshes a demon! A demon left behind from ancient days! The Huangquan Evil Ghost felt like it was going mad. This young man seemed as gentle as a lady, yet operated so decisively and viciously. Initially, the ghost had assumed that Gu Suihan knew some cultivation technique that could create such pure, concentrated and violent murderous qi. To its horror, Gu Suihan was so powerful that he could swallow up the murderous qi and create a sentience that nearly turned him into a murderous spirit. Over all these years, the ghost had seen countless cultivators, whether they were humans, demons, or even those legendary immortals. It had seen them all. But it had never seen a cultivator with so much fiendish qi that Gu Suihan nearly turned into a spirit. Perhapsthere is one. The ghosts expression became twisted as it suddenly remembered that tyrant who had conquered hundreds of worlds and killed anyone who did not obey him. Howhow could you be human? Youre all demons. Youre the real demons! The ghost curled itself up among the ruins and clutched its head in pain. All the dark, murderous qi in the air shall gather around my body! The countless laws of nature shall do nothing else but massacre! Everything can be broken! Everything can be slaughtered! I shall kill all of you! All of you! Anyone who stands in my way shall die! Gu Suihan took a step forward. His spiritual sense was as vast as the sea as it spread outwards. Countless laws of the Way intersected each other within his spirit. Mysterious runes began to flicker. Light shot out from his eyes and seemed to reach the sky. It sounded like thousands of boddhisatva crying out and thousands of souls howling in the distance. It was as though the stars had exploded, the clouds had disappeared and a deep, endless space was spinning within his eyes. In that instant, a bolt of lightning speared. His eyes shot out all sorts of runes that swirled and weaved themselves into a beautiful, eye-catching red spider lily. The petals were soft and swayed in the wind, but they continued to give off the aura of an overlord and it was impossible to look at the flower directly. The runes continued to swirl and a redness filled the air. For that moment, it felt as though this flower was the only thing that existed in the world. Gather the fiendish qi! Refine it! You shall have no choice but to hibernate again. Gu Suihans waist-length black hair flew and his robes flapped loudly even though there was no wind. His messy hair parted to reveal his deathly pale face and the resolute look in his bright eyes that seemed like immovable rocks. The ghosts of the residents of the capital city that had been killed turned into a powerful karmic energy. It was as though the apocalypse had begun. The bloodied, violently swirling clouds enveloped Gu Suihan. The ghosts sometimes stretched their claws out and they screeched and shrieked in anger. It was a terrifying sight to behold. Nowbe quiet!! The redness of the spider lily darkened as though it now had access to the nether world. It carried an invincible sealing power that glowed brightly like a branding iron, which stuck itself firmly onto the bloodied cloud that continued to swirl. You will die a horrible death! You will be eaten by thousands of ghosts! Curse you! Curse you! The howls of the king of Qingguo just before he died continued to ring in Gu Suihans ears. The hatred, fury, and resentfulness of his last words could not be washed away even if you scrubbed them in the deepest of waters. I will die, but not in the hands of trash like you, murmured Gu Suihan quietly as he watched the murderous qi in the sky attempt to escape the seal he had created. His deadened gaze seemed to reflect the stars. A few moments later, the frightening scenes that could make one shudder in fear slowly dissipated. The red spider lily that had sealed up that incredible amount of fiendish and murderous qi was now embedded in the area between Gu Suihans brows, giving his perfect and delicate features a different sort of charm. Let me see whats happened to the world of cultivators! Gu Suihan held up the golden soul with the twisted angry face of the king of Qingguo on it and swallowed it with a smile. Meanwhile, inside a majestic, surreal building high above the clouds. Seven cultivators had nasty looks on their faces as they stared at the broken pieces on the table. They exchanged glances and didnt say anything for a long time. Finally, a cultivator in elegant clothing who had many wrinkles on his face broke the silence. Theyre all dead! A cultivator wearing the uniform of the Vast Sky Sect immediately responded, Hes still alive. Weve suffered terrible losses this time. A vicious-looking man with muscles like a ferocious beast from the War Demon Sect clutched his forehead in pain. The sect leader of the Falling Star Sect was a middle-aged woman with snow-white skin, pretty eyes, well-combed hair, and dressed in royal robes. She rolled her eyes at the man from the War Demon Sect and said, Never mind the dead now. Wed better think about how to deal with that wily old fox, You Hantian. How to deal with him? The vicious-looking man from the War Demon Sect stood up with a start and said through clenched teeth, If he hadnt given us the wrong information, we would have joined hands and killed him by now. We wouldnt be in this state now. Kill him? You know very well that the great Qingming was a powerful cultivator at Divine Soul. His level of cultivation was so high that even if he were to fall into a deep sleep from severe injuries, we wouldnt have been able to kill him either, said the sect leader of the Vast Sky Sect, an elegant middle-aged cultivator. He snorted and stared disdainfully at the sect leader of the War Demon Sect. The sect leader of the Ethereal Court had so many wrinkles on his face, he looked like an elderly farmer. He said slowly, Li Yunjian is right. Were supposed to be the most powerful seven sects, but only the Seven Kill Sect has two cultivators at Nascent Change. My sect only has one elder at Nascent Change whos still meditating in isolation. Us sect leaders are only at Half Step to Nascent Change. If we were to take that one more step, heaven and earth will be in turmoil and we would suffer great tribulations. Its not easy to step into the Nascent Change stage at all, said the sect leader of the Ethereal Court, his voice filled with hesitation and bitterness. The sect leader of the Yin Principle Sect was a middle-aged woman with a gorgeous face, watery eyes, and a charming aura. She had a saddened look on her face as she said, We intended to destroy the great Qingming and use this achievement to force the Seven Kill Sect back to the Upper World. We didnt foresee that so many problems would occur. The sect leader of the Youthful Clarity Sect had a perplexed look on his face as he said, That personis busy conquering other worlds and unifying thousands of other worlds, sohe wouldnt have the time to pay us any attention, right? His voice was uncertain and he didnt seem confident in what he was saying at all. We should think about how to convince You Hantian, or think of a way to make sure he doesnt report to the Upper World. The Ethereal Court sect leader looked clearly upset. Li Yunjian from the Vast Sky Sect said in a low voice, Thats easier said than done. To be fair, we schemed against him first. And now, both sides have suffered damages. Of course, he would be indignant. You must understand that his mission was to guard and keep the Devil Abyss under control in the first place. Watching over us was just something out of convenience. The Yin Principle sect leader fluttered her lashes as she said thoughtfully, Nearly all of his Peak Leaders have suffered severe injuries. And its almost time to seal the Devil Abyss again, isnt it? Are you sayingyou want to help him to seal the Devil Abyss and use that to shut his mouth? asked the Ethereal Court sect leader puzzledly as he considered this option. Thats right. Thats right, my ass! Did you think that old fogey was that easy to appease? This is a good chance for him to take a big bite out of us! Thats the You Hantian we know! yelled the War Demon sect leader angrily as he disagreed immediately. Youre just too proud to do it, scoffed Li Yunjian in a mocking voice. If he reports this, none of us will get away. Im sure you know what happened to the Underworld Sect back then. Everyones faces paled and their bodies trembled slightly at these words. They exchanged glances but did not say a word. After some time, the Ethereal Court sect leader spoke up, Tell you what. Lets all go together. It doesnt matter what price we have to pay. We must dispel his intentions to report this to the Upper World. It doesnt matter what price we have to pay? Thats right. They looked at one another and saw the defeat and bitterness in each others gazes as they fell silent again. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 C Seal Up Isee Gu Suihan slowly awakened from his deep thoughts. He looked at the Huangquan Evil Ghost that was shivering a little fearfully and said flatly, Its time to pay the price. The ghost instinctively took a few steps back, but when it saw Gu Suihans indifferent expression, it remembered something and it looked a little less frightened. It walked toward Gu Suihan reluctantly, then shut its eyes and didnt say anything. Swallow their souls! Gu Suihan pressed his index finger gently against the area between the ghosts brows and used his spirit to create a suction force in his finger. This time, the ghost did not struggle or resist, so Gu Suihan could suck out the souls much more quickly. The ghosts large and scary stature slowly began to shrink. Ugh! The ghost couldnt help but let out a low growl in pain as it sensed energy flowing out of itself. Its instinct was to struggle, but it held its instincts back and had a contorted face as it forced itself not to move. Time slowly ticked by. Gu Suihan only took his finger back when the Huangquan Evil Ghost was simply unable to endure anymore. He had a relaxed look on his face as he felt a coolness throughout his body and was relieved to let out a mouthful of cloudy air. The ghost, on the other hand, sighed as it saw how it had shrunk to five feet tall and looked up at Gu Suihan with a pitiful look on its face. Stop thinking about it. This is something we can do only once. Gu Suihan knew what it was thinking about and refused it without even needing to think. Why? asked the ghost puzzledly. Becausetheres a problem with the plan. Gu Suihan had a darkened look on his face and he felt rather gloomy. He knew why there was a problem. Ever since he set foot in this world, literally nothing he had schemed had gone well. Absolutely nothing. When he wanted to join the Seven Kill Sect, a disciple from another sect made trouble for him and he nearly failed in doing so. Thankfully, he still managed to get in because of his high aptitude and friendship with Li Rong. After that, the three biggest factions of the sect saw him as an enemy for some reason and tried to secretly kill him again and again. After that, he ruined his own name and ran far, far away to avoid the imminent calamity that was coming, but Xiexin zhenren kept his eye on him and dragged him back to the sect. There were all those things that happened after entering the secret realm, as well as the murderous qi that actually tried to swallow him instead of doing his bidding. All these things had happened because of one reason C he was not from this place, so the will of this world was against him. What was the will of this world? Gu Suihan knew that all too well. In short, it was how a world excluded and discriminated against those who werent from it. It was a subconscious notion in the living creatures of a particular world that rejected those from another world. That was why he didnt do anything for several years after taking over young Suihans body and just hibernated inside. That body was from this world after all, so the will of the world would not specifically pick on him. If he hadnt done that, who knew what the world would do to him? A meteoroid might fall from the sky, or he could die in some landslide or tsunami, wiping him out in a supposed natural disaster. But now, he had created a body that belonged to himself perfectly. The slight difference between him and the rest of this world that had been unnoticeable before was now becoming more obvious. In fact, he could even sense faint aggression toward him coming from even the frail and weak plants and trees around him. The only thing I can do right now is to conceal my identity and sneak my way into the Seven Kill Sect to unravel all these mysteries and get to the Upper World as soon as possible, thought Gu Suihan as he scowled. He looked up at the silvery moon and his narrowed eyes emanated a chilling ruthlessness. He had already decided on what to do next, so he glanced at Shuanger, then said to the Huangquan Evil Ghost, Well part ways here. Wha-? The ghost widened its eyes. Why was Gu Suihan suddenly saying such things? Youre not from this world either, so Im sure you must have felt an aggression from this world by now, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he gave the ghost a reason. Youre right. The ghost nodded vigorously. Its as if everything in this world is treating me like an enemy. Its slight, but it feels like theyre all trying to drive me out of this world as quickly as possible. Thats why we cant go on another massacre. If we do that now, wed be challenging the will of this world. If we do that, the only thing waiting for us at the end is death, said Gu Suihan in a stern voice and with a solemn expression. What am I going to do then? How am I supposed to regain my previous state if I dont eat souls? The ghosts expression was nasty as it gnashed its sharp teeth angrily. What youre going to do has nothing to do with me. Thats all then. Ill head off first. Gu Suihan didnt care about what the ghost was worried about. He picked up Shuanger and flew into the sky, riding on the wind like a large roc. Damn it! The ghost spat as it watched Gu Suihan leave coolly without even turning back. It hesitated for a moment, then clenched its teeth and followed behind Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan noticed that Huangquan Evil Ghost following him and had a look of exasperation on his face. He should have been able to fly way too quickly for the ghost, but this ghost was actually capable of using magic. It was impossible for the ghost to actually catch up with him, but it could still move quickly enough to tail him. What do you want? Iwhy dont we go together? That way, we can look out for one another. The ghost continued to shamelessly follow behind Gu Suihan. I dont need you to do that. You do! Or elseI could give you 60% of the soul power I swallow! I said! If we go on another massacre, were both dead meat. I Just leave! Im not leaving! If youre not leaving, I am! Im coming with you! Just fuck off already! Gu Suihan drew his sword and swung it at the ghost. But the ghost merely squeaked and turned itself into an illusion, dodging the attack while still being able to follow behind him. You are really! A few moments later, Gu Suihan stood expressionlessly on a branch and gritted his teeth as he glared at the Huangquan Evil Ghost that refused to go away. There was no way to even kill this thing. It seemed real, yet it wasnt. It seemed like it was merely an apparition, but not quite either. Even if he used some secret technique on it, the ghost wasnt that weak either. It wasnt strong enough to fight him, but he couldnt hurt it either, so it was pointless. Unlike what I had expected, the Seven Kill Sect did not suffer severe damages from being attacked by the other sects and was not forced to hide in their secret realm. In fact, theyve not been harmed at all. The other sects did not seize this chance to annihilate the Seven Kill Sect at all. The only choice I have now is to use Shuanger as bait and use her to enter the Youthful Clarity Sect. Gu Suihan calmed himself down and tried to explain the situation patiently to the ghost, hoping that the ghost would understand the circumstances and leave on its own accord. But to his dismay, the ghost said confidently, Dont worry about that. This world only has those useless bums at Nascent Change. Theyre nowhere as powerful as the ones in the Upper World, so I can promise you that none of them will notice me. What the actual fuck, cursed Gu Suihan before ignoring it and turning to look grimly at the unconscious Shuanger. Youre GROSS! spat the ghost in disgust when it saw Gu Suihan bend over the girl. Fuck you! Gu Suihans eyes were bloodshot as he glared murderously at the ghost. His stare was so chilling, the ghost shuddered violently in fear. Like a dream, like an illusion. Make those fleeting images real! Gu Suihan took a deep breath to calm himself down, then slowly made a hand seal. His spiritual sense filled the strange rune he created and turned into a beam of green light that was guided by Gu Suihan to enter the area between Shuangers brows. He wanted to erase or change her memories. He wanted Shuanger to forget the person named Gu Suihan and forget everything she knew about him from their time in the secret realm. Huh? He entered her consciousness and his lips twitched when he found her spirit as well as some memories that seemed etched into her memory. It seemed like this girl had never suffered a day in her life, which was why her memory of Gu Suihan the bad guy was especially deep. He ranked just below her family. Since I cant erase them, Ill change them! A frosty glint flickered in his eyes as he tapped a finger in the air. The rune turned into a green worm that seemed to be alive and it crawled into Shuangers consciousness. It gave off a faint coolness that slowly melted into Shuangers memory. This process quietly transformed her memory of Gu Suihans outer appearance and even changed her memory of what Gu Suihan was wearing. He had changed her memories to look like someone else C Qingming. And now, its time to write a story. He created a dreamy-looking purple colored rune that generated several scenarios. It was deeply embedded in Shuangers consciousness and became one with her mind. The new memories that Gu Suihan had come up with were very simple. He had turned Qingming into a little pervert with a lolita complex, so instead of killing her, he brought her out with him. Unfortunately, something happened during the teleportation process, so the two were separated and Gu Suihan rescued Shuanger. After he was done spinning a new story, he scanned her memories to make sure everything was alright, then silently backed out of her consciousness. Oww Shuanger clutched her head in pain. Her little face was covered in sweat and it was hard not to show concern for a poor girl who looked so pale. Heart-cleansing spell! Gu Suihan flicked his fingers to cast a spell so that he could do a few things at once. He waved his hand to gather some dried leaves and branches to start a fire, then caught a pitiful little rabbit that was swiftly killed, stripped of its fur, and left to roast above the fire. Now, listen carefully to what Im about to say, and dont miss anything, said Gu Suihan very solemnly to the Huangquan Evil Ghost via telepathy. Go ahead. I am going to seal off my memories and level of cultivation right now. From now on, I will become an ordinary human. You can follow me in the shadows, but you must never, never expose my identity. Otherwise, Im sure you know what consequences will follow. His tone grew frostier and frostier as he spoke. His deep and dark gaze which seemed able to destroy ten thousand stars focused itself on the ghost, which made the ghost shudder and nod vigorously. Gu Suihan knew that regardless of how good ones acting chops were, you were bound to give yourself away in some way or another. In times like these, any clue that he was Gu Suihan could bring a terrible disaster upon himself. So, the safest way would be tochange completely into a different person. Heavenly seal of the soul! Seal of the spirit! False memories! Gu Suihan suddenly made several hand seals. His eyes glowed red and a red line shot out from between his brows. His spiritual energy and fiendish qi were all absorbed by the spirit in his consciousness. The sinister yet brilliant seal of the red spider lily in the same spot slowly faded and did not give off murderous vibes anymore. Questioning Heaven buzzed indignantly but it too flew into his storage ring. The ring gave off light as its outer appearance changed, the runes on it faded and it eventually became an ordinary jade ring. The luxurious and intricately designed robe he was wearing slowly faded and turned into a simple, all-white outfit that many ordinary students in the mundane world wore. Thatsa really ruthless thing to do. Hes ruthless to others, but hes even more ruthless to himself. The ghost broke into a cold sweat as it watched Gu Suihans transformation and felt a chill in its bones. It knew that if one was not careful with this technique, one could enter into an eternal slumber and never wake up from it. The most dangerous part was, if this made-up persona slowly became more and more real, it could become the new owner of the body and gobble up the previous owner. This was what made the ghost really admire this man. In order to survive, Gu Suihan was really willing to pay any price. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 C Dont Kill Me Shuanger stretched her arms and made a lazy nasal sound. Whathappened to me? Gu Suihan slowly opened his eyes and looked a little confused. His instinct was to shake his head repeatedly as if he was trying to empty it of its confused thoughts. Did I get a nightmare again? he muttered. His fine but dense eyebrows were above a pair of eyes that shone as brilliantly as gemstones. He looked both puzzled andabsolutely confused. The little girl turned over and got poked by a branch, so she got up and pouted. She turned to look at the gentle, elegant, and the almost perfect young man who seemed so surreal in the light of the fire and blushed slightly. She cautiously tugged at his sleeve and whispered, Big brother! Can we eat the roast meat yet? Wait a bit. Gu Suihan snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at her. He seemed oddly sweet and kindly under the dim moonlight. He took out some spices from his sleeve, crushed them with his hands, and spread it all over the meat. Sparks flew as the oil of the animal dripped into the fire. A wonderful smell instantly hit their nostrils. Little girl, Im going to the capital to see if some rich family wants to hire me. Where are you going? Gu Suihan laughed when he saw the hungry look on Shuangers face and flicked her head very lightly to tease her. Me? She stared blankly at Gu Suihan. She cupped her cheeks and mumbled, I want to go home. Is your home also in the capital? Then again, judging by your appearance, I suppose you must be from some well-to-do family, mumbled Gu Suihan as he glanced at her and nodded to himself. NoImIm a cultivator! whined Shuanger as she seemed a little anxious to tell Gu Suihan who she was. A cultivator? Those formidable fighters who always look like others owe them money? The people who can make the clouds come and go as they wish? You? An amused smile spread across his handsome face even before he finished speaking. Shuanger swung her fists as if to prove her point and huffed indignantly. II really am a cultivator! Cultivators know how to fly. Can you? Gu Suihan teased her as he tore one of the rabbits legs and stuffed it into her mouth. Iunnghahgaaa She was about to retort but couldnt complete her sentence after Gu Suihan stuffed the rabbit leg into her mouth. She had no choice but to direct her anger to her food, biting it angrily as she glared at Gu Suihan like she was taking revenge on him for not believing her. Gu Suihan just sighed quietly as a confused look filled his eyes again. He pulled at the meat while thinking and put it mindlessly into his mouth. Watch! Shuanger threw the bones into the fire, which stirred up some sparks and the noise snapped Gu Suihan out of his thoughts. He looked up without flinching and turned to look at Shuanger. But after he did that, his jaw dropped and the meat he was chewing fell to the ground. Youyoure really a cultivator? His lips twitched uncontrollably when he saw that Shuanger was standing three feet above the ground. His voice trembled as he said, Aa cultivator? Why would a cultivatorhow could a little girl be aUNLESS! A thought struck Gu Suihan, making his hair stand on end as a chill ran down his spine. He immediately sprang up and ran. HEY! Why are you running? Shuanger had been so smug that she had proved herself to be a cultivator, but Gu Suihan ended up running away like she was some terrifying animal or monster. Stop right there! Shuanger angrily stretched out one of her slightly chubby fingers and a beam of qi shot out like a snake, twisting in mid-air and effectively chaining Gu Suihan to the ground. Dont kill me! Dont kill me! Im not nice to eat! Gu Suihan felt his body stiffen up and he couldnt move his feet anymore, as though they had been nailed into the ground. He immediately shut his eyes nervously and muttered these words repeatedly as cold sweat ran down his face. The moonlight illuminated his deathly pale face and reflected panic, fear, and other such emotions. This.this is insane! The Huangquan Evil Ghost watching in the shadows widened its eyes as it witnessed how Gu Suihan had turned into a completely different person. Big brother! Im not a monster! Im not going to eat you! Shuanger rushed over and was amused when she heard what he was muttering repeatedly. She set him free, only for him to collapse onto the ground, gesticulating frantically as he looked up at her anxiously. He made sure to keep a safe distance from her and said cautiously, Yourereally not going to kill me? Im not going to. You saved me, so why should I kill you? asked Shuanger curiously. She had very little experience as a cultivator, after all. According to legend Before Gu Suihan could finish his sentence, an excited and relieved squeal resounded from afar. Shuanger!! Are you alright? A bright light suddenly appeared in the sky, followed by a faint fragrance. Gu Suihan was dazzled by the light, and by the time he could see clearly again, a woman in a white dress and jade hair accessories in her long, black hair appeared in front of him. Senior sister! Shuanger called out joyfully and ran into the womans arms. Gu Suihan looked at the woman and felt a chilling fear run through his body. He gulped and flailed as he turned to run again. Stop right there! Their voices called out to him and frightened some birds in the trees nearby. They were cultivators after all, so their senses were heightened with qi. Even the tiniest movement that Gu Suihan made couldnt escape their eyes at all. Gu Suihan yelped as he ran even faster than before and squirreled behind a large tree. He stuttered as he tried to plead with them, Iuhhurhurladies, ImIm justIm just an ordinary fellow, sowhywhy do youwhy do you keep holding onto me? You saved me and I havent repaid the favor yet, said Shuanger with a very serious look on her face as she took the older womans hand. Gu Suihan looked at Shuangers expression and instinctively moved backward as he started rambling incoherently, Therestheres no need for that! Weour paths happened to cross and and and when I saw you needed help, I, uh, I thought Id help! Um, um, sometimes people meet and sometimes people go their separate ways and and its alright! Well meet again if were fated to! His eyes kept darting around as he tried desperately to find a way out of this sticky situation. You were the one who saved my junior sister? said the woman from behind the thin veil over her face. Her voice was melodious and pleasant as an oriole. No, Im not! Yes, you are! It was just a coincidence! But you still saved me anyway! That was just an accident! But its the truth! Gu Suihan realized he had underestimated how stubborn this girl was. He sat down resignedly on the ground and looked like he was just waiting to die as he said in a depressed voice, Go ahead and say it then. What do you want with me? Do youdo you want to become a cultivator? A mysterious smile spread across the womans lips. No! Gu Suihan immediately shook his head and refused the offer without thinking. He realized he might anger the ladies by saying that, so he explained with a glum face, My family isnt doing well and Im the only male descendant they have. If I become a cultivator, I wont be able to get married and carry on the family line. Ill let my ancestors down. Thatsa reason thats hard to argue with The Huangquan Evil Ghost could hardly believe his ears. Shuanger and her senior sister were equally speechless when they heard Gu Suihans extremely valid reason. I could give you great wealth or give you a high position. Would that be better? asked the woman after thinking about it for a bit. Gu Suihan considered it for a moment, then turned her down again. No, thats no good too. My father taught me to be a down-to-earth man. A man should not rely on others like that! He got up, patted off the leaves and soil on his clothes, then placed one palm over his other fist as he said solemnly, Ladies, you really dont have to insist on this. It was only right of me to help and Im doing this for a reward. I will take my leave. Wait up! Shuanger yelled after Gu Suihan after he walked off without even looking back. She angrily cast a spell to force him to stop and pulled him right back to where she was. Actually, her senior sister was happy to meet someone who helped out without hoping for a reward. Shuanger was not from this world and had a very special identity. She was destined for bigger things and would leave this world eventually. But it was difficult to break the karmic cycle of repaying a benefactor. She had hoped to end the cycle by repaying the young man in a quick and simple way, but Gu Suihan had turned out to be such a difficult fellow to deal with. Spiritual Acupoint Compass! A small and intricately designed compass appeared in her hand. She tapped it with a finger and seemed to have taken something out of Gu Suihans body. She then fixed her eyes on the compass. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 C Forced Into The Sect Gu Suihan gasped in horror and stared fearfully at the woman. His heart instantly sank into despair. He was so sure he was doomed. Not only were these people going to be ungrateful, they were also going to torture him to death. Or at least, thats what he thought. Oh? The senior sisters pretty eyes suddenly lit up as she stared unblinkingly at the compass in her hands. Shuanger turned to look at the compass as well and exclaimed, Complete understanding with the sword and a natural formation of a sword will? What the Gu Suihan stared at the dazzling compass blankly. He had no idea what was going on at all. The woman looked at him and asked, Do you have any ancestors who were cultivators? Nope! She refused to give up. After thinking of other possibilities, she asked, Youlearned martial arts from a young age? Nope! Have you learned swordsmanship before? Do you find that you learn sword techniques very easily? Gu Suihan couldnt stand the hot gazes of the two ladies and rubbed his nose a little shyly as he said with some embarrassment, ActuallyIve only used a knife to try and kill a chicken! Andit didnt die. Good heavens, hes a genius! Simply amazing! The heavens are watching over the Youthful Clarity Sect! The two ladies spoke in low voices to one another as they gave Gu Suihan a strange look. Are youdone asking me questions? Can I go now? asked Gu Suihan in a shaky voice as he shuddered. The two of them kept looking at him like he was some great treasure or something. NO! They both turned to glare at Gu Suihan. But why? You have a lot of potential for becoming a cultivator. What has that got to do with anything? If you dont cultivate, then youll be wasting your talent. If I dont get you to learn swordsmanship, thatll be like throwing a treasure into the trash! But I still want to get married There are plenty of pretty and lovely female cultivators in the sect. Gu Suihan asked meekly, Can Ican I say no? No, you cant! Shuanger gesticulated wildly. She was so excited, it was as though she was seeing some rare item for the first time. Gu Suihan racked his brains to find another excuse. I, uh, I might not be able to get used to such a simple and quiet life. Thats alright. After some time, youll get used to it. IllIllget usedused to it?! Gu Suihan felt like crying now. We shouldnt delay anymore. Lets go. The woman seemed afraid that Gu Suihan might try to escape again, so she knocked him out with a strike to the back of his neck, picked him up, and flew off with Shuanger. Gu Suihan felt a breeze beforehe completely conked out. Just before losing consciousness, one thought popped up in his head: Cultivators also engaged in human trafficking! Hes reallyincredible. Thats how formidable someone at Divine Soul is! The Huangquan Evil Ghost had hidden in the shadows and concealed its presence as it watched the trio fly off into the night. After a short while, it let out a sigh, then quickly followed behind them. Meanwhile, in an abandoned pavilion in the Devil Abyss. A human-shaped creature covered in gray dust that resembled a statue suddenly trembled. Itsalmosttime! A sulfuric miasma filled the air all around the pavilion, so visibility was limited to only a distance of three feet. On the ground was a dense network of trenches that looked like a spiderweb. From time to time, wisps of grayish-black mist would rise from the trenches. They smelled terrible. Also, a hair-raising low roar or long howl could be heard from beneath the ground. In the middle of the pavilion stood one ancient well. There was no water in the well. The golden runes all over it kept wriggling like there were ants all over the well. From time to time, a thick black smoke would rush upwards from inside the well, accompanied by a terrifying howl. After that, the runes would suddenly seem to come alive, and the laws they dictated would be activated. A golden light would swirl around the top of the well, as a thick layer of qi would form several chains of runes, ensuring that the black smoke could not come out. The human-shaped creature would then let out a long sigh and execute a powerful spell that would be brought down powerfully on the black smoke. The black smoke would wail indignantly and fall back to the bottom of the well. Its gettingmore and more frequent! Over at the Youthful Clarity Sect. Shuanger and her senior sister flew rapidly back to the sect headquarters and flung Gu Suihan into the main hall. Whatwait, who is this? The two deacons in the hall stared strangely at Gu Suihan, who was bound with so many ropes, he looked more like a caterpillar. It took them a moment to realize this was actually a person. This fellow is a genius who has a complete understanding of the sword and a natural formation of sword will. He saved Shuanger but refuses to become a cultivator or join the Youthful Clarity Sect. I had no choice but to bring him back like this. Shuangers senior sister noticed that Gu Suihan hadnt given up struggling despite being all tied up on the floor and was actually trying to roll out of the hall. Her lips twitched as she shot out a beam of qi that surrounded Gu Suihan and lifted him right off the floor. Jingjing, youreyoure really getting more and more violent these days! A voice resounded from outside the door. A man in a green robe and a chiseled jaw came walking in and stared strangely at Shuangers senior sister, who looked a little embarrassed by herself. He glanced at the still struggling Gu Suihan suspended in the air and was quite impressed as he thought, What an energetic fellow. Hes already in this state, but hes still trying his best to escape. So, youreforcing him to join the sect? The two deacons had a gleam in their eyes as they looked at Gu Suihan. Their greedy stare made the struggling boy shudder. Well do just that! The two deacons knew what each other was thinking about after a quick exchange of glances. They had lost a lot of disciples to that secret realm, so all seven major sects were in mourning. The sect was no longer bustling with activity, and they were left with very few people. The internal disciples were the pillars of strength of the sect, and they were also meant to be sent to the Upper World. After suffering such a severe loss, they were still left with a lot of external disciples, but most of them didnt have much potential. They barely made it to Foundation Establishment, and there was no way theyd reach Origin Core. They didnt even have enough good ones left for them to mix in these lousy ones without anyone noticing. They were left with no other choice. The higher-ups of every sect put up a mission to look for talented people with high levels of aptitude. Some external disciples who were desperate for more cultivating resources and knew they couldnt rise above their current status if they didnt do anything instantly went crazy. All of them left the sect to scour the Earth for talented people, hoping to round up hundreds of new disciples in order to chalk up brownie points with the sect. But only the external disciples were going crazy. The few internal disciples left behind merely laughed at the mission. They would only try to persuade someone to join the sect if they were good-looking. This was the first time an internal disciple literally kidnapped someone and stormed the sect hall. This caused a commotion as disciples gathered outside the hall and kept trying to see what was so different about this young man struggling in the air. Take his soul fire! shouted one of the deacons. His eyes glimmered, and his hands moved like the wind as he sent beam of qi after beam toward Gu Suihans various internal organs and joints, then tapped the area between the young mans brows repeatedly, even as he watched on in horror. Get me a soul lantern! the deacon shouted in a stern voice. He slowly moved his finger away from Gu Suihans face, and a faint gray mist followed his finger. The other deacon quickly made a hand seal and led that wisp of soul fire into the lantern. He thrust the hand seal out, and the mysterious runes on the surface of the lantern started moving. There was a small cracking sound as the soul fire fell onto the middle of the lantern-like it was a spark and gave off a faint glow. Greetings, Senior Master! Jingjing had full control over Gu Suihan, who had now given up trying to escape. His body bent over against his will, and he fell to his knees before a portrait. Crack! Just before Gu Suihans knees hit the floor, the portrait suddenly started giving off beams and beams of sword will. Brilliant flashes filled the air, and the beams seemed almost real. At the same time, the old man holding a sword and walking in the air in the portrait seemed to have come to life as he turned to stare at Gu Suihan. The old man had a steely gaze, but there was now a tinge of fear in them. Whats going on? Everyone was up in arms. Nothing like this had ever happened in the history of the sect. The portrait began to flap loudly even without the presence of wind. Everyone watched in shock as it rolled itself up, fell onto a table, and trembled like it was alive. Not only were the disciples completely stunned, but even the two deacons had a puzzled look in their eyes. Just when they were all unsure of what to do, the portrait suddenly shook violently. Icannot allow him to kneel to me! I cant take it! an old and reverent voice slowly resounded from within. Theres a spirit inside the portrait? Who in the world is this young fellow? The senior master actually says he cant accept a kneel from him! Could this fellow be a powerful cultivator in his previous life, who lost his memories when he was reincarnated? Maybe. Many of them agreed with this possible explanation. Craaack! A small crack appeared in the heavy seal inside Gu Suihans consciousness. A dim and darkened gaze that seemed able to see anything it wanted slowly peeked out from the crack. Ahh! Gu Suihan howled in pain. He felt like lightning had struck his brain and his entire body was cold all over. As he writhed about in pain, his hair faded to reveal his impossibly perfect face. Hes so pretty! Thatsa man? Exclaims went through the crowd as both men and women alike stared in wonder at the pale-faced Gu Suihan. Nobody had noticed that inside Gu Suihans half-closed eyes, frightening fireworks were exploding within, as though the stars in outer space were crashing into one another and smashing to pieces. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 C Good People Dont Live Long Senior brother, do you think he could be asked one deacon hesitantly to the other via telepathy. He sounded a little helpless as to what to do. Thats impossible! Do you know what level of cultivation that person is at? The other deacon immediately shot the idea down and responded in a stern voice, Someone at Divine Soul has a complete hun and po, and their will lives forever. Losing ones memory will never happen. Besides, if it was really that person disguising himself, the senior master would have noticed when we took the soul fire from this young man. Dont forget, that person committed a terrible sin in the Upper World back then, and even the kingdom has issued a search warrant to thousands of worlds. There are countless people who would be familiar with him. Youre right. Its too bad that our plan failed. Im sure that fellow isnt dead yet. Otherwise, thousands of disciples from the major sects wouldnt have all perished just like that. The first deacon was relieved at first, but the thought of the disciples who died in the secret realm made him grit his teeth. He lost a nephew in the secret realm too. There, there. Dont take it so hard. Its hard to discern the will of the heavens, and many things on the path of cultivation are unforeseen. Everythingeverything is really a tribulation. The other deacon sighed inwardly when he saw the pained look on his juniors face and patted his shoulder to comfort him. Whats your name? The deacon smiled warmly as he cast a heart-purifying spell on Gu Suihan, which greatly relieved him of the splitting headache he was suffering from. GuSuihan. Gu Suihan now looked a little frostily at the deacon. He panicked a little when he thought about what these deacons had taken from his brain earlier, and he had a gut feeling that even if he died, he wouldnt be able to get out of the Youthful Clarity Sect anymore. That thought made him hate the cultivators in front of him now. The seeds of hatred were quietly sown at this very moment. Hold on to your disciple token carefully, okay? Jingjing, take him out to where he can collect his pills and spiritual stones. The deacon felt guilty and did not dare to look straight at Gu Suihans sinister gaze. He avoided Gu Suihans gaze and used his qi to quickly carve a disciple token for the young man, then threw it to him. Senior sister, why is big brother just sitting in the pavilion in a daze? Shuanger and Jingjing stood far, far away, halfway up the mountain, and looked down at the courtyard that looked like it was part of a painting. It had a quiet pavilion with red pillars that overlooked a pond with carp swimming in the waters. The two ladies had been observing Gu Suihan for several days now. Ever since he came back with them, he had not said a single word, and if he saw them, he would blatantly give them a hateful stare. His piercing gaze made their hearts turn cold, and they felt a chill run down their spine. After that, they didnt dare to face Gu Suihan. They didnt even dare to enter his little courtyard. I dont know. But weve had someone who refused to become a cultivator no matter what, just like him. He was forced to join the sect and tried to escape, but after failing each time, he finally gave up and resigned himself to his fate. And when he did that, he actually advanced much more quickly in his cultivation than before, said Jingjing with much confidence. But when she thought about that begrudging look that Gu Suihan would give her, the confidence she felt disappeared again. How did I end up like this? wondered Gu Suihan as he stared in a daze at the intricately carved token on the table. This situation hurt him so much. Do good peoplecome to bad ends after all? The teachings of his parents slowly surfaced in his mind before the scene suddenly switched to the moment where a surge of refugees killed them cruelly. His parents were kind folks who would definitely set up a tent to cook porridge for victims of natural disasters. But all they got in return was a tragic end to the family. He had been lucky enough to escape that calamity, and he decided to try and look for his uncle, who lived in the capital, to see if his uncle would take him in. Along the way, he noticed a little girl passed out along the road and decided to rescue her. He didnt expect himself to end up like this. Become a cultivator? He didnt want to do that. He just wanted to have a normal family, to be surrounded by his loved ones, and enjoy bliss with the ones he loved. To him, it was enough for one to live for a few decades. Why insist on cultivating as if your life depended on it? And watch loved one after loved one die in front of you? Why would anyone want that? Iwill have my revenge. Gu Suihan glared spitefully at the small token and gripped it tightly, ignoring the terrible pain brought by the sharp corners of the token cutting into his fair skin. It was as if he was determined to do something. He slowly released his grip and looked at the bloodied token in his hand. He suddenly burst into a smile. His smile was pretty, but it was void of any feeling. IveI dont think Ive ever learned how to wield a sword. But why does it seem so familiar to me? As he held a long sword in his hand, a feeling of dj vu came over him. This really puzzled him. But he quickly put aside all these thoughts since he couldnt figure it out anyway and turned his attention to the sword manual lying on the table. Swooshing Wind Sword Technique! He looked at the complex sword moves and the overly complicated technical explanations that he had never seen before and felt even more puzzled now. He realized that he seemed to understand all of it. He instinctively closed his eyes and began thinking about everything he had just read. The complicated manual was slowly analyzed and put together again in his mind, then reenacted flawlessly in his brain. Its so simple! He picked up the sword and started going through each move like he had practiced them a thousand times before. He didnt look like he was doing this for the first time at all. Complete understanding with the sword and a natural formation of a sword will! Jingjing got excited and watched in amazement at Gu Suihan wielding the sword with ease. There was a gleam in her pretty eyes that was tinged slightly with some jealousy. Gu Suihan? Big brother Jingjing did not notice that Shuanger was frowning deeply as though she was having a terrible headache. Why do I feel this odd familiarity with him? Its as though hes more than just my benefactor. I seemI seem to have forgotten something! Why am I able to do this like its not my first time? Gu Suihan slowly executed each move and only became more puzzled. He felt like he had forgotten something, and this thing he had forgotten was extremely important to him. Come along, Shuanger. It looks like hes gotten over it, said Jingjing after she sighed inwardly at how quickly Gu Suihan had learned the moves. She took the girls hand in hers and quietly left their spot on the mountain. What?! Hes mastered the Whooshing Wind Sword Technique after just reading it once? On the peak of the mountain, the sect leader of the Youthful Clarity Sect, Zhou Lingfeng, stared unblinkingly at the elder before him with a shocked but excited look on his face. The elders face was all red as he did his best to hold up against the pressurizing sword will of his sect leader that was able to slice through almost anything. His voice was weak as he replied, Thats right. Jingjing saw it very clearly. Gu Suihan had only read the manual for less than 15 minutes, and he was able to replicate the moves without any mistakes. There was no presence of qi, but the details were all there. The heavens are looking after the Youthful Clarity Sect! Zhou Lingfeng quietened down and retracted the powerful sword will he had unleashed earlier. After a few moments of thinking, he said in a low voice, The world of cultivation is in chaos, and all the sects have suffered a lot of damage. Everyone is pretty much only left with the most powerful and the least powerful people in the sect. Despite these circumstances, we actually stumbled upon a disciple with such incredible talent? Im worried that Sect Leader, that shouldnt be possible. The great Qingming was a formidable cultivator at the Divine Soul Realm. His hun and po are one, so he is no longer bound by the laws of nature that govern this world. Nobody in the Upper World has ever heard of a Divine Soul cultivator losing their memories either, so I think the chances of what youre worried about are very low. The elder thought about what Zhou Lingfeng said, then argued against this possibility. Zhou Lingfeng did not really suspect it was true either. This was just the cautious instinct he had as the leader of a sect. He didnt think much about it after that. Sect Leader, I think this is a time of political chaos. Since we have such a genius on hand, we should spend all our efforts and resources in grooming him now, thenperhaps two years later, we can kill off the best from other sects during the inter-sect exchange, said the elder excitedly, his eyes glinting as if he had thought of something. Zhou Lingfeng was not stupid. The elder had not explained much, but he could guess what the elder was talking about. His face became flush with excitement, and his gaze was electrifying as he declared in a deep voice, We might even be able to squeeze the Seven Kill Sect out of their position among the top three and replace them! Thats right! This sounds like a plausible plan. Send out my instructions to the rest to make sure everyone puts in every effort to train and groom that young man from today onwards. It must be done at any cost. Zhou Lingfengs eyes were bloodshot as he spoke decisively. According to what these fellows are planning, theyre after something really big, but Ive lost a lot of my strength. At the same time, the world of cultivation seems to think that Qingming is actually still alive. For Gu Suihan to display such aptitude during such dire times is really quite a crazy thing to do. The Huangquan Evil Ghost had been hiding inside the courtyard where Gu Suihan lived and had seized the chance to gobble up the soul and memories of an elder, so it found out what was going on and couldnt help but worry for Gu Suihan. But a few seconds later, it had a hardened look in its eyes as it muttered, Never mind! Never mind! All cultivators have to always keep their eyes on the things ahead but also watch their backs. Since I was the one who insisted on following him so that I could gain something along the way, its time I contributed in some way. Once it had decided, it looked intently at Gu Suihan, who was seated cross-legged on the floor and cultivating. It silently prayed for the young man, then transformed itself into a black shadow and floated silently out of the sect. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 C Battle Inside The Mind Big brother, here are pills sent by the sect leader. Also, these packets here are herbs for an herbal bath. And these two maidservants will be in charge of taking care of your daily needs. Shuanger emptied a whole pile of expensive and precious items from her storage ring like they cost nothing, pointing each item out as she explained what they were to Gu Suihan. Why are they taking such good care of me? asked Gu Suihan in a steady voice, his expression as emotionless as a pool of still water. He was no longer as depressed as before, and he was now working toward taking revenge on the Youthful Clarity Sect, but until now, he was unable to face Shuanger and Jingjing like before. Over the past few days, he had focused entirely on cultivating and practicing. He didnt have anybody to guide him, yet he had been able to increase his capabilities by leaps and bounds purely because of his aptitude. But even though he had improved very quickly, he was still a young man who didnt have any experience in killing, fighting, or even scheming against others. He thought that the sect would just treat him like an ordinary disciple. He didnt expect them to treat him so well. All these things made him think that something was up. I heard that in a few years time, we will have the inter-sect exchange that occurs only once every century. The sect leader intends to groom you with everything we have so that you can show off during the exchange and put our sect in a position above the rest, explained Shuanger with some difficulty. She was still young, and being able to explain this much despite knowing so little was already not bad. I see. There was a look of enlightenment in his eyes for just one second before his gaze became indifferent again. Just put the things here. He waved the two maids to come closer, looked them over, then said flatly, From today onwards, you two will be called Taohua and Lihua. Immediately after he said those words, his face stiffened up. Those words had tumbled out of his mouth without thinking, as though it was just instinctive. This made him feel goosebumps all over. All these signs made him all the more suspicious that he had definitely forgotten something. Something very important. Sobig brother, Im off! Shuanger looked sadly at Gu Suihan as she remembered how he had been such a gentle and bright young man who took care of her and cooked for her in the forest. She felt rather depressed when she saw how he now exuded an icy and unfriendly air. She pouted and walked out of his courtyard reluctantly. Young master, we will bring your things in. If you need anything, please call for us. Taohua tugged at Lihua, cautiously bowed to excuse themselves, gathered all the things that Shuanger had brought, and walked into another room. What have I forgotten? Gu Suihan wasnt paying attention to them at all, and he had a perplexed look on his nearly perfect face as he fell into deep thought. Several months later, back inside the Ethereal Courts headquarters high above the clouds. The sect leaders had gathered again. I just got the news that Rolling Clouds Temple has been destroyed. The sect leader of the Ethereal Courts eyes were half closed, and his expression was stern as he said, Apparently, there was some ghost qi left behind. Ghost qi? The other sect leaders raised an eyebrow as though they immediately connected this fact to something else. According to what I learned from the Upper World, the reason why Qingming had to escape was that he had snuck into the kingdoms workshop, said Zhou Yunjian of the Vast Sky Sect. Are you saying that the Rolling Clouds Temple incident has something to do with Qingming? asked the cultivator dressed in the gray robes of a nun from the Wonderful Sound Sect. Zhou Lingfeng had a solemn look on his face, and his gaze flickered as he said, This world is very small. Thats why there arent many sects. The Rolling Clouds Temple was set up by a wandering cultivator who was only at Origin Core. But that cultivator cultivated in ghosts and the like. How did it get destroyed by a ghost? Legend has it that the workshop of the kingdom has always had something to do with creatures from the nether world. Are you saying that Qingming snuck into the workshop back then, took something out from it, and when the kingdom found out, that tyrant flew into a rage, and thats why he ordered all the worlds under his rule to search for Qingming? It seems like thats what happened. If thats the case, then the Rolling Clouds Temple incident definitely has something to do with Qingming, said Zhou Lingfeng slowly. The formidable sword will he normally exuded actually faded a little after he said these words. The thought of having a Divine Soul cultivator in their world was simply too intimidating. It felt like a mountain was weighing down on their heads, making it almost impossible to breathe. In any case, weve got to investigate thoroughly. We have to find Qingming no matter what it takes. Otherwise, if we allow him to have time to plan and slowly recuperate, were all going to die, said the Ethereal Court sect leader with a pale face and a trembling beard. The Rolling Clouds Templeis pretty close in proximity to the Youthful Clarity Sect, isnt it? said Zhou Yunjian in an insinuating voice. The sect leader of the War Demon Sect grinned gleefully but dropped his smile and put on a solemn expression again when he spotted the scowl on Zhou Lingfengs face. Thats right. Well have to count on you then, Sect Leader Zhou. If you discover anything, you must send us a jade slip to notify us, and well go over to attack him at once. Given Qingmings capabilities right now, I dont think hed be able to hold up against us if we combine forces. Alright then. Zhou Lingfeng tasted bitterness in his mouth, but the invisible pressure from the other sect leaders forced him to agree to this. The mountains keep no record of time, and a thousand years pass before long. Without realizing it, another half a year ticked by, like water trickling through the gaps between ones fingers. PerfectPhysical Realm! Gu Suihan let out a mouthful of filthy air and smiled as he felt the surging energy in his body. He had no idea how his aptitude had turned out this good. He had barely joined the sect, but he had herbal baths daily and access to many pills, so he had reached the Perfect Physical Realm very quickly. Moreover, when he scanned the inside of his body, he noticed that there were some strange lines on his bones that were getting deeper with time, and they gave off a powerful aura. Three months later, his meridian channels had become fully connected. After using large amounts of pills and spiritual stones to refine his meridian channels, they turned into spiritual meridians a month later. Foundation Establishment! Gu Suihan chuckled as he brandished his sword all by himself in the middle of the night. His sword qi soared into the air like a dragon and were like sharp knives as they reduced the courtyard to rubble as though the structures were made from bamboo. I dont have much time, murmured Gu Suihan to himself. A frosty glint appeared in his eyes that gleamed like black gemstones. Just then, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head that seemed to pierce through his very bones. Not again! He dropped his sword, and he leaned against the table, clutching his head so tightly that he crushed his hairpiece without realizing it. The crushed pieces stabbed into his palm, and his black hair flew in the wind. He seemed like a demon as he unleashed a terrifying murderous qi that seemed ready to gobble someone whole. II am Gu Suihan. No, not THAT Gu Suihan. II am me. Nobody can replace me. Earth? What place is that? The Way of Heaven? Master? Who? A piece of animal hide? Demonic script from the past? The truththe truth of the Way of Heaven? His clothes were soaked with sweat as he collapsed weakly on the stool, his expression fierce and twisted, yet confused and lost. His gaze was filled with so many complex emotions. II am myself! he roared in a low voice as though he was trying to confirm this fact. His features were so contorted he looked more like a vengeful ghost now. Even though the owner of the body had sealed himself up, the owners obstinate nature remained as resilient as ever. That tiny crack in his consciousness had become even deeper now. It was now twice as wide as compared to when it first appeared. And in proportion to the growth of the crack, the indifferent and lofty gaze that hid behind the crack had become more and more obvious. Whenever he refined his physical body and curiously observed the strange lines on his bones, this sort of thing would happen to him. The more he cultivated, the more he felt like he was hiding the shadow of some great person within his subconscious. After he reached Foundation Establishment, these excruciatingly painful headaches occurred even more frequently than before. Its happening to Young Master again. Taohua and Lihua were trembling with their hands cupped over their mouths in a small room of the house as they watched Gu Suihan transform into a completely different person through a crack in their window. The last time this happened was at the beginning of the month. This is happening half a month earlier than expected, Lihua whispered into Taohuas ears in a trembling voice. Whos there? Gu Suihan suddenly turned his head. His hair was drenched in sweat and stuck to his face, covering his empty stare. But even so, his gaze was able to see through the gaps between his hair and through that crack in the window to stare straight at the pale faces of Taohua and Lihua. The two maids cupped a hand tightly over each others mouths, held their breaths, and ducked under the windowsill like a pair of frightened rabbits. The moonlight that shone in illuminated their terrified gazes. Iam myself! muttered Gu Suihan once more, as if to confirm this fact one more time. He turned away, then collapsed onto the ground as he lost consciousness. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 C There Are Idiots Everywhere Once Taohua and Lihua had hidden beneath the windowsill for about 15 minutes and realized that everything outside had gone quiet, they mustered up their courage to peek out of the crack in the window again. They were relieved to see that Gu Suihan had collapsed, and they ran out into the yard. Hurry, hurry! They had done this so many times over the past year. Just like before, weve got to pretend that nothing happened. Otherwise, who knows what Young Master might do? said Lihua softly to Taohua once they had returned to their small room connected to Gu Suihans after they had carried him back to his bed and tucked him in. Lihua looked at the younger girl whom she regarded as a sister, pointed at Gu Suihan, then ran her finger across her neck to warn her of what could happen. Taohua was so frightened that she hugged Lihua tightly and refused to let go for a long time. After she had finally comforted Taohua sufficiently to convince her to go to bed, Lihua sat alone by the bed with a conflicted look in her eyes as she glanced toward Gu Suihans room. Those words were not only a warning to Taohua but also to herself. Maids like them were trained from a young age to serve cultivators. The people who trained them had warned them several times over the years about how cultivators could have a very unpredictable temperament. As maids, they had to keep their mouths shut about anything they saw or heard because, to cultivators, any careless slip could result in great calamity to them. On the contrary, these maids were like extra seasoning on food. The maids were at their beck and call, and their lives were of almost no value, even if they were pretty. Those who were able to cultivate were the cream of the crop. Nobody with such a bright future or such great opportunities in life would be swayed by a mere pretty face. If only I could cultivate! That would be so nice, murmured Lihua to herself. She looked enviously at the sleeping Gu Suihan and sighed sadly. With regard to the destruction of the Rolling Clouds Temple, I went to take a look myself, and I didnt find anything unusual. I didnt expect the Dawning Clouds Shrine to also suffer complete destruction. Zhou Lingfeng looked dismayed as he said in a low voice, Someone with such formidable methods cannot be from our world. Im quite sure this person has something to do with Qingming. A lot of small sects have been coming to us in hope of receiving protection in return. I believe the rest of you are also annoyed by this, said Zhou Yunjian in an irritated voice as he frowned. Zhan Wuchang, the sect leader of the War Demon Sect, had a glum face as he said, The only thing we can do now is to make sure that we get rid of Qingming completely so that our sects can gain a breather. Only then can we take the time to slowly rebuild our sects and send cultivators to the kingdom the next time we need to. Everyones expression fell when Zhan Wuchang talked about how they would eventually have to send cultivators to the Upper World. But they could only sit in silence and accept this as their reality. They were in this predicament because they had failed in their plans. This was their own fault. Thats easier said than done. We dont even know where he is. How are we supposed to get rid of him? Zhou Lingfeng scoffed at what Zhan Wuchang suggested. None of them were fools. If they really wanted to track someone down, they would find a way to do so. The problem was, doing such a thing would cost them a lot, especially since the other person was a cultivator at Divine Soul. This man had cut himself from any karmic cycle and severed all ties with his worldly desires and relationships. His hun and po were one entity too. It was impossible to track him down without paying a high price to locate him. Everyone knew there was a price to pay. But who was going to pay it? Nobody wanted to. Cultivators were all selfish people. Those who stood up for the right thing and helped others were all dead and completely decomposed in some random place out there. Ill do it. Just as everyone was focusing on drinking tea and refusing to step forward, the beautiful woman from the Falling Star Sect smiled faintly as she casually threw the old man from the Ethereal Court a look of disdain while agreeing to take up this challenge. Thats a good idea. The Falling Star Sect is an expert in such techniques, murmured Zhou Lingfeng as he nodded slowly. Theres no time to waste. Settle this matter first, then well go look for that wily old fox, You Hantian. At worst, well give him all the credit. We just cannot allow him to report this matter to the Upper World. Zhou Yunjian had a scowl on his face as he crushed the teacup in his hand to powder silently. Everyone had a scowl on their faces too, but there was nothing they could do about this situation. If You Hantian were allowed to report this matter, they were certain that tyrant would happily crush the ants that tried to bite him to death. All of them were wily old foxes who had remained in this high position for hundreds of years themselves, so they knew this very well. If they didnt nip the problem in the bud, they were asking for more trouble in the future. They took Zhou Yunjians words very seriously. This was a matter of life and death to them. They werent ready to die just because they didnt want to give the credit to somebody else. Im off first. Well gather here again after a month, and Ill execute a secret technique. Hes a cultivator at Divine Soul, so even though hes not at his peak now, were still no match for him. So, once I execute that technique, I will be severely injured, and I will have to leave him to the rest of you, said the beautiful woman after she finished her tea. She glanced at the Ethereal Court sect leader who sat in the chair reserved for the leader of the group and scoffed disdainfully. Actuallythe Ethereal Court is better at such techniques, arent they? Zhou Yunjian smirked as he unleashed a beam of righteous qi from his finger without even looking at the Ethereal Court sect leader. The beam of qi cut through the thick clouds, and Zhou Yunjian laughed loudly as he flew off. Hoho! Zhou Lingfeng and the other sect leaders exchanged smiles, glanced at the Ethereal Court sect leader, then took their leave. Young Master, its time for your herbal bath. Taohua stuck her head out from the bathroom, her face so red it looked like a freshly steamed bun. Gu Suihan nodded and grunted in response. He flung the sword in his hand aside and ignored the whining of the weapon that clearly had a mind of its own. For some reason, he felt apathetic toward everything. Everyone was so envious that he had a spiritual weapon, but it was nothing more than a sword to him. For some reason, a faint feeling of disgust would fill his heart whenever he noticed any sign of sentience in any spiritual weapons. He had no idea why this happened, but he had a feeling that this had something to do with that gloomy shadow inside his brain. An elder is giving lessons at the Sword Plain in the afternoon, Young Master. Are you going to attend? asked Lihua quietly from behind the screen. Yes, Ill be going. The two of you can sleep early tonight. A lesson by the elder will end quite late, said Gu Suihan flatly as he moved the qi within his body to absorb the energy from the herbal bath. He knew why she was asking him this question. Oh, look. Junior brother Gu is here too. Hes flown here. I guess hes at Foundation Establishment already. Constantly having to be compared to people like him will really be the death of me someday. Hes been singled out by the sect leader to be given special training and privileges, so someone should be giving him one-to-one lessons. Why is he here? I dont know. I just know that this fellow is really arrogant beyond belief. Hes good only because hes got a high level of aptitude. Id be as good as him if I had his aptitude. Several disciples immediately started whispering among themselves when they spotted Gu Suihan from afar. Their gazes were all centered on him, and their words were filled with jealousy. They were clearly very displeased with the unfair treatment Gu Suihan was getting. Hes just a dumbass whos so blessed but doesnt seem to know it. I heard that before joining the sect, he absolutely refused to become a cultivator, said one of them in a shrill and sour voice as he looked disdainfully at Gu Suihan. That was a voice meant to provoke Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan didnt even have to look at the other partys provoking expression to know that this was yet another idiot who was obsessed with getting more for himself. This idiot noticed that he was getting special training and treatment, so the idiot was hoping to take him down and move up the ranks. Youve got a death wish? Ill grant you that wish, said Gu Suihan frostily. A sinister smile spread across his face as he looked at the muscular external disciple with narrow eyes. Immediately after he said those words, he drew his sword and brought it down heavily, even as the other party stared at him in shock. The sword qi was powerful enough to part the sea, and the blade could cut through the sky. How dare you! How dare you ignore the sect rules and attack me like this! Arent you afraid youd get disciplined by the Disciplinary Court? The other party reacted quickly, slamming a hand on his heavy scabbard, which flew into his hands. He held it up horizontally and managed to block the imminent attack. If they get rid of my ability to cultivate, Ill be happy to let them handle me, said Gu Suihan with a snort. He pulled his arm back such that the two blades zinged against each other and caused sparks to fly in a long line before thrusting it with lightning speed at the palm of the other man, who was using it to hold his scabbard. Humph! And you think Im afraid of you? yelled the other disciple. He raised his scabbard and ran his right hand across the hilt. The sword emerged from its sheath and the gleam of the blade seemed to come alive as it made its way toward Gu Suihans blade. You must die today! Gu Suihan grinned to reveal his pearly whites, but the rest of his face remained expressionless, making him look creepy. His sword trembled and rang quietly as it struck the other disciples scabbard and sent it flying before continuing to advance forward. He rotated his sword to knock away the other partys sword and aimed straight for the area between the other disciples brows. Dark Element Spiritual Barrier! The other disciple broke into a cold sweat and barely managed to form a barrier in time to deflect Gu Suihans sword. He instinctively threw a punch in an attempt to push Gu Suihan further away from him and buy him some breathing space. Its too late, came Gu Suihans frosty voice. What? The other disciple didnt even stop to think and retreated immediately. You cheated! he yelped as he threw his sword away and stumbled backward as he saw the two bloodied dots on the fist he had just used to punch at Gu Suihan. In order to win, no soldier would mind resorting to a dirty trick or two. Gu Suihan ignored him and took a seat in the frontmost row. Why, you! The other disciple could sense a frosty air move swiftly toward his internal organs from his arm and couldnt help but let out an angry shout. He emptied his storage bag frantically and poured several antidote pills into his mouth, but no amount of pills could stop this frosty air. He convulsed as his complexion paled in seconds. He collapsed stiffly onto the ground in the blink of an eye as his body continued to exude a chilly aura. He turned green in the face and breathed his last with a contorted expression. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 C What IsThe Way? That was vicious. Hes so good-looking, and he looks like a decent man, but he turns out to have such a malicious heart. I dont blame him. Wang Changsheng wanted to step on him in hope of moving up the ranks. He didnt die for nothing, in that sense. The Sword Plain quieted immediately after Wang Changsheng died. Still, once Gu Suihan sat down and shut his eyes in silence, the other disciples began to whisper among themselves again. This time, however, their voices were cautious and fearful, unlike how they had been so snarky earlier. They were afraid that Gu Suihan might suddenly turn his attention to them, and theyd become the next Wang Changsheng. Humans are really pathetic creatures, snorted Gu Suihan to himself when he heard the 180-degree change in attitude among the disciples whispering behind him. Immediately after he uttered that, he felt his heart tremble, and he shut his eyes so that nobody would see how badly he was panicking inside. Why did that happen? Why did I kill him? Ive never even killed a chicken before! Why dont I feel any uneasiness after I just murdered someone? Whywhy did I look at the rest of the disciples with such contempt? Gu Suihan felt terribly afraid, and the ominous feeling in his heart only grew stronger. The period between his splitting headaches was getting shorter and shorter lately. Sometimes, when he was all alone, he would even go into a complete daze and would only snap out of it suddenly when someone came close enough. Whatwhat exactly are you? he asked himself as he looked inside his consciousness and observed the shadow that took up nine-tenths of the space in there, looking deeply at the long crack that resembled a trench in his head. The sinister gaze peeking out from behind the crack did not answer him at all, but he could sense that it was no longer as murderous as it was earlier. It now seemed to look mockingly at everyone else with a lofty and arrogant gaze. I dont care what you are. I am Gu Suihan, and I am myself. You cannot wipe out my consciousness, growled Gu Suihan quietly as he glared fiercely at the eyes behind the crack. Elder Zou is here! announced a voice from afar. The entire plain fell silent. Gu Suihan took one last deep look at the crack, then turned his attention back to the outside world. Meanwhile, almost a thousand people were sitting neatly in rows, attentive as they looked at the kindly, otherworldly old man in front of them. They didnt even dare to blink, as if they were afraid to miss anything he did or said. Whatwhat happened here? asked Elder Zou as he scanned the disciples and spotted Wang Changshengs corpse on the ground. Everyone immediately turned to look at Gu Suihan, who was seated right in front. Their lips trembled, but nobody dared to say anything. The only ones taking the lesson today were external disciples and the very few internal disciples remaining. The bulk of their internal disciples had died inside the secret realm. Youre the one who did this? Do you know what sort of punishment you will suffer for fighting your peers or killing them for no reason within the sect? asked Elder Zou in a deep voice as he frowned at Gu Suihan. At most, Ill die for it. Besides, I wont die either, said Gu Suihan flippantly as he glanced indifferently at the elder. The skin on Elder Zous face trembled as he snorted. At most, youd die for it? And why wont you die? None of youwould let me die. Gu Suihan grinned. His pearly whites shone so brightly in the sun. What a joke, said Elder Zou with a snort before a thought suddenly struck him. His expression became solemn again as he asked, Wait. You are Gu Suihan? That is correct. Its true that you wouldnt die. Elder Zou had intended to chide the young man, but when he saw the frosty look in Gu Suihans eyes, he just sighed. He waved his hands and sent sword qi howling toward Wang Changsheng, turning the corpse into mere powder. A wind blew past and blew everything off the cliff. There was no trace left behind. Everyone else was shocked and rather afraid when they saw that Elder Zou not only spared Gu Suihan a scolding but also helped to destroy Wang Changshengs corpse without looking too bothered by what happened. The extent to which Gu Suihan is special to the sect is way higher than we thought. We must make sure were never enemies with this fellow. That was the thought that ran through the minds of everyone on the plain. They werent stupid, after all. Elder Zous reaction was basically a warning to them. If anyone tried to challenge Gu Suihan, theyd end up dead, and nobody would know or even care. Nobody dared to even think about challenging Gu Suihan anymore. Who would dare to behave like Wang Changsheng? That fellow got himself killed, and his body was destroyed just like that. Today, I would like to explain the Origin Core stage. Elder Zou deliberately glanced at Gu Suihan. He could see that Gu Suihan was already at Beginner Foundation Establishment. It was just a matter of time and experience building before he would continue to rise up the stages. As all of you know, cultivators will go through three disasters and six afflictions as they pursue the Way. If you dont survive these, your physical body will perish, any cultivation progress made will disappear, and you will be subject to the process of reincarnation. The three disasters are divided into heaven, earth, and human. Heaven disasters are natural calamities. Earth disasters are others making trouble for you. Human disasters come from the karmic relationships you have with others. If you make it past these three disasters, your core will form automatically. As for the six afflictions, there are many types, and they are all different. The one that is most commonly seen is the one involving the heart and emotions, including lust and romance. Cutting off your ties and keeping yourself unaffected by emotions will help you to get over this stage. Elder Zou purposely spoke in great detail about the various parts of attaining this stage, which addressed many of the questions that Gu Suihan had and made him feel a lot more enlightened. Every time a disciple raised a question, Elder Zou would answer each one with patience and detail. He didnt look upset or annoyed by the questions at all. Elder Zou, I have a question, said Gu Suihan suddenly. Elder Zou had his eye on Gu Suihan for a long time now. In fact, you could even say that he was even conducting this class at the last minute, especially for Gu Suihan. What about the rest? The other disciples were just trash since their spiritual roots were below level six. These were disciples who would probably never even reach Foundation Establishment, never mind Origin Core. Go ahead and ask. I will try my best to answer. Elder Zou was a fairly honest old man who was comfortable with saying what he knew and what he didnt know. What is the Way? asked Gu Suihan without thinking. The Way is a collection of rules, said Elder Zou without even batting an eye. This was common knowledge among those at the Origin Core stage like himself. What is the Great Way? The Great Way? Elder Zou looked a little puzzled now. Gu Suihan was strangely disappointed when he saw the confused look on the old mans face, but he kept a straight face as he explained his question, If the Way is a collection of rules, then the Great Way is something above those rules. What would that be? Theres something above the Way? Elder Zou was really taken aback. He looked straight at Gu Suihan and smiled. The Way is infinite, and the rules are countless. They form a huge and dense net that forms the heavens and the earth. This is not done by humans. Thank you, Elder Zou. Gu Suihan bowed and thanked the old man. He was terribly disappointed for some reason, but he still bowed sincerely. Elder Zou gave a kindly nod, then continued on the same topic as before. The disciples finally bowed and left reluctantly at around midnight. Gu Suihan! Elder Zou called after him just as he was about to leave. Yes, Elder Zou? Your level of aptitude may be exceptionally high, but dont be too complacent just because you are favored. There are some things thatif made publicly known, will not do you any good. Elder Zou patted Gu Suihans shoulder and smiled before flying off. Are you talking aboutmy reputation? Gu Suihan had a thoughtful look in his eyes. The sky was already beginning to brighten a little by the time he arrived back at his courtyard. He was too lazy to walk into the house, so he decided to sit by himself in the tiny pavilion outside and looked up at the crescent moon in the sky with a dazed look on his face. I actually lost control twice today. The first time was when I killed Wang Changsheng. That was really weird. The second time was when I asked that strange question for no apparent reason. This problem was getting from bad to worse. Gu Suihan let out a long sigh. Immediately after that, a glint started flashing in his eyes like lightning bolts, as if something was about to burst out from his sockets. At the same time, a peaceful yet mesmerizing red spider lily that resembled a tattoo in between his brows suddenly gave off a faint glow. He looked especially evil under the dim moonlight. Damnit! Whywhy is ithappening again so quickly this time?! He clutched his head in agony and felt like a piece of metal was just stirring everything inside his head. The excruciating pain seemed to come from inside his very bones, crashing into his consciousness again and again. What is the Way? What is the Way of Heaven? What isthe Great Way? Gu Suihans aura kept changing, and he sounded like he was possessed by a demon as he continued to chant these phrases. The Wayis alive His entire body stiffened suddenly, and the flower between his brows suddenly darkened. His previously quiet and elegant, gentle and learned aura changed completely. Dust and rocks flew everywhere, and the small courtyard looked like it belonged to a different world. The clean ground looked like blood, the plants and branches looked like broken limbs, the chipped rocks looked like internal organs. There was a bloody stench in the air. The entire front yard seemed to have transformed into the nether world. I amGu Suihan! A tall figure stood in the middle of the yard, standing as straight and unmoving as a pine tree in the wind. He looked up at the sky and sighed quietly. His eyes looked like two empty holes, yet they were so mesmerizing because it seemed as though nebulas and shiny blades were dancing and flickering at the back of those sockets. His smooth face suddenly had a more pronounced jaw, and an indifferent smile was on his lips. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 C Fate Comes And Goes Why? Inside Gu Suihans consciousness, the created personality did not start roaring at the top of his lungs as most people would, and he didnt cry out in despair either. He asked this question in a very calm and emotionless voice. Becauseyoure no longer of value to me. The voice of the creator came from that long and deep crack. His voice was as cold as winter winds, as cutting as knives. The complicated runes that overlapped each other like a long chain suddenly gave off a bright light and creaked loudly like they couldnt take the pressure from within. One rune gave way, then another, then the innumerable runes burst from the intense pressure, turning into gold sparkles that were absorbed entirely by that crack. The entire consciousness was filled with bright light, and a tiny infant as fair as ivory slowly appeared in the light. The two of them looked at each other quietly, like they were anybody on the street. But while the created had a curious look in his eye, the creator only had indifference. Will I die? The created finally broke the silence, his voice filled with indignation and sadness. The creator calmly explained what he intended to do with his creation, No. You will disappear completely. Youyoure not evengoing to considermerging us? Perhaps? the created said in a trembling voice as a pleading look crept into his eyes. Would a dragon choose to merge itself with an ant? You were made by me in the first place, and youve been gaining an awareness of yourself recently, so its fair to say that youre actually another person separate from me. But we were supposed to be one and the same. I could be greedy and absorb you for that insignificant amount of energy you have, but that wouldnt be worth it, said the creator emotionlessly. His spiritual sense was like a giant wave that gushed toward his creation from all sides. Whatwhat is the Way? the created suddenly asked as he looked at the creator with a hopeful look on his face. The Wayis a collection of rules. Whatis the Great Way? The Great Wayis alive, said the creator. There was a slight falter in his voice. Whatis the Way of Heaven? The Way of Heaven isthe will of the world. Its not alive! The created had a calm and satisfied look as he heard these answers, happy that the creator could answer them. He did not struggle like crazy and suddenly gave off some amazing aura to fight back like some of those novel MCs. After all, that was simply impossible. A cultivator at the Divine Soul stage would win even if he were severely injured. An ordinary person was still like an ant to him. It was impossible for such a lowly person to turn the tables or go against the natural order. A piece of metal, no matter how badly rusted or eaten away, would still be able to smash a piece of glass. This was an irrefutable fact, and it couldnt be changed. Boom! The inside of Gu Suihans consciousness shook violently. The created disappeared completely. The creators tremendous spiritual sense had wiped him out in his entirety and did not leave even the tiniest trace behind. The Great Wayis alive He felt like the last lowly, sad cry the created made just before dying was still ringing inside his head. I am Gu Suihan. I have always been! His spirit shook slightly as it withdrew his spiritual sense. He had no expression on his face, but his eyes seemed to be lit with countless fireworks. His will immediately took control of the physical body without encountering any resistance. If my guess is correct, the Seven Kill Sect is an organization sent by the Qin kingdom to oversee the Ethereal Court and the other sects. That would explain why the techniques taught in the Seven Kill Sect are such a mess. They have so many techniques and so many types, yet none of them seem to come from a particular place or are compulsory to teach. In that case, it makes sense for the Ethereal Court and the other sects to join hands and try to drive the Seven Kill Sect out. But why did they decide to send their middle-level disciples into the secret realm to die on the pretext of fighting to get on the list of disciples to head for the Upper World? Qingmings domain was supposedly discovered a few hundred years ago. The cultivators of this world arent that silly. They wouldnt keep sending people into the secret realm just to collect a bunch of useless herbs, right? Wait, the Huangquan Evil Ghost! Gu Suihans eyes suddenly lit up as an enlightening thought struck him. Perhaps its possible that Qingming had taken the Huangquan Evil Ghost with him and angered the Qin kingdom. That would explain why Qingming was severely injured and forced to go into a deep sleep. After all, no matter how formidable a Divine Soul cultivator is, he couldnt possibly fight against an empire that stretches across hundreds of worlds. Lets push this hypothesis a bit further. If everything Ive guessed so far is correct, then does that mean thatthese sects happened to discover traces left behind by Qingming, and theyre hoping to use their killing of Qingming in exchange for something from the Qin kingdom? If thats the case, then sending all those disciples into the secret realm would just be testing how much more strength Qingming still has. No wonder Qingmings spirit was so weak after he woke up. Is thatthe sad part about being a bottom feeder? Gu Suihan thought about Li Xiaoyao and the rest, then smiled faintly. Shuanger must be part of this plan. This girl had a Divine Soul cultivator inside her. If anything happened to her inside the secret realm, this Divine Soul cultivator would get to the bottom of it, and hehe might even descend upon this world. If that happened, then no matter how scheming Qingming was, he wouldnt have been able to escape from an unhurt Divine Soul Cultivator coming to kill him. Once that happened, the Youthful Clarity Sect and the others would just remove the soul from inside Shuanger and use that to exchange for the reward for killing Qingming. Thatsthats a perfect plan. There was a red glow spinning faintly within Gu Suihans eyes. A thought moved within his mind, and the entire courtyard turned into an icy world. The plants, trees, and pond were instantly covered in a thin layer of ice. The carp fish swimming in the pond struggled as they attempted to shake off the coldness that was slowly spreading through the waters. Unfortunately, no matter how sentient they were, they were merely animals, and they turned into ice sculptures within seconds. There are two more people in the house. When Gu Suihan snapped out of his daze, he flicked his fingers as he decided to kill them. But just when qi had gathered around his fingertip, and he was about to launch it toward the house, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and withdrew his qi. The shapeless layer covering the entire courtyard slowly disappeared with the wind. The two of youare still useful to me, murmured Gu Suihan to himself before slowly floating into his room like a ghost, lying down on his bed and shutting his eyes. I wonder if that fellow has regained his memories. The Huangquan Evil Ghost sighed while hiding beneath a swamp, ignoring how awfully stinky it was. Ever since it had gone around destroying all the small sects started by wandering cultivators, in order to distract the major sects, it didnt dare to do any more damage. The rejection he was facing from this world had grown stronger. Damn it! Ive already put in so much effort, so Ive got to make sure it works out. That fellow is the only way I can make it back to the Upper World in the shortest time possible so far. After it struggled to decide whether to come out of hiding or not, it finally decided to peek out from the swamp. It carefully sent its spiritual sense out to check out the situation. After killing so many people over this period of time, its body had quickly grown to a height of nine feet. The multiple claws it had on its back had become whiter and sharper, gleaming as brightly as metal. But its ugly, nasty face looked really tired. HUU! A gust of cold wind blew past it, and an aggressive surge of qi came toward it like a sword, not bothering to conceal its presence in any way. The Huangquan Evil Ghost instantly shuddered, withdrew his spiritual sense, and hid in the swamp again. Damn it! If I could return to my full strength, Id have gobbled up these stupid ants by now, it cursed inwardly as a look of determination appeared in its eyes. It moved its claws as swiftly as the wind, stabbing itself in several places and making itself invisible. It immediately flew several kilometers away from the swamp. Using a secret technique like this one helped it to escape, but it also came at a cost. Its body had shrunk by half a foot. Pfft! Just you wait! Ill be back for revenge! The Huangquan Evil Ghost spat a mouthful of blackened blood out and stumbled a few steps forward, which nearly caused it to trip and fall onto the ground. It glared venomously at the quiet forests behind him, then executed another secret technique before disappearing in an instant. Hes gone. Zhou Lingfeng suddenly appeared in the sky above the forest, his piercing gaze as sharp as a sword. The glow around him made soft explosion sounds as it faded. Humph! Hes definitely going to strike again. We must not let our guard down. Zhan Wuchang flew over like a ferocious beast and scanned the forest with a grim look on his face. Never mind! If hes determined to hide himself, then well never be able to find him. The Falling Star Sect tracking technique comes at a high price too. If we ask her to use it once or twice, shed probably be willing to do so. But if we want her to execute it more times than that, Im pretty sure shes not going to agree to it, said Zhou Yunjian in a low voice. He pulled out a small piece of bamboo with a cloudy white mist swirling around it. The smell of it alone was enough to make one feel energized like your entire body had been cleansed. Whats this for? asked Zhan Wuchang in shock as he clutched his head and realized how effective this item was. Its just a precautionary measure. These underworld creatures have many techniques and spells that could be really powerful, so its better to be careful, said Zhou Yunjian calmly. He shot qi at the bamboo piece, causing it to break apart and send the cloudy mist into the sunny skies, and covered every inch of sky above the forest. Nope, nothing. Looks like hes really gotten away. Zhou Yunjian sighed disappointedly. He looked carefully at the words that were slowly appearing on the bamboo piece. He had a slightly nasty look on his face as he kept the piece of bamboo again. Then, he flew into the sky and left without even turning back. Theres only one year left to go. Is the exchange still going to happen? Zhou Lingfeng suddenly asked Zhan Wuchang. I have no idea. Itll depend on what the old man at the Ethereal Court thinks. Hes the leader of the alliance after all, even though hes of no bloody use at all, said Zhan Wuchang as he raised an eyebrow and spat disdainfully. After saying that, he left as well. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 C IAm Qingming The inter-sect exchange? Gu Suihan slowly chewed on these somewhat familiar-sounding words. There was a glimmer in his eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his fair and flawless face. Young master, your herbal bath is ready, Taohua stuck her head out and called out to Gu Suihan, who was sitting in the front yard. Got it, said Gu Suihan before popping a spiritual fruit into his mouth and walking back into the house. After Taohua and Lihua had left the bathroom, Gu Suihan gently tapped the side of the tub and said quietly, Come on out. This thing is useless to me, so you can have it. Immediately after he said that a rustling noise came from the shelf where his clothes were placed. A black shadow flew into the tub like a flash of lightning. If you hadnt helped out that day, Wang Changsheng wouldnt have died. The personality I created wouldnt have been so traumatized, and his mental resilience wouldnt have been so poor, which means I wouldnt have had the chance to awaken my consciousness so easily. You can take this as your reward, said Gu Suihan as he rested lazily inside the tub and patted the head of the snake head that popped up from inside the water. Before this, he had tried time and again to break the seal around his consciousness and had given his created personality a tremendous amount of pressure, but he was always missing that last bit of energy to break through. In the end, it was the Gold Striped Black Killer Snake that seized this chance to kill Wang Changsheng, which resulted in inner turmoil within the created personalitys mind and became the last straw on the camels back. He wouldnt have awakened his consciousness so quickly if that hadnt happened. The little snake had a smug look in its eyes as it responded with a happy hiss. It then dived back into the waters to quickly absorb all the energy that the herbal bath contained. The Buddhist Sect. So, this sect really exists in this world? Gu Suihan gazed toward the roof with a distant look in his eyes as thoughts ran through his mind. This world was very small. It was so small that it couldnt hold up if a cultivator at the Immortal stage descended upon it. The seven major sects sounded like they were very powerful, but they werent worth much to Gu Suihan. He already had his eye on the Seven Kill Sect from a long time ago. All the clues he had gathered over the past few years had so much connection to the Seven Kill Sect. Unfortunately, he had gathered this information a little too late. Otherwise, he wouldnt end up having to infiltrate the Youthful Clarity Sect and make alternate plans. This inter-sect exchange is definitely going to happen as planned because thats the best way the will of this world will be able to kill or at least chase me away. Its not something that these pathetic cultivators can do, thought Gu Suihan as his eyes slowly lit up. Unfortunately for him, his original plans to just hibernate and plan within the Youthful Clarity Sect had not worked out. This sect actually had a cultivator at Half Step to Divine Soul and had detected the presence of a Divine Soul cultivator within the personality he had created. And because of that, he had become the center of attention within the sect. Since you want to win, thenIll let you win. Gu Suihans gaze was like a hole that could bore through the heavens and the earth, like a sharp tip of a sword that could pierce through anything. Pui! Pui! Pui! The Huangquan Evil Ghost spat out several mouthfuls of sand and glared fiercely at the extremely sharp and high sword-like mountain in the distance. It made it past the Youthful Clarity Sects protective formation like it was nothing more than ordinary air, and flew toward where Gu Suihan stayed within the mountain. It avoided all the night patrolling disciples as well as other watchful presences hiding in the shadows before finally making it to Gu Suihans little courtyard. Come in. A very soft voice resounded in its ear via telepathy even before it could catch its breath. Youve awakened your consciousness? The Huangquan Evil Ghosts eyes widened and looked a little excited as it slipped through a crack and appeared before Gu Suihan. If not? Gu Suihan chuckled. He scanned the ghost, then frowned slightly as he said, It looks like you didnt heed my advice. I didnt want to do that either. But all their attention was focused on you at that time, and I was afraid that your identity would be exposed, so I had no choice but to take the risk and distract them. The ghosts face fell, and he was a little upset as he said, You have no idea how intensely those pathetic ants were staring at you all the time. They looked like they might swallow you whole or something. If I hadnt done something, they might have gone ahead and searched your soul. Youre right. My plan did have some loopholes. Gu Suihan nodded slightly and thereby admitted that he now owed the ghost a favor. Once all of this is over, Ill take you to the Upper World. But you must have the Upper Worlds space constellation map first. Im not a creature of this world, which is why Im being pressured and rejected by the will of this world. Every soul born within a particular world will have the space mark of the will of that world, so you dont have to worry about that. The ghost was pleased that it had finally gotten confirmation that the powerful Gu Suihan was going to help it get back to the Upper World. Space mark? Gu Suihans wandering gaze suddenly paused. He turned his attention to his spirit and started searching it very carefully. He had never heard of this thing before. Back then, Earth had already been subconsciously shielded by the Way of Heaven, so countless things that used to exist were no longer passed down or taught and died out naturally. There were no immortals and definitely nobody who could shatter and travel through spaces. There was no way he could have heard about this unique seal that each creature had depending on which world, dimension or space they came from. Found it! Gu Suihan had a sinister look in his eyes as he stared at the inconspicuous little spot among the thousands of sparkles within his spirit. I was still so perplexed about how to return. But as long as youre around, Ill get there sooner or later and expose who you really are, he mumbled to himself. He used his spiritual sense to surround that little spot and made sure to seal it really well in the deepest part of his spirit. What do we do now? asked the ghost after it noticed that Gu Suihan had remained silent for a long time. One year later, something called the inter-sect exchange will happen, said Gu Suihan calmly. The ghost blinked in surprise before a sinister smile spread across its face. Inter-sect exchange? OohI cant wait to exchange a move or two with these people. Well work separately when it happens. Gu Suihan gently rapped the bathtub and said slowly, In the past, theyd just go through the motion and not care about it after that. But this time is different. Besides the fact that all the sects have suffered severe damages after losing so many of their best inside the secret realm, the Seven Kill Sect is not going to sit around and do nothing either. The other sects plotted against them once, so they would want to take revenge on the Ethereal Court and their allies. Besides, theres also news that Qingming is still alive. Given all that, the sect leaders will definitely join hands to try and stop or at least appease the wrath of the sect leader of the Seven Kill Sect, You Hantian. You Hantian? mumbled the ghost, as it had thought of something. Gu Suihans gaze flickered as he noticed the ghosts reaction to that name, but he couldnt be bothered to ask and continued speaking, When the time comes, Ill head for the Seven Kill Sect, while you will go to the empty headquarters of each sect. I dont think I need to tell you what you need to do. Thatsa good plan. But are you able to guarantee that despite not showing yourself and proving that Qingming is still alive, these other sects would head toward the Seven Kill Sect without thinking twice? The ghost wasnt stupid either. It just had to go through how the plan would work out in its mind, and it would notice the loopholes in the plan. Until then, Iwill be Qingming, said Gu Suihan with a faint smile. The ghost stared back at him in shock. Qingming was a cultivator of ghosts responded the ghost instinctively, but it shut its mouth again when it remembered the soaring murderous qi that Gu Suihan commanded. By the time they reach that stage, even if they still have their doubts, the situation will not afford them any time to think. A faint bloody glow appeared in Gu Suihans eyes, and the red spider lily between his brows became prettier and more mesmerizing. Meanwhile, the outermost layer of the old-fashioned ring around one of Gu Suihans fingers slowly crumbled away to reveal the brilliant runes that originally swirled around it. Do you know what this is? He flicked his wrist and retrieved a light purple round rock that emanated a curious aura. This was something he had found in the storage ring of a cultivator he had killed inside the secret realm. He thought it was a good time to ask the ghost. SSS! Before the ghost could say anything, the Gold Striped Black Killer Snake that had been hiding underwater all this time seemed to have gotten very worked up and flew out of the water, hissing excitedly as it stared at the rock in Gu Suihans hand. But the uncontrollable trembling of its body also showed how afraid it was. So, its really the egg of a magical beast? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and looked in surprise at the plain, smooth rock in his palm. The ghost observed the rock carefully and shook its head. I dont know what it is either. The universe is too great, and there are too many things we dont know. Perhaps it is the egg of some monster out there. Based on how excited this fellow is, its probably a dragon sort of magical beast. Forget it then. You can have it. Gu Suihan carelessly flung the rock at the Gold Striped Black Killer Snake. The snake hissed even more excitedly. It disregarded the difference between itself and the egg and swallowed it whole. It then coiled itself on the floor and concealed its presence completely as though it were dead. Keep it properly. And dont let the girls see you, said Gu Suihan to the ghost as he waved it away, then put on his clothes and walked out of the bathroom. I cant believe you didnt choke to death on it, spat the ghost nastily at the snake. It pulled the sleeping snake into its arms, then slowly floated out of the window like it was merely water. Chapter 155.5 Chapter 155.5 C Author Note 1 This is an additional long note from the author, written mostly in response to the comments he got on the original website where the book was published. Ive decided to translate this only because its kinda hilarious. P.S. I hope everyone reads the book! (No, dont ask TL why the PS is in front) Two. Because I didnt sign any contract, dont do things like donate to author, because I wont receive anything. Youd just be throwing money at the publisher (damn this system that favors those with power and resources!) Three. The characterization of the MC might not be palatable to some of you, so people like that should move onto something else. There are plenty of books starring righteous OP harem-owning MC with extra bright aura, and there are also plenty of detective thriller stories that require much more brain. And countless system type of novels. Four. I said before that Im not making a living out of writing, so signing a contract isnt important to me. If you guys like reading, Ill keep writing. Thats it. Five. Complaints concerning current novel genres like system novels, transmigration novels, infinity novels, novels with dimensions etc. will eventually come in the later chapters. (I will specially explain how all these things came to be.) Six. Im unfortunately stupid and lazy after all. Some readers have told me that I have typos and some inconsistencies in my terminology, so I will try my best to become better. But more than that, I do have other things to do too, so I hope everyone can be understanding. Seven. Because Im going to start writing about the Qin dynasty, Mr. Yin Zheng and all, so Im going to take a while to focus on reading up the history of the Qin dynasty (yknow, like reading The Legend of Qin LOL). So I might update late sometimes, hope you guys will be understanding about that. Eight. Those who like noble head-turning righteous MCs, or you stand for sincere kind and wonderful MCs, or you enjoy reading weak to strong table turning MCs, or act cool face slapping MCs, Id really suggest you do not read this book, becauseIm afraid I might pollute your mind. Nine. Happy holidays, everyone! *(This note was released during a major public holiday.) * Chapter 156 Chapter 156 C Those So Called Moves Sis, did you find last night especially cold? grumbled Taohua with a pout to Lihua first thing in the morning as she combed her hair. You felt it too? If it werent the middle of summer now, I would have thought we were in the middle of winter, said Lihua softly as she spun around with a start. Do you think Taohua whispered as she leaned toward Lihuas ear. Shush! What you say might get you killed! Lihua clamped a hand over Taohuas mouth before the younger girl could finish her sentence, giving her a stern warning. Okay then Taohua nodded sadly. I need to get changed. Just when Lihua was about to continue to warn Taohua, Gu Suihans voice resounded from his own room. Yes, Young Master! The two girls quickly straightened their clothes, grabbed all his clothes, and ran into his room to help him get changed. They had observed recently that, for some reason, their young master had become pickier and pickier with his clothes. He had stopped wearing the simple, plain blue garb that all Youthful Clarity Sect disciples wore but preferred a much more expensive and elegant brocade long robe that was as black as the night sky. Also, in the past, Gu Suihan didnt need them to help him with such things, but he started wanting them to help him, and he didnt look like it was his first time ordering servants about either. Young Master seems to have changed, thought Lihua to herself as she glanced a little enviously at Gu Suihans handsome yet feminine features. How did a man end up looking prettier than a woman? In fact, almost every person who saw Gu Suihan would describe him that way. Descriptors like thick eyebrows, a chiseled jaw, a rugged look, and other phrases usually used to describe men werent applicable to him at all. His deep-set eyes shone like the stars in the night sky, his lips were thin but not overly so, and they formed a perfect curve when he smiled. His eyebrows were slightly curved and werent thick. His ivory-white skin was smooth and delicate, while his waist-length hair was as black and shiny as ink. Someone with such features among commoners would have been regarded as a great beauty. Unfortunately, the creepy symbol of a red spider lily in between his brows made this gentle face look somewhat indifferent. It was as though he was born as a deity who lived among the clouds above and looked down on the pathetic mortals below. Young Master, are you going to class today? asked Lihua softly. As maids picked and trained specially to serve cultivators, both Lihua and Taohua were very pretty and had an excellent figure, but they paled in comparison to Gu Suihans unbelievable beauty. They dared not even compare themselves to him. Theyre nothing but a bunch of trash, so Im not going. Prepare some food. I want to eat, said Gu Suihan calmly with his eyes closed. He didnt bother hiding the disdain in his tone. Yes, Young Master. A thought crossed Taohuas mind, causing her to glare at Gu Suihan through the copper mirror before skipping out of the room. When the two maids first arrived at Gu Suihans abode, they were actually very nervous. The sect had sent them here to take care of Gu Suihans everyday needs, but Gu Suihan was so independent. Besides letting them cook, he did everything else himself. But now, things have changed completely. Gu Suihan was now ordering them around as they expected, which made them actually breathe a sigh of relief instead. I heard that a plague broke out in a country called Fenglin, near where the Seven Kill Sect is. What happened there? Gu Suihan suddenly asked as he enjoyed a gentle massage from his two maids. His voice was soft but resounded like thunder in the extremely quiet room. He hadnt unleashed any qi when talking at all, yet his tone sounded authoritative. Lihua got shocked and nearly dropped the comb she was holding. She pulled herself together after a moment and quickly replied, I dont know the details, but I heard that Fenglin had become a dead town. Both humans and animals turned into senseless creatures, and it was a tragic sight to behold. A tragic sight to behold, you say? An elegant smile spread across Gu Suihans exquisite features. The Seven Kill Sect didnt send anyone to investigate this matter? Idont know about that, said Lihua a little disappointedly after she struggled to find an answer. Its fine, said Gu Suihan flippantly. He didnt blame her for not knowing. He did not speak after that. Lihua began to feel that her young master had really changed. He seemed morecharming now. As she thought more and more about him, her heart became more and more confused as well, and there was a dazed look in her eyes. Sis, the food is ready, Taohuas bright voice called out from outside, which immediately snapped Lihua out of her infatuated thoughts. After eating, Gu Suihan sent the two maids away and sat inside his meditation room by himself. He felt the qi flowing within his body and snorted. Thats a Youthful Clarity Sect cultivation technique? He snorted even more loudly when he remembered how he had been described as someone who had complete understanding with the sword and a natural formation of a sword will. And they had been so excited about that too. What did it mean to have a complete understanding of the sword? You get a sword and use it for more than a decade, and even an idiot would have a complete understanding of it. In short, it meant that the sword went where you wanted it to go. As for sword will, that was a joke. Once you managed to refine fiendish qi and combine it with your core, then you would have the will of any weapon you wanted. All that about having a fist will, a sword will, and a saber will was just pure bullshit. Only these uninformed country bumpkins from this tiny world would be so impressed by something like that. Gu Suihan hated such things in particular. Things like splitting cultivation stages into Foundation Establishment, Origin Core, etc., or spells, moves, and all that. To him, all these things were just fucking dumb. There were only two realms C either you were weaker than him, or you were stronger than him. As for moves, spells, and the like, those were just a matter of different ways of moving qi and energy about. For example, moves like Immortal Guides the Way or the Green Dragon Emerges from the Sea were basically move involving raising a sword and thrusting it forward. Other move names like Life Snatching Consecutive Sword or Refreshing Wind Sword Technique, blah blah blah, was just different in the way the energy was moved and how much strength it required. On the outside, it was always basic moves like holding the sword horizontally, using it to poke something, slice something, stab something, crush something, encircle something, hack something, and so on. Novels love making people fight and yell their moves like, My move is Black Tiger Gouges the Heart! My move is the Green Dragon Explores the Ocean! Theyre the same! How the hell do you differentiate them? In summary, the weaker the person, the more complicated they like making things. It was the same with humans. When one reached Gu Suihans level, all these sword or spear moves were utterly useless. To him, the only takeaway he had was whether it was a move that could affect the laws of nature. Gu Suihan might have looked like a sword cultivator after he started cultivating in the Geng Gold Sword Mantra, but if you looked carefully, he seemed to learn all the sword techniques and moves like he already knew them. He controlled the movement of his qi and energy without any trouble. For example, his Three Fingers of Yama move. He could literally use his fingers to execute it, but he could also execute it just as well with his legs, and using a sword to execute it could work too. Bloody River Underworld River Mantra! Gu Suihan immediately started cultivating the cultivation technique he had been studying before he came to this world. He had recreated his body, and his own spiritual root was a water element, so it went well with this technique. Once, twice, thriceGu Suihan moved his energy faster and faster, using it to push through obstacle after obstacle without stopping. The heart-soul at the bottom of his spirit flickered faintly as qi kept flowing out of it. At the same time, his level of cultivation began to advance like it was a rocket. BeginnerMidAdvancedPeakHe made a breakthrough. Immediately after his cultivation level had stabilized at Beginner Origin Core, Gu Suihan stopped himself and withdrew his energy, making it surge wildly within his spiritual meridians. This is not the time to expose my real capabilities, murmured Gu Suihan. He slowly hid away the imposing aura around his body and dropped his cultivation level back to Beginner Foundation Establishment. Who was he? A powerful being at the Immortal stage. His heart for the Way was clear. His heart-soul was untainted. He didnt suffer from any demons inside his heart. And even if he had any, those demons would die before he would. You could say that if he had enough natural treasures on hand, he could return to the Immortal stage without any problems. Unfortunately, despite gobbling up many souls and helping his spirit to heal considerably, it would still be long before he recovered completely. Ones cultivation level was like a little boat, while ones spirit was like the person sitting in that boat. If the boat were too big, the person wouldnt be able to control it well. But if the person were too big, the boat wouldnt be able to take it. The two things had to match each other in proportion all the time without any disparity. Gu Suihan could only hit a maximum of Beginner Origin Core now. If he went any higher, he would go out of control, which would be even worse. He wasnt the impatient sort of person. He wasnt going to be anxious to reach the next stage and do something that wasnt worth it. His storage ring flickered, and a strange sword suddenly appeared and gave off an excited hum. Despite holding it again, that deep connection was gone. Gu Suihan knew why. His spirit had not changed, but his body had been recreated. The process had also quietly severed any ties made with such weapons. In other words, Questioning Heaven was now nothing more than a powerful spiritual weapon. Anybody could refine it and turn it into their own. That makes itperfect, said Gu Suihan. He used his long fingers to grasp the hilt loosely and pulled it out of its scabbard. The usual bloody sea appeared, and it looked like the apocalypse had hit. Now that he had no connection with it, there wouldnt be that problem of him dying if the sword were to be damaged and vice versa. One had to be dumb to prefer that. Wasnt his current situation the best one to be in? Kill! Kill! Kill! Murderous thoughts and the surging fiendish qi within him burst out of his body, but he was able to stop it easily just as they got close to the door. The relentless qi was trapped within the meditation room, dyeing its surroundings a bloody rose red. This is my heart for the Waymy obsession, my willmy own Way! he muttered as if he were in a dream. He then returned the sword to its sheath, and everything that appeared earlier instantly disappeared. The meditation room was silent once more. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 C Good Tools Make Light Work Where are you going? asked the Huangquan Evil Ghost via telepathy as it stuck its head out from the shadows. Good tools make light work. I have to get a good tool first, said Gu Suihan quietly as he turned slowly to look at the sharp peak in the distance that rose high into the clouds. Do you need me to come along? You? Youd only end up exposing yourself, scoffed Gu Suihan before leaving. Damn it, grumbled the ghost as it reluctantly hid in the shadows again. As a creature of the underworld, it wasnt afraid of the sunlight anymore, but its innate hatred of the light made it prefer to remain in the dark. Along the way, Gu Suihan silently spread his spiritual sense so that he could observe his surroundings easily. Sword Concealing Formation. Thousand Transformations Formation. Sword Shadow Formation. Dark Fiendish Space Destroying Formation. Gu Suihans expression shifted as he sensed the faint energies that were hiding in several inconspicuous areas. That doesnt sound right. These formations arent enough to protect the entire sect unlessthese formations are meant to be combined, Gu Suihan thought aloud. He half closed his eyes so as to cover the glint that appeared for just one second. All these formationsa combined formationit has to be the Heaven and Earth Dark Fiendish Sword Space Destroying Formation! He just needed to confirm if that thing existed, and he would know if this formation was the same one he remembered. He started flying much faster than before, making use of a thin layer of qi to fly like a nimble bird. He avoided the disciples around him easily and flew rapidly toward where he would find answers. Swordsmith Court? After looking carefully at the layout of all the structures on the mountain and making several rounds as he headed for the formation eye, he ended up at Swordsmith Court, much to his surprise. Thatsinteresting, he chuckled as he strolled through the entrance. YoureGu Suihan? exclaimed a staff tending to another customer with some surprise when he spotted Gu Suihans disciple token hanging from his belt. Ive come to take a look and thought Id make a weapon while Im here, said Gu Suihan without hesitation as he took his time to look at the shelves around him. What sort of spiritual root do you have? The staffs eyes lit up. He knew that this fellow was a rising star in the Youthful Clarity Sect, and he had also heard that the sect leader had specifically instructed the elders to train and groom this young man. He was determined to take this chance to get into Gu Suihans good books. After all, Gu Suihan might remember him and say something in a time of crisis that could save his life. Anything could be possible. For a cultivator at the lowest rungs like himself, he was willing to give it a shot even if the chances of getting close to Gu Suihan were only one in a million. Senior brother Gu, my name is Yan Hua. Would you like to take a look around first? Or do you want to get a weapon custom-made12 right now? Gu Suihan smiled, glanced at Yan Hua, and said in an ambiguous manner, That will depend on how you want to resolve the issue I have at hand. Yan Huas face lit up. Gu Suihans words were an indication that he accepted Yan Huas friendliness, and it was now up to Yan Hua to seize the opportunity given to him. He excitedly straightened his clothes, put on a serious face, and said, No problem. You might not know, but the Swordsmith Court only has two floors. These swords are mostly merely magical weapons, he said as he pointed to the sharp swords on the shelves next to him that had been purposely displayed such that part of the blade was sticking out of their sheath. He pointed to the staircase behind and said, If you want to customize a weapon, its better to discuss this matter with the swordsmith elders. These swords look like theyre pretty but not very useful. Gu Suihan casually picked up a blood-red sword. The hilt had a design involving several decorative holes, golden scales, and tiny gemstones that shone brightly in the light. He pulled the sword out from its sheath and saw that there was a flame design engraved into the middle of the blade as well as an intricately carved demonic beast between the blade and the hilt to serve as a guard. Well, thathahaYan Hua laughed along awkwardly and said, Not all the disciples are as knowledgeable as you are. That was enough to say a lot, so there was no need to explain what was going on. This place was just like the Weapon Refinery Court of the Seven Kill Sect. Pretty items were put on display on the shop floor because there were always idiots who would walk into this trap. How many swordsmiths does the Youthful Clarity Sect have? asked Gu Suihan distractedly as he narrowed his eyes and randomly put the sword in his hand back on the shelf. We have seven elders at Origin Core who can forge spiritual weapons. Yan Hua was now doing his best to answer any questions that Gu Suihan might have. Seven elders? Gu Suihan smiled. Compared to the ten-odd weapon refiners at the Seven Kill Sect, who could make all sorts of spiritual weapons, the Youthful Clarity Sect was really lacking in this area. What place is that? Is there a basement room too? Gu Suihan asked curiously as his glance swept past a small door at the foot of the staircase. That is the furnace for making spiritual weapons that requires fire from the Earth, explained Yan Hua after seeing what Gu Suihan was looking at. I need a sword, but I must watch its entire forging process, said Gu Suihan quietly after pausing to think for a while. That Yan Hua wasnt sure if he could accede to this request and looked hesitant. Why is this a difficult question to answer? Gu Suihan smiled faintly. When Yan Hua saw how Gu Suihan was still smiling, he suddenly realized what was going on. Gu Suihan did not actually intend to watch the entire process. He was just saying this to make things difficult for Yan Hua in order to see how useful he would be. No, no, its not a difficult question at all, said Yan Hua through gritted teeth. He got Gu Suihan to wait for a while before running upstairs. He had no choice but to beg his uncle to help him. For the sake of his own future, he was going to make sure he was in Gu Suihans good graces, no matter how much it would cost him. Fifteen minutes went by. Gu Suihan had just sent his spiritual sense into the small door he had seen earlier to find out the truth behind it when Yan Hua came scurrying back down again. Yan Huas expression was stiff and a little odd, but he said, Senior brother, you can come up with me. But Elder Yan said that you need to add 20% to the price. He stole a glance at Gu Suihans face and quickly added, That was the best compromise I could get for you. Hes also a Yan? Interesting. The red spider lily between Gu Suihans brows flickered unnoticeably. He had a twinkle in his eyes, and he patted Yan Huas shoulders. Thank you, junior brother. I owe you one for doing this for me. Youre welcome, said Yan Hua as he quickly bowed, shocked yet excited that he had successfully gained the favor of someone as important as Gu Suihan. Lead the way then. Id like to meet with the elder, said Gu Suihan with a smile as he pointed at the staircase. Sure! Yan Hua clearly treated himself as Gu Suihans most loyal lackey now. He puffed his chest out, raised his head, and walked briskly in front of Gu Suihan to bring him upstairs. Dont disappoint me! Gu Suihan secretly glanced at the tightly shut small door, and his smile widened. Meanwhile, at the First Peak of the Seven Kill Sect. You Hantian had a grim expression as he stared at the three jade slips on the table. The veins of the arm he rested on the armrest of his chair bulged slightly. The first one was made from white jade with delicate carvings on it. It had the words Devil Abyss engraved on it. The second one was entirely green, like jadeite. The word Ethereal was carved on it. The third one was a red that was so dark it looked like it was black in color and resembled a piece of dried blood. Black dragons adorned its sides, and the border was embossed in gold. The two words Secret Killing were on this one. Damn it. Theyve actually decided to all come at the same time! You Hantian scanned the three jade slips again and again. His gaze would occasionally stop, mostly to stare at the blackish-red one in the middle with reverence in his eyes. A bunch of useless bums who cant get anything right and only end up making a bigger mess. What shortsighted idiots, cursed You Hantian angrily as he glared at the green one. You failed to do what you set out to do, and now youre hoping to make up for it? You really think Im a fool? The black one was from the empire. The green one was from the Ethereal Court and the other sects in its alliance. The white one was an urgent message from the cultivator guarding the Devil Abyss. The content of the three jade slips was connected to one another. The Ethereal Courts stated the conditions they were willing to accede to in order to make up for their mistakes, and it included something about the Devil Abyss. The one from the empire was asking about Qingming. The one from the Devil Abyss was about how the seal was about to become ineffective soon. Since youve pushed everything to me, dont blame me for being heartless, spat You Hantian through clenched teeth, emphasizing each word he uttered with an expression even gloomier than the night sky. TL/N: #Bespoke ?? ED/N: #Humblebrag ?? Chapter 158 Chapter 158 C A Pact You are Gu Suihan? The old man sat proudly inside the room upstairs and looked down at Gu Suihan. That is correct. Elder Yan slowly took a sip of his tea, then said flatly, I heard from Yan Hua that you have requested to watch the entire process of making the spiritual weapon. That is also correct. In that case, this will cost you 50,000 spiritual stones, said Elder Yan with a disdainful look in his eye as he casually glanced past the storage ring in Gu Suihans hand. Hoho, chuckled Gu Suihan. He didnt get angry and bowed slightly, In that case, I shant make one today, then. Humph12! Elder Yans expression fell, and he had a threatening tone as he said, The Swordsmith Court is not a place where you can come and go as you please! You dont want to make one anymore? I squeezed time out from my busy schedule to do this, and youre just going to walk away like that? Youd better have a good explanation for this! A good explanation? Gu Suihan slowly got up and didnt hide the sneer on his face. Its good to have a brain, butits too bad you dont have one. Ghostly Dimension Eyes of Heaven C Become Hun Refine Po! Gu Suihans eyes suddenly flickered and gave off a brilliant red light that seemed like a black hole that could suck anything into it. Elder Yan ended up meeting his eyes without realizing what was actually happening to him. Read the soul! Scenes from Elder Yans life flashed in front of Gu Suihan like a slideshow. How dare you! The core within Elder Yans consciousness was like a snake that had been frightened. It now turned around to roar angrily as it surged mightily toward Gu Suihan. Stop right there! Gu Suihans spirit inside his own consciousness instantly shifted like an ancient ferocious beast that had been rudely awakened. Its eyes opened slowly and the strength of its nearly boundless spiritual sense swept through the consciousness of Elder Yan. Pfft! Elder Yans face paled as he stumbled backward and blood flowed out from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, as though he had been struck by lightning. I see. Doing this was not easy for Gu Suihan too, so after he saw what he wanted, he immediately dispelled the technique and breathed a sigh of relief. He moved his internal energies around his body to shake his clothes dry, then put his thoughts away as he slowly walked toward Elder Yan, who was now leaning weakly against his chair. Youyouyou are the great Qingming! Elder Yan didnt know much, but he had heard that the major sects were on high alert as they tried to hunt down a powerful cultivator at Divine Soul named Qingming. Gu Suihan was only at Foundation Establishment, yet he could unleash his spiritual sense. Didnt that mean this young man was actually Qingming, the man whom the major sects desperately wanted to get rid of? What do you think? Gu Suihan slowly sat down on the table in front of Elder Yan and poured himself a nice cup of tea. Whatwhat do you want? Elder Yans expression was glum, and he looked defeated. Thats what I want to ask you. I have no feud with you at all, so why do you want to make things so difficult for me? Gu Suihan took a sip of hot tea, and less than a second later, Questioning Heaven was resting on the old mans neck. Elder Yan could feel the cold blade that was just next to his skin and shivered instinctively. He knew that if he didnt give an answer, this insanely beautiful young man would kill him without hesitation. All cultivators who make it this far and live this long are lunatics. If he died, then Gu Suihan could just make a run for it, and it would take the sect a while to discover the death of one of their elders. This was enough time for Gu Suihan to stroll out of the sects territory. Meanwhile, the old mans death would only result in a fall of his clans status, and his assets would be taken over by other factions in the sect. But more importantly, he didnt want to die. He had just barely managed to gather his soul and form his core not too long ago, so he still had several good centuries of life ahead of him. After all these thoughts flashed through his mind, Elder Yan quickly made the right decision. It was the right one for him, but it was possiblythe worst one for the Youthful Clarity Sect. I heard that the sect leader favors you greatly and has given you a lot of pills, herbs, and other resources, so So you got greedy? Gu Suihan had a mocking smile on his face. You think Id believe that? Elder Yan looked at Gu Suihan in shock. He couldnt understand why the young man would know what was going through his mind. But after he remembered what was hiding under this pretty boys exterior, his lips twitched nervously. He paused for a long while and finally sighed like he had given up trying to fight back. After the seven major sects fell for Qingmings ploy, they lost most of their internal disciples, and many of these disciples were the best in the sect. Thats why its been a long time since anybody came to forge a weapon. The previously wealthy Swordsmith Court has eaten into its reserves already. Its been a while since I received any extra money. Then you suddenly turned up with lots of spiritual stones, so So you got greedy? Gu Suihan had a strange look on his face before refusing to accept the old mans reason again. Thats not the most important reason. Its one of them. Elder Yan could sense that Gu Suihans gaze had intensified and couldnt help but gulp. He braced himself and continued, AlsoI heard that youre on pretty good terms with Shuanger. That girl isnt from this world, and she will eventually head for the Upper World. As her benefactor, you would be allowed to go with her. I was hoping to follow you when that happens and see if I can get out of this swamp. And how were you so certain that I would agree to take you along after youve offended me like this? Gu Suihan slowly picked up the slightly cold cup of tea, which helped hide the mysterious look in his eye. Elder Yans lips twitched again. I thought that since you were only at Foundation Establishment and hadnt cultivated for long, you wouldnt know much. So I decided to go on the offensive first by forcing you to swear by the Way, then do something nice for you that wouldnt cost me anything, which was to make you a spiritual weapon. What a great idea. The first bit was nonsense, and the last part is the truth, chuckled Gu Suihan. If my guess is correct, what you intended to do after forcing me to take an oath would be to catch hold of my weakness and become even greedier. Youd end up taking away everything I have. He flung the teacup onto the old mans face covered with wrinkles, then gently patted Elder Yans cheeks with the flat side of his sword. Sois my guess correct? Before the other party could respond, Gu Suihan went on, I have to say that your mind is extremely active, and youre pretty sensitive too. You actually noticed something unusual about this seemingly peaceful world of cultivators. Just a little lacking in judgment. Elder Yan wanted to protest, but when he looked at Gu Suihans demonic smile, he didnt dare to utter a word. Alright then, time to swear, by the Way. Gu Suihan glanced at the old man, who remained frozen in his chair, and said, What, you need me to teach you how to do that? N-no Elder Yan shuddered and quickly started to take the vilest oath he could conjure up. But halfway through, Gu Suihan waved his hand to stop Elder Yan from continuing. I cant believe I forgot that youve already entered the Origin Core stage, so youve already made it past the part where you could be consumed by the demons in your heart. Swearing by the Way, is not going to have any consequences on you. Thenthenwhat do you want? Elder Yan didnt feel the slightest bit relieved to hear these words and became even more uneasy instead. He looked at Gu Suihan and said in a trembling voice, But II dont have any other way I do, said Gu Suihan with a pleasant smile. Elder Yan watched on in horror as Gu Suihan retrieved an old piece of animal hide that looked like it had been through a lot. This is the skin of an ancient magical beast, and there are runes on it, explained Gu Suihan slowly when he saw the terrified look on Elder Yans face. He shot a wisp of spiritual sense out from his eyes. This wisp carried a faraway, desolate and absolutely terrifying presence of the laws of nature. Gu Suihan had a grim face as he used this wisp to etch words onto the hide. These are words formed by summarizing the laws of the Way of Heaven. Gu Suihan was very patient, explaining things to the old man even as he carved all these words into the hide. In ancient times, this thing was calleda pact! Fifteen minutes later, Gu Suihan was done and was perspiring profusely. He held out the hide covered in strange and complicated-looking characters to Elder Yan. Whatwhat do these characters mean? Elder Yan took the hide from Gu Suihan with trembling hands. The anxiety he was feeling inside was threatening to explode right out of his head already. The gist is that you must not tell anybody about me, and you cannot make any attempt to get in my way. Otherwise, your physical body will explode, and your soul will belong to me, said Gu Suihan nonchalantly before smearing a drop of his blood on the hide. II Elder Yan felt like crying now. He wanted to fight back, but when he remembered who Gu Suihan was supposed to be, he lost any courage to do so. After struggling with himself for a moment, he reluctantly smeared a drop of his blood onto the hide as well. Woong! In that instant, they felt like the entire world was shaking. The hide unleashed an aura that seemed like it could hold up the sky, which slowly disappeared after some time. At the same time, both of them felt like there was something new inside their hearts. Immediately after Elder Yan had smeared the hide with his own blood, everything went dark, and he understood the words on the hide. The words read: Promise to become Gu Suihans slave forever, and that Gu Suihan can kill you at any time for any reason. There were so many characters on the hide, but only this one sentence made sense. The rest were written just to make it seem complicated. Elder Yan felt like a country bumpkin who had gone to the big city with dreams, only to find that the big city was fraught with dangers and scheming people. The simple life he once disdained was actually better. But it was now too late for him to turn back. Actually, you dont have to feel so upset, said Gu Suihan as he looked at Elder Yans crestfallen expression. Your core is of extremely poor quality, and theres no hope for you to reach Nascent Change at all, so youre just waiting to die. But with me around, thats not necessarily the case anymore. For all you know, I couldhelp you get to Divine Soul. These flippant-sounding words resounded like thunder in Elder Yans heart. Indeed, since Gu Suihan was supposed to be a cultivator at Divine Soul, he definitely had a way to help him break the shackles that prevented him from advancing in his cultivation. And even if he couldnt get all the way to Divine Soul, he was more than happy to settle for Nascent Change. At that moment, Elder Yans eyes slowly lit up again. There was a faint hope in his eyes now. TL/N: Oh look Sottie, just like you! ?? ED/N: Look at you, bullying poor ol Sottie =( ?? Chapter 159 Chapter 159 C Fenglin, The Dead Country Now, tell me whats beneath the Swordsmith Court, said Gu Suihan flatly as he poured himself another cup of tea and gently rapped the table with his knuckles. Yes, sir. Elder Yan quickly understood his new position in relation to Gu Suihan, so he bent his head and bowed slightly as he responded, The basement is the furnace for forging swords, and it is linked to the fire from the earth. And? said Gu Suihan with his eyes closed. Andandits also wherethe formation eye of the formationthat protects the Youthful Clarity Sect is. Elder Yan was conflicted as to whether he should tell Gu Suihan the truth or not and stuttered through his entire sentence. But once he finished saying it, he felt much more relaxed. Or perhaps relieved was a better word. The formation eye murmured Gu Suihan. He gave Elder Yan an approving look and said firmly, I hear the inter-sect exchange between the seven major sects will happen in a year from now. During this year, you will still be Elder Yan of the Youthful Clarity Sect. The inter-sectexchange? repeated Elder Yan. He suddenly shuddered and looked at Gu Suihan with a start. When he saw the faint smile on Gu Suihans flawless face, he felt a chill rise from within his heart. Yes, sir! Refashion this sword into a saber. Gu Suihan placed Questioning Heaven on the table, then stuffed a piece of parchment paper into the hands of the old man. He patted the old mans shoulders without saying anything and left. After a long time, Elder Yan finally snapped out of his thoughts. He looked down at the drops of perspiration that had collected on the floor and felt like the wrinkles on his face had become deeper. After going one big round, I finally got what I wanted, I guess? Gu Suihan had a slight smile on his face as he turned to glance at the Swordsmith Court. There was a strange gleam in his eyes that shone like fireworks. Big brother! Shuangers youthful voice resounded in Gu Suihans ears, causing his expression to freeze for a moment. His smile faded, and he had an indifferent expression on his face again. Junior brother Gu, why are you here? Jingjings clear and gentle voice came along with a lovely fragrance. I just came to take a look. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and continued to behave frostily toward them. Shuanger couldnt help but bow her head sadly when she noticed how Gu Suihans expression remained as unfriendly as before. Jingjing patted Shuangers ponytail and said to Gu Suihan in a rather unhappy voice, Weve taken up the sects mission to investigate the plague thats affected Fenglin. Do you want to come along with us to gain some experience? At the same time, she spoke to Gu Suihan via telepathy, Shuanger has been very depressed because of you, so I hope you can come along and cheer her up. Bringing you here was my fault to begin with, not hers. But youve been here for two years now, and I think youve straightened your thoughts out by now. Or rather, I believe you can sense how much the sect looks after you. Its time you let go of the past. Gu Suihan frowned deeply, and his first instinct was to tell them no, but when he noticed Shuangers timid but hopeful expression, an idea struck him, and he said, Alright then. Yay! Shuangers little face instantly lit up. She leaped into Jingjings arms excitedly and jumped about. Along the way, Gu Suihans stiff expression seemed to be influenced by Shuangers bright laughter. His expression slowly became gentler on his fair and smooth face, shining like a pearl and exuding a fatal charm. His brilliant eyes were like the stars and looked like they could pierce right through ones heart. Jingjing held Shuangers hand and looked down at the capital city of Fenglin, which was strewn with corpses. There were no signs of life, and it was now filled with a vengeful hatred of the people who once lived here. She murmured, The cultivator who did thismust be completely out of his mind, dont you think so? Perhaps. Gu Suihan had no expression on his face and looked unaffected. Shuanger told me before, said Jingjing as she turned to look at Gu Suihans pretty profile with a conflicted look in her eyes, sheseems to find you very familiar. Is that so? Gu Suihan turned to look at her. His shiny black eyes beneath his long eyelashes flashed with just enough gentleness. Jingjings expression slowly relaxed. The tinge of suspicion in her eyes earlier instantly disappeared when she looked into his bright eyes. Perhaps itsfate, said Gu Suihan quietly as he patted Shuangers head. Jingjing blinked a few times in silence. She had a slightly curious look on her face as she said, Junior brother, I heard that you hardly enter the skills and techniques library. Instead, youre often found inside the library of historical records. I have some interest in the mysteries of ancient times, said Gu Suihan slowly. In that case, do you know what tactic could have been used to cause this tragedy? Jingjing had a depressed look on her face, and she let out a sad sigh. Gu Suihan took note of these things and asked quietly, Did you have family living here? Jingjing stared at Gu Suihan in surprise and nodded. Yes, I did. My parents passed away when I was very young, and it was my grandfather who brought me up. My family wanted to force me into marrying some rich wastrel, but my grandfather was against it, so he insisted on sending me to the Youthful Clarity Sect instead. In fact, it would have been his birthday in a few days time. Tears streamed down her face as she uttered the last sentence and reflected the colors of the rainbow in the sunlight. Thatstoo bad, said Gu Suihan with a soft sigh. He did not seize this chance to pull her into his arms and show her concern. Instead, he merely replied flatly, I dont know what tactic could have been used. The books I read from the library did not mention anything like this. Jingjing secretly rolled her eyes at Gu Suihan and let out a long sigh. It was hard to tell if she was sighing because she was upset about her grandfather or if she was upset about how oblivious the young man next to her was. Lets take a closer look inside. We might find something. Jingjing felt something scratching against her palm. She looked down to see Shuanger throwing her a look of disdain. She felt embarrassed and flicked the little girls head as she hissed, Dont you dare judge me! I heard that the plague spread from the palace, remarked Gu Suihan nonchalantly. The palace? Jingjings eyes lit up. After searching through the rubble and leaping over some high and thick walls, she called out to Gu Suihan and started flying northwest of the city. The seeds I plantedshould have borne fruit by now. Gu Suihan lagged behind and looked past the two ladies in front of him, keeping his eye on a place in the distance with an oddly icy look in his eyes. This is the palace of Fenglin. Jingjing landed on the ground slowly and scanned the area covered in broken rocks and weeds. Gu Suihan suddenly felt like he had forgotten one thing C the Great Elder of Fenglin. That old man who had cultivated in the Way of Martial Arts and had nearly reached Nascent Change. Where was he now? I heard that Fenglin has an elder whose level of cultivation was very high. I wonder where he is now, said Gu Suihan suddenly as his sharp eyes slowly focused on the collapsed buildings within the palace walls. Jingjing was confused for a second before her flippant expression became serious. She cautiously moved toward Gu Suihan and said, I heard that the Seven Kill Sect and some of the martial cultivators from Fenglin were actually on the same side. They even broke out the warship they had been hiding for years. A gleam shone in her pretty eyes as she paused to think. Junior brother, do you think this was done by the Seven Kill Sect? Fenglin is located within the Seven Kill Sects territory and was guarded by some really formidable martial cultivators, so the Seven Kill Sect must have felt like these people were a thorn in their flesh. I dont think thats possible, said Gu Suihan calmy. The Seven Kill Sect is the only one not on our side, and it was already very difficult for them to fight all of us by themselves. Now that they finally got themselves an ally, why would they do something to exterminate their ally? There was another reason that Gu Suihan did not mention. That was, You Hantian was at Nascent Change, so the Great Elder of Fenglin was not a threat to the sect leader at all. There was no need to massacre an entire country and become hated by the world. This should have been where the kings wives lived. Jingjing looked at the soiled clothing on the ground and could still see the embroidery and gems on the fabric. In that caseif there were danger within the palace, the emperor would have escaped to his own residence. Gu Suihan slowly walked around and sensed that he was getting closer and closer to that well. Inside there The three of them walked around the rubble and looked carefully at the rusty armor on the ground as well as the blackened pieces of flesh mixed in with dried puddles of blood that were also stuck firmly among the grass. Its got to be here. They stood in front of the only building that looked like it was still in one piece. The signboard above the main entrance was in pieces, and the doors were broken, revealing the absolutely tragic scene within. Thismust be the emperor of Fenglin. Gu Suihan looked at the dried corpse seated at its low desk. It wore a yellow robe that was embroidered with a picture of an unknown ferocious beast and covered in a lot of blood. There was also a very obvious hole in the middle of his chest. That must have been the main cause of death. Search for the Cause, Reenact the Past! Jingjing bit her tongue, raised her fair wrist, and pressed a pretty finger against the area between the dead mans brow bones. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 C Life Is But A Dream Jingjing sprayed fresh blood out of her mouth onto her finger. Her blood covered her finger evenly like it had a mind of its own, quickly transforming into strange-looking runes. It emanated a gloomy air as it proceeded to move toward the corpses forehead. Burn the Soul, Transform the Shadow! A light gray soul with a threatening expression and filled with a vengeful hatred struggled as Jingjing drew it out of the corpses head. She drew a line with her finger and unleashed qi, causing the soul to roar indignantly as it was turned into the illusion of a mirror against its will. We are here to find out who did this terrible thing to Fenglin. Given a choice, I really wouldnt want to do this. I hope you can understand! said Jingjing quietly. She felt bad for the unrestful soul. Perhaps the soul was surprised by the clear and earnest gazes of the two young ladies. Even as it continued to roar, its furious expression slowly turned to one of pleading as it looked deeply at the three of them. It finally let out a long howl and allowed its final memories to be reflected in the mirror. The plague did start from the palace. Gu Suihan watched as the emperor was escorted to his residence by a large group of guards. The patrolling guards had all turned into aggressive and insane creatures that had gone out of control. When they spotted the emperor and his entourage, they roared and pounced toward the group. The images slowly became clearer and clearer, and the scene suddenly changed. Several unsuspecting concubines hiding within the harem had been injured by the ones who had gone insane and shuddered as they clutched their wounds. But after some time, the concubines eyes suddenly reddened and gave off a violent aura as they shrieked and turned on the people nearest to them. Everyone was focused on the danger outside the harem and didnt expect the concubines to go insane. As a result, several people were injured in no time. The scene changed again. A woman dressed like the empress roared wildly as she pounced at the emperor. The emperor looked visibly upset as he pulled her into his arms instead of fighting her. Iwill keep you company, murmured the emperor as he looked down lovingly at the empress in his arms, who had clearly lost her mind as she struggled and roared. She stabbed her fair hand into his chest, causing blood and flesh to fly everywhere. The warm blood sprayed on her face, and she seemed to regain her rationality for that moment. Her eyes became clear again, and tears rolled down her cheeks as she called out, Your Majesty Idont blame you! said the pale-faced emperor gently as he wiped her tears away. He then gave off a powerful blast of energy that killed them both on the spot. The only thing that remained was the satisfied smile on their faces. Their lives ended as dramatically as the firecrackers during the New Year, and as beautiful as the fireworks during the Mid-autumn festival. The soul burned as though it was thinking about all the scenes that had been reflected in the mirror. Its expression slowly became calm and peaceful as it looked hopefully at the three of them, then slowly turned into a wisp of smoke that disappeared in the wind. As the wind blew past the three living ones, they could still hear the emperor and empress last words echoing in the air. Your Majesty Dont be afraid, I will keep you company! A few moments later, Jingjing and Shuanger hugged each other and started bawling. Large teardrops streamed down their supple cheeks. Life is but a dream. Only Ishall last to eternity, thought Gu Suihan. A strange look flashed in his eyes for just one moment before disappearing. He looked at the two ladies whose eyes were red and puffy, then calmly held a handkerchief to them. The plaguestarted from further inside the palace. Jingjing and Shuanger took the handkerchief from him, their voices choked as they said, Where exactly? The two of them are going to hate me even more This thought went through Gu Suihans mind quietly. Over there. Lets go! Jingjing had a look of deep hatred in her eyes as she marched toward the direction in which Gu Suihan had pointed. Somehow, Shuanger caught a glimpse of Gu Suihans emotionless face and that indifferent gaze that seemed to despise the entire world. Her heart pounded fearfully as she thought, I feel likeIve seen that expression before somewhere Over here! said Jingjing after she scanned her surroundings, made a hand seal and drew out one soul from among the bones all over the floor. She retrieved the memories of the soul even as it growled incomprehensibly. This placeSeven Kill Sect disciples once stayed here temporarily, she uttered in disbelief after some time. The Seven Kill Sect reallyreally dared to do such a thing? Gu Suihan said in surprise. Waitnot quite She looked a little upset and distracted, as though she was trying to confirm something. She caught hold of another soul and checked its memories. Its probablysomeone among them. Jingjings face turned pale, and she clutched her forehead a little weakly. Using this soul-reading technique multiple times was taking its toll on her. This persons clothing seems different from the others, said Shuanger as she pointed to a pile of dried bones against the wall. The corpses clothes were torn and tattered, but one could still see some traces of his expensive and detailed armor. Gu Suihan sent a wisp of qi out and found the identity token of the corpse. A palace guard, said Gu Suihan before handing it to Jingjing. Extracting the soul She forced herself to execute her soul-reading technique again. Pfft! Her eyes were shut tightly as she suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. Her face turned deathly pale, and her legs nearly gave way under her. Are you alright? asked Gu Suihan concernedly as he hurriedly pulled her into his arms. Thiswas whereSeven Kill Sect disciples stayedalso, therestheres a wellin this courtyard, butthe others dont have one! Thisthis would be the most likely place to starta plague, becauseeveryone needswater said Jingjing breathlessly. She felt really embarrassed in Gu Suihans arms and both her neck and ears were red. She thought about pushing him away, but leaning against his broad chest made her feel so safe, so she didnt want to give that up, either. After struggling in her heart for a while, she gave up and let him hold her. Lets go in and take a look. Gu Suihan carried her and walked further in even as Shuanger pouted and glared at him for not carrying her as well. I can sense you alreadycome on out, the fruits Ive taken so much effort to cultivate thought Gu Suihan as his eyes began to burn excitedly. Unfortunately, Shuanger was trailing behind, while Jingjing kept her face buried in his chest from being too embarrassed, so neither of them noticed the change in Gu Suihans expression. This was the same gaze he had when he stared at the split soul which was guarding Shuanger in the secret realm. Watch out, theres a formation! shouted Gu Suihan suddenly as he retreated. The two ladies raised their heads frantically and felt pressure like a huge ocean wave had hit them. Everything went black, and they both fainted. Gu Suihan flung the woman in his arms aside, then turned his attention to the house within the courtyard, which was now essentially just a few broken pieces of wood. Water! he said quietly without doing anything. A fountain measuring several meters in height suddenly rose from the well. It followed Gu Suihans gaze and picked up all the broken pieces of wood within the courtyard. Rise! The water turned into a gentle stream that slowly flowed into the ground beneath the house. Explode! Gu Suihans gaze paused. Something started moving beneath the burned and broken pieces of wood on the ground, as though a ferocious beast was struggling to surface. A second later, the sound of something breaking filled the air as the broken pieces were sent into the sky by the water and landed outside the courtyard. After the broken pieces were cleared, a very complex formation could be seen on the ground. Purplish black formation runes exuded a faint frostiness as they wriggled around the formation lines like little snakes. If a cultivator were around to scan this formation for qi, they would be shocked to see a thick black whirlwind of qi floating above the formation. Vengeful ghosts and spirits struggled to fly out of the whirlwind from time to time, but the whirlwind would always use a thin chain to pull them back. This occurred against and again without stopping. His eyes burned excitedly as he muttered, Yin fiendish steel, demonic bloodstone, soul-snatching wood, spirit-searching grass. He walked up to the formation and took out the items that he had already prepared beforehand from inside his storage ring. He followed a particular sequence and weightage, turning each item into powder before placing them in the indentions around the border of the formation that was flickering faintly. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 C This Is My Will Formationrise! shouted Gu Suihan as he injected qi into the drawing in the ground with his palm. The sky darkened, and a thick layer of vengefulness covered the entire capital city. Woong! The formation glowed purple and gave off a low humming sound as it trembled. Gu Suihan took a few steps back and stared indifferently at the whirlwind in the sky that was getting increasingly violent. Gather the souls! Craaaack! The walls around the courtyard collapsed, and any trees and grass caught up by the whirlwind were minced by the sharp winds. In that instant, the entire place was dark. His hair flew wildly in the wind and covered most of his face, but you could vaguely make out the look of anticipation in his eyes. Roaaar! A terrible noise resounded in Gu Suihans ears as the whirlwind above him grew stronger and darker. One could see all the vengeful and murderous souls that had been wandering aimlessly around the city, howling and struggling as they were picked up by the whirlwind without exception. The formation hummed loudly, and brilliant pillars of light shot out from the ground and into the sky. Cleanse the souls! The milky white runes mixed in with purplish gold spots suddenly exploded and flew straight for the whirlpool above like moths to a fire. This will determine if I succeed or fail! Gu Suihan pursed his lips slightly and stepped into the middle of the formation. Swallowed by karma? As the vengeful spirits struggled in the air and attempted to pounce on him, he let out a loud shout, Im capable of holding up against the karma from millions of slain souls! You only number in the hundreds of thousands C what a joke! His storage ring glowed faintly, and he poured countless pill bottles out from it. The bottles exploded, and he swallowed all the colorful qi-filled pills like a whale taking in water. At the same time, all the natural treasures, spiritual herbs, and spiritual fruit that he had gathered over time were reduced to juice and flowed around Gu Suihan. Bam! Bam! Bam! The ordinary-looking storage bag hanging from his belt suddenly burst open. Countless bloody heads, some with nasty expressions, some with fearful expressions, and some with angry or shocked expressions, were flung out as a result. These were almost all the heads of all the cultivators he had killed since he set foot in this world. Over there, the Wayis alive. Over here, youare dead! snorted Gu Suihan. His eyes which seemed able to see through all things, constricted rapidly and a bloody red beam of light shot out from his pupils. Now! yelled Gu Suihan as his clothing suddenly exploded. The liquid flowing around him stuck to his skin and was slowly absorbed into his body. At the same time, his Beginner Foundation Establishment body began to creak and vibrate like it was under tremendous pressure. Qi surged through his body like a rushing river, breaking through obstacle after obstacle. It continued to flow into the spiritual root in his spine, then moved into his dantian. The two flows were like a waterfall moving backward, surging powerfully against the natural flow and absorbed by the badly injured heart-soul beneath his spirit. Qi continued to flood his body, advancing him through Mid-stage, Advanced stage, and finally healing the obvious crack in his heart-soul without problems. He began to exude the pressurizing authoritativeness of a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Kaboom! The sky seemed to become angry, and everything on the ground shuddered. Countless bolts of lightning appeared and rained down on the city, burning deep craters into the ground. The clouds billowed in the wind, and the sky rumbled nonstop. Gu Suihan could feel a pressure crashing down on him from all directions. Sea of blood, arise! Gu Suihans black hair was like snakes, wriggling in the wind. His expression remained indifferent as he stared straight at those deep and mysterious azure blue eyes that were slowly manifesting the laws of nature governing this city. Bam! Bam! The city could no longer hold up against the whirlwind. Any walls left standing collapsed, and any remaining buildings left were torn into small pieces. The moat around the city was like an angry dragon that had been shocked, rising into the air and gathering around Gu Suihan. The red spider lily seal in between his brows seemed to have awakened as well. It gave off a bloody red glow and trembled as it dyed the water around him red and made it give off a bloody stench. It was a sea of blood indeed. I will not die! Gu Suihan raised his head proudly and stood up straight. The whirlpool followed the pillars of light, flowing downwards like the galaxy moving in the opposite direction and into Gu Suihans head. How big was Fenglin? He had no idea. But the angry and vengeful spirits floating in the skies of this city were no less than a million. Even though the souls were left with less than half of their strength after the formation had cleansed and converted them, it was still helpful to Gu Suihan. This was nothing compared to how his spiritual sense could cover an amazing area of more than five million kilometers. His heart slowly calmed back down as he felt the coolness inside his consciousness that nourished his spirit. He waved his arm, and the ground beneath the city began to shake. You want to kill me, I see. In that caseI will give you this chance. Gu Suihan grinned and revealed his pearly whites. The lightning in the sky illuminated his slightly frightening expression. His eyes were like black holes as they stared emotionlessly and fearlessly at the other party. Lightning bolts as thick as a pail rained down from above, striking the entire area where Gu Suihan was standing continuously without a break. Away! Gu Suihan waved his arm, making the sea of blood around him disappear. He flew into the air and met the furious lightning head-on. Bam! After the dust settled, a blackened figure fell from the sky, like a bird with broken wings. Imstill alive! Gu Suihan wiped away the blood dribbling from his lips and spat a mouthful of blood out. He ignored the black burns and terrible wounds on his body, then flew upwards again. Boom! The laws of nature gathered again. A brilliant spark flashed in the sky, followed by a resounding boom of thunder. An even bigger commotion filled the sky. This time, the lightning and thunder came together to create a dragon that roared continuously as though it were really alive. Sorry to disappoint! Gu Suihan struggled to his feet and looked up at the eyes in the sky with a smirk on his face. His entire body had been quenched by lightning and was falling apart. The strange runes on his bones became more and more obvious. His blood was like nectar that slowly turned a faint red and actually exuded a holy aura. Again! The dragon disappeared. The will of this world seemed to be taking its time to gather something. A few moments later, a bolt of lightning that was only as thin as lightning but purplish black in color shot toward Gu Suihan. Haha! Youre way weaker than him! Gu Suihan was smiling and smiling very happily at that. He didnt bother hiding the contempt on his face. Unfortunately, the eyes that were a manifestation of the will of this world were unaffected by his response. It remained as steady as the rocks at the bottom of the sea, unchanging for eternity. The lightning bolt entered his body and exploded, causing the mighty energy of the laws of nature to surge through his body without stopping. Bam! Bam! Little explosions resounded again and again. Gu Suihans body resembled a broken gunnysack as wound after wound appeared on his body. Blood sprayed out of those wounds, but it was a milky ivory white instead of red. Origin Corethis is really easy! Gu Suihan grinned and wasnt bothered by how battered his body was. Qi roared through his body and gobbled up the electrical current from the lightning bolt inside the body. And now, I will show youmy will! thought Gu Suihan. Both the sky and ground began to shake violently as water began to gather rapidly, turning into a long spear in Gu Suihans hands. His qi was like the wind as it turned into an intricately designed yet lightweight armor around him that glowed with faint traces of the laws of his nature, including a cape flapping in the wind. He was now like the god of war, standing tall before the other party. And now, heres my gift in return! He took a heavy step forward, and a deep trench appeared in the ground as he pushed himself upwards. He spread his arms out like a roc and flew toward the eyes in the sky without any fear. Illusionary Sky! Gather the Stars! The bright stars beyond the sky started flickering brightly. Its brilliant glow traveled a great distance and flew into Gu Suihans body. The long spear in his hand trembled slightly as it was thrust fiercely toward those gigantic eyeballs with a force that could sweep through the void and swallow the stars. The Way of Heaven? Thats merely a self-derived sort of consciousness. Compared to him, theres no way youre qualified to consider yourself the Way of Heaven! Why was Gu Suihan so confident that he could fight against the will of this world at the Origin Core stage? How was he so confident that he would survive this? The reason was simple. This worldwas too small. After conducting a number of tests and observing the various events that had been happening in the world of cultivators recently, Gu Suihan had a rough idea of how powerful the will of this world was. If this were really powerful, then those evil and ruthless deeds Gu Suihan had done in Qingguo back then would not have been dismissed with just some reprimanding. It wouldnt have done nothing even after the Huangquan Evil Ghost went on a second rampage. The setup that Gu Suihan had in Fenglin wouldnt have succeeded at all, either. The will of this world was very weak. It was so weak it couldnt even protect itself. It was so weakit couldnt kill Gu Suihan even though he was only at the Origin Core stage. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 C A Win? A Defeat? KEBABOOOMMMM1 The whole place shook, and the laws of nature turned into a dense net that covered the entire sky. The laws of the five elements? Youre no match for me, said Gu Suihan with a snort. He threw the spear out, and it whooshed loudly and angrily like a gigantic arrow, carrying the stench of blood along with it as it flew toward the net. Water? Scatter! He flicked his finger gently, and his nail gently touched the large net. The eyes in the sky suddenly widened as the laws changed, and the huge net crumbled as though it had been hit by lightning. Sea of blood! No limits! He laughed loudly as the armor on his body slowly fell off and was replaced by a long, dark red bloody robe. All the water sources within the capital city were like swallows returning to their nests as they soared toward Gu Suihan. The vapor reflected the colors of the rainbow under the sunlight. The cloudswere gone. They were absorbed into the growing sea of blood. The treesdied. They were drained of any water they had. The grounddried up and cracked. All of its water was swirling around Gu Suihan in the air. Everything within sight was dyed a bloody red. The only smell in the air was the stench of blood. Whooshing noises filled his ears, and everything moved in waves around him. At that moment, Gu Suihanwas the god of this region. Bam! The spear pierced through the layers of obstruction and stabbed right into those eyes. An angry roar seemed to resound in the distance. Everything in the world stopped for that moment. Every living creature could not help but look up at the sky in horror. I will eventually leave. But you do not get to decide when. Gu Suihan stared indifferently at the slowly disappearing eyes in the sky. He was like a god who ruled the skies from above, but he was also like a demon who crawled out of a deep abyss and emerged from a bloodbath. The will of this world had retreated. It realized that it couldnt kill Gu Suihan, so it quickly decided to back off instead. This was a compromise, or perhapsa sort of defeat? Whos that? You Hantian suddenly got up from his chair in the First Peak of the Seven Kill Sect. His eyes gleamed brightly like two sharp swords as he shot a gaze toward Fenglin. Is that you? All cultivators at high levels of cultivation from the Ethereal Court and its allies flew up immediately and had a conflicted look in their eyes as they looked down at the area where the laws of nature had just changed. Its you! In an unknown location, on a gigantic warship, an old man got up with a start. He stood on the deck, his eyes ablaze with fury andpure hatred. ROAAR! The terrifying roar deep inside the well within the Devil Abyss rang brightly as it felt the shift in the Earth earlier. Gu Suihan dismissed the sea of blood that covered the hundreds of miles around him, then landed on the ground again. He was rather tired now. He proceeded to wear that spiritual armor he got from the secret realm again. His long hair cascaded past his shoulders, and a few stray strands covered his forehead, hiding the mark of the strange-looking red spider lily slightly. He pursed his lips slightly into a perfect smile. His eyebrows were slightly curved, which helped to soften the iciness in his emotionless gaze. Change their memories! He pointed a finger at the two unconscious ladies lying on the ground whom he had protected from the fight earlier. He was now at Origin Core and had no problem altering their memories. There isnt much time left, murmured Gu Suihan as he casually looked up at the sky that had gone back to normal. The message from the will of this world earlier had been very clear. It wanted Gu Suihan to leave as quickly as possible. Otherwise, it would do everything in its power to chase him out or even kill him. He didnt think someone who had just hit Origin Core could force the spirit of this space to retreat just like that. While it was true that his tactics and techniques were superior to most others, the huge difference in power between the levels was the good part about being at a higher level of cultivation. Those at higher levels had enough qi to execute a few dozen moves, while Gu Suihan only had enough to execute a little more than ten moves. He could use secret techniques and the elements and other skills to increase the power of his attacks, but the sheer difference in the number of techniques they could execute was too big for him to overcome. It would have made better sense if he were some old fellow at a higher stage of Origin Core or at Nascent Change. But the fact remained that Gu Suihan had actually won. But that made him even more puzzled. Thisprobably has something to do with that Devil Abyss place. Otherwise, why would it give up so easily on a threat at my level? thought Gu Suihan as he reached out to awaken the two ladies. But he quickly stopped himself again. Would it seem too unreal if we were to return looking like this? He looked at their only mildly dirtied clothing and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. A moment later, he chuckled and retrieved a sword from his storage ring. He used it to cut their clothes open, then proceeded to make several cuts all over their bodies. The fact that their bodies were indecently exposed did not bother him at all, and he continued to make more cuts and holes in their bodies. He didnt even avoid any areas that could prove fatal to them. In no time, their previously smooth and unscarred arms, legs, abdomen, and chest were covered in blood. But in order to fool others, he had to fool himself first. As an experienced, wily old fox, he knew that he couldnt take any chances. He had to go all out. After making several cuts in his body, his heart was injured, his dantian was damaged, and his entire body was covered in blood. The severe loss of blood made his face pale, and his lips turned blue. He used the last bit of strength he had to make the surroundings messier, then turned away from the two ladies and collapsed to the ground with a shattered sword that no longer had any sentience left in it next to him. In that instant, Gu Suihan had turned himself into a young hero who had nearly sacrificed his own life in order to save his fellow disciples from harm and was now on the brink of death. Jingjing slowly regained consciousness and groaned when she felt pain all over her body. She raised her head weakly, and her face instantly paled when she saw that Gu Suihan and Shuanger looked like they might be dead. She disregarded the bleeding wounds on her body, ran to pull the fallen Gu Suihan into her arms, and called out in a trembling voice, Junior brother! Junior brother! When her fingers happened to touch his strange blood, her eyes widened in shock. His blood was like nectar! Senior sister! Shuangers face was also pale as she regained consciousness as well. Junior brotheris on the verge of death, murmured Jingjing in a cracked voice as she stared in horror at the transparent hole in Gu Suihans chest. Big brother Shuanger crawled over, and there were tears in her eyes as she anxiously shook Gu Suihans seemingly lifeless body. This! He can use this! A thought suddenly struck her as she frantically retrieved a small bottle from her storage ring. She poured out a pill filled with qi, gave off a tri-colored glow, and then stuffed it into Gu Suihans mouth. A tri-colored soul-reviving pill! exclaimed Jingjing before quickly using her energy to help circulate the medicinal properties of the pill inside Gu Suihans body. Thats all we can do to keep him alive. Weve got to get back to the sect as quickly as possible. Once Gu Suihans wounds stopped bleeding, she used the little strength she had left to carry him. Her face paled even more when she saw the destruction around her and hurried back toward the sect. She didnt dare to use her sects special spiritual talisman to send a message back because she was in the Seven Kill Sects territory. No matter how bad their situation was, she couldnt do something like that in another sects territory. Those were the rules. II have an item that can help us fly. Shuanger quickly pulled out a boat-like item from her storage ring. Hurry! Their eyes were red, and their anxious voices trembled. Runes that resembled birds in flight suddenly appeared on the flying boat and swirled around the boat rapidly. A faint green glow covered the boat, and it flew into the distance at lightning speed, like an arrow that had just been released from its bowstring. While they were hurrying back to the Youthful Clarity Sect, there was a threatening-looking warship overflowing with fiendish qi flying toward Fenglin from a great distance away, moving through the endless void. Inside the ship stood a middle-aged man in white robes and graying sideburns. His eyebrows were bold swords, while his rugged face was framed by his chiseled jaw. His lips were tightly pursed, and an invisible sword qi filled the air around him. His gaze was like a pair of blades as they stared into the endless void outside. Shes used the pill as well! He murmured to himself in a low voice, Shuanger, what sort of crisis have you run into? The split soul I sealed inside your consciousness has been killed too. If anything bad happens to you, as your father, I will definitely destroy this tiny world! The Clackers Salty Salt Lab Its been a really long time since I last left a note Todays snack recommendation: Pretzels This thing has literal salt crystals embedded into it. I love just eating the salt first, then the pretzels. cackles TL/N: I should really just voice these effects ?? Chapter 163 Chapter 163 C Chaos Begins At the Youthful Clarity Sect. What in the world happened? asked Zhou Lingfeng quietly with a grim look on his face. Several elders stood a step below him as they looked silently at Shuanger and Jingjing. The three of us went to carry out a sect mission, the mission to investigate the plague that wiped out Fenglin. On the way Jingjing choked up as she slowly recounted what happened. Because Gu Suihan had altered their memories, Jingjing and Shuanger thought that after they had finally managed to get to that courtyard, a terrifying layer of fiendish qi covered the entire capital city. An unknown formation suddenly appeared from beneath the ground, revealing a cultivator seated cross-legged in the middle of it. A gigantic whirlpool suddenly appeared in the sky, and they lost consciousness. The rest of their account was after they regained consciousness, so those memories werent altered. Zhou Lingfengs heart pounded in shock when he heard their story and stood up. What did that cultivator look like? Did you manage to see his face? he asked anxiously. The formation covered his face. We only managed to see his blurry figure before losing consciousness. Jingjing was horrified, but she also felt terrible as she said, If that hadnt happened, junior brother wouldnt have ended up in a comatose state trying to protect us. Suihan Zhou Lingfengs expression fell, and he sighed a little sadly. He didnt expect something like that to happen. He had put this up as a sect mission because he just wanted to ensure that the nasty plague didnt reach his sect. It wasnt meant to be a difficult mission or anything like that. Who would have thought that something like this would happen? A few moments later, Zhou Lingfeng shut his eyes and gripped the armrests of his chair as he sat down again. Use everything we have to heal Suihan, he said in a low voice. We must help him to recover. The reason why he had made this decision was that Jingjing had told him that Gu Suihans blood had transformed into a nectar-like liquid. If not, he would have just searched the young mans soul instead of slowly listening to the account of the two ladies. Finding out the person behind that deed was more vital to him than a disciple with high levels of aptitude. This world was now in chaos, and problems kept cropping up. Their plans failed. The alliance formed with the Ethereal Court lost huge numbers of disciples. Qingming had come back to life. The Seven Kill Sect refused to make a stand. The seal over the Devil Abyss was about to be broken. All these insane things happening at the same time gave him a terrible headache, and he felt like he was under a lot of pressure. He even felt like he was about to collapse under this pressure. Sect Leader, do you know if the Seven Kill Sect suddenly asked one of the elders. Zhou Lingfeng massaged his forehead like he had a headache. He bent his head and said quietly, Theres no reaction from You Hantian. It looks like he will take a big bite out of us. Or worse, fight to the point where both parties suffer severe losses. Immediately after Zhou Lingfeng said that the elder frowned and spat nastily, Its no loss to him. Even if the seal over the Devil Abyss is broken and countless demons come out of that place, he could just stuff his entire sect into his secret realm and head for the Upper World. But the rest of usare going to die. And what can we do about that? That wily old fox from the Ethereal Court refuses to say anything and doesnt even want to apologize. The rest of us are just pawns. Those two are the ones playing the game. Zhou Lingfengs voice was filled with anger and indignation but also carried a tinge of helplessness. When it came to a fight between cultivators, the one who was more powerful had control of the situation. The Ethereal Court and its allies were the weaker parties, and the difference in power was impossible to overcome. Well just leave things as they are for now. Wait for Suihan to wake up and see if we can find out from him whether that cultivator was Qingming or not since Qingming has now disappeared without a trace. If that person were Qingming, that would be a bit of good news for us. But if its some other powerful figure, thenthings are going to become more chaotic, said Zhou Lingfeng quietly. He decided to play safe for now. Who in the world was that? You Hantian stood with his hands folded behind his back as he looked into the distance where Fenglin lay. His sinister gaze flickered, and his breathing was a little uneven, revealing that his heart was not as calm as his expression seemed to be. Qingmingis it you? he murmured as he looked away and fell into deep thought. At the same time, the Ethereal Court was located thousands of feet above the ground, floating among the clouds. The wrinkles on the elderly face of the sect leader of the Ethereal Court seemed to have become deeper. His expression was grim as he murmured, Qingming, You Hantianyou cant defeat me. Im going to move forward by stepping on all of your bones. Hey. I know youre awake. Stop pretending, said the Huangquan Evil Ghost with a disdainful look on its face. It had slid out from the shadows after the two maids had left Gu Suihans room. You can talk now? A mysterious smile slowly spread across Gu Suihans deathly pale and barely breathing face. During this time, I managed to fully suppress my evil ghost nature. Im not in any danger at the moment, so I can speak all I want, said the evil ghost as it shrugged nonchalantly. Gu Suihan paused to think about this unfamiliar term. Evil ghost nature? It seemed like their techniques were still very flawed! Youwere the one who did that? The evil ghost sounded like it was asking a question, but the look in its yellowish-brown eyes was certain. Qingmings supposed to have come back to life. Of course, hes got to wreak a little havoc, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he turned to look out at the cloudless sky a little distractedly. Theres no way the will of this world could be that weak. It couldnt even kill someone at Foundation Establishment like you? The evil ghosts facial features were all scrunched up, and it gesticulated wildly as it spoke. Ithas been held back by something. After some thought, Gu Suihan revealed the reason he felt was the most accurate. The evil ghost was curious. Whats that? This placeis very small. The only thing that can make the will of this world take notice is probably that place thats known as the Devil Abyss, said Gu Suihan slowly. The smile on his face slowly faded as well. TheDevil Abyss? murmured the Evil Ghost. For some reason, it suddenly lost interest in the conversation and disappeared into the shadows again without saying a word. Gu Suihan quietly calmed down again and closed his eyes to cover the flicker in his gaze. You seem to know something, he thought. All of you can leave. Shuanger, stay behind, I need to talk to you, said Zhou Lingfeng in a deep voice as he waved the others out of the hall. He picked up Shuanger, and they arrived inside a meditation room in the blink of an eye. Sect Leader, what do you need to talk to Shuanger about? Zhou Lingfeng couldnt help but pat her head adoringly when he saw how cute she looked. He said gently, Your father suddenly sent me a message a few days ago, saying that he will be coming sometime soon to take you home. Take me home? Her expression fell, and tears welled up in her large eyes. I might as well be honest with you. Zhou Lingfeng had a solemn expression on his face as he patted her head and said grimly, Many things have happened over the past few years, and they are all signs that this world is becoming more and more chaotic. The current affliction were going through results from the war between You Hantian and You Hanyun. Myself, all of the Youthful Clarity Sect, and even every faction in this world are pawns in their game. The world is turning upside down. Your father is worried about you and IIm worried too. So, be good and dont go against our wishes, alright? said Zhou Lingfeng with a deep sigh. Iokay replied Shuanger sadly after some time. Now that things have come to this, I dont have a choice. Zhou Lingfeng looked at the little girl adoringly one more time, then turned his back toward her. Over the past decade, he had long regarded the little girl as his own daughter. He wouldnt want her to go back either if he could help it. The message was from him to her father, not the other way around. After what happened in the secret realm, he had sensed that there were dangerous undercurrents surging beneath the seemingly calm surface of the world of cultivation. That was why he had sent the message out himself. Shuanger left the room without him realizing. Zhou Lingfeng cut a lonely figure as he stood there all by himself. The winds are beginning to blow. That was the thought inside the hearts of You Hantian, Gu Suihan, You Hanyun, Zhou Lingfeng, and the rest as they looked toward the gradually darkening sky in the distance. Meanwhile, Elder Yan wiped his perspiration away and panted heavily as he pulled a strange-looking saber out and carefully placed it on the table. The blade was four feet long and was as straight as a sword. The edge of the blade was sharp and was covered in terrifying teeth like a saw. The hand guard was angular and had thorns of varying lengths attached to it. The end of the handle was fashioned like a screw and tapered at the end, so it looked very odd and resembled a dagger. One word was carved clearly into the back C futility! This isreally one terrifying weapon. Elder Yan gently put it into its sheath. He shuddered when he remembered the intense murderous qi that had risen from the weapon when it was first forged. He put it into a storage bag, then called Yan Hua to come in, instructing him to ensure this was delivered to Gu Suihan. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 C Varying Thoughts A terrifying weapon? Gu Suihan had a disdainful smile on his face as he held the saber in his hands. This was far from it. Young master, the sect leader, and the elders heard that youve regained consciousness, and theyre all waiting for you in the living room, whispered Taohua stiffly into Gu Suihans ear. It was obvious that the sudden appearance of all these people with high levels of cultivation and held high positions in the sect had frightened the two maids. This situation was like a farmer busy working the fields when someone tugged at his shirt, and he turned around only to find himself face-to-face with the king of his country. So, theyve finally come. Gu Suihan patted Taohuas tiny trembling hand as if to assure her, then got up weakly and walked toward the living room with a pale face. He had already predicted this would happen, so he wasnt the least surprised. After he altered the memories of the two girls, they were only left with very vague memories of what really happened. If these people wanted to know exactly what happened, they would have to ask him. Gu Suihan greets the Sect Leader and the elders. Gu Suihan bowed politely. His thin body was so frail he looked like the wind might blow him away. Sit down. Tell us what happened in detail, said Zhou Lingfeng in a kindly voice. His expression was friendly, but he simply couldnt get rid of the grim look in his eyes. Gu Suihan sat down, picked his words carefully, and slowly recounted what happened to the people in the living room. Everyones faces were solemn, and they seemed depressed after hearing his story. Nobody spoke for a long time. Zhou Lingfeng stared unblinkingly at Gu Suihans face as though he was trying to find answers from the young mans expression. After a long while, he finally broke his silence, Could that cultivator really be the great Qingming? According to Suihans description, that cultivator carried a strange sword, and the legendary evil ghost that was supposed to be with him wasnt there. But a secret technique that could shake up the laws of nature had been used. Theres a 60% chance that cultivator was Qingming, said an elder quietly. Another elder stroked his white beard and said, But were not sure if this was the work of other wandering cultivators or some mysterious faction. This man fought with the laws of nature yet did not kill Suihan and the other two girls. That alone is very puzzling. Perhaps he doesnt want to fight us for the time being said the first elder with a frown on his face. Perhapsits not that he doesnt dare to kill, but he cannot kill them. Zhou Lingfeng rapped his knuckles noisily on the armrest of his chair as a faint smile spread across his lips. He might be a cultivator at Divine Soul, buthes nothing but a fugitive now and has to go into hiding. If he kills disciples from any of the major sects, he will leave traces of karma behind, and wed have no problem tracking him down. But if thats the case, he would have thought of that when he massacred all those smaller factions earlier on, argued one of them. Zhou Lingfeng had a sharp glint in his eyes as he said, Thats not necessarily the case. You must know that the scariest thing in the world is the hearts of humans. While its true that he did massacre those smaller factions, hes never attacked us directly. At the end of the day, weve become enemies only because of the instructions we have from the empire in the Upper World. And because of that, weve never had any interaction, good or bad. Using all sorts of techniques to track him down will never be able to fully succeed in locating him. And because hes never attacked us directly, theres no way we can go out in full force against him either. Instead, wed be forced to retreat and be wary if he does things this way. Were not willing to go all out against him for nothing, so we have no choice but to keep suffering losses like this. At the end of the day, it was just human nature rearing its ugly head. Even an idiot knew better than to take the first move and make themselves an easy target, never mind these scheming cultivators who had outlived so many before them. Since Qingming didnt attack them directly, it meant that it was possible for them to remain status quo. And if they continued to maintain this implied relationship, nothing would move. The Falling Star Sect was an expert at divination and could make some predictions about where Qingming could be. But they werent obliged to give it their all either. Even if Qingming were found and killed, all the sects would share the credit equally, and the Falling Star Sect wouldnt get anything extra for all their work. Why would anybody want to go out of their way to do something that cost them so much only to share the spoils? That wouldnt make sense. Why wasnt that ghost with Qingming? If they were together, theyd have a higher chance of surviving. It would save us the trouble of having to hunt it down as well, grumbled one of the elders with an upset look on his face. There are two possibilities. One is that they deliberately went separate ways because they were hoping to distract us and tire us out while they regained momentum. The second possibility is thathe and the ghost are not on good terms. Zhou Lingfeng stroked his chin. His eyes glinted as he smiled sinisterly. After Zhou Lingfeng and the elders were done analyzing how true Gu Suihans words were and what they could possibly mean for them, they got up and walked out. But one of them stopped to say very deliberately to Gu Suihan, Suihan, the inter-sect exchange is coming up very soon. You need to take every opportunity you have to cultivate. All the major sects have suffered great losses, so Dont worry, I will not disappoint the sect, said Gu Suihan confidently. His expression was resolute, and he exuded a charismatic charm. Very good. The elder gave him a pleased smile, then walked out with the rest. In the blink of an eye, Gu Suihan was the only one standing in the living room. There was a flicker in his gaze as he fell into deep thought. Evil Ghost, youve got to leave the Youthful Clarity Sect grounds right now. Dont let them suspect me again at this time, said Gu Suihan all of a sudden. He spoke softly and calmly, yet it carried a domineering tone that did not allow anyone to question his instructions. Huh? Why? came the Huangquan Evil Ghosts voice from an unseen corner of the room. Theyhave already begun to suspect me. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and said frostily, Those parting words from that elder. He was trying to test me, or warn me, or eventhreaten me. I dont understand. The Huangquan Evil Ghost used to be a cultivator and had lived for centuries now, but it was still too na?ve compared to the cautious and crafty Gu Suihan. There were so many signs pointing at Gu Suihan. A rare talent like Gu Suihan had appeared so mysteriously, while Qingming and the Evil Ghost had disappeared. And now, Qingming had reappeared with such fanfare, yet the Evil Ghost was still nowhere to be found. Even though the sect leader and elders couldnt figure out how Gu Suihan and the Evil Ghost were related or what happened between them, these were seasoned cultivators who were constantly suspicious of everything. As long as there was a possibility, they would not ignore it. There was no evidence to prove anything, but the seed of suspicion had already been planted. The elders words before leaving Gu Suihans residence had been to test Gu Suihans reaction. His other intention was to warn Gu Suihan. The sect had already spent a lot of time and money on grooming Gu Suihan, so if the young mans performance at the inter-sect exchange did not match the effort poured into him, he wasnt going to meet a good end. His third intention was to threaten Gu Suihan. If Gu Suihan turned out to be Qingming, he had better seize this chance to escape or come clean and fight. If he were to continue playing hide and seek with the major sects, they were definitely going to kill him. In short, if Gu Suihan were not Qingming, then the sect would have gained a genius with a high level of aptitude for cultivation. If Gu Suihan were Qingming, the sect would still want to use him to gain power at the inter-sect exchange, then kill him afterward. Such greedy, greedy little ants, spat Gu Suihan disdainfully after explaining the situation to the Evil Ghost. If the elder hadnt said those words, Gu Suihan didnt mind being made use of one last time at the inter-sect exchange. There was nothing he cared for here, anyway. He would just take it as repaying the sect for taking care of him. Unfortunately, Gu Suihan was one who changed his plans depending on the situation. Since thats the case, dont blame me for repaying good with evil then, uttered Gu Suihan flatly. He had no intention of adding the Youthful Clarity Sect to the Evil Ghosts list of targets. Once they were gone, the major sects would suffer great damage on top of the damage they were still recovering from now. That way, the Youthful Clarity Sect would have made it to the top three sects. He had gone to check out the formation eye of the formation protecting the sect earlier on only as a precautionary measure. But nowthings could change. Once I leave, the first target will be the Youthful Clarity Sect. Gu Suihan rapped his knuckles on the table, then passed the Huangquan Evil Ghost a jade slip. He shut his eyes to hide the icy glint in his eyes. He waved the Evil Ghost away, then called for Taohua, Taohua, call Yan Hua to come over. After Yan Hua delivered the saber, he decided to move into a residence very close to Gu Suihan, thinking that he could take this chance to get closer to Gu Suihan. Yes, young master. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 C The Empire Intervenes So, how do we meet again once the matter has been settled? The Huangquan Evil Ghost was afraid that Gu Suihan would abandon it in this world once he was done making use of it. If that happened, it was going to live in misery forever. This young man looked sweet and harmless but was secretly a terribly scheming and ruthless man, so there was probably a 90% chance that Gu Suihan might just do that to it. This is a Void Breaking Fixed Destination teleporting formation, but I need high-grade spiritual stones to activate it. Im pretty sure the major sects would have some hidden away, so you just need to gather some. If I dont look for you by then, it means that I havent completed what I planned to do or achieved what I set out to do. If that happens, you can go by yourself. Gu Suihan took a blank jade slip out, carved all the details of the formation on it, then threw it to the Evil Ghost. Are you The Evil Ghost caught the jade slip, then looked up at Gu Suihan with a start. Are yougoing to take a look at the Devil Abyss? To its surprise, Gu Suihan shook his head and said quietly, If I have nowhere to go, Id go there. But thats all it is to me. Iam going to check out the Seven Kill Sects storehouse. What? Youre crazy! The Evil Ghost felt numb all over and shuddered. A chill ran through its entire body. This isthis is my way, my heart, myobsession. Gu Suihan smiled faintly, his smooth complexion shining as brightly as a shooting star under the sunshine. Woong! The saber on the table suddenly let out a low hum. There was a soft click, and the blade peeked out from its sheath. The blade that was previously as clear as water had become a deep red color. Youoh, never mind. The Evil Ghost opened its mouth to say something but decided against it in the end and just sighed. It kept the jade slip carefully, looked intently at Gu Suihan, then left, leaving the still hibernating Black Killer Snake behind on the floor. So, in the end, youre still unwilling to talk? There was a glimmer in Gu Suihans eyes for a moment before his gaze returned to normal, and he walked toward his study. The living room was left with only that slightly disappointed yet indifferent sigh. Sir, you called for me? Yan Hua had a calm expression on his face, but he couldnt hide the excited look in his eyes as he stood before Gu Suihan with his body slightly bowed. He didnt have the intelligence or the scheming mind of someone with the potential for greatness. Still, he certainly had plenty of the cautiousness and adaptability a subordinate ought to have, and he put in the effort to carry out instructions well and sometimes went a little further to please Gu Suihan. That was why he fell into his subordinate position quickly and easily, not daring to do anything out of line. Pass this jade slip to Elder Yan. Also, you can take your pick from all these magical and spiritual items. After Gu Suihan handed a purplish red jade slip to Yan Hua, he waved his arm, and the entire study was filled with hundreds of magical and spiritual items overflowing with qi, gleaming brightly in the light. All these items were his spoils from all the fights that he had fought so far. Anything he kept were definitely high-grade items. Items that didnt meet his standards were thrown away long ago. Yan Hua gasped. He was a little ambitious, but he was still an ordinary man. Or rather, he was merely a young man still. He was completely stunned when he saw the entire room full of sparkling magical and spiritual items. After a long while, he calmed down a little and swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Then he looked up with a start at the faintly smiling Gu Suihan seated behind the desk. Why was he so stunned? It was because there were so many items in this room. Not even the Swordsmith Court of the Youthful Clarity Sect had this many on hand at any one time. He started trying to guess why Gu Suihan was doing this. The more glances he stole at Gu Suihan, the less confident he felt. A few moments later, he straightened his thoughts out. He tried hard to hold back the burning desire in his eyes for all those high-grade items in front of him, took a deep breath, and bowed deeply. Sir, anything you give to meI will gladly take it! His heart was about to leap out of his mouth when he said these words. Very well. Gu Suihan fell silent for a brief moment, then suddenly smiled and waved an arm to keep everything inside his storage ring again. Instead, he gave Yan Hua a jade slip. You may leave. Yes, sir. Yan Hua was a little disappointed, but he didnt dare to show it. After bowing, he left the room as quickly as possible. Interesting, butthats about it, remarked Gu Suihan quietly. The indifferent look in his eyes, paired with that warm and gentle smile on his face, only looked more and more creepy. Over at the Seven Kill Sect, in a secret room behind the First Peaks main hall. You Hantian bowed his head reverently toward the small but detailed magic formation in front of him. You Hantian, according to the clues the empire has gathered, Qingming is already dead, but the test subject has not fallen yet. You must capture it and send it back to us. The illusion of a middle-aged man appeared in the middle of the formation and spoke flatly to You Hantian. Sir, I will see to this. Also, about the Devil Abyss You Hantian immediately bowed deeply and let his voice trail off as though he was in a very difficult position. Hmm? The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow. His authoritativeness could be felt through the formation, which weighed heavily on You Hantian. Due to some unexpected circumstances, weve faced major losses, and the strength we have left will not be enough to hold back the violent movement from the Devil Abyss, said You Hantian through gritted teeth as he shuddered violently. Join forces. Use that to make up for your mistakes, said the middle-aged man calmly after pausing to think. The illusion flickered, then burst into a large cloud of sparkles that slowly faded. Thankfully, I was smart enough not to tell the truth, said You Hantian to himself with a big sigh of relief after the formation had turned back into a formation compass. This all started with the three jade slips that You Hantian had received a while back. After thinking about what to do, he finally decided to test what the empire was thinking. So, his report to the Upper World was: The domain has collapsed, and the major sects have suffered severe losses. Qingming is nowhere to be found and seems to have perished along with the domain. I ask the empire to use a secret technique to investigate if Qingming is dead or alive. After the empire received the news, they used some techniques to investigate the situation and discovered that Qingming had already died inside the domain. His soul had been destroyed, and his spirit had been shattered. Of course, the empire thought that You Hantian was the one who had accomplished all this, thinking that it was You Hantian who had managed to shake the foundations of the domain and thereby caused the death of Qingming. But they also discovered that the Huangquan Evil Ghost was still alive, so they gave him a new mission. He had to personally capture the Evil Ghost and send it back to the empire. You Hantian was happy to receive this news. He wasnt stupid. The implication of those words was that while he had done a lot, they would keep his reward until he returned with the Huangquan Evil Ghost. Then, they would reward him for both deeds. And after he got his reward, would he stay in this lousy, tiny place with little qi and no future? Of course not! He was going to live in the Upper World permanently! So, it turns out that Qingming is already dead. If thats the case, who was the one who shook the laws of nature? You Hantian kept his formation compass and massaged his temples as he fell into deep thought. A moment later, he chuckled. Who cares who it is? Once Im gone, this world can go up in flames for all I care. You Hanyun, this time, Im in the lead! Damn it! Whos trying to track me down? spat the Huangquan Evil Ghost angrily in an unknown part of the world as it suddenly looked up at the sky. Its body suddenly shrank and the aura around itself that helped it to blend in with nature slowly turned into complex runes which hid and reduced its presence. Someoneis using some sort of deduction technique. Inside the Youthful Clarity Sect. Gu Suihan stood up with a start. His arms were folded behind his back as he looked up at the gloomy sky with a flicker in his eye. Generalize the elements, reverse the yin and yang, chanted Gu Suihan as he slowly moved qi within his body. The spirit inside his consciousness shuddered suddenly and unleashed his vast spiritual sense. It mixed itself in with the laws of nature to become an actual invisible cloak around his body that slowly erased all traces of himself. Is thatthe work of the Upper World? murmured Gu Suihan to himself. He withdrew all his spiritual energy and kept everything inside his heart-soul. His spirit trembled slightly and made all sorts of quiet murmuring sounds. Everything is futility, only my Way will last forever. Fate, chance, worldly desires and relationshipsthey shall all become nothingness. Futility C the blade that will sever all emotional ties! Gu Suihan felt a knife come down. It cut, broke, destroyed and erased everything about him. He was now like a blank piece of paper, clean and open for everyone to read. Noware you still able to find me? Gu Suihans eyes flickered slightly before an indifference that was hard to describe finally filled his gaze. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 C Cultivation Technique Junior brother! Jingjing came skipping into Gu Suihans courtyard excitedly first thing in the morning. After they returned from Fenglin, Gu Suihan could sense that Jingjing and Shuangers attitude toward him had changed. Shuangers change wasnt so bad since she was still at a stage where she didnt know much about falling in love and all that. But Jingjing was different. Gu Suihans EQ wasnt low. It didnt take a genius to understand what was going through Jingjings mind. Obviously, the little setup he created in Fenglin had quietly opened her heart to him. After they returned, this woman, who used to be as cold as ice, suddenly became a completely different person. She was now meek, gentle, virtuous, considerate, and detailedany words that could be used to describe a subservient wife could also be applied to her. This hero saving the damsel in distress plotline is seriously cringey, thought Gu Suihan in dismay. His lips twitched uncomfortably as he silently watched Jingjing skip past his gate from his window. He wondered if he had overdone it. Actually, Gu Suihan could understand the situation a lot more clearly than Jingjing. Because Jingjing thought that Gu Suihan had saved her life, her heart was thrown into turmoil, and she had to find a way to repay him in order to balance their relationship, and they would owe each other nothing after that. But because she was brought up as a daughter of a decent family with upright moral values, plus she had spent half her life cultivating in the mountains, the only way she could think of repaying him was by following the way the women did so in those wuxia novels she used to secretly read at home as a child. Andthats why this was happening. More importantly, this was the real reason for any of this happening. Many novels on Earth had stories about how the MC ended up sleeping with some saintess or goddess, causing the female lead to dedicate her heart and life to the MC and for her intelligence to hit -200 or something. In the real world of cultivators, there wasnt a single one who would do something as ridiculous and fucking stupid as this. Not even one. Why would a cultivator with superhuman powers care about their physical bodies? It was nothing but a layer of flesh. Dont be stupid. Jingjing was no different. She probably intended to give her yin energy to Gu Suihan, and then if it was fated to be, they could also become lifelong partners. She was only doing this because she didnt have anybody powerful to rely on or a powerful background to fall back on. She came from an ordinary family with no cultivators in her ancestry, so she couldnt offer anything else that could repay Gu Suihan for saving her life. Ninety out of 100 cultivators were more rational than anything else. They were all excellent at weighing pros and cons and did everything with their own benefit as the utmost priority. Weaker ones always tried to project their pathetic and stupid ideas on those who were stronger, thinking they were very clever in doing that. Anything that the stronger ones did that didnt fall neatly into their preconceived ideas was an exception, or rather, was a mistake to the weaker ones. Perhapsshes still useful in other ways. Several thoughts popped into his head as he got up and walked toward the living room. Junior brother, I hope to end our causal relationship, said Jingjing slowly as she sat down on a chair. She seemed to be reminded of something as she pushed a jade slip toward him and blushed shyly. She was a young woman, after all, so it was only natural for her to feel shy about something like this. Gu Suihan took the jade slip from her nonchalantly and used his spiritual sense to scan the information on the jade slip. He blinked in surprise. Dual cultivation? He was surprised that she had managed to calm herself down so quickly and think of such a rational method of balancing out their relationship perfectly. Are you sure about this? asked Gu Suihan quietly as he looked strangely at her. I am nothing more than an ordinary internal disciple, and compared to the sort of aptitude you have that will guarantee you a bright future, I am nothing. This is the best thing I can offer you. Her face was slightly red, but there was a look of determination in her pretty eyes. Oho, senior sister, youre overthinking this. I saved you back then because were both from the same sect. I did not do it because I wanted something out of you, said Gu Suihan quietly after falling silent for a while. But doing that has made me owe you so much. Jingjing used a fair and slim finger to push her hair behind her ears, then pursed her lips as she looked back at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan pressed the area between his brows like he had a headache. He stopped to think for a moment, then said, Tell you what. Well talk about this after the inter-sect exchange. I might need your help with that. Jingjing took the jade slip back and stared into his eyes for a long time as though she was trying to ascertain if he was being serious or not. 15 minutes later, she said gently, In that case, well talk about it later. She then got up and silently sashayed out. Ill only need less than a year. Gu Suihan sat by himself in the living room and closed his eyes as he thought about how plausible this plan was. He only opened his eyes again and sighed after thinking about it a few more times. His storage ring flickered as he retrieved two blank jade slips and began inscribing something on them. Elder Yan, Im here to make another spiritual weapon. Gu Suihan stepped into the room without anybody stopping him since Yan Hua was the one who led him in. He smiled faintly at the old man who was seated with a stiff expression on his face. Leave us, Elder Yan got Yan Hua to leave the room. After the young man left and closed the door behind him, Elder Yan cautiously set up a few formations, then bowed reverently. Sir. Gu Suihan pointed to a chair in a lower spot for Elder Yan to sit, then took the chair reserved for the one in the higher position without looking awkward at all. He said nonchalantly, Hows the cultivation going? He was referring to the cultivation technique he had written on the jade slip he wanted Yan Hua to hand to Elder Yan some days ago. Sir, Ive already begun to grasp it. This cultivation technique seems to be tailor-made for me. Ive been able to learn and practice it without any trouble, like a fish to water. Elder Yan immediately had an excited look on his face when he heard this question and looked gratefully at Gu Suihan. He knew where his level of aptitude was at. That cultivation technique was way more powerful than he had imagined. While cultivating, he had wondered more than once if Gu Suihan had laid a trap somewhere in this whole process. But he quickly threw that idea out. He had already made a pact with Gu Suihan, and his life was in Gu Suihans hands. If Gu Suihan wanted him dead, Gu Suihan could have killed him easily. Why go through this trouble? Your relationship with Yan Huadoesnt seem too good, said Gu Suihan out of the blue. Elder Yans heart trembled, and his instinct was that he ought to apologize, but when he noticed Gu Suihans indifferent gaze, he started wondering why Gu Suihan had suddenly made such a remark. Hes cultivating in this technique too. Gu Suihan uttered these earth-shattering words with a mocking smile on his lips. What? Elder Yan stood up in shock, then hurriedly sat down again. But cold sweat continued to pour down the sides of his face, and he felt a terrible fear in his heart. What cultivation technique was this? This was the Mixed Spirit Swallowing Technique. A technique suitable for those with very poor levels of aptitude. Why? Because those who had poor levels of aptitude were usually discriminated against and belittled, so their hearts and minds were usually more resilient compared to their peers. They were usually more stubborn and they were alsomore extreme in the way they did things. The front bit of this cultivation technique was quite simple. You just needed to eat nonstop. You just needed to eat pills, eat natural treasures, eat spiritual herbs and fruit, eat demonic beasts, eat ferocious animals, and eveneat other humans. Cultivators in this technique advanced in stage by absorbing as much of the foods qi and energy. There was also one more very eye-catching hint included. Gobbling up a cultivator cultivating the same technique would have even greater benefits. Yan Huadoesnt know about that yet, said Gu Suihan in a teasing voice while the old man was still in shock. He doesnt know Elder Yan laughed bitterly. He knew how quickly one could advance in this technique. It wouldnt be long before Yan Hua reached Foundation Establishment. Elder Yan was at Origin Core, but it was a very lousy core. His understanding of it was extremely poor, and his physical body was weakening by the day. There was no way he could fight anyone close to his level of cultivation. And once Yan Hua reached Foundation Establishment, this exact technique would give him a special sort of sense, which would help him to quickly notice the difference in Elder Yan. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly. This techniquewell, if you eat the other person, you might be able to improve your level of aptitude. But thats only based on whats written in the manual. As for what would really happenhoho He patted the old mans shoulders without saying more and walked out of the room. Since you arent willing to spill the beans, thendont blame me for doing this, thought Gu Suihan. A warm and friendly smile spread across his face. He was going to change his plans. This was merely the beginning. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 C Disguised As A Woman At the Seven Kill Sect. You Hantian stood outside a door made from rock and called out, Great Elder, the seal over the Devil Abyss is about to break! One full hour later, an elderly and hoarse voice slowly responded, In that case, well work together. There was helplessness and gloominess in that voice. Got it. You Hantian smiled faintly as a bit of excitement filled his heart. For the sake of breaking through to the next stage, this old man had been cultivating in isolation for hundreds of years now. After a quick calculation, You Hantian figured that the old man was about to run out of energy. The old man wasnt going to last much longer. You Hantian bowed and took his leave. He looked at the plain-looking door, smirked, then walked away silently. His intentions were simple. He was just looking for a scapegoat. This old man was the most suitable candidate in this tiny world to do that. What he feared was not what he knew but what he didnt know. You Hantian feared that his plans to extort You Hanyun and the sects with him would fail. If that happened, then there was no turning back because he knew that You Hanyunwas also from the empire. One of them worked in the open, while the other worked in secret to watch this world and maintain order. He had just received news that Qingming was already dead, but he wasnt sure if You Hanyun knew the same thing as him. This was something that affected their future. It would decide which one of them would leave this hopeless cage. The Seven Kill Sect wasnt left with a lot of people. He only had two Peak Leaders at Peak Origin Core who were also on the verge of breathing their last. That wasnt enough to reseal the Devil Abyss, and that was also why he decided to make use of the Great Elder of the sect. He was very sure that this old man wouldnt want to watch his home get captured or watch his family get killed. But he was also unsure if this old man was seriously willing to give up his life for his family. That was why he had come here. He had come to confirm these things. The world of cultivators slowly fell silent. Any waves that could raise a storm were quietly surging beneath the surface. The Ethereal Court. The Seven Kill Sect. You Hanyun, You Hantian. The Huangquan Evil Ghost, Zhou Lingfeng, as well asGu Suihan. Each of them had their own schemes, and each of them had their own plans. This time, who would win? Who would survive? Who would lose? Who would die? This was now a matter of life and death for the various factions of this world. Im very curious to find out who gets the last laugh. Gu Suihan slowly blew at the steaming cup of tea In his hand and took a relaxed sip as he enjoyed a massage from Taohua and Lihua. He slowly closed his eyes and hid the bright glint that flashed in his eyes. Young master, the inter-sect exchange is coming soon, Taohua whispered into Gu Suihans ear with a cheeky look in her eyes. You naughty girl! I just fell asleep, and you dare to disturb my sleep? Im going to teach you a lesson! Gu Suihans eyes opened slightly, and a warm, sweet smile spread across his fair and beautiful face as he grabbed hold of Taohuas snatched waist, raised his hand, and smacked her bottom a few times. Sis! Help! Young master is bullying me! Taohua was red-faced as she struggled, then leaped up and clutched her butt as she ran to hide behind Lihua, peeking at Gu Suihan timidly over Lihuas shoulder. Its your fault for teasing young master all the time. You know you cant fight him, yet you continue to do this, said Lihua in an amused voice as she used a finger to prod at Taohuas head gently. Suddenly, someone knocked on the main door. The two maids immediately shut their mouths. Taohua rolled her eyes at Gu Suihan, then pouted as she ran to open the door. Sir! Yan Hua was covered in wounds, and there was a trail of bloodied footprints behind him. He could barely stand, like a candle in the wind. Once he entered the house, he fell to his knees with a thud before Gu Suihan, then retrieved a brocade box from his storage bag and used both hands to present it to Gu Suihan. Soits true that the older one is, the more useless one becomes. Gu Suihan didnt even bother to open the box. He flicked the box, and it instantly turned to dust. Some days ago, he had given one such brocade box each to Elder Yan and Yan Hua without saying anything. But both of them knew what Gu Suihan meant when he gave them these boxes. And now, Yan Hua was still alive, meaning Elder Yan was in the box. Eat this and rest up. From today onwards, you will live here, said Gu Suihan as he threw a pill bottle at Yan Hua expressionlessly. He then pulled an arm around his maids and walked into his room without giving Yan Hua a second glance. Yan Hua was silent for a moment, then he took the pill bottle and staggered to the smallest room by the side. The next day, Gu Suihan only got up lazily at noon time. His two maids helped him to wash up and get dressed even as they chided him for waking up so late, then he called Yan Hua into the study. From today onwards, you are Gu Suihan. The Youthful Clarity Sects Gu Suihan, said Gu Suihan slowly as he rapped his knuckles on the table and glanced at Yan Hua, who stood with his body slightly bowed. But Yan Hua looked up with a start in shock. His heart trembled when he met Gu Suihans steely gaze and tried his best to calm himself down. Yes, sir. From today onwards, I will teach you swordsmanship, and I will guide your understanding of it. I will evengive you a few hints about the Origin Core stage. Gu Suihan threw a jade slip to Yan Hua again. This jade slip contains one secret technique meant for changing ones body, a few dozen low-grade sword techniques, a dozen middle-grade sword techniques, and a few more techniques that are no less than the ones that this sect teaches. You can practice by yourself. Ask me if theres anything you dont understand. You must grasp at least 80% of these things within the next six months. Then, you will be able to understand the swords will by yourself. Yan Huas jaw dropped in shock, and his hands were trembling in fear as he held the thin jade slip. His level of cultivation wasnt high, but he could tell that these techniques that Gu Suihan had seemingly put together casually were all extraordinary techniques. The more mysterious Gu Suihan seemed to be, the more frightened Yan Hua became of Gu Suihan. Give me Elder Yans storage ring, said Gu Suihan sending a wisp of qi to ring in Yan Huas ears. Y-yes, sir! Yan Hua hurriedly removed an antiquated and intricately designed ring from his pocket. Gu Suihan removed the seal on it and retrieved a small sword that was only about the size of his palm. There were bloodied tadpole-shaped runes swirling around it, and it smelled faintly of blood. He gave the sword a pleased smile, threw the ring back to Yan Hua, then waved him out of the room. Once Yan Hua left the room, Gu Suihan chuckled. He weighed the rather heavy sword made from jade and looked out of the window. He looked at the tall mountain peak that was hidden in the clouds and said, Timeis running out! Time flew by. A few months passed like sand between ones fingers. Gu Suihan looked expressionlessly at the young man with the same height, shape, features, and aura as himself. He finally had a genuine smile on his face. The list of disciples who will go for the inter-sect exchange has been released. Ten disciples led by the sect leader will go for this exchange. Find a chance to replace one of them, Gu Suihan quietly instructed Yan Hua, who looked like his twin brother right now. Yes, sir. Yan Huas features twitched slowly, and he looked the same as before. He bowed and took his leave. I wonder if youre ready, You Hantian! Gu Suihan stood in his front yard with his hands folded behind his back. The eyes behind his half-closed lids gave off a dazzling but frosty glint from time to time. Three days later, Zhou Lingfeng led Gu Suihan and nine more disciples onto a flying item which whooshed rapidly toward the Seven Kill Sect. While nobody was taking notice, a fairly charming young lady slowly came close to Gu Suihan and used telepathy to say, Sir, Ive transformed myself into Hua Ling. Gu Suihans face instantly froze, and his lips twitched uncomfortably when he saw a curvaceous young woman with almond-shaped eyes, pink cheeks, black hair tied up with a pin decorated with phoenixes, and wearing a long chiffon white dress. What the fuck Gu Suihan cursed inwardly and glared at the other party. I didnt have a choice. The others are just as good at fighting as I am, so if we fought, it would draw everyones attention. Thats why Yan Hua had obviously caught Gu Suihans judgmental look and couldnt help but try to explain what was happening. Gu Suihans expression slowly calmed back down, and so did his mind. Its alright Yan Hua looked at Gu Suihans calm expression and felt a shudder run down his spine for some reason. He had a bad premonition. Disguised as a woman. Why not? thought Gu Suihan. But the red spider lily between his brows seemed to feel more and more alive, swaying in the wind as though it were a real plant. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 C Undercover When cultivators cultivate, life is actually pretty boring. The idea that cultivators go on massacres for no reason, experience strange encounters continuously, are constantly surrounded by beautiful women, and get to marry more than one woman comes from pathetic ordinary humans who project their disgusting and feeble fantasies on the cultivators. These ordinary humans want such things for themselves, and they decide that cultivators should be like this or should be like that. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Were almost there. Gu Suihan glanced down at the completely dead and empty capital city of Fenglin with a faint flicker in his eye. Damn it! Qingming, where in the world are you hiding? How could you do something so inhumane? Arent you afraid that karma would turn around and bite you? Zhou Lingfeng had a nasty look in his eyes, and his facial muscles were as tense as a piece of steel as he gnashed his teeth and looked down at the rubble below. He was a person who still relied on this world to survive, after all. So, when he saw how part of his world had been destroyed so ruthlessly by someone from a different world, he couldnt help but feel enraged. This world was like a house, while cultivators were tenants living in the house. Ordinary folks were the livestock they depended on for survival. The sudden and unwelcome arrival of You Hantian and You Hanyun back then had made them angry, but these two men were like officials sent by the government, so no matter how angry they were, they dared not go against the government. More importantly, even though the two of them were extremely powerful and domineering, they did not go overboard and maintained a cordial relationship with the people of this world. Moreover, they had to depend on You Hantian to maintain the seal over the Devil Abyss. They dared not offend You Hantian. The news about Qingming had broken the peace they had enjoyed over the past centuries. All sorts of contradictions and crises kept popping up. At the same time, those unpredictable factions hiding in dark corners began to bare their teeth and claws. Qingming Zhou Lingfeng muttered through clenched teeth. His eyebrows were like a pair of swords, and his gaze was as murderous as a sword that had been taken out from its sheath. Sects like the Youthful Clarity Sect, Falling Star Sect, War Demon Sect, and so on were already just barely surviving and getting by in this sad and tiny world. Many rules have been ignored over time. Falling Star Sect, for example. The sect leader was an elderly cultivator who looked more like an old farmer, but the person making all the decisions was actually a beautiful and charming woman. That was why the old man was the one who came for the meeting between the sect leaders, but the one who actually agreed to do anything was the woman. As for Vast Sky Sect, their sect leader was indeed Li Yunjian, but the sect had also hired some wandering cultivators as retainers. These wandering cultivators were equal to him in terms of the authority they had and the level of cultivation they were at, except that Li Yunjian was a disciple who grew up and trained within the sect. This had brought the Vast Sky Sects powers down significantly, and there was even an idiot who insisted on changing the name to the Vastness Sect. Li Yunjian had to apologize humbly to the other sects and placate them with many valuable treasures. So, while the seven major sects of this world seemed to be united and were fighting for their own sects, the inside of the sect was actually a complete mess and rife with infighting. The Youthful Clarity Sect was a little better since Zhou Lingfeng could make the decision on everything. The other sects were nowhere like his. I will hunt you down and kill you! The murderous look in Zhou Lingfengs eyes intensified even as they moved further and further away from the ruined city. Were here, Zhou Lingfeng finally announced after several days of flying. His lips curled into a frosty smile when he saw the giant stone monument ahead. Its been a long time, thought Gu Suihan as he quietly looked at the familiar monument on the mountain. The complex and terrifying sword will covering the monument was still impressive, but he was no longer that lost and hesitant young man he used to be. Everyone, please come with me. A deacon waiting for them in front of the monument bowed and showed the way respectfully when he saw the flying item in the air that exuded such a thick layer of sword will around it and moved at such high speeds. You Hantian did not make an appearance. Or rather, since he was so confident of winning, he didnt have to. Behaving like this only made You Hanyun, and the rest feel even less confident. All of you, stay here and cultivate, Zhou Lingfeng instructed his disciples before disappearing instantly, leaving nothing but an afterimage behind. The other sects had also arrived shortly after the Youthful Clarity Sect, so Zhou Lingfeng was going to meet with the other sect leaders to discuss some matters. After Zhou Lingfeng left, Gu Suihan quietly followed Yan Hua into one of the rooms. Go back to what you used to look like. From now onwards, we will exchange identities. You shall be Gu Suihan, and I shall become Hua Ling. Y-yes, sir. Yan Hua shuddered and felt even more fearful inside. He had no idea what Gu Suihan was trying to do, but he knew that anything Gu Suihan did was sure to cause a commotion of sorts. Dont worry so much. After this, we will have nothing to do with each other. You shall become the top senior of the Youthful Clarity Sect, the rising star, and the unbelievably talented Gu Suihan. Gu Suihans clothing slowly began to change, while his figure became more and more curvaceous. His already feminine and flawless facial features softened even more, and he soon looked identical to Hua Ling, or perhaps, an even prettier version of her. Meanwhile, Yan Hua had transformed to look like how Gu Suihan used to look. Gu Suihans cheeks were pinkish, and his cherry-colored lips parted as he spoke in a bright, melodious and mildly seductive manner, which made Yan Huas heart shudder even more fearfully, From now onwards, make sure you dont do anything to give yourself away. Your future is now in your own hands. Gu Suihan then sashayed away in silence. The puppetswont be able to hold up for long. There was an indifferent look in Gu Suihans eyes as he turned back to look at the room he had just walked out of. A mesmerizing smile spread across his face. Its time for you two to make yourselves useful! Gu Suihan sat in his room and stared at the tiny formation compass on the table. Two tiny lifelike figurines stood in the middle of it. The figurines looked uncannily like Taohua and Lihua. Remote Soul Controlling Spell! He made a hand seal with both hands and thrust several mysterious runes out that silently flew into the two figurines. One second later, he looked like he was dead. His breathing became shallower and shallower and eventually stopped altogether. At the same time, the two figurines started to exhibit signs of life. Back in Gu Suihans residence in the Youthful Clarity Sect. The two maids who were laughing and teasing each other suddenly paled, and their bodies stiffened, as though they had been hit by lightning. In that instant, Taohua seemed to have changed completely. Her eyes flickered and gave off a frosty look. Lets go! She led a woodened Lihua out of the residence, moving as quickly, lightly, and silently as a butterfly. Whos there? shouted two bored-looking guards at the entrance to the Swordsmith Court when they spotted Taohua and Lihua walking toward them. Our young master has instructed us to collect the spiritual weapon that he asked Elder Yan to make for him. Gu Suihan controlled Taohuas actions remotely, making her smile prettily and speak in a shy and sweet voice. Her gentle movements looked so naturally graceful, and her stern little face immediately enchanted the two guards. Now, now, dont look so upset. Who is your young master? One of the guards flipped his hair back and stood in a pose that he thought made him look cool as he stared infatuatedly at Taohua. Gu Suihan. Oh The faces of both guards suddenly stiffened. They laughed awkwardly and quickly let the two maids go in without even daring to look up. The two maids got into the Swordsmith Court very easily. After the disciple stationed on the first floor heard that Elder Yan had gone into seclusion, he had no choice but to lead the two maids to the storeroom himself. After Zhou Lingfeng had left, everyone let their guard down again. They moved around lazily and were completely unmotivated to do anything. Everything moved extra slowly. And because there was a lack of funds recently, everyone felt even more unmotivated than before. It was very evident in this place. The Swordsmith Court was supposed to have three elders sitting inside every day, but none of them had turned up today. Only one disciple had appeared for duty on the first floor. This was also partly because the major sects lived in harmony with each other here. There wasnt much to fight for in this tiny place anyway, so there wasnt much stealing or attempts to take over another sect to speak of. All these inter-sect exchanges, competitions and so on were just formality to them. Miss, the weapon your young master asked for Before the young man could finish speaking, he clutched his neck as blood flowed out of his mouth and convulsed violently as he collapsed onto the floor. Hurry up! Gu Suihan got Lihua to cast aside the dagger filled with blood she was holding, then take away the token in the dead disciples hand. They carefully closed the door behind them, then ran downstairs and used that token to open the tiny door and went in. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 C Pushed Into A Corner While Gu Suihan was busy Several leaders were having a heated argument in the main hall of the First Peak on the Seven Kill Sects grounds. Everyone, the seal over the Devil Abyss is about to be broken. I think that should be our utmost priority right now, said Zhan Wuchang in a grim voice. Ho! And whats going to happen if You Hantian suddenly decides to sell us out? Zhou Lingfeng snorted at his statement. While it was true that they were willing to do anything to stop You Hantian from reporting to the empire, they also needed You Hantian to guarantee their safety and make sure that nobody knew about what happened. Otherwise, if anybody else heard about how they had tried to kill a cultivator from the empire for no reason, they were in big trouble. It would be akin to turning the lights on in a bathroom that was purposely left with the lights off C thered be shit everywhere. Enough! You Hanyun raised his voice and glared frostily at everyone with a sinister gaze. It felt as though he had just poured a bucket of cold water over their heads. You Hanyun stared at them for a while. A conflicted look appeared in his eyes, and his expression was nasty as he spat through gritted teeth, State your terms. This was a sign that he was willing to humble himself. His plans had failed, so the only thing he could do now was to admit defeat. Otherwise, the only thing awaiting him was a heartless report by You Hantian to the empire, followed by the empire killing him quickly and silently in fury or allowing You Hantian to kill him with great fanfare. My dear older brother. Its been so many years, but youre still so childish, said You Hantian with a scoff as he calmly uttered these rather sarcastic words. Childish You Hanyuns expression suddenly turned to one of fury. His face was twisted in anger, and his eyes glowered while his body couldnt stop trembling as he clenched his fists tightly. He was ready to kill You Hantian anytime. Thats right. The most childish thing about you is how highly you think of yourself! You Hantian got up, walked over to where You Hanyun was seated, folded his arms behind his back, and peered down at his brother. Since we were children, you were bent on fighting with me for everything. You were the older brother, so I should have given in to you. Unfortunately, you went too far. You crossed a line you shouldnt have. You Hanyun looked up and said bitterly, Youre willing to throw away blood ties over a silly demonic beast. Ive got nothing to say to that. A silly demonic beast? You Hantian had an amused smile on his face. That was just the last straw. The real reason Youve been oppressing, bullying, and insulting your younger siblings all your life. Besides, youre nothing but trash in the first place. By the time he said that last sentence, his expression was filled with disdain, contempt, mockery, and disgust. Any expression that showed how much he despised his older brother appeared on his face. Trash? You Hanyuns teeth chattered loudly in anger as he glared at You Hantian fiercely, as though he were a vengeful spirit coming back for revenge. I am the eldest son of the family. I have inherited the most of the bloodline, I You Hantian waved his hand to cut his brother off. He bent down and whispered into You Hanyuns ear, But youare still a piece of trash who hasnt reached Nascent Change yet. Why, you! Pfft! You Hanyun was already getting too angry to begin with, so once he heard those nasty words from his younger brother that really hit his sore spot, his face turned red, and he spat a mouthful of blood out. You are indeed nothing but a piece of trash. Your father, the head of the family, was also a piece of trash. Hes been planning this for a long time. He made all the connections and got you to hide yourself in the shadows in hope of making use of me, then force me to give you the credit after Ive killed Qingming. All because Im your brother! Howhow did you How do I know all of this? You Hantian snorted. Its very simple. Youre too useless. So useless that the person who you contacted for help back then cant stand seeing this anymore. So, he chose me instead, said You Hantian as he retrieved a jade slip and threw it at his brother. And the rest of you. Arent you hoping to do something to make up for what youve done? You Hantian was now like a prowling tiger as he glared at the frightened other sect leaders with his bloodthirsty eyes. Then get these three things done for me properly. If you do that, not only will I not mention that all of you were part of this, but Ill also share some of the credit with you. What are these three things? asked Zhou Lingfeng without hesitation. The rest of the sect leaders hurriedly expressed their interest in hearing about these three things and ignored You Hanyun, who was still staring in shock and despair at the jade slip in his hands. I dont mind telling you now. Qingmingis already dead, said You Hantian with a chuckle as he sat back down to take a sip of tea even as everyone was staring so intensely at him, they nearly stared a hole in his head. What?! Thats impossible! Zhan Wuchang got up with a start, like a giant bear ready to kill someone. He asked in a forceful manner, How did he die? You Hantian merely raised an eyebrow at the way everyone had reacted so violently and replied calmly, No idea. But my guess is that the Evil Ghost retaliated. The Evil Ghost? All of them scoffed as though they had just heard a joke. They clearly did not buy You Hantians explanation at all. That Evil Ghostis from the Workshop, said You Hantian with a snort as he glanced at all of them. Oh my. Are you serious? Zhou Lingfeng, Zhan Wuchang, and even the dazed You Hanyun couldnt help but shudder at these words. So, my first request is thatyou have to capture that Evil Ghost alive, said You Hantian resolutely as he put his teacup down. You Hantian, dont you think thats a little too much to ask? Zhou Lingfeng raised an eyebrow and protested, refusing to back down. My second request is that you need to suppress the Devil Abyss, You Hantian continued, ignoring Zhou Lingfengs protest. He knew that the sect leaders had been pushed into a corner, and there was no way they could possibly refuse his requests. Or rather, there was no way they could refuse to listen to his commands. You My third request is for all of youto kill You Hanyun yourselves. You Hantian looked at his own older brother. A greenish, icy cold, ghoulish flame seemed to light up in his eyes, and they looked terrifying. Youyou Zhan Wuchang and the other sect leaders took several steps backward in horror as they stared straight at You Hantian, as if they were trying to read something from his expression. Ill be waiting to hear good news from all of you, said You Hantian before turning to look at the pale and ashen You Hanyun. Arent you afraidthat the family will discipline you for this? asked You Hanyun as he forced himself to keep calm. You Hantian merely snorted and said disdainfully, The family? Theyre nothing but trash. I will take my revenge on them someday. Besides, would they dare to do anything to me? Especiallyafter youre dead? You Hanyun fell silent. Hate seemed to spew from his eyes as he glared back at You Hantians disdainful expression. Are all of you still considering? said You Hantian suddenly in an annoyingly sarcastic voice, making the faces of the hesitant sect leaders look more and more dismayed. Now! Taohua, who was now possessed by Gu Suihan, turned toward Lihua and pointed at the sword in front of her that was trembling silently as if she was giving a command. If you looked carefully, you would notice that the swordseemed to be missing a section. Lihua was like a marionette as she dashed forward without hesitation, like a moth flying into the fire. It has begun A creepy smile suddenly spread across Taohuas pretty face. Woong! As though some ferocious beast had been awakened, the broken sword suddenly hummed loudly and gave off a bright light as it caused ten-meter flames to rise. Can you refuse? Gu Suihan removed that intricate, blackish-red little sword filled with murderous qi from his pocket and snorted as he threw it. The screeching of a sword resounded through the underground cave. It gave off a bright glow and the immense amount of sword qi shot toward Gu Suihan like raindrops. Thatsthe way its supposed to be! chuckled Gu Suihan as he slowly removed his consciousness from inside Taohuas body. But his ruthless voice seemed to continue to echo inside that cave. The sword qi filled the entire cave, slicing Taohua and Lihua into minced meat. Then, as if it couldnt sense any threat, the broken sword made a humming noise and swam toward the small sword as though it were sentient. The two swords seemed to be able to communicate with one another. The tiny sword slowly turned into a black and shiny liquid that flowed onto the broken sword and wriggled slowly around its broken end. The broken sword sensed danger. Its sentience was sufficient to make it suddenly fly into the air in an attempt to shake off the black and shiny liquid on itself. Unfortunately, the black and shiny liquid was like a leech as it stuck itself firmly onto the broken sword and slowly tainted the rest of the seemingly transparent blade. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 C Honeypot You Hanyun was dead. The shockwaves from the battle turned the First Peak of the Seven Kill Sect into nothing more than a hill. Rocks flew everywhere and qi ravaged the mountain. It felt like there was a qi storm raging around the entirety of the First Peak. Any maids, servants and disciples guarding the peak were instantly blown to nothing but a bloodied mist from the sheer intensity of the qi around them. You Hantians expression remained grim as he stared at the broken body of his older brother even as he let out a small sigh of relief inwardly. While it was true that he was at Nascent Change and killing You Hanyun himself would not be difficult, the problem was that this world wasnt able to withstand anything more powerful than Origin Core. In other words, even though he had agreed to come down to this world to suppress the Devil Abyss, the price he paid was to seal off his actual level of cultivation. If he undid this seal and allowed his incredible amount of qi to pressurize or cover the area belonging to this world, the message doing that would send to the will of this world was that he was here to destroy it. If that happened, then he was definitely going to die. No matter how small this world was, it was still an entity that had its own laws of nature and was running perfectly well on its own. He was a cultivator at Nascent Change, but if he went against the will of this world, it would be like a cockroach trying to stop a car from running it over with one of its legs. He was still going to die. So, why was Gu Suihan able to confidently fight the will of this world despite barely having hit Origin Core? The reason was simple. You Hantians origin core was in his consciousness, while his origin nascent had descended to his chest, but it hadnt descended to his abdomen to form his spirit yet. So, he was still only an ordinary person who had the power to control the laws of nature. If his body perished, then he was probably going to die as well, unless his hun and po could get out of his body. If his hun and po was able to remain in a perfect state and took over another body, there was a 0.0001% chance that hed be able to keep his own consciousness alive. Gu Suihan, on the other hand, might have a more fragile body and way less qi, but he was still an immortal who had a complete spirit and had gathered his heart-soul. It was severely damaged, but as the saying goes, even the skinniest of camels is larger than a horse. Even if his physical body were to be completely destroyed by the will of this world, Gu Suihans spirit could still escape and find another body. He wouldnt have to worry about being completely wiped out by the will of this world. Most importantly, You Hantian had to worry about the Devil Abyss. The will of this world was also watching this place warily. If the seal were broken, thousands and thousands of demons would come out. Demonic qi would fill the air and consume all life. Nobody would be able to stop that. That was why You Hantian wanted the sect leaders to kill You Hanyun. He was afraid that he might become too angry with You Hanyun and attempt to kill his brother. If he were to take his eyes off the Devil Abyss and the seal was broken during that time, he was going to end in tragedy. Besides, the incident that happened in Fenglin not too long ago, where someone had fought the will of this world. Those are all signs Perhaps, that was the doing of the Evil Ghost, said You Hantian in a slow voice. He seemed unbothered by how the entire place had turned to rubble and slowly picked up the head of You Hanyun that had rolled toward him. He looked mockingly at the terrifying twisted expression on the bloody head in his hands, then threw it nonchalantly into his storage ring. Butif thats the doing of the Evil Ghost, thenwhat about the plague that hit Fenglin? Where did that come from? asked Zhou Lingfeng suddenly as his gaze flickered. Do all of you still really think that entering Qingmings domain was merely a coincidence? snorted You Hantian with a nasty look on his face. He had clearly been reminded of something unpleasant. The faces of the sect leaders shifted slightly and they all fell into deep thought. Perhaps, that Evil Ghost had escaped a long time ago, but it remained in hiding until now. As for the plague in Fenglin, who else could have done it besides something as powerful as the Evil Ghost? You Hantian explained his own speculations slowly. But why did it wait until now? Those secret keys are probably the issue, said You Hantian grimly. For the past centuries, weve sent countless disciples into the domain but failed to get anything out of it. The reason why this happened had eluded us for so long. Are you sayingtheres a secret key that wasoutside the domain? said Zhou Lingfeng as he followed You Hantians line of thought. So, thats why the Evil Ghost quietly hid itself. It finally found the secret key that had been outside the domain. Then when it saw that we were going to open the domain up again, it seized the chance to get it and awaken Qingming. Unfortunately, something happened and Qingming didnt wake up. Or, after he woke up, he died together with all the disciples that we sent into the domain. Was this luck? Or coincidence? After the empire figured out that Qingming had died, they thought it was You Hantian who had done it. You Hantian thought that Qingming had run into some unforeseen circumstances inside the domain and died as a result. And because of You Hantians guess, the sect leaders speculations went further and further away from the truth. Nobody had noticed, or perhaps they had unconsciously overlooked the exact reason why Qingming had ended up dead. Phew! Gu Suihan slowly stabilized his consciousness, crushed the figurines on the formation compass in front of him to powder, then let out a relaxed sigh. The inter-sect exchange is coming up next. I already have someone to act as a shield, so its time to create a few accidents. His gaze hardened as he thought through what he was going to do next. He then took a step as light as a butterfly fluttering its wings and disappeared from his room. Stop right there! Who are you? shouted a Seven Kill Sect disciple when he caught sight of Gu Suihans pretty figure coming toward the door to the Weapons Refinery Court. I am a disciple from the Youthful Clarity Sect. My spiritual weapon has been damaged and I thought Id take this chance to ask someone from your esteemed sect to help fix it. Gu Suihan had pretty eyes, pinkish cheeks and beautifully shaped brows. His cherry-colored lips trembled slightly as he looked a little shyly at the two disciples in front of him with an expression that made him look frail and pitiful. His fair and flawless skin could be seen as the gentle breeze blew against the veil that covered his face and neck. As the thin veil swayed in the wind, it also moved aside to reveal his full bosom that looked ready to burst out from his clothes. His cleavage was so deep, the two disciples eyes nearly fell right into it. Um, I mean, sure! Could Icould I ask what your name is? The disciple who had called out to Gu Suihan swallowed a mouthful of saliva and had a silly grin on his face as he stepped aside to let Gu Suihan through. My name isHua Ling. Gu Suihan had a charming look in his eyes that seemed mildly seductive. His voice was melodious and so sweet that the two disciples went into a daze for a moment. They felt like their souls had gone to a different world and they couldnt even tell left from right anymore as they stared at Gu Suihan with lecherous looks on their faces. Immediately after Gu Suihan set foot into the Weapons Refinery Court, an elderly man with white and gray hair and a relaxed look on his face happened to walk out from the inside. Gu Suihan knew exactly who this man was. This was the man who made Questioning Heaven back then, and that mysterious cauldron belonged to this fellow. On top of that, the tiny secret realm that Disciplinarian Zhang had refined had been created by this fellow as well. In fact, Gu Suihan had come here to look for this man. Esteemed senior, I am Hua Ling, a disciple of the Youthful Clarity Sect, and Im hoping to make a spiritual weapon that I can use at the inter-sect exchange. Do you know which elder would be the most experienced one in making something like that? Gu Suihan walked up to the old man and smiled as he revealed his deep cleavage. The old man was initially unhappy that someone had called out to him, but once he turned to look at Gu Suihan, he couldnt tear his eyes away. The annoyed look on his face instantly disappeared and he now looked like a kindly and friendly elderly man. Miss, youre so lucky! The person youre looking for it right in front of you! He stared at Gu Suihans widened almond-shaped eyes and shocked expression, then glanced down casually at the two mounds that would tremble with every move that Gu Suihan made. He quickly put a stern expression on and said, My name is Han Heng. Since you wish to make a spiritual weapon, why dontwe head into one of the rooms here to discuss this matter further? That sounds wonderful. Thank you so much! Gu Suihans expression was filled with excitement and gratefulness. Young lady, come with me. Han Heng rubbed his belly, then pretended to look unbothered as he led Gu Suihan toward one of the rooms. After they turned several corners, they finally entered a room. But while ones face was filled with a burning greedy desire, the other one had a youthful and sweet face, and a oddly frosty smile. Young lady, what sort of spiritual weapon are you hoping to make? asked Han Heng as he got Gu Suihan to sit down and poured out two cups of tea. His expression didnt flinch even as he waved his hand to activate the formations inside the room with a gleefulness in his heart. ElderI wonder if youve activated the formations yet? Theyve been acti Han Heng almost let slip the truth before staring in shock at the pretty young lady in front of him. Whowho in the world are you?! Han Hengs eyes widened in horror as he watched the body and clothes of the person in front of him begin to transform. The thin chiffon dress slowly turned into an all-black embroidered robe. The young lady grew taller and her features slowly sharpened and that mysterious red spider lily appeared between her eyebrows. A gentle voice suddenly resounded in the room, Elder! Its been such a long time! Chapter 171 Chapter 171 C Who Said There Could Only Be One? Whowho are you? Han Heng had lived for centuries in the Upper World. He had seen more than most, and he had at least heard of all sorts of spells and techniques. But this scene unraveling before him made him feel terribly fearful. He was standing right in front of Gu Suihan and could see the changes happening over this short period of time very clearly. That cute and charming young lady was being changed in every way. Not only did her looks and her body shape change, but even the aura from her level of cultivation and spiritual sense had changed completely. It was as if she was a different person altogether. Thinking about it was already terrifying enough. He was too stunned to speak. I amGu Suihan! said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. These words only made the old man feel even more terrified. Thats impossible! Nobody survived the secret realm! Besides, you dont look like that young fellow at all. Han Heng froze for a moment as he recalled that young man whom he had a fairly deep impression of. That young man had been one with thick eyebrows, bright eyes, a chiseled jaw, and a smile that seemed barely there. He wasnt very muscular, but he behaved very politely, acted very logically, and never crossed the line unnecessarily. This new person before him, however, looked nothing like the Gu Suihan he knew before. Hmm. How about if I do this? Gu Suihan smiled as he finished his cup of tea and rapped his slim and fair knuckles gently against the table. A biting wind suddenly started blowing inside the room. Han Heng looked up and subconsciously met Gu Suihans eyes, which seemed as dark and deep as a blackhole. One second later, he felt like the entire room had become dark. Everything he saw was dyed a bloody red, and the stench of blood filled his nostrils. Shrill cries and howls echoed continuously in his ears, threatening to break his thin and fragile eardrums. This he murmured. He couldnt help but clench the teacup he was about to drink as he tried to keep himself calm. What the Han Heng had just placed the cup to his lips when he suddenly smelled the awful stench of rotting corpses. He looked down and realized that the cup wasnt filled with fragrant tea at all. It was filled with bloodied pieces of flesh. Maggots crawled out of the flesh from time to time, and it gave off a pungent and unbearable smell. He flung the cup away in horror, patted himself down frantically, and took some steps backward. Bam! It only took him a few steps to end up hitting the wall behind him. He swallowed hard as he felt a wet and slippery feeling on his back and tried his best to remain calm. He murmured, What Im feeling right now isnt real. This is just an illusion. I must remain calm. I can locate this illusions weakness only if I remain calm. He was a cultivator at Origin Core, after all. Even though he wasnt good at fighting and didnt have much experience doing so either, his consciousness and survival instinct was very strong. He made a hand seal, and his eyes instantly lit up as he held a small cauldron in his hands, even as perspiration dripped down his face. Sparks flew out from the pretty purple flames inside the cauldron, and the air around it was beginning to warp. The temperature of these flames was clearly terrifyingly high. How dare you lay a trap for me! Once I get out of this thing, Im going to skin you, cut off your tendons, drink your blood and refine your bones. Han Heng could feel the power bursting from the spiritual weapon that was bound to himself and felt a lot bolder now. His eyes were filled with anger and mixed with a tinge of fear as they scanned the room. Even as he spoke, he never gave up trying to find the weakness in the illusion he was trapped in. You thinkthis is an illusion? Gu Suihans voice quietly echoed in the room. His voice seemed even more creepy and sinister in this quiet and frightening environment. Humph! Of course! Han Heng became even bolder when he heard what Gu Suihan said and smirked. Thendo you think an illusion would be able to kill you? Gu Suihans voice was accompanied by a crackling sound that suddenly filled the air around Han Heng, making it sound even more sinister. Whatwhats that Han Heng clenched his teeth as he stared straight at the skeletons covered in rotting flesh and thickened blood that kept coming out from a bloodied pile of mud not too far from him. He made a hand seal and thrust his palms out. The cauldron floating above his hands suddenly rang loudly. The purple flames inside were like a dragon as it suddenly shot out from the holes on the side. It dyed its surroundings a pretty color and seemed sentient as it followed Han Hengs instructions to spread out and attack those skeletons. There was a muffled sound, and those vomit-inducing skeletons instantly turned to ash. The purple flames had accomplished that without any problem at all. They had woven themselves into a huge and dense net that turned those skeletons into a burning heap of ash. HAHAHA! So, they only look impressive, but theyre completely useless! Han Heng became more confident when he saw what happened to the skeletons and let out a maniacal laugh. He drew a line in the air, turning the purple flames into an alarmingly hot rain that fell from above silently. What if I do this, then? Gu Suihans frosty voice resounded again. He seemed to speak as softly as a mosquitos buzzing, yet every word rang clearly in Han Hengs ears. Immediately after Gu Suihan said those words, more skeletons appeared. This time, they were covered in armor, carried large spears in their hands, and opened their mouths to roar silently as they charged toward Han Heng. Humph! So what? Theyre just pieces of trash. Han Heng summoned the purple flames and turned it into a wall of fire around him. Fiery sparks flew out like shooting stars, drawing long, burning arcs before crashing into these improved skeletons. He was so focused on killing the skeletons that he didnt realize there was a faint reddish glow on his face. His eyes were also turning red. Clang! His cauldron rang loudly, snapping Han Heng out of his crazed state. That wasa very high-level illusion! Han Hengs heart was still pounding from how he had nearly fallen for the illusion. His pale face against the glow of the purple flames made him look even more sickly. Calm the soul! Break the illusion! The desire to kill appeared in his mind again. It made him feel angry inside, and an aggressive expression spread across his face. He bit his tongue and sprayed some blood on the cauldron. A glimmer appeared in his eyes, eventually turning into a beam of light that could reach the sky. Han Heng was finally able to see Gu Suihans indifferent face which was actually barely two meters away from himself. Go to hell! Burn the Heavens, Break the Spell! After Han Heng roared with all his might, the cauldron opened up and filled the entire place with a purple glow. The illusion was broken, as though a fog had just cleared up. The flames crackled loudly and turned into a dragon that flew toward Gu Suihan from all directions. Gu Suihan had a look of horror on his face. He didnt react in time and was turned into nothing in an instant. HA! HAHAHA! Han Heng panted heavily and cackled with relief after he saw that Gu Suihan had been reduced to nothing. Whatare you laughing about? A distant murmuring suddenly resounded next to his ear. That familiar voice and familiar tone made Han Heng freeze as though he had been struck by lightning. His neck was stiff as he forced himself to turn and look at where the voice had come from. Gu Suihan was still seated in that chair with a cup of tea in front of him as he stared back at Han Heng silently with that indifferent look in his eyes. That small table was still in front of Han Heng too. Howhow is this possible? Han Heng looked down at the table, which only looked slightly different from before. He then looked back up at Gu Suihan, and his expression turned to one of dismay. He understood what had happened now. He finally understood it. That had been an illusion indeed, but who said there could only be one layer of illusion at one time? The front bit was merely to distract him for a while. Once he was more engrossed in the illusion, Gu Suihan could easily turn his body by 90 degrees, then place a table covered in formation runes in front of him. In Han Hengs hurry to use everything he had to get rid of the illusion, angry thoughts filled his mind, and all he could think of was how to kill Gu Suihan. He didnt have any excess capacity to take note of these details. And so, the formation on the desk was activated. He had put all his energies into his attack, but it hit nothing in the end. What a detailed attack. Han Heng looked defeated as he stared at Gu Suihan for a long time. He said in a bitter voice, You were very careful, and your ploy was detailed to this extent. I lost, but I also definitely deserved to. Pak! A soft breaking noise was heard as Han Heng watched a ripple spread across Gu Suihan, as though he was merely water. That table in front of him also slowly disappeared. Indeed, it was no surprise that you lost, a faint voice rang in Han Hengs mind even as he stood there in a daze. Sotheres more! Han Heng snapped out of his daze and laughed sadly to himself. He turned around to look at Gu Suihan, who was standing behind him with his hands folded behind his back. I have some questions that I hope you can answer said Gu Suihan quietly, ignoring Han Hengs conflicted emotions. He proceeded to ask all sorts of questions, including questions about the secret realm that seemed to be connected to the nether world that belonged to Disciplinarian Zhang, that large cauldron with the Demonic Races script inscribed on it, as well as Han Hengs journey from the Upper World to this place. After asking all those questions, he looked at Han Heng with a relaxed expression on his face. He swirled the tea in his cup leisurely and waited for an answer from the old man. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 C A Pawns Usefulness Several hours later, Han Heng looked frightened as Gu Suihan removed a black and gold little snake that looked perfectly harmless from the inside of his cloak and placed it in Han Hengs lap. Youthis Han Hengs expression fell as he felt the slippery and somewhat sinister creature cling to him. He had no choice but to put his little schemes aside and lead Gu Suihan to the weapon refinery room. His face was stiff as he forced himself to smile at the other people working in the Weapons Refinery Court. Once he had gotten past them, he opened the door to the room and ran in. He looked so pathetic. Gu Suihan slowly reverted to his real looks and slammed a palm on the large cauldron. A metallic clang resounded, and the soundwaves from that clang echoed continuously in the room that was actually a cave. After he did that, the patches of rust fell off the cauldron. A bright golden light could be seen through the cracks on its surface. Youre about to die, but youre still pretending to be mysterious and fancy, said Gu Suihan with a snort. He withdrew his sword, drawing a bloody arc in the air and bringing it down on the cauldron without hesitation. The large cauldron gave off a muffled buzzing sound like it was a giant beast that had been rudely awakened from its slumber. The laws of nature within a 20-meter radius solidified into runes, which weaved together to create a brilliant gold shield. A loud clang resounded, and the gold shield was like a candle in the wind. Its brightness flickered unsteadily, and a nasty howl rang continuously. Just then, the shield fell apart, and the runes faded. The cauldron was a greenish black without all that rust, and the runes on it kept swirling about its surface as though they were alive. The cauldron seemed to sense Gu Suihans impatient and murderous aura. It suddenly trembled, slowly rose into the air, and spun. As it spun, it shrank and turned into a tiny and intricate wine flask that was no larger than a palm. Gu Suihan grabbed hold of the struggling cauldron and flung it into his storage ring. Then he turned to look at Han Heng, who was trembling in fear and anger but was too scared to even make a single sound. To make sure that everything youve told me is real, I think its better that you sacrifice yourself, said Gu Suihan flatly. Murderous qi exploded from his saber as he swung it at Han Heng. Why, you! Han Hengs eyes bulged in anger, and he roared as he produced purple flames from his body. The temperature in the room increased to a terrifying degree, causing any metals in the room to liquefy on the spot and gather between the two of them. Its too late! Gu Suihan took one step out and flew toward the door. Damn it! Han Heng looked at Gu Suihans indifferent gaze, then suddenly looked down to grab hold of the little snake that was stuck to his clothes. Unfortunately, he had been caught off guard by Gu Suihans sudden and extremely aggressive saber attack just now, so he was just that bit too slow to react. That tiny delay in his reaction was enough for the Black Killer Snake to sink its teeth into Han Hengs skin and allow its venom to seep into the old mans veins. You!! Wisps of blackened qi instantly rose from Han Hengs face. Smelly, purplish-black blood filled with toxins slowly flowed out of every orifice. He grabbed at his throat in vain, his eyes wide as he tried to speak, but the blood that kept bubbling out from his throat prevented any words from coming out. Time to take your soul! Gu Suihan returned his saber to its sheath, flew toward Han Heng, and sent his qi out in strands that sliced Han Hengs head off as he collapsed. Gu Suihans fingertips were blackened as he grabbed hold of Han Hengs head and smashed it. He forcibly sucked Han Hengs core out even as it struggled without stopping and frantically tried to attack Gu Suihan. The laws of nature solidified and turned into several lines of runes, which firmly sealed this core that was now only the size of a marble. Gu Suihan held it in his hand, then waved his hand. A black figure shot out from beneath Han Hengs dead body and obediently brought Han Hengs storage ring to Gu Suihan. It placed the ring in Gu Suihans hand, then coiled itself tightly around the saber hanging from Gu Suihans waist. The inter-sect exchange isnt the most important. The most important thing right now is to find the Seven Kill Sects secret realm. Gu Suihan turned back into the curvaceous Hua Ling. He looked at Han Hengs body on the floor, then flicked a spark out with his fingers, turned the body to ash, and walked out leisurely. According to Han Heng, the Qin emperor was also rather interested in the legacy of the races from ancient times, so he gathered as much information about those races as he could at any cost. Han Heng knew a lot about the nether world mostly because he had found this information in the secret database kept by the empire. The secret realm he had refined for Disciplinarian Zhang had merely been a replica based on a drawing from the Upper World. As for this large cauldron, he had discovered it in the storehouse of a small family he had wiped out while working for the empire. He happened to sense something from the cauldron, so he secretly kept it for himself. Han Heng had come to this lower world because his luck was really poor. One of his long-time enemies had the opportunity to reach Advanced Origin Core and became a rank higher than him. In order to avoid a situation where this enemy could backstab him or lay a trap for him, he decided to ask You Hantian to bring him along when he left the Upper World. Why are you so interested in ancient times? Gu Suihan stepped out of the Weapons Refinery Court and kept thinking about these things on his way back. Or perhapsyou have a piece of animal hide too? If one just tried to speculate on such matters, the possibilities were endless. Gu Suihan could only boldly put forth this hypothesis. Because that was the only way to explain certain things. For example, perhaps the Qin emperor had somehow gotten his hands on a piece of animal hide and understood some of the words on it. Thats why he decided to accumulate all the money in the world, gather the energy of every living thing and sacrifice millions of lives, waiting for his chance to escape Gu Suihan slowly calmed his conflicted feelings down. He looked into the distance and happened to see Yan Hua disguised as himself, chatting merrily to Jingjing, who was accompanied by a pouting and very unhappy-looking Shuanger. What a fool, muttered Gu Suihan with a snort and a disdainful smile as he quickly walked into his room before the group spotted him. Even though Yan Hua looked exactly like Gu Suihan, he didnt have the indifferent aura that Gu Suihan carried, and neither did he have that lofty air. Also, the symbol between Yan Huas brows looked so ordinary. It didnt look special at all. It was nowhere near the symbol between Gu Suihans brows, which looked like it was alive. It wasnt something that most people would notice, but this stupid Yan Hua actually decided to get close to Jingjing and Shuanger. Shuanger was someone who was in close and frequent contact with Gu Suihan, so she was bound to notice something amiss sooner or later. Once she did, Yan Hua was definitely doomed. Then again, thats not a bad thing either. I hope youd be a useful pawn and reach your maximum potential as one. Gu Suihan calmly looked out of the window at Jingjing, who was smiling and responding to Yan Hua but also looked a little suspicious at the same time. A brilliant smile spread across his face, which was now the same as Hua Lings. The Huangquan Evil Ghost looked at the tall and sharp mountain peak in the distance and smacked its lips. It had a creepy smile as it slowly hid in the shadows. The guards around the mountain suddenly felt their world turn upside down. They knew something was wrong, but it was too late. A mouthful of blood spewed from their mouths as they breathed their last. Immediately after they fell to the ground with a thud, these dead disciples had turned into nothing but skin and bones. The Evil Ghost had clearly taken away their blood, flesh, and soul without leaving anything behind. After leaving Gu Suihan, it felt like the dark clouds that were constantly looming over its head had slowly disappeared. This time, it could finally go on a killing spree without worrying about anything. At most, it could just set up the formation and leave this world. Even the will of this world that failed to even kill a disciple barely done with Foundation Establishment like Gu Suihan wouldnt be able to do anything about it. Pfft! Thud! The Huangquan Evil Ghost passed through the entire place without running into any obstacles. Not a single thing within its line of sight remained alive for long. It bared its nasty claws and sent dark and murderous qi flying everywhere. The flesh and blood of the cultivators belonging to the Youthful Clarity Sect kept making the Evil Ghost stronger and stronger. The storehouse! The Evil Ghost was very excited about being able to kill so many people, but it didnt let this excitement get to its head, and it remembered why it had come to this place. Suddenly, an earth-shattering sword will burst forth from the peak of the mountain. Gold dagger-axe murderous qi filled the air and turned into fiendish wind sword qi. The Evil Ghost was unable to dodge the rush of qi and felt everything turn black, followed by the sound of explosions all over its body. The fiendish wind was like countless incredibly sharp swords. The sword will was like a dragon as it roared and bellowed angrily. In just a few seconds, the Huangquan Evil Ghost had lost one layer of flesh and blood. ROAR!! The terrible pain triggered the vicious side of the Evil Ghost. It let out a roar like thunder and the soundwaves shook everything so violently that any Youthful Clarity Sect disciples in its way trembled like they had been struck by lightning before they started bleeding from every orifice, then exploded on the spot. Its just a sword formation. The Evil Ghosts features were twisted and violence was written all over its sullen expression. It now stood at over three meters in height. As it roared, it created a suction power that sucked in all the broken pieces of flesh and qi around it like a whale sucking in water. Its ten odd claws became even shinier and its body kept getting bigger and stronger. It became twice as large as before within seconds. It was now like a giant as it stared at the mountain peak that gave off a sword glow that killed everything in sight, disregarding whether you were on its side or not. The Huangquan Evil Ghost then started taking large strides toward it! Authors note at the end of the chapter: I took a look at some of the comments on the book. Some of you complained about how the MC had already reached immortal stage, but he was still as useless as a dog. What else did you expect? Anybody else with a normal IQ arriving in a different world for the first time, who had snuck in and was heavily injured no less, would definitely take their time to recuperate and slowly make plans along the way. How could he have the ability to fight ten or a hundred people on his own in an instant? And even if he did, would he dare to use that ability? That cant be a good sign. Besides, Gu Suihan has to worry about the Upper World, the other major sects, other factions, the will of the world, etc. For example, lets say Gu Suihan is like an ocean who has run dry. He has to get his body together and cultivate all over again, as though theres now only one basin of water in the dried up ocean. No matter how formidable he is, he couldnt possibly turn a basin of water into a rushing river from nowhere, right? Besides, I think that since the beginning till now, Gu Suihan hasnt gone all out yet. I really dont agree with those who think hes only at the same level as his opponents. Gu Suihan does not kill for the sake of killing. He has a motive for every person he kills. Those who kill for no reason or kill even though they dont get anything out of it are psychopaths, not cultivators. Alright then, Ill stop talking now. I hope everyone can take the time to think a little more deeply. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 C Sudden Change The Devil Abyss The seal is about to be broken! You Hantian suddenly turned around and reached out to receive a beam of light that had come toward him. He frowned immediately after he used his spiritual sense to read the jade slip. The other sect leaders paled when they heard these words. They knew what terrors lay deep inside the Devil Abyss. We shouldnt waste any more ti Zhou Lingfeng had just started speaking when his expression suddenly froze, then darkened. An aggressive sword qi shot out from his eyes, and his Peak Origin Core aura burst from within him. He turned around and looked into the distance. He was looking at where the Youthful Clarity Sect was. Whats going on? Everyone turned to look as well and craned their necks after they noticed the twisted expression on Zhou Lingfengs usually elegant face. The formation that protects the secthas been activated! spat Zhou Lingfeng as he flipped his sleeves out of the way and flew into the air. Heaven and Earth Confirming the Cause C Search for the Effect in the Skies! The old man from Falling Star Sect reacted quickly as well. His storage ring flickered, and a formation compass appeared, creating several whirlwinds of qi that measured a few meters high. The runes glowed brightly, and a gold spark ran over them. A seal was formed and thrust out. In that instant, everything shook violently. The qi that had just settled near the First Peak of the Seven Kill Sect was now swirling like boiling water, and it made a gurgling noise. It seemed like the laws of nature were gathering together as a fog slowly appeared in the middle of the compass and one could make out some figures in the fog. But the fog was too thick, so it was difficult to see clearly through it. The old man instantly clenched his teeth and punched himself in the chest. His face turned red as he sprayed a mouthful of blood out. Woong! The formation runes started gaining speed, and the mysterious power of the laws of nature slowly became clearer. The old mans gaze flickered, and a green light appeared in his eyes. He looked up to the sky, only to find that it was now cloudy and overcast. Amidst the mess of runes, the lines of karma in differing lengths and thicknesses began to appear faintly. Confirm the Cause! he yelled hysterically as he thrust the seal against Zhou Lingfengs body. A hardened look filled his eyes, and he had a grim expression on his face as he held the compass up. The internal energy from inside his body was like a river flooding the banks as it swooshed loudly onto the compass that was trembling violently. The karma line connected to Zhou Lingfeng was extremely thick and reached the sky. It was clear that this line was the karma that the Youthful Clarity Sect had created but had failed to resolve. Search for the Effect! There was a brief look of joy on the old mans face when he suddenly looked shocked before he spewed three mouthfuls of blood. He choked and panted heavily to catch his breath. The compass grew several times larger, and the blurry figures in the fog became clearer. One could make out voices as well. Junior brother Hurry up and leave! That ghost thing is here! Elder Li is dead too! Why did the sect protecting sword formation attack us? AHH! This is the day the Youthful Clarity Sect will fall! Woe is us! Tragic cries resounded from within the fog. Spells shook the place, qi billowed wildly, fiendish and murderous auras howled loudly, and blood and flesh flew in all directions. All they could see was a place where living creatures had been slain, and sword qi reigned supreme. Its that thing! said You Hantian suddenly. A frostiness flickered in his eyes as he stared unblinkingly at the large and imposing Huangquan Evil Ghost in the fog. Whos that? Whos trying to peek at me? The Evil Ghost was very sensitive and started looking around and shouting once all the sect leaders were able to see it in the fog. We must not delay! We have to capture that thing. Thats the Evil Ghost that managed to survive! said You Hantian in a grim voice as he waved his arm and made the billowing qi around him calm down. Lets go. The other sect leaders had equally solemn expressions on their faces. They exchanged glances and were in agreement with one another. Step through the world, leave no shadow behind! You Hantian took out a small and intricately designed talisman. He looked reluctant to use it, but he quickly sent his energy into the talisman and activated it. A thick layer of qi engulfed all of them. The will of this world seemed to know what You Hantian and the rest intended to do, so it gathered the laws of nature together and opened a dark and deep hole about ten meters in diameter in front of them. Lets go! You Hantian flipped his sleeve aside and took the first step in. Hmm? Theyve disappeared? Gu Suihan was meditating inside his room when he suddenly felt a response from his spiritual sense. His expression turned grim immediately. He didnt bother to conceal himself anymore. He reverted to his actual body and shot energy out into the air. It caused the meditation room to collapse and turn to rubble. He flew into the air and headed for the First Peak of the Seven Kill Sect. A crack in the space Gu Suihans expression was grim when he noticed that black slit that was slowly joining back together again. A smile spread across his face. He didnt know what could have made You Hantian and the other sect leaders pay such a high price to leave in such a hurry, but this didnt clash with the plans he had. The Devil Abyss is inthe southeast! Gu Suihan recalled what Han Heng told him. He activated his internal energy and moved like an apparition. Im not moving fast enough. Ive got to go faster. Gu Suihan could feel the wind swooshing past him like a knife as he passed through the clouds, but he was not satisfied. He retrieved a few dozen talismans from his storage ring and activated them without caring, then took out a flying object after that. He disregarded the formation runes on it that kept shattering and breaking as he forced it to fly beyond what it was able to bear. His speed increased by several times in that instant. Whos that? Looks like he came out from where the Youthful Clarity Sect disciples are. The moment Gu Suihan flew into the skies, countless others were shaken by the sound and turned to look, only to see a black figure disappear slowly. They couldnt help but start whispering among themselves. Thats Jingjing and Yan Hua disguised as Gu Suihan were enjoying their little chat when she felt a familiar presence. She looked shocked as she got up and looked into the distance. Thankfully, she had very good eyesight, since she cultivated in an eye-sword technique. She happened to spot Gu Suihans profile and black hair flapping in the wind as he leaped into the sky. Gu Suihan?! Big brother! Shuanger had noticed who it was too, and exclaimed at the same time. Sir Yan Huas expression instantly fell. But considering how much more formidable Jingjing was, he figured it was best to just keep his mouth shut. Who are you? Jingjing had a frosty look on her face as she drew her sword and swung it horizontally against Yan Huas neck. Hurry, hurry! Gu Suihans gaze was icy cold as he increased his speed even more. Everything around him seemed to move backwards and he was moving like a typhoon. The air around him made explosive noises as he began to travel as quickly as sound. In the blink of an eye, the sun started to set and fiery clouds filled the skies. Pfft! Gu Suihan swallowed several pills and quickly adjusted the messy streams of energy inside his body. He had been flying for nearly half the day at high speed without resting at all. The smaller spiritual meridians in his body had burst a long time ago and there was blood oozing out from his pores. Thankfully, he was already at Origin Core, so his body had reached a much higher level that a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldnt compare to. Phew! Gu Suihan slowly exhaled an hour later and withdrew the formation around himself. He looked at the place in front of him with a burning look in his eyes. That was the Devil Abyss he had heard about. It was also the place that You Hantian had orders to suppress. This place was alsothe one thing that Gu Suihan could use to negotiate with You Hantian. Thats why he was here in the first place. Are youXu Cangyue orXu Ran? Gu Suihan laughed. His laughter was an icy one. A cruel one! Whos there? There were trenches all over the ground made from pitch black rocks that looked like they had been soaked in something. The rocks gave off a very creepy sort of feeling. In the middle stood a rundown little pavilion that looked like it had been abandoned for years. A well stood inside the pavilion. Countless formation runes that acted as chains were like a lid over the well. Terrifying howls and roars kept coming from inside the well. There was someone next to the well. Or rather, there was a humanlike creature. His entire body was covered in a thick layer of dust and it was impossible to see what he looked like. Why dont you guess? Gu Suihan slowly walked toward the pavilion and smiled brightly at the other person. I dont know you. You dont know me, but Ive heard about you. Gu Suihan strolled into the pavilion and stood across from the person by the well. Are you Xu Cangyue? OrXu Ran zhenren? Boom! An invisible aura suddenly exploded from inside that person and the dust silently fell off him to reveal those bright eyes that sparkled like the stars but carried the weight of vicissitudes. The faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and the gray and white strands in his hair gave away the fact that he wasnt as young as his face looked. His robe was so white, it looked brand new. His hair cascaded past his shoulders, his lips were slightly pursed and his eyebrows were as thick as sabers. There was a frightening air around him. He stared intensely at Gu Suihan. They stared at each other across the well for a good 15 minutes before he finally broke his silence, I amXu Cangyue. So, it really did fail after all, said Gu Suihan in an amused voice as he glanced at the other man a little curiously. I dont know what youre talking about! Xu Cangyue frowned and his storage ring flickered. A curved knife as shiny and icy as the moon in the night sky appeared in his hand. State your purpose. Theres no need to, because youre not the complete Xu Cangyue. Gu Suihan looked at the man before him very carefully, not caring that Xu Cangyue had a curved knife within half a foot of himself. YouAHH! Before Xu Cangyue could finish speaking, his expression changed dramatically, followed by a pained expression as he muttered to himself like a madman, You said this person wants to undo the seal over the Devil Abyss? Thats right. He wants to turn this world upside down. I will not let him have his way. Xu Cangyue suddenly let out a depressed sigh and his voice suddenly seemed extremely jaded. Thats why Im prepared to let you have your way. Weve been fighting for such a long time and weve gotten used to this physical body. If we continue to fight like this, were both going to die. And so? Youre going to sacrifice yourself to give me what I want? Xu Cangyues expression changed again. He now had a disdainful smile on his face. Whether you believe me or not is your business. But I have decided to do it. I just hope that you will be kind to the Seven Kill Sect and protect this world. It isyour hometown, after all! Chapter 174 Chapter 174 C The Difference Gu Suihan couldnt help but snort at these words. On the surface, Xu Ran seemed to be a sentimental, upright, and selfless man. But if you inspected it more carefully, youd realize that was all bullshit. First of all, if the two of them remained in the same body like this, Gu Suihan wouldnt need much effort to kill him. If that happened, Xu Ran was still going to die. Secondly, this old fellow was not from this world. Even though he was able to fight Xu Cangyue because he had a powerful spirit and core, he wasnt able to fully become one with this body that didnt belong to him. If Xu Cangyue died and allowed him to take over this body, he wouldnt be able to use it, as well as if Xu Cangyue took control of it himself. But most importantly, this old fellow was probably going to die soon. Even if Gu Suihan hadnt appeared at this juncture, he wouldnt hold out for long. As for all that talk about being kind and protecting his hometown, that was deliberately said in order to plant a seed in Xu Cangyues heart. It was a seed that would tie the younger man down. As long as Xu Cangyue didnt die this time, then he was going to have no choice but to watch over the Seven Kill Sect no matter what. If he failed to do that, his heart for the Way would be shaken, and his state of mind would become unstable too. If he was lucky, he would only suffer from an implosion of internal energy. In the worst case, his spirit could be severely injured, and he would disappear forever. In short, this old man was one of those who made sure that he pulled another person along if he was going to die. While it was true that he had chosen to die and would die, he wasnt going to let Xu Cangyue live happily ever after, either. Immediately after saying those words, Xu Cangyues expression froze, and his aura expanded several times. His features were twisted, blood dripped out of his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, while his veins bulged frighteningly. Youyouve really died! said Xu Cangyue in a trembling voice after some time. His expression was filled with grief. Even though Xu Ran had tried to take over his body, he couldnt deny the fact that Xu Ran had taught him many things as a child. During their time guarding the Devil Abyss, they had fought countless times and were always on par with one another. The two of them had continued to live inside the same body in this strange manner. Neither could do anything about the other. And now, this cancerous tumor that had been living in his body for centuries had decided to kill himself for such a stupid reason. This really stunned Xu Cangyue, and he could hardly believe what just happened. Youll have plenty of time to grieve and reminisce after you die. Oh wait, no, that wouldnt be possible, said Gu Suihan expressionlessly as he looked on at this strange but touching scene. Xu Cangyue snapped out of his daze and slowly lifted his head to stare at the nonchalant young man in front of him. He said you intend to undo the seal over the Devil Abyss and destroy this world. Is that true? Thats ridiculous, replied Gu Suihan with a snort. Why should I destroy this world for no reason? How would that benefit me? That old fellow said those things because he felt threatened by me. Why did you come to the Devil Abyss then? Surely you arent here just to have a chat with me, right? Xu Cangyue remained unfazed by Gu Suihans response. You Hantian and I have a feud to settle. I dont have enough to bargain with, so I had to find something else. Gu Suihan decided to come clean and state his purpose clearly. In other words, youre still going to use the Devil Abyss to threaten You Hantian? Xu Cangyue narrowed his eyes slowly and paraphrased Gu Suihans plans in a somewhat incredulous tone. Gu Suihan smiled faintly and raised his right hand to place it on the handle of his saber. His grip looked loose, but it was actually very firm. Thats right. Actually, the final decision lies with You Hantian, and not myself. Actually, theres one more person who can make the decision. Xu Cangyue smiled as well and raised his curved knife horizontally. That person isme! He had already swung the knife fiercely at Gu Suihan when he said the word me. Youre too impatient! Gu Suihan was already prepared for that to happen. He laughed and retreated like the wind. His saber gave off a brilliant light as it came out of its sheath, creating a storm of qi and whooshing as it blocked the attack from the blade that had come down like heavy rain. The gleam from his blade left more than ten afterimages as it met the other blade. Gu Suihan himself stopped moving once he had floated more than 300 meters away and looked back nonchalantly at the grim-faced Xu Cangyue. Beginner Origin Core. I cant believe an amateur like you dares to behave so arrogantly. Xu Cangyue stood where he was as he kept his knife and touched the handle like he was reminiscing something while staring coldly at Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan didnt look like he intended to attack at all. You dont know how to use such a saber. Gu Suihan looked at the way Xu Cangyue held his curved knife and shook his head sadly. Also, cultivation levelsare just bullshit! Slay the Immortals! His vast murderous qi was like dragons and tigers as it blotted out the sun. As Gu Suihan swung his saber down, the qi gathered around the blade, making the already deep red blade turn a darker shade of red. The different levels of cultivation come naturally with differences in power, said Xu Cangyue. Anger could be seen in his tense expression. After he kept his knife, he drew his sword. Sand and rocks flew everywhere as his sword will surged out like the sea. The blade shone like the moon and the stars and a sword qi that could reach the sky erupted. Boom! An ear deafening sound resounded in this dead place. Broken rocks flew in all directions and qi filled the air. Two long and deep trenches quietly appeared in the ground. Thankfully, the two of them had purposely avoided that well so that their fight wouldnt break the seal that wasnt the strongest in the first place. If they hadnt done that, their earlier exchange would have reduced those runes to gold powder that would disappear with the wind. Phantom Images of All Things C Everything in Heaven and on Earth! Gu Suihan blocked the attack with one move but didnt stop there. His feet moved in a mysterious manner such that he just swayed for a moment and he reappeared within a few feet of Xu Cangyue. He dragged his saber along, its blade like the claws of a demon as it emanated an unfathomable and terrifying aura. Vast Sword Will C Become One with Heaven and Earth! Xu Cangyue took half a step back and held his sword up horizontally to block the attack. He then tapped the air silently with his finger, as though it were a sword. The power of the laws of nature seemed to solidify as it turned into runes that were aimed straight at Gu Suihans waist. Three Fingers of Yama C Ask Creation! Gu Suihan snorted and tapped the air with his finger as well. Xu Cangyue felt the skies suddenly darken as an elderly, saddened voice murmured in his subconscious, What is creation? Xu Cangyues sword will was instantly shattered. He stumbled backwards and instinctively held his sword up to protect himself, even though he was in a daze. Kill the Core, Destroy the Spirit! With the success of the first move, Gu Suihan brought his sword down as a bloodied glow shot out from his eyes. Only my true heart shall remain C my will shall be like unmovable mountains! Xu Cangyue wasnt that weak either. Even though Gu Suihan had used a high level technique to control him, he had snapped out of his daze almost instantly. As he looked at Gu Suihan, who had a faint smile and glowing eyes, the core deep within his subconscious appeared and gave off a faint glow, preventing the sinister fiendish qi coming its way from getting to him. No matter how the fiendish qi tried to attack him, Xu Cangyue continued to cling onto his core and remained as unbreakable as a hard rock. If thats the case, let me see what that so called sword will of yours is capable of. Gu Suihan didnt bother wasting time with this move. He flew backwards in an instant, raised his saber and sliced it down diagonally. In that instant, the sound of ocean waves suddenly resounded in Xu Cangyues ears. Kaboom! A thick layer of dark clouds had gathered in the sky. As lightning flashed and thunder roared, he could see the bloody red seal between Gu Suihans brows move strangely, as though it were alive. It was actually swaying in the chilly winds. Sea of bloodarise! Gu Suihan waved his hand and made a hand seal. The wind blew in his face, making his black hair fly wildly, which in turn made his fair, smooth and flawless face look crazed. With one thought, heaven and earth changed. The appearance of the sea of blood represented the destruction of thousands of souls. Xu Cangyue held his sword at an angle and flew toward Gu Suihan. He generated an incredible amount of sword qi, coming at his opponent aggressively as though he was able to destroy everything in the world. Its raining! Gu Suihan smiled and didnt bother to dodge or move aside even though his opponent was coming at him so powerfully. His expression remained unfazed as he pointed to the sky. Rain came down and gently landed on Xu Cangyues sword, which made it split into smaller water droplets. ZAAA! All of a sudden, the gentle drizzle turned into monsoon rain. Xu Cangyue was horrified to discover that his protective shield of internal energy could not hold up against these seemingly fragile raindrops. He instinctively stuck his tongue out to lick away the rain drop rolling down his cheek. A metallic taste instantly filled his mouth, agitating his weak taste buds. This isblood! He couldnt help but look up with a start. The water pouring from the sky had turned a bloody red color without him realizing. Split! Gu Suihan flicked his finger and shattered that sword attack from Xu Cangyue completely. He tapped the air with his left hand, sending his internal energy into the water, which quietly flew toward Xu Cangyue. All things work together and work against each other in a particular way so as to co-exist. Even at the extreme ends of the Way, it doesnt go beyond the yin and the yang. Yet, the yin and yang are split into the five elements, and the five elements make all things. Theres water inside a humans body too. Gu Suihan stood on the waves of the vast sea of blood around him, peering down at Xu Cangyue like he was an ancient deity living in the heavens above. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 C Resort To Trickery Boom! Boom! Xu Cangyues body froze, and there was a pained expression on his face as he clutched his own chest. He was horrified to discover that the blood in his body was actuallyslowly beginning to boil. Vast Sword Will C Three Parts of Heaven! he declared loudly, holding his sword as he ran quickly while trying to suppress the blood moving rapidly through his veins. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face filled with anger as he charged toward Gu Suihan. As he thrust his sword forward, Gu Suihan felt like there was no other sound around him. Not only was there no sound, but everything before him turned dark, and he couldnt even feel anything in his hand despite gripping his saber tightly. Is thisa spirit secret technique? murmured Gu Suihan with a faint chuckle. He didnt panic. He rose into the air and spun rapidly. The huge wave of blood that arose was like a ferocious beast from ancient times and turned into a giant obstacle as it stood in between himself and Xu Cangyue. The logic behind this move was actually very simple. On the surface, Xu Cangyues attack seemed purely out of anger and desperation, but the bulk of his energy was all waiting inside his core. He was going to use his fury as a cover to mislead his opponent, then launch a full-blown attack from his core before his opponent realized that his attack had more than met the eye. Unfortunately for him, the thing sitting within Gu Suihans consciousness was his spirit. His spirit was like an angered god as its vast and overpowering will instantly shot out from his eyes. His spiritual sense gushed out and pressed against Xu Cangyues body relentlessly. The terrible pressure practically flattened the man in an instant. Pfft! Pfft! Xu Cangyue let out a few muffled noises as his clothing tore into a thousand pieces. Blood sprayed in all directions, filling the air with a reddish mist. The explosion from his pores covered him entirely in blood. Even so, he stood as straight as ever, like a proud, shiny sword. It would rather break than bend. Gu Suihans lips twitched at this, and frowned slightly. What he hated the most were these people who cultivated in weapons. Even though they were all poor as fuck, they had bones of steel. Even if you won the fight, you wouldnt make any profit from it. And the fight itself was also too long and drawn out. It wasnt worth it. But if you decided against fighting and tried to retreat or run or hide, the other party would keep running after you and refuse to let go, like they were a dog gone mad. Damn it, spat Gu Suihan as he looked at how pitiful Xu Cangyue looked. He raised his hand and clenched his fist, causing the five elements to circulate and the laws of nature to be broken down. In that instant, Xu Cangyues blood started flying out of his body against his will. Bumps the size of a fingertip kept appearing all over his body, which would explode after a while and spray blood out. Youre not at Origin Core Xu Cangyue was very severely injured, but he suddenly raised his eyes to look at Gu Suihan and said flatly, Your control of the laws of nature is so advanced, even a Nascent Change cultivator would lose to you. I dont know who in the world you are, but even if I have to die, Im going to die in front of this well. Immediately after he uttered those words, everything fell silent for a moment. A soft humming suddenly echoed in the space. It soon turned into a loud, continuous clanging noise and the sound of metal against metal boomed. Soul burning secret technique Gu Suihan couldnt help but narrow his eyes. The sea of blood he conjured slowly formed a large, sturdy and foreboding looking throne behind him. The throne consisted of evil ghosts, vengeful souls, strange magical beasts and ferocious animals. The various lines and reliefs looked so vicious and their twisted expressions could send a chill down ones spine. Im going to see how powerful this sword attack made from gathering your energies, qi and spirit together is. After all, youre actually willing to allow your hun and po to scatter, which means you wont have a chance to reincarnate, murmured Gu Suihan, as though he were touched by how determined and unyielding Xu Cangyue was. Gu Suihan actually slowly returned his saber to its sheath and waved an arm. The sea of blood turned into a huge and solid wall in front of him that could block anything. The runes formed from the laws of nature would gleam within the sea of blood from time to time. Their brightness was very eye-catching. Watch this! Xu Cangyue took a deep breath and ignored how badly injured his spiritual meridians were as he forced the spiritual energy out from his dantian. In that instant, a determined and valiant aura slowly began to emanate from his body. His sword trembled rapidly and gave off a howl that seemed to pierce the skies. He absorbed all the qi within a few miles radius like a whale taking in water. It gathered next to him and turned into an actual qi whirlwind. ZHAAA! A light exploded from the sword and flowed along the swords body like water. Not a single wisp of qi leaked out. On top of that, Xu Cangyues muscular body suddenly looked like a leaky balloon as it slowly dried up. It didnt take long for him to turn into a corpse that was just skin wrapped around some bones. If you had taken this chance to attack me, I would have no choice but to die with much hatred in my heart. Im grateful you didnt, a hoarse and terrifying voice croaked from within Xu Cangyues dried-up throat. Because his flesh and blood had all dried up, his eyes now looked unnaturally large and bulged out of the sockets. He used these eyes to stare unblinkingly at the indifferent-looking Gu Suihan, who was sitting leisurely in the sky. To me, youre an opponent worthy of respect. I waited for you to prepare for this incredible move out of my respect for you, said Gu Suihan solemnly as he looked down at Xu Cangyue, who insisted on clinging onto his sword and raised his head to look up at Gu Suihan, even as his sword will seemed to reach the sky. This move was not a technique or a spell. It wasnt the creation of a domain or the appearance of the laws of nature. It was a sword will that quenched all the energy in the body to an extreme. It was a sort of spiritual world, or perhapsa way to communicate with the gods and use their power! In that case, its time for you to receive the attack. A comforted and grateful look flashed in Xu Cangyues eyes for a moment. To him, he was definitely going to die after executing this move. Preparing for the move had taken so much time, but Gu Suihan hadnt seized this chance to attack him, respectfully waiting warily instead. That was enough for him to die without any regrets. Milky Way in Retrograde, Sword Moves the Heavens! he yelled, emphasizing each syllable. Once he finished announcing the move, his sword moved. In that instant, the sky collapsed. The bright moon and stars seemed to be attracted to this sword that gave off a tragic cry, howling as it trembled violently, even as cracks appeared all over it. As the sky pressed down, Xu Cangyue seemed to morph into a gigantic bottomless blackhole. As everything moved more and more rapidly, the stars in the sky were sucked into the blackhole at the speed of comets. Gu Suihans world was completely dark, except for one spark, which was coming from the brilliant sword in Xu Cangyues hand that wasnt too far from him. The ferocious beast created by his sea of blood shattered upon contact, unable to stop Xu Cangyue from moving forward. The screen blocking the way shattered. The cage around Gu Suihan shattered. The bloody dense web in front of his opponent shattered. Every obstacle seemed so frail in the face of this attack. Break! Shatter! Destroy! he bellowed with all his might. The corners of his eyes tore, but not a single drop of blood spurted out. His dried up arms and body kept getting its skin shaved off by the sea of blood coming at it, revealing the blackish red and brown flesh beneath. After he saw how Gu Suihan had been able to control the laws of nature with such familiarity and ease, Xu Cangyue had no hope of defeating him. He knew that he was no match for this young man at all. Not even You Hantian would be a match for him. His sword moved, stirring the wind, scattering the clouds and stopping the rain. There was no sound at all. Every creature in the world was silent. When the sea of blood had shaved off so much of him that he was left with almost nothing but his skeleton, his sword had finally reached Gu Suihan. The sword was only inches away, yet it felt like Gu Suihan was on the other end of the world. Xu Cangyue did his best to advance, only to find that he couldnt get any closer to Gu Suihan. The laws ofthis space? A dim gleam lit up his soul when he immediately realized the reason for this. In that moment, Xu Cangyues determined sword that refused to back down finally felt a tinge of defeat. It was no longer as reckless as before. He knew that even borrowing power from the gods wasnt going to be enough to fill up the gap between himself and Gu Suihan. This was a difference in aptitude. Your will to kill is too weak. Gu Suihan looked at his opponent quietly. He waved his hand to scatter the space particles in front of him. Instead of retreating, he drew his saber and charged toward Xu Cangyue. Gu Suihan suddenly disappeared before Xu Cangyues eyes. Less than a second later, a murderous and violent surge of fiendish qi exploded, threatening to bring the skies down and annihilate the entire world. Youare truly a demon! Xu Cangyue weakly raised his head to look at the red figure above him. I mustkill you! Xu Cangyues soul fire suddenly lit up and his swords humming grew louder. It turned the entire place to chaos as it hummed like a morning gong and was supported by its owners willingness to die in order to destroy Gu Suihan as it attacked fiercely. The sword faced no resistance as though everything before him was nothing but an illusion. Xu Cangyue watched as his sword stabbed into Gu Suihans chest and turned the young man into nothing but broken pieces of flesh and a bloodied mist. Youyou fooled me! Xu Cangyue had a sad smile on his face. His body was filled with death as he looked hard around him in an attempt to find where Gu Suihan actually was. No good soldier would despise resorting to trickery, Gu Suihans voice quietly came out from the bloodied mist. Immediately after he said that, a finger that was like deities descending to earth appeared. A finger that was like a heavenly demon coming to destroy the world. Three Fingers of Yama C Shocking the Deities! Indeedno good soldier would despise resorting to trickery, murmured Xu Cangyue. The soul fire in his eyes that was already weaker than before slowly faded after this earth shattering finger struck him. Actually, my opponent wasnt you to begin with. Even if you won this round, you would go through a living hell the next time, said Gu Suihan pointedly as he stared indifferently at the lifeless bones before him. He was referring to the last words of Xu Ran. Those seemingly righteous, courageous, selfless words that were merely a cover for his true viciousness. That old man was basically someone who was the type who would dig a hole for others even when he was on the brink of death. Someone who brought others down with him. The sea of blood made roaring noises. Its giant waves reached the sky and its very heart was as black as ink. Gu Suihan ignored the bones on the ground and turned to look at the pavilion in the distance that still looked the same. He was only a few kilometers away from it. But the dangers he was going to face were a hundred times tougher than this sword attack that Xu Cangyue had sacrificed his life for. Becausethe former was human. The latter washeaven. Authors note (in response to the comments he received when the book was published on qidian. The book has been taken down, so TL cant see what the comments were). Im just a bum who cant even been considered an author. I just write for fun. But Im really exasperated when I see how nitpicky some of you are. If I write in too much detail, youd say its word spamming. If its not detailed enough, youd say my writing is lousy. I think that novels are an imaginary world to begin with, so the only thing the author can do is to conceptualize the world, then use words to add color and make it more realistic. The rest depends mostly on the readers imagination. If I write everything in great detail, including the beating of ones heart, ones breathing, or how many times a character chews, thats not a novel anymore. Thats a diary entry. Or a composition. (TL complaint: I dont know the context of these comments, but while TL agrees that writing details that arent important to the action is definitely word spam, the author using inappropriate descriptions and multiple and/or repetitive adjectives that mean the same thing is word spam. Using conjunctions wrongly, using punctuations wrongly, not identifying whos who for an entire page of fighting, using a string of adjectives and idioms that either dont fit the circumstances or even contradict each other, and pretentiously using different words that all mean a blade is not great writing either. There is a very good reason why MTL-ing this book is shitty, and that reason isnt because the machines dumb.) Also, there are some parts where some people have just scanned through and they start criticizing the story. Im so speechless. For example, someone commented about Gu Suihan bringing his maid along when running from the Seven Kill Sect after the internal disciple selection, and said that the MC was an idiot. I really felt like laughing. My friend, if you dont like someone, would you immediately fall out with that person? Do both sides really have to lay out your emotions on the table? At that time, Gu Suihan had not fallen out with the Seven Kill Sect yet, so there was only so much they could do to one another. They couldnt be too obvious about this. (TL: I think the commenter thought that Gu Suihan should have run away by himself, which is normally the easier option, instead of dragging a not particularly useful Taohua with him, since MC is supposedly not someone who actually needs these maids or cares for them. But of course, you could argue that Gu Suihan still wanted someone he trusted to watch over the Qingguo mines or basically that he had use for Taohua, so he just brought her along first. Either way, this response doesnt seem much of a response.) Mo Yuluo and the other two factions starting a feud with MC for no reason C is that really such a brainless thing? If you read on, you should have sensed that the three major factions were something that the Seven Kill Sect quietly allowed in order to keep the balance within the sect. They were also part of the plan about Qingmings domain. How could the sect have allowed anything to go wrong? The three factions joining hands to hunt down Gu Suihan, Feng Ran and the rest. It was because Mo Yuluo and the rest were actually targeting Feng Ran and the rest. Li Rong and Gu Suihan were just additional variables. The factions would have done it even without the presence of these two. If you think about the plans they had, do you think they would have allowed people like Feng Ran and the rest like him to live? Xiexin zhenren had a part to play in this as well. Forget it. If you like the story, you can keep reading. If you dont like it, just leave. I never intended to make money out of this book and Im just writing this to pass time. Since reading it makes you so unhappy, just click on the [X]. There are so many web novels out there nowadays. Why get so hung up on this one novel? This is an imaginary world and youre already so nitpicky and youre being such a perfectionist? Dont you feel tired? This note doesnt count against my total word count for the chapter. This chapter is still around the usual 2,700 characters. Theres really no need for me to write a word spam filled book. Theres no meaning in that. Those big shot authors can write like that and ask for referrals and tips from readers. But why would I write like that? Every character has their use. I dont write them on a whim or for no reason. Feng Ran, for example, will add to a twist later on. Disciplinarian Zhang, for example, will need to appear in certain events later too. Im so emotionally drained. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 C Fight! Fight! Fight! Gu Suihan slowly landed and stared solemnly at the pavilion. When he looked up, he realized that the sky was filled with thick and almost black clouds. A hoarse chanting was slowly beginning to fill his surroundings simultaneously. It sounded like the Buddhist chants or the sermons of deities from ancient times, yet it also sounded like the low growls and roars of demons. Something seemed to be gathering in the middle of the dark clouds. Lightning kept flashing, and thunder kept rolling. A heavy and oppressive air slowly weighed down on Gu Suihan. The laws of nature around him seemed to sense that they were faced with a natural enemy, so they slowly moved away from Gu Suihan as the pressure increased. Convert the Elements, Reverse Yin and Yang! He divided his attention, using some of it to gather the elements into a detailed dao symbol glowing with golden text. The text wriggled like little tadpoles, slowly solidifying to become a brilliant and mysterious golden formation diagram that was at least 10 meters in diameter. At the same time, the laws of nature gathered and glowed with five different colors as they spun and shot toward that whirlpool in the air. Pfft! Gu Suihans body suddenly stiffened, and he sprayed out a mouthful of blood. He stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. His face was as pale as snow, and you could even see his greenish veins. Blood dribbled out from between his lips and flowed down his neck. The formation runes glowed brilliantly, and the ball of light was slowly transformed as the whirlpool gobbled it up. Craack! The whirlpool in the air suddenly stopped turning as though someone was preventing it from doing so. The lightning flashed more and more frequently. Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow, stirring up dust and rocks. The storm brewing in the clouds started raining heavily. The formation runes turned in the other direction. The ball of light was slowly transformed as the whirlpool gobbled it up. I said before that youre no match for me when it comes to the five elements and the law of nature surrounding them, murmured Gu Suihan quietly as his lips curled into a faint smile. Earlier on, he had transformed the five elements and laws of nature into a solid object, but when it entered the whirlpool, the yin, and yang switched places, which was able to break through that terrible oppressive air. It sounded very simple, but if Gu Suihan didnt have the help of his spirit, he wouldnt have been able to do that, even if he died trying. Such a difficult yet detailed technique required a vast spiritual sense to control it; otherwise, one would implode and die or suffer a worse fate. Boom! The rain stopped. The clouds gathered again. The ground stopped shaking. The will of this world paused for just a moment before it began to swirl again. This time, it became even more imposing. Like the quiet before a storm, pressure weighed heavily on Gu Suihans body. The immense power of the laws of nature was beginning to solidify. Are you the one who calls the shots around here? Or is the empire the one who calls the shots here? said Gu Suihan with a laugh as he narrowed his eyes. He had a sinister look on his face that also exuded a tinge of insanity and disdain. Based on his own analysis and Han Hengs messy report, Gu Suihan had more or less understood what this world was really like. Instead of describing this world as a small one, it was more accurate to say that the empire had given the Ethereal Court and the other sects a very small place. Why, you might ask. It was because they were weak, poor and cowardly. This resulted in this situation C they didnt want to become mere sacrificial items and fight to their death in some random world the empire sent them to, but they were also unwilling to let go of their current powers, since that still placed them in a position higher than an ordinary human. That was how they ended up with this idea to call another person a thief when they were thieves themselves. The factions had gathered together to come up with a scheme. They were going to make some sacrifices and get the empire to give them a place where they could live in peace. Why not forcibly take over a piece of land? That was completely out of the question. Cultivators might look fucking awesome to the ordinary person and it might seem as though nothing was too difficult for these superhumans. But in the Upper World, they were only as good as an animal that even a stray dog would bully. They didnt know when they might run into a more powerful person who would smite them just because they were feeling unhappy that day. Or if they might accidentally offend someone they couldnt afford to. Just like how humans normally let ants go their own merry way, once an ant tries to climb onto you, you would quash it without thinking too. Getting a piece of land from the empire was equivalent to becoming a legal citizen of the empire. You would be protected. Simply put, you wouldnt end up being sent out as frontline troops and you wouldnt be afraid of being randomly killed by all these crazy powerful people. But here lay a different problem. Almost all the good parts of the Upper World had been taken up already. They didnt want to take the barren lands and other terrible dangers lurked there too. And thus, they chose to move to the Lower World. This was a world that wasnt even among the top thousand. Doing so, however, came with some benefits. Firstly, they could avoid any fights that arose for no reason. Secondly, they wouldnt feel worried or threatened. Thirdly, they just needed to send some people to the empire to become frontline soldiers from time to time. The qi in this world was pathetic compared to the quality and quantity of the Upper Worlds, but compared to potentially losing their lives, that was something they were more than willing to live with. Unfortunately, by some strange series of coincidences, a barren and sinister place swirling with demonic qi appeared in this world. They had tried to investigate this matter several times but failed to find anything. They ended up losing several people instead. And so, the sect leader of the Seven Kill Sect back then decided to report this to the empire. And even more coincidentally, one of the frontline soldiers from the Seven Kill Sect they had previously sent had actually managed to survive his mission. On top of that, he had been lucky enough to have rescued a big shot at the same time. The craziest part was that this big shot gave this man a title and even gave one of his legitimate daughters to him in marriage. He also allowed this mans family in the Lower World to move up and become a subsidiary household of his family. Im sure you must have guessed it by now. This fellow was You Hantian. And You Hanyun was a descendant of that big shots family. The big shot eventually passed on and the family lost its pillar of support. As a result, an ugly fight for power and backstabbing consumed the family, causing a further reduction in their overall power. You Hantian saw that he couldnt count on this family anymore, so he started to think about finding someone else to rely on. He considered working directly for the empire, but at that time, he was only at Origin Core, which made him worse than an ant to the empire, so nothing came of it. Later on, the Seven Kill Sect and the other factions of this world joined hands to report the strange place in their world. The empire sent someone to check it out and it was confirmed to be a difficult matter to settle. But nobody wanted to actually go down to an awful place like the Lower World to settle it, so after some back and forth, You Hantian became the lucky chosen one to get this job done. At that time, You Hanyun even mocked him hard for this. Unfortunately, before long, Qingmings matter suddenly blew up in the Upper World. The empire itself tried to capture him, but Qingming actually managed to escape. And of all the places, Qingming chose to hibernate in this world. When You Hanyun heard wind of it, he started to make plans. He secretly got someone to arrange for him to be sent here and created a faction called the Ethereal Court. He hid within this faction and spied on You Hantian in secret. Aaaaaand you know the rest. He had quietly bided his time for centuries, but Gu Suihan appeared from nowhere and ruined all his plans. And now, he was dead. Actually, the area where the seven major sects lived was only one part of this world. For example, there were also all those baldies in the Pure Land Temple that was far from the seven sects part of the world. It was like a modern day housing estate. The seven sects had only rented a few apartment blocks, but there were other blocks available as well. They werent the only people in the neighborhood. This was a good thing for them, but it was a tragedy for the will of this world. Not only did the empire split this world into several chunks, it also split the will of this world into the same number of parts. Each part was in charge of one chunk, taking care of basic things like the weather, reincarnation cycles and so on. That was why Gu Suihan had boldly challenged and provoked the will of this world in Fenglins capital city. He was trying to see if things were the same way as he had guessed. In the end, Gu Suihan had turned out to be right. The will of this world seemed powerful, but it wasnt really that powerful. When all was well, nobody would have realized this problem. But if something bad happened to this world, this will of the world was absolutely useless. But when it came to the Devil Abyss, things were different. The problem with this place was that it was located in between two chunks. In other words, the two parts of the will of the world in charge of these two chunks could interfere if necessary. Two were always better than one. Gu Suihan was now faced with a combined will of this world. That was also why he did his best to avoid getting hurt in his fight with Xu Cangyue. His words seemed to have angered the other party. In that instant, the world turned upside down. A vibration shook through the entire place and trapped Gu Suihan in his spot. In the next instant, the mountains crumbled, the earth split open, a strong wind blew, and the clouds billowed. Everything was engulfed in darkness. It was impossible to see anything. NOW!! Gu Suihan thrust a hand seal out. The sand and rocks several meters around him turned into a wall. The wind and clouds stuck to him and turned into his armor. The rainwater turned into a raging sea and Gu Suihan stood atop the waves, moving against the current. He held up against the terrible pressure weighing on him even as he began making his way toward the ancient well that was holding the Devil Abyss down. SCREECH! SCREECH! In that moment, Gu Suihan could sense that he had truly gone against everything this world stood for. He was no longer on the same side as the creatures of this world. The grass became like swords, the trees like spears. The wind blew harder and the clouds moved even more rapidly. The sounds they made roared continuously in his ears, Get outget outgetOUT!!! Anyone who dares to block my way shall die! Gu Suihans eyes were bloodshot, gleaming red like a demon. A bloodthirstiness instantly exploded from inside him. The symbol between his brows, that mesmerizing swaying red spider lily, began to give off a reddish glow. His black hair was like a dragon, and his clothes flapped wildly in the wind. His huge robe danced in the rushing wind, making him look like a king who had just broken the seal of the Devil Abyss and risen from inside the well. ROAR!! A terrible roar filled the sky. Demonic and fiendish qi was everywhere as countless vengeful souls and hateful souls shrieked, roared and howled around Gu Suihan. They slowly became a figure that seemed as tall as the clouds above. Its demonic presence was monstrous and surged through the place. If I lose this fight, all of you shall die with me. If I win, then all of you still stand a chance! Gu Suihan took a step forward with his saber in hand. He looked up at the whirlwind in the sky that had become darker and darker, let out a long laugh, then stepped on a wave to meet with it. Those words were meant for the almost sentient murderous and violent qi behind him. If he lost this fight, he was going to make sure they died with him. If he won, they could hibernate for the time being and wait for Gu Suihan to take his revenge. It would be a ploy to use a more powerful person to destroy a less powerful one. An evil plan, indeed. But that was exactly what that figure couldnt do. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 C Do You Dare To? The demonic figure roared angrily, its ink-colored shadow howling as it engulfed Gu Suihan and charged at the sky. It, or rather, they had finally made their decision. They had unanimously decided that whatever the will of this world had shown itself to be capable of was nowhere enough to kill this murderous, violent, asura-like cultivator named Gu Suihan. That was because they had seen even more powerful things on Earth Blue Blood Dyes the Sky! Everything that the saber pointed at disappeared. The wind and thunder trembled silently in fear, and the clouds dissipated. The skyhad fallen apart. This four-foot-long saber was like a needle laced with poison as it stabbed itself deeply into the sky. The murderous qi on the blade kept spreading and went right into the deepest part of the whirlpool without any attempt to conceal itself. In the blink of an eye, it had corroded a large patch. Kaboom! The lightning and thunder occurred more and more frequently. The wind and rain threatened to come and qi was surging wildly. Gu Suihan swung his saber up and blocked the attack from the laws of nature that had turned itself into a natural disaster. He took the chance to then quickly pull his saber back and fly toward the pavilion without hesitation. After being attacked like this, again and again, the will of this world adjusted its assessment of Gu Suihan again. This young man was way more formidable than it had initially imagined. In an instant, the wind and rain stopped. The boundless sea of blood that was surging beneath Gu Suihans feet looked like it was going through low tide. The laws governing that sea fell apart and slowly went back into the ground. It left behind nothing but a pool of blood that was no larger than ten meters in diameter. Even so, the pool of blood was still slowly but surely evaporating and spreading itself out in an attempt to escape Gu Suihans control. Use strength to oppress the other! Gu Suihans expression finally shifted from a relaxed one to a much more solemn one. His half-closed eyes had turned a mesmerizing and deep wine red. Runes swirled on their surface, making his eyes look like two black holes. He was now less than 300 meters from the pavilion. Before this, he would have been able to reach it in one step. But now, it felt more like he was trying to reach the heavens. Gu Suihan slowly landed on the ground, then looked up at the extremely thick layer of dark clouds that had quietly gathered in the sky. The sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning went on continuously around him and felt very imposing. The ground beneath his feet kept rising and falling like water, creating large muddy wave after muddy wave. The laws of nature collapsed, turning the area around Gu Suihan into a vacuum. He was not able to control anything beyond a three-meter radius. The pressurizing aura of the world was almost real as it weighed heavily on his shoulders. The heaving of the ground tried to make him lose his balance. The laws of nature peeled away and dissipated, so there was no more qi for him to absorb. Cutting off the laws of naturenot bad! Gu Suihan pursed his lips. He put his saber back into its sheath and began to accumulate his energies when a look of madness suddenly spread across his face. You can cut off the laws, but what aboutkarma? He let out a terrible cry, and the soundwaves from his mouth instantly drowned out the sound of the rolling thunder and howling winds. His mocking laughter continued to echo. Gu Suihan stomped his foot heavily on the ground, creating a huge crater that measured more than ten meters in radius. His long robe flapped in the wind, and his clothes were drenched. His black hair resembled a dragon and his expression was sinister. The demonic figure roared as it suddenly shrank and merged into his saber. A clanging sound resounded loudly, like the war drums of a mighty army going into battle. It was a very deep rumble that caused eardrums to tremble violently and so nauseating it made one feel like vomiting blood. All of a sudden, a clear voice rang out in this place. It was filled with emotion, as though it was telling a story. The world and its desires may seem like a beautiful dream, but it is like the crescent moon reflected in the pond, the pretty yellow flowers in the mirror. Having feelings is lesser than feeling deeply. Feeling deeply is lesser than being infatuated, and being infatuated is lesser than feeling indifferent. Cut off worldly desires, and be no longer bound to the karmic cycle. Enough, enough, enough. All troubles of the world shall disappear in the wind. I will look down at all living creatures from a position of indifference The sky was dark and the laws of nature stopped everything it was doing. In that lonely silence, only that heartbreaking voice filled with grief and hate echoed slowly. I have added the karma of everything onto myself. The millions I have massacred are now one body. Do you dare to slice through a level of karma such as this? Gu Suihan looked up calmly at the six-inch blade in the sky formed by the laws of nature that emanated a golden glow. He didnt care about the sinister aura that could slice through everything that the other party possessed. His lips curled upwards slightly into a mocking smile. Six Slashes of Mara C Breaking the Skies! He drew his saber, an attack he had been quietly preparing. As he pulled it out of its sheath, a thick layer of murderous intent turned into a real, black mist that spewed from the mouth of the sheath and attached itself to the blade. That blade contained so much energy and it looked ready to slice through the sky. The blackened blade was filled with Gu Suihans seemingly endless fiendish qi. It covered a 300-meter radius around him, carrying his obsessed will as it made a powerful attack. On the contrary, the little knife made by the laws of nature was slow. But it cut through the thick layer of fiendish qi and just missed the top of Gu Suihans head. It then seemed to have used up all its energy as it turned into mere sparkles that were blown away by the wind. DOONG! In that instant, a deep ringing like a morning gong, or the bells of the temple, rang through the entire place. The dark whirlwind in the skies suddenly darkened. At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to pause. It was as though it had been severely injured. The pressure it had exerted rolled back like a receding tide and it was not as imposing as before. Just then, Gu Suihans saber stabbed itself into the heart of the whirlwind like it was a shooting star. Once he managed to get his saber in, he pushed further and changed his attack. The blade started to tremble and gave off a dull buzzing sound. Six Slashes of Mara C Cutting Off Samsara! The laws of nature gathered, and the demonic qi rose like a wave. Vengeful souls howled, and aggressive ghosts wailed. It brandished its knife again without holding back, as though it was about to cut through every wave of the sea. I dont intend to break the Devil Abyss open. I will only do that if I dont have a choice, Gu Suihan called out as he did his best to retreat and fly into the sky. To slap someone, then offer them candy was something that always worked. After exploring so many different paths, his tremendous experience over the centuries told him never to push his enemy into a corner. Otherwise, one would often end up facing unexpected and unnecessary drama. The whirlwind in the sky rotated slowly until, finally, a giant eye filled with indifference began to appear. The thunder seemed to roar every time it blinked, while the movement of its pupil was like the swing of a pendulum, creating waves in the air. Iam just hoping to get some things. After that, I will leave, said Gu Suihan after taking some time to choose his words. He looked back at that giant eye without fear. Yousettle this properly. A shocking thing happened next. That eye froze, then its pupil constricted as it stared at Gu Suihan for a while. Then, it slowly faded into the whirlpool and the laws of nature shook violently. Another powerful force calmed it down before the entire thing shrank and disappeared. These changes didnt escape Gu Suihans eyes. His thoughts flowed like a river, ideas raining down on his mind. He slowly pieced together all the different clues he had. The Huangquan Evil Ghost Gu Suihans eyes flew open after a few moments and a strange smile slowly spread across his face. Youre very timely, indeed. While Gu Suihan was fighting the will of this world Evil Ghost! Die now! Zhou Lingfeng had a nasty expression as he dashed out from the crack in spacetime. When he saw how the mountain belonging to his sect was covered entirely in blood, he became even angrier and yelled loudly as he drew his sword. Whos that? The Evil Ghost had been on a gleeful killing spree, but slowed down when he heard that voice behind it. It turned around to find Zhou Lingfeng, who had bent his body to bring his destructive sword attack down on it. Fuck! cursed the Evil Ghost immediately after it noticed the crack behind Zhou Lingfeng that was clearly a crack in the spacetime. It wasnt stupid, so it figured things out quickly. It flung the corpse in its hands away and turned to run. Youre not going anywhere! Zhou Lingfengs eyes bulged furiously, capillaries bursting in a frightening fashion. He added more energy to his sword attack and it came down as quickly as lightning. Void Sky Space Shaking Shield! The Huangquan Evil Ghost turned around for a split second and nearly peed itself. Its claws were like the wind as it made a hand seal quickly. Its body immediately began to turn transparent and looked like it was about to disappear into thin air. Come out! A humph tinged with some glee rang out from behind it. The Evil Ghost felt the qi around it suddenly become very strange. The qi had turned into a claw that had managed to grab onto it even though it had almost turned transparent. The qi grabbed hold of the Evil Ghost and pulled it back. Youre at Nascent Change The Evil Ghost instantly sensed that tremendous, unstoppable power and shuddered on the spot. Its eyes were as red as blood and it clawed like crazy, the sounds of its sharp claws tearing through the air resounding loudly. It ignored the pain that made it feel like its bones were getting crushed and struggled to get out of the grip of that giant qi hand. Still trying to run? You Hantian had an indifferent expression on his face, but there was a tinge of mockery in his eyes. He thrust a hand seal out and the giant hand shook violently, shaking the senses out of the Evil Ghost. Its qi turned into threads that wound themselves tightly around the Evil Ghost in the blink of an eye. The Evil Ghost took some time to recover from its dizziness. By the time it was finally well enough to see Zhou Lingfeng, You Hantian had already tied it up. It couldnt help but think back on what happened. A teleportation formation that will send you back to the Upper World is on this jade slip It recalled what Gu Suihan had said, as well as that fleeting iciness in his expression while speaking. Also, the fact that Yan Hua had gone in shortly after that The Evil Ghost suddenly understood everything. GUSUIHAN!! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME!!! The Evil Ghost looked into the sky and howled as it let out a terrifying and hateful roar. Gu Suihan? Gu Suihan? The aggrieved roar of the Evil Ghost made Zhou Lingfeng and You Hantian pale. But while one looked shocked upon hearing this name, the other one had an expression filled with anger and hate. Author Note PS: What did the Huangquan Evil Ghost understand? Also, two readers would like to be featured in the book. One wants to be flirtatious, suave, and bloodthirsty. One wants to be calm, elegant, graceful, smart, and gentlemanly. Once I start writing about the Upper World, Ill find a way to insert these characters into the story Chapter 178 Chapter 178 C Exposed You know him? Zhou Lingfeng turned to ask You Hantian with some surprise. Of course. When Qingming activated the domain, the last person to enter the secret realm and scatter those jade slips just before entering was Gu Suihan. There was no way You Hantian would forget the fellow who ruined all his plans. The mere mention of Gu Suihans name made him so angry his teeth chattered. But when he saw the odd expression on Zhou Lingfengs face, he couldnt help but raise an eyebrow. You know him? Who exactly is he? asked Zhou Lingfeng after hearing You Hantians response, his heart thumping loudly in fear. Him? Hes a cultivator who took over another persons body and restarted his cultivation journey. You Hantian was getting more and more puzzled. He didnt know what was going through Zhou Lingfengs mind. Shit! Zhou Lingfeng wasnt an idiot. After he put two and two together, his expression fell. We didnt lose every disciple inside the secret realm. Shuanger from my sect somehow found a way out and was rescued by a disciple named Gu Suihan Zhan Wuchang and the rest instantly paled. This was a typical story of someone letting a criminal into their own house. That fellow had a complete understanding with the sword and a natural formation of sword will. Zhou Lingfengs eyes flickered and he had a bad feeling about this. Thats why we took him in as one of our own disciples and put in a lot of effort to groom and train him. But when he was supposed to kneel before the portrait of our senior master, the portrait actually came to life and said that he couldnt accept this show of respect. Back then, none of us took it to heart. When the time came for the inter-sect exchange, he came along too Ha! HAHA! You Hantian scoffed. His expression was darkened and it was filled with fury and frustration. You didnt just not take it to heart, Im sure. These words clearly hit the nail on Zhou Lingfengs head. It was clear that Zhou Lingfengs plans were not much different from the Seven Kill Sects back then. They all hoped to use Gu Suihan as a mighty weapon for the sect, only to be bitten in return. The price that the Seven Kill Sect paid for doing so was the death of hundreds of their disciples and five Peak Leaders being injured to the point of nearing death. The price that the Youthful Clarity Sect paid for doing so was to have the Evil Ghost create chaos within its grounds. The entire place was covered in destruction and bodies lay everywhere. Nine out of ten rooms were empty. Boom! As they discussed among themselves, the formation that protected the sect continued to run, turning countless disciples, elders, and others into nothing but minced meat. The beautiful red buildings became ruins and lay in pieces all over the ground. Ill just get this over and done with. The Youthful Clarity Sectis gone, said You Hantian flatly. He raised his hand and thrust his palm out. The wind and clouds moved as a vast amount of energy turned into a gigantic ax. Zhou Lingfeng looked on angrily and blamed himself for everything that happened as that ax chopped the entire mountain into two. The whirlwind of sword qi suddenly froze before disappearing into the wind. The invisible pressure around them instantly disappeared as well. Zhan Wuchang and the other sect leaders breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts. They werent at Nascent Change like You Hantian was. They were only just able to keep themselves from harm in the face of this sect-protecting formation. Unlike You Hantian, who could halve a mountain with one palm and destroy the formation. Youcan stay here and tidy up. We need to get back soon. Im afraidsomething might have happened. You Hantians heart and blood began to churn, making him feel a little uncertain as an uneasiness began to rise in his heart. Cultivators were able to discern the laws of nature and the Way. Their bodies understood the heart of heaven. So, in most circumstances, they wouldnt feel their heart and blood churn like this. If it happened, it meant that there was a crisis somewhere. A crisis that could possibly kill him. Kaboom! Just when they had picked up the Huangquan Evil Ghost and were about to leave, the sky suddenly began to transform. The laws of nature became a giant spiderweb that trapped everyone and forced them to stay where they were. While they were still in shock, a huge eye suddenly appeared in the midst of the swirling whirlpool in the sky that was slowly rotating. A terrible pressure weighed down on them and caused their faces to pale. Their expressions carried a tinge of fear as well. Whats the matter? Unlike the rest, You Hantian did not seem affected by this at all. He was a monster at Nascent Change after all, so he stood at the peak of this world. Anything he did attracted the attention of the will of this world and it was constantly watching him, so he wasnt a stranger to this phenomenon. A personhas barged into the Devil Abyss. Xu Cangyueis dead! As the eyeball moved, lightning kept flashing through the sky. A vast amount of energy shook through the sky as it turned into a voice that slowly flowed into their ears. You Hantians expression changed a few times as he listened to what the voice was saying. His already nasty expression looked even nastier now, and the other sect leaders with him looked even more horrified. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, This has nothing to do with you trapping us here, right? You must know that youre the empires Before You Hantian could finish his sentence, the tremendous energy in the air stopped him from saying more. His words seemed to have angered that eyeball and there was a vengeful hatred in its eye now. The sky changed dramatically as the laws of nature turned into a thick, black layer of clouds. I have called everyone belonging to the Seven Kill Sect to go there and I am forcibly moving all of you there right now. You mustkill that person! That voice was filled with fury and its resonance shook the sky. The eye did not wait for a response from the sect leaders. The space cracked open like a huge mouth as it swallowed all the sect leaders up and they disappeared in an instant. PFFT! Gu Suihan spat a mouthful of blood out as he slowly made his way forward. Every step he took consumed so much energy. Before the will of this world had left, it had also frozen all the laws of nature surrounding this little pavilion, weaving them into an incredibly complex formation. The intention was to slow Gu Suihans steps down. What it needed to do was to kill Gu Suihan and not just chase him away. After everything that had happened, it had clearly reached its breaking point and could tolerate no more. Unfortunately, it was too weak and it didnt want to inadvertently break the seal over the Devil Abyss either, so it could not use all its strength to attack Gu Suihan. It had no choice but to take a step back, get You Hantian and the rest over, then kill Gu Suihan in one fell swoop. Its too bad. Gu Suihan stood less than a hundred meters away with a slightly depressed look on his face. Someone was here. There was no way he could get rid of this complex formation in such a short time. All thatfor nothing, murmured Gu Suihan. He slowly put a hand around the handle of his saber and got ready to force a breakthrough. He had originally intended to hide his true prowess, but given the current circumstances, he realized he couldnt hold back anymore. He drew his blade. The wind and clouds billowed as heaven and earth seemed to spin. The stars filled the skies while fiendish and murderous qi swirled in the wind. KABOOM! The furthest the laws of nature could go was the yin and yang of life and destruction. Massacres were the extreme end of the yin. The invisible laws before him were sliced open easily, as though they were merely dried twigs and branches, revealing a very narrow passageway. The sound of something breaking continued to echo in the air. The sound of the laws shattering rang loudly in his ears. Stop! Before Gu Suihan could brandish his saber again, a loud shout came from afar. That blade had broken through the obstacles before him, but he had only advanced 300 meters. He had another 600 to go. Six Slashes of Mara C Breaking the Void! Blood dribbled out of Gu Suihans mouth. His face was pale, but his eyes shone like stars. He ignored the voice that called out to him and thrust his saber out again. Everywhere within a 50-kilometer radius was suddenly filled with a faint sound of waves. The smell of blood became more and more apparent. The sky-high violent qi went forward with the blade. It sliced through the air, howling and roaring as though it were a black dragon that was baring its fangs and claws as it was thrust forward with great gusto. I saidSTOP! The voice that was far away earlier reached Gu Suihan and yelled out from behind him. You? Gu Suihan had managed to move forward by several meters. He was now only 400 meters away from the pavilion. He didnt turn to look and brandished his saber again. The internal energy in his body was decreasing. His dried up spiritual meridians kept crying out to him but he did not care. He made his internal energy surge and made it circulate rapidly. A second later, the smell of blood exploded again. A river of blood whooshed loudly and flowed like the milky way. The redness gleamed as gloriously as amber. His saber buzzed quietly and looked as gorgeous and shiny as a piece of art made from pure jade. BOOM! The sound of metal suddenly rang out. Gu Suihans saber deflected that little sword that was as thin and weak as cicada wings, then he brandished it once more. Now, Gu Suihan was only two meters away from the pavilion Watch my next move! Gu Suihan turned to look at the old man who was deeply enraged. His lips curled upwards into a crazed smile. His left hand brushed past his saber. Blood-colored sparkles appeared and the laws began to twist and turn. At the same time, the qi around him began to move violently. The wisps of demonic qi that was seeping out from the Devil Abyss was also caught up in this move as it was absorbed by the saber as well. The old man summoned his little sword back. His expression was nasty, but he did not look wary at all. He merely glared at Gu Suihan angrily and his beard moved slightly, as though he wanted to speak. You Six Slashes of Mara C Destroy the Skies! The extremely concentrated massacre yin laws of nature combined with the violent qi from within Gu Suihans body. The violent qi that even the will of this world had failed to annihilate. A demonic dragon seemed to roar angrily. The stars lost their shine and the silvery moon became like dust. The clouds seemed to weigh down on the skies and thunder rolled loudly. The entire ground shook as countless corpses rose from beneath. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The old man could sense thatthe heavens had changed. It had become nothing but darkness. The only thing he could see was that beautiful, sparkly blood-red light, the deadened air that had risen to the sky, as well asthat saber that was becoming more and more eye catching. He couldnt dodge it. He had no way of doing so and there was no way he could. Before he knew it, the heavy laws of nature governing the space around him had quietly entrapped him. Even breathing required a lot of strength out of him. The internal energy in his body now felt like paths that were covered in mud. When he tried to send it through his body, it was barely visible and extremely sluggish. That wasnt all. The old man also discovered that this move had aimed straight for his heart and soul. His expression was grim and very solemn as he used his little sword to protect himself and spun around, using any energy he had to fend off that blade that had come for him. As he held up against the terrible pressure weighing on him, he said in a deep voice, How many laws have you actually comprehended?! Chapter 179 Chapter 179 C So What? Just Destroy It Make a wild guess Gu Suihan had a frosty smile on his face. Its too bad. Im a cultivator at Nascent Change. You have no idea how great the difference between us is. The old man spoke in a relaxed manner, but his attack was anything but. His little sword buzzed quietly as if it would shake the skies. The dao lines in the air glowed frostily as the extremely sharp blade instantly cut through the force trapping him and continued toward Gu Suihan. A sword-controlling technique? Gu Suihan snorted as his spiritual sense suddenly exploded from inside him. It swept across the entire area in front of him, moved swiftly toward the little sword, and became gentle and warm. The wisps of his spiritual sense weaved itself into a net around the little sword and sliced through the brand on the sword as the old man watched on in shock. Spiritual sense? The old man stared at Gu Suihan in horror and quickly executed several hand seals to summon the little sword back. He had been too careless. He never expected this junior, supposedly only at Origin Core, to actually be a crocodile lurking in the waters, waiting for a victim to come along. He had initially hoped to be able to kill Gu Suihan since there was such a big difference in their level of cultivation. But he had nearly done himself in instead and also almost lost the spiritual sword that he had refined to become one with himself. One with Murderous Yin Spike! The laws of nature turned into spots of dao runes. Gu Suihan gathered his spiritual sense and made it rotate so that it looked like a venomous dragon churning the seas and flying into the sky. As the little sword retreated in a hurry, the dragon flew around it and rammed into the brand again. Cover the Seas and Fill the Sky Seal! The old man became anxious when he saw what Gu Suihan had done. A light flickered in his hand as he flung a seal that had a green and blue ferocious beast carved on it. The seal grew bigger as it flew and crashed down in no time. Blue waves rose up and a ferocious dragon roared fiercely. The smell of the sea hit Gu Suihans nostrils. Are you an idiot? said Gu Suihan mockingly. He raised his arm and called out, Sea of Blood! No Limits! The seawas also water. Gigantic waves immediately appeared. Water dragons and other such creatures appeared as well, including mountains and rocks, crashing down with unstoppable momentum. Those 300-meter-high bloody waves gave off a strong stench of blood and were going to swallow that seal whole. Break the five elements down! Arm for battle! The old mans expression shifted slightly. There was a determined glint in his eyes as he slammed a palm against his chest. Runes swirled and gave off a golden glow as the seal was broken. An imposing aura unique to a powerful Nascent Change cultivator was instantly unleashed. Everything froze in that moment, and time in the vicinity went by more slowly. Now that the sea of bloods movement was delayed, he flicked his fingers and summoned his little sword and seal back immediately. He waved his arm and created a mighty wind that whooshed out at lightning speed. He also took this chance to make a ghost flag appear. As he waved it, the sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling filled the air, frightening countless corpses awake. The sounds of battle and metal hitting metal could also be heard. Thousands of ghostly soldiers from hell suddenly appeared. Yin qi wafted through the air and their ghostly howls shook the skies as they glared straight at Gu Suihan. Controlling the laws of nature? Youre not good enough, muttered Gu Suihan quietly. His expression slowly grew solemn. He sat cross-legged in the air and used all his strength to activate the little internal energy left inside his body. He summoned the five elements from around him and called out to the laws of the way. In that instant, all the grass and trees turned into soldiers. The sand and rocks rolled to become ferocious beasts that raised their heads and roared into the sky. The dark clouds gathered to become frightening looking flags. The flags were raised, the war drums were struck. Heaven and earth began to shake. The soldiers formed neat rows and got into formation. Their battle cry filled the skies. In the blink of an eye, innumerable roaring soldiers with heavy armor, spears and torches in their hands appeared from nowhere. They ran without making any noise as they silently went into formation to fight their enemy. It looked like a lot was happening in the sky, but oddly enough, they didnt make any noise. Battle formation C Howling Dragon Coiling Snake! Gu Suihan held his saber up as though he were a general who always successfully slayed his enemies, ready for battle in the desert. He yelled loudly and his voice echoed resolutely. In that instant, the battle formation changed. A rolling sound shook the earth and shouts resonated. Thats nothing! The old man was furious. He looked at the formation before him that wouldnt be able to hold up against even one attack. The thought of having a competition hit him, so he waved his arm and a chess board appeared from nowhere. There were black and white pieces on the chess board. He made a hand seal, which made it shake and expand in mid-air. It covered both of them, and also made those countless soldiers waiting to fight disappear. Pawns, fall into place! Listen to my command! The two of them sat across from one another with the chess board between them. Black and white pawns appeared accordingly. Gu Suihan chuckled and raised his hand. One point of his finger made the laws around it so frightened, they fell apart. The states arise and set fire to the barren lands! The old man did not back down. He stroked his beard and gently tapped the board with a bent finger, which instantly dissipated the momentum that Gu Suihan had built up. The chess board seemed to represent the rest of the world. In that instant, the previously peaceful world was covered in flames and soldiers went to battle from all directions. This command applies to all! Those who disobeyshall die!!! Gu Suihan placed one piece on the board. The sounds of roaring filled the air again. Battle fires spread rapidly in the direction of the fighting. The various states threw away their armor as they retreated in defeat. Any major powers in the world will eventually have to go separate ways after staying together for too long! The old man picked up one piece and put it down. Even more soldiers went on a massacre. Gu Suihan looked at the smug smile on the old mans face and slowly raised his hand. He swept all the pawns off the board and said calmly, Who cares if they stay together or go their separate ways? Just destroy them all! Why, you! The old man flew into a rage before his face suddenly paled. He spewed a mouthful of blood and stared at Gu Suihan in shock. Tell medont you think Im right to say that? The scene changed again. The whole place turned to nothingness and the pawns turned into grass and trees. The two of them had returned to reality. The difference was that Gu Suihan was bleeding from several places and sat in the pavilion weakly, while the old man was silent as he held onto his chessboard. Crack! The chessboard crumbled in an instant. The pawns were like the stars as they twinkled and disappeared. Great Elder Everyone from the various sects had arrived. Their expressions were conflicted as they surrounded the pavilion. They looked at the pale old man, then looked at Gu Suihan, who looked like he couldnt hold up anymore, yet never seemed to run out of trump cards. They couldnt help but exchange glances. Junior Brother Gu, why do you go to this extent? asked Jingjing quietly as she took a step forward. She pursed her lips and looked at the familiar face in front of her. Why? Gu Suihan swallowed several pills and smiled faintly. For the sake of finding the Way! Youre searching for the Way? The old man looked like he had woken up with a start. He flung aside the broken pieces on his body and said in a deep voice, What Way are you looking for? Gu Suihan casually stabbed his saber into the ground, disregarding the thick layer of dust on it. He replied flatly, The Great Way. Do you know anything about it? The Great Way? The old man chewed on these words that sounded like Gu Suihan had randomly come up with on the spot and shook his head with a confused look. Gu Suihan looked at the confused expressions on their faces and laughed. A smile appeared on his fair face. It was so gentle and sweet, it made everyones hearts tremble. His smile slowly faded as he said, I dont know either. Thats why Im seeking it out. What has it got to do with the Devil Abyss? asked the old man. Gu Suihan shifted his body slightly and swallowed several more pills as he did his best to recuperate. You Hantian has something I need. And so? But I dont have anything that can serve as bargaining chips. And so? And so, I had to do this, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he slowly got to his feet. He looked into the distance as though he had spotted something. The first and so was asked by the old man. The second one was You Hantians voice. It didnt take long for You Hantian and the rest to fly over. They landed across from Gu Suihan and was only a hundred meters away from the pavilion or so. You are actually Zhou Lingfeng looked at Gu Suihan, who looked as indifferent as a deity that existed way above mortals. His heart trembled for some reason, and he hesitated as he tried to ask the younger man a question. But before he could finish speaking, Gu Suihan smiled faintly and said, Thats right. I am Gu Suihan, who was once considered a disciple of the Seven Kill Sect. Both Gu Suihans are the same person. Excellent. Simply excellent! You Hantian laughed loudly as he flung the Huangquan Evil Ghost onto the ground. He snorted and said, If my guess is right, your original plan was to pretend to be Qingming and do all these things, right? Its too bad you found out. Gu Suihan shrugged and didnt seem affected in any way. Back when he had sensed the movement of the heavens and earth as an external force tried to investigate what happened to Qingming, he understood that it was impossible to hide the fact that Qingming was already dead. Since that was the case, he had to change his original plan. It seems like youre not just a wandering cultivator at Origin Core. Youre at least at Nascent Change, or evenDivine Soul! You Hantian was expressionless as he kept his eye on Gu Suihan. All of this is meaningless. Gu Suihan waved his hand to interrupt You Hantian. He looked at the rest with You Hantian and said, Tell them to get lost. Why, you! How dare you speak like this! Kill him! You Hantian immediately frowned when he heard the reactions from the people next to him. He looked at Gu Suihan and said, Youre already surrounded and it will be too difficult for you to escape. Great Elder Lu didnt unleash his full potential on you just now because he was afraid it would destroy the seal over the Devil Abyss at the same time. If not for that, he would have killed you with one palm by now. Just like you said, all of you have to watch out for the seal over the Devil Abyss. Gu Suihan snorted as he straightened up, pulled his saber out of the ground, and drew a few lines in the air above the well. So, you dont have a choice. Otherwise Gu Suihans gaze suddenly became as unfeeling as an abyss. Fiendish qi shot into the air which caused the weather to change dramatically. He ignored their pale and shaken faces as he went on in a frosty voice, Well all die together. You wont be able to escape either. After he said that, he slowly looked up into the sky and looked at the slowly changing clouds above. The will of this world was hiding up there Chapter 180 Chapter 180 C Have Immortals Existed Before Very well. You Hantian waved an arm, and everyone around him instantly moved a few hundred meters away against their will. Now, what did you want to say to me? Whats this all about? Gu Suihan took out a broken piece from his storage ring. Complex lines were engraved on it. It was very delicate and looked very old, with some really tiny words on it. It was made from wood, but it felt smooth and warm, like a piece of jade. This thing was, obviously, the piece he got from the secret realm. He could now finally take it out and ask questions about it. What is this? You Hantian shot a small beam of energy out and took the piece from Gu Suihan. He looked at the engravings more closely and couldnt help but frown. Gu Suihan had an almost unnoticeable fire in his eyes even as he said quietly, The markings aredemonic script. In other words, Im asking if you can read demonic script. No, I cant. This was left behind in that place, I suppose. You Hantian threw the piece back to Gu Suihan. That place used to be a herb garden that the demonic race used to grow spiritual herbs in. It was later abandoned. After we went in, all we found was an imperial vacation palace. The various sects and powers thought that there was some legacy in there, so they went all out and destroyed the palace in one day. This was probably left behind from that incident. Hoho. Gu Suihan did not respond to You Hantians explanation and just smiled faintly as he looked at the older man. You Hantian couldnt help but frown. They continued to look straight at each other for some time before You Hantian finally couldnt stand Gu Suihans twinkling eyes that kept making casual glances at the well. He sighed and hesitated for a few moments before slowly speaking, The empire asked specifically for this thing and I gave it to them a long time ago. It has something to do with the secret history from ancient times. The empire has been collecting anything that has any connection to that and has spared no expense in doing so. I dont know the reason for it either. You know very well that Im only at Nascent Change. Im nothing among the people in the Upper World. The Upper World Gu Suihans expression slowly turned grim. This was going to be tough. All arrows were pointing to either the Upper World or the empire. It was clear that he couldnt delay his trip to the Upper World any further. He did not suspect if You Hantian was lying to him. What he was asking wasnt top-secret information, after all. He would get the same answer if he asked around in the Upper World. Next question. Gu Suihan tapped a knuckle against the rock wall of the well, which made a low knocking noise. He kept the broken piece in his storage ring again, and the smile on his face slowly faded. I want to know if immortals have existed before. Or Buddha, or other monsters. You Hantians calm but tense expression instantly turned to one of utter shock when he heard this question. Youknow about immortals? Is that very surprising? Gu Suihan asked in return. Immortalsare a taboo in all the small worlds. They should not be mentioned and cannot be talked about. You Hantian panted heavily and tried to calm his agitated heart down. He then said in a low voice, Immortals are not humans. Theythey are a race. Then why is there an Immortal stage for human cultivators? asked Gu Suihan a little curiously. When he first arrived in this world, he had asked around for information on these things. On Earth, cultivation was a matter of refining qi, gathering the soul, converting the soul, emptying the mind and so on. There were five stages, which were Hun, Po, Jing, Qi and Shen. But in this world, there were actually more than ten stages. There was Qi Refining, Qi Activation, Foundation Establishment, Origin Core, Nascent Change, Divine Soul, Heart-Soul, Immortal Each one was split into smaller sub-stages, Beginner, Mid, Advanced and that sort of thing. Of course, all of this looked like childish games that only children played among themselves to Gu Suihan. The more detailed the subcategorization was, the lower the requirements for cultivation were. In the same way, the achievements one could attain in the future were also lesser. Take this Foundation Establishment and Origin Core for example. Back on Earth, Gu Suihan had already understood the laws of nature by this time. But in this world, there were still so many cultivators who were just focused on cultivating all day and they didnt even know what the Way was. It was as if they were blind people hoping to get lucky somehow. You Hantian paused to think for some time. After taking a while to decide how to best answer this question, he said, Thats because thats just a stage. It doesnt mean that you will actually become an immortal. Immortals are immortals. Humans at the Immortal stage are just humans at the Immortal stage. The difference is too great. As he spoke, a glimmer of envy and desire appeared in his eyes. Then, as if he suddenly thought of something else, that glimmer dimmed and quickly faded again. Very good. Lets go back to the original question. Gu Suihan gave him a pleased smile. Has this world ever hadimmortals? Buddha? Demons? Devils? The four words he uttered at the end were like four bolts of lightning that struck You Hantians heart deep inside. His throat was dry and his voice was a little hoarse as he replied, There are. Or rather, there were. But nowthe immortals have disappeared without a trace. The buddhas have gone into seclusion. The demons and beasts are now equal. The Devil Abyss is a bottomless pit. What do you mean by that? asked Gu Suihan solemnly as he slowly stood up. The empire conquered thousands of worlds and have traversed the skies in order to search for immortals. Unfortunately, there has been no news. Those legends are the only things that can prove that they once existed. As for the legend about a race of immortals, its because the empire once found an ancient tomb and the corpse of an immortal was buried there. The records left on that tomb tells of an ancient history that has remained buried for years. He paused and went on, Buddha told of an endless world. Unfortunately, as the immortals disappeared, Buddha also disappeared without a trace. But compared to the former, Buddha left behind countless temples in the thousands of worlds and theyre all still standing. As for whether those monks managed to attain nirvana after dying, I have no idea. The demonic race was a great foe of the humans. The smallest of them could be elves that live in the forest, and the greatest could be an influential figure from an era long past. The bloodline theyre born with starts to develop after they gain sentience. Their blood contains information that helps them to learn easily without difficulty, and they improve at rapid speeds. They were everywhere and they have left footprints everywhere. Demonic beasts are what we call them before they gain sentience. The Devil Abyssis the thing behind you. According to legend, there was a great master in ancient times who sacrificed his life to become a thick layer of seals that suppressed the Devil Abyss at one go, making sure that the countless devils couldnt get out. Unfortunately, as time passed, all sorts of attacks came. The seals were shattered and he was no longer able to reincarnate. There was nothing else anybody could do now. Like the saying goes, this was a situation where theres no path to heaven and theres no door to hell. The immortals and buddha were nowhere to be found, but the demons and devils could do anything they wanted. The empire has been conquering all the rulers of thousands of worlds all these years and they have been continuously trying to hold down the Devil Abyss after the initial seals broke in an attempt to make sure those devils stay down there. But it has not been very effective. The Devil Abyssan abysshellreincarnation Gu Suihan fell into deep thought and slowly chewed on this last bit. All of a sudden, his eyes flew open, and he muttered to himself in shock, Could it bethat legend is actually true? What legend? asked You Hantian curiously. Gu Suihan glanced at You Hantian. Instead of hiding his thoughts, he shared his speculation, A powerful character from ancient times held down the Devil Abyss. In that case, this Devil Abyss must be where the devils live. They were unable to destroy them completely, or rather, they were unable to annihilate the devil race, so they had no choice but to deal with them this way and put several layers of seals over it. This thing was known as the 18 hells in ancient times. Beneath hell is the Devil Abyss. The seals are calledthe six paths of reincarnation! Six pathsof reincarnation You Hantian started to think about these words that seemed somewhat familiar. The shock in his eyes became more and more apparent while he looked more and more strangely at Gu Suihan. Reincarnation, immortals, demons, devils. Gosh, the more I try to sort things out, the messier they become, mumbled Gu Suihan as he subconsciously tugged at his hair. The corpse of an immortal he murmured as he took note of this. He then looked up and said, Ive asked all the questions I wanted to ask. I dont know how much of what youve told me is true, but at least its given me some ideas. Now, lets talk about the matter at hand. In that instant, the wind stopped blowing, and the entire place fell silent. What do you want? said You Hantian in a deep voice, his eagle eyes staring straight at the gentle and elegant looking young man in front of him. What do I want? Gu Suihan chuckled. You wouldnt let me off. Neither would it said Gu Suihan as he pointed at the whirlwind of clouds in the sky above that was slowly getting agitated. He could sense very clearly that the complex laws of nature around him was getting thicker and thicker. The pressure from the laws pressing in on him made him subconsciously use his qi to fight it. Huhhh The Evil Ghost began to regain consciousness. It shook its head and kept looking at its surroundings with a dazed look in its eyes. When it finally saw Gu Suihans face, complete with a slight smile, it immediately flew into a rage. Its expression grew twisted and its tiny eyes suddenly grew wider, as though they were about to pop right out of their sockets. It gnashed its fangs and cursed, You little son of a bitch! How dare you scheme against me and use me as bait! HA! You cant escape your fate now, can you? You brought this upon yourself! Fighting with the heavens is fun. Fighting with people is fun too. Gu Suihan smiled faintly at the Evil Ghosts outburst. He looked around at the cultivators from the various sects that had quietly come closer again. He leaned his saber against his shoulder, then let out a slightly crazed shout. The laws of nature turned as black as ink, while fiendish qi was like a dragon as it started wailing miserably. He brandished his saber even as everyone looked on in shock, hatred, fury and horror. How dare you! You Hantians mature but handsome face instantly turned to one that resembled a vicious ghost as he shrieked. The seal in his body shattered on the spot. The whole place shook, qi flew everywhere, the laws gathered, formation runes spun in the opposite direction. A giant hand measuring 300 meters suddenly appeared. A finger tapped the sky, shattering spirits and destroying demons. The void exploded, and spacetime shook violently. A very thin, black but extremely deep slit suddenly appeared in the space, swallowing everything around it silently and giving off a creaking noise that could make ones hair stand on end. Its too late!! said Gu Suihan with a hearty laugh. He put his saber back in its sheath. A dao seal gathered and came hurtling down. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 C Who Said You Could Leave? Ive got to do it NOW! That was the thought that arose in the Huangquan Evil Ghosts heart when it looked at the furious You Hantian glaring at Gu Suihan with bulging eyes. It then turned to look at Gu Suihan, who was smiling in the wind with his black hair flapping wildly and surrounded by enough violent qi to fill an ocean. Its heart skipped a beat in fear. But after struggling internally for a moment, it decided that it was going to get out of You Hantians grasp, even if that meant Gu Suihan might sell him out. Gu Suihan might betray it, but You Hantian was definitely going to hand it over to the empire. Thatwould be a life worse than death! Flaming Blood Imaginary Heavenly Shield! The Evil Ghost bit its tongue and spat out blood while You Hantians attention was still focused on Gu Suihan, and a blood rune appeared. The rune instantly enveloped it and opened a crack in front of it. It squeezed into the crack without even turning back. Theres even the presence of Buddhism? Gu Suihan was shocked as he looked at the numerous glittering runes of the formation in front of him. He rotated his dao moves, and the aura around him changed drastically. He was now like a bodhisattva who was merciful to all living creatures and saved the world from its suffering. His eyes were shut slightly, and there was a kind expression on his face. He thrust a palm out, and thousands of words started spinning. The majestic aura that filled the air shocked the other sect leaders. Is this fellowa monk from the Pure Land Temple side? murmured Zhan Wuchang absentmindedly in shock. No idea The rest shook their heads as their lips twitched. Damn it, these bunch of monks must be tired of living. Zhan Wuchangs eyes lit up with a tinge of slyness in them as he shouted these words angrily while silently retrieving a jade slip that could record what was going on. Since none of them knew where Gu Suihan had come from and he was about to destroy the seal over the Devils Abyss, thenthere was now someone to be the scapegoat for this mess. All the leaders instinctively looked at one another, then turned away almost immediately after that. In that instant, they had clearly reached an agreement. Once I hand this ghostly creature over You Hantian looked down, and his expression froze. He sent out his spiritual sense and instantly saw the Huangquan Evil Ghost just 30 meters away from the pavilion. We must capture that thing! You Hantians expression darkened. He raised his hand, and a sword shot out from his sleeve toward the Evil Ghost. Zhou Lingfeng and the other sect leaders made their move as well. They drew their swords and cast spells, creating enough murderous qi to fill an abyss as they directed all their attacks at the Evil Ghost. Save me The Evil Ghost turned around to look and nearly collapsed in terror on the ground. It yelled with all its might at Gu Suihan, I know whats going on with the Devil Abyss!!! Gu Suihan brought his palm down, causing the runes of the seal over the well to shake violently. The golden light whooshed, and the runes began to fly. Wisps of Buddhist aura spread through the air, and the seal looked like it was about to break. But when he heard the yelling of the Evil Ghost, he couldnt help but pause. He immediately leaped onto the seal, used that momentum to spin himself around, and drew his saber at the same time. Six Slashes of Mara C Obliterate the Heavens! A reddish-black glow shot out from the blade, and the murderous qi in the sky hardened into a layer, shattering all the laws of nature before it. The attacks from the sect leaders were broken, except for You Hantians sword, which was rife with murderous qi. It stopped for a while before continuing on its path toward the Evil Ghost. I tried my best! Gu Suihan fell to the ground weakly and leaned against the well. Damn it! The Evil Ghosts expression hardened and looked frightening now. It was sure that You Hantian wanted to capture it alive, so he wouldnt launch a fatal attack unless he had no choice. Bam! Its lower half was blasted to bits. A bloodied mist filled the air, and the broken chunks of flesh could make a wall. The Evil Ghost had met with that terrifying sword head-on even as it swooshed toward the pavilion like a rocket. Annihilate the Stars C Twist Heaven and Earth! Gu Suihan used yet another secret technique, and blood seeped from his pores. His face was deathly pale, but his eyes shone brightly like the stars, flickering with an eye-catching glow. Kaboom! Lightning flashed, and thunder boomed overhead. A whirlwind that covered 300 meters slowly came down from above, then a giant eyeball appeared. There was a tinge of fury in its pupil as it glared fiercely at Gu Suihan. That secret technique had deflected its sneak attack once more. You piece of trash, how dare you try and stop me! bellowed Gu Suihan as he proceeded to pop pills from several bottles into his mouth. Energy filled his body rapidly and nourished his insides. Dao runes appeared on his bones, and its golden glow was dim. His blade was as red as blood yet black as ink. Blood-colored flames arose, and murderous qi solidified. He swung his saber down with a shocking burst of energy. Shuanger and Jingjing watched this oddly familiar scene unfold before their eyes as they stood at a distance and couldnt help but feel a terrible pain in their head. They both shrieked in pain as the memories that Gu Suihan had banished to the back of their minds slowly came back together. Tiny green sparkles kept flowing bit by bit out from their consciousness and disappeared, replaced by those memories that had been hidden away. It was you The two of them collapsed to the ground weakly and had conflicted looks on their faces as they stared back at Gu Suihan and uttered these words at the same time. Lets go! Gu Suihan grabbed hold of the Evil Ghost and flew up, breaking through all the devilish qi in the sky as well as the evil qi that kept spreading all around them. Without hesitation, he leaped into the well even as the Evil Ghost shrieked in horror. Immediately after the two of them fell into the well, the entire place seemed to stop. It was as if everything had been in slow motion for a second before suddenly moving at a hundred times the usual speed. HUMPH! A scoffing sound boomed as loudly as thunder, and all the disciples from the major sects instantly bled from every orifice. They all collapsed onto the ground and were barely breathing. The sect leaders stumbled several steps backward and spewed fountains of blood from their mouths repeatedly. You Hantian and Great Elder Lu, the only two Nascent Change cultivators, quickly sat down to meditate. Their faces were as pale as a sheet. Did I sayyou could leave? A powerful voice came crashing down from above, making Gu Suihan literally bounce back to where he had come from. Whowho are you? The giant eye in the sky moved slowly and fixed its gaze on the flying ship that was flying closer and closer to it. Its gaze was solemn, andit seemed a little afraid as well. Youre just a puppet! Get lost! The person in white on the flying ship snorted as he glanced disdainfully at the giant eye. The laws of nature instantly exploded, and everything fell silent. The giant eye was actually forced back into hiding inside the whirlwind. Hes at Divine Soul! Gu Suihan coughed several mouthfuls of blood out. His nearly translucent complexion had a tinge of bitterness in it. Shuanger! The middle-aged man in white on the flying ship ignored the various gazes staring at him and raised his hand, causing Shuanger to fly onto the deck of his ship. He had a fatherly yet guilty expression on his face as he looked at her closely, then sighed. He didnt do anything, but Shunager could feel the sharp pain in her head slowly disappear, replaced by a refreshing feeling of relief. The middle-aged man was relieved to see that Shuanger was alright. He took a step out of the ship and walked down as though there were invisible stairs in the sky. Youare too bold, he said quietly as he looked straight at Gu Suihan. His voice was soft, but it resounded like thunder in Gu Suihans ears. The soundwaves shook his barely recovered spiritual meridians so hard that they fell apart again. Im not really that bold, said Gu Suihan quietly. His cheeks slowly reddened slightly as though he were very shy. You wiped out my partial soul, gobbled up Qingming, and used his body to solidify your own. Then you massacred thousands and evenand even attempted to break the seal over the Devil Abyss, which would unleash a great catastrophe on the world. And you say youre not really that bold? The middle-aged man was smiling, but that was a smile that carried no happy emotions whatsoever. Gu Suihans gentle features slowly calmed down. An indifferent gaze that seemed able to pierce through infinity and looked like it had seen much more of the world than anybody else was in his eyes as he raised his head slowly and stared straight at the middle-aged man. Make a wild guess. Would you be able to stop this catastrophe? Humph! The middle-aged man scoffed and opened his mouth to speak when the ground suddenly started shaking violently. The deep, intersecting trenches in the ground instantly exploded with a thick layer of black, devilish qi. Ba-thump! Ba-thump! A sound that resembled the sound of a heart beating became clearer and clearer. Each time the earth shook, the barely breathing cultivators lying on the ground would spew blood and groan in pain as they clutched their hearts. HAHA! Do you know how many living creatures Ive slayed? said Gu Suihan as he laughed loudly, ignoring the blood dribbling out his mouth and staining his clothes. Instead of calling me a human, it might be more appropriate to say that Ima devil. Immediately after he uttered those words, fiendish qi appeared and transformed into a blood-red long robe around his body. He had a disturbing smile as he looked at the cultivators in front of him. In that instant, he had transformed into a devil. Everyone knows that a cultivator at the Origin Core stage will refine fiendish qi and store it inside the body. Yet, nobody seems to realize that fiendish qi is a type of devilish qi. So, tell me now. Do you think those creatures will see me as a foreign creature? Gu Suihan stabbed his saber into the ground and straightened his bent body. He carried the almost unconscious Evil Ghost on his shoulders and had a mocking smile on his face that seemed somewhat maniacal at the same time. Then, as they all looked on in horror, he jumped right into the well. The middle-aged man did not stop him from doing so. Or rather, he didnt dare to stop Gu Suihan from doing that. Becauseeven more terrifying things lay beneath the surface of the ground. Something that could threaten his own life. Author note: Devil Abyss arc has begun!!! Theres still the empire arc, the multiple worlds arc, the search for the Way arc etc etc etc You wanna read? If you wanna read, say so. If you wanna read, youve got to read it at Qidian. If you wanna read, give me some votes and make my day. OTHERWISEIm going to bend Gu Suihan! Bend him again! And again!!!! Chapter 182 Chapter 182 C Right And Wrong? Good And Evil? Gu Suihan and the Huangquan Evil Ghost felt their entire world spinning, and a terrible feeling of nauseous hit them as they jumped into the well. It was so bad they felt like vomiting. Bam! Their ears were constantly assaulted by the sound of banging, roaring, and angry howls. Those sounds were accompanied by a colliding force that kept coming upwards toward them. The Evil Ghost used its claws to grab Gu Suihan tightly, afraid that the colliding force would throw it off the young mans body. As it felt the swooshing past its ears, it did its best to say to Gu Suihan via telepathy, The Devil Abyssis actually a different spacetime! I expected as much, replied Gu Suihan flatly after hearing what the Evil Ghost said. He didnt exert any force and allowed himself to freefall into the abyss. Back when he started his plan, he was very sure that this Devil Abyss had something to do with that legend. The Devil Abyss could be said to be the dark and depressing gathering place of living creatures. In other words, this thing was created by those creatures who took pride in being intelligent beings. There was no such thing as good or bad, goodness and evil, right or wrong. But those pathetic, pitiful living creatures insisted on doing this to themselves. They insisted on defining what was true and false, what was right and wrong. Then when the living creatures deep inside the Devil Abyss broke out, they started crying and saying that they were weak but righteous. Was that something to be sad about? To feel pitiful about? To feel angry about? Gu Suihan merely smiled at such things. From the moment one decided to become a cultivator, it meant that one was no longer going to exist as a lowly ordinary human. He had left all of this behind a very long time ago. What was this about humanity and the human race? Such narrow and stupid thoughts were only respected by those who had to be incredibly dumb. If Gu Suihan felt unhappy, he could go on a massacre, pile up a millions of dead bodies and allow their blood to flow for a thousand miles. His heart wouldnt feel depressed or feel anything at all. If he felt like it, he could do supernatural things and bless all living things. Everything depended on his mood. There was no such thing as good and bad or goodness and evil. For someone who could cultivate to his level of enlightenment, the concept of disregarding life was already deeply buried in their hearts. As those good guys who chose to help others and lived for the sake of other people in the worldthey had turned into dry bones a long time ago and even their bones had been chewed to nothing by wild dogs. As for what people described as karma and retribution. At the end of the day, it was just one of the many laws of nature. You could do something to earn bad karma, but if you could deal with the consequences, then that action wouldnt be considered consequential. But ordinary humans were too small and weak, so they couldnt possibly hold up against the powers of the laws of nature. Thats why there was such a thing as retribution. The best example of this were people like Gu Suihan. He despised living creatures and had no regard for life. The amount of blood on his hands was enough to fill an entire world. The bad karma he had accumulated was enough to actually form a fiendish spirit of sorts. Yet, he was still living well. A human? Just when Gu Suihan and the Evil Ghost were quietly recuperating, a soundwave suddenly reverberated through the air and forced the noisy roaring and howling to become silent. The noise was replaced by a thick, authoritative and lofty voice instead. A devils spirit? Gu Suihan opened his eyes and spoke calmly. Ora devil? This is merely a place created by the desires and evil thoughts of you living creatures. Weare just living creatures that happen to be born out of this. The voice remained just as authoritative. The soundwaves echoed continuously in this pitch black tunnel as loudly as a landslide or a tsunami. Gu Suihans lips curled upwards soundlessly as he said, What do you want? Do you know why all of us continue to watch you humans? The voice did not answer Gu Suihans question, but continued speaking as though it were ranting, The place where all of you live flows with unending life and laws of nature amongst other things. But here, we have nothing but darkness. Reincarnation is a complete mess and the Way has collapsed. There is absolutely nothing we could even consider as a Way of any sort. Wewe just want to survive. Towards the end, the voice became quieter. It sounded rather sad and tragic, and it would have made someone tremble a little inside. But Gu Suihan wasnt quite human. Even after hearing such a touching soliloquy, he merely smiled silently and repeated his earlier question, Whatdo you want? I want to work together with you. I can see that you have already formed your spirit, so youre considered pretty good among humans but youve still ended up in such a situation. So I wanted to see if I could work out a deal with you. The voice slowly calmed down and was as gentle as the spring breeze, like a drizzle on ones shoulder. Pfft! As though something had been stabbed into, Gu Suihan and the Evil Ghost suddenly felt cold all over as the darkness around them slowly faded. It was replaced by the scene of a barren land covered in corpses and destruction. There was a moon in the sky, but it was blood-red and void of warmth. There was a river running through the ground, but it was completely black and stank of decay. There was wind around them, but it felt like icy knives cutting into them. They were surrounded by devils, devils with fierce and nasty faces. Gu Suihans blood-red robe made from solidified fiendish qi flapped loudly in the cold wind that felt like a thousand knives in the air. His black hair was a mess, and his cheeks were pale. His almost flawless facial features reflected the faint sense of death in the blood-red moonlight. That was an aura that was shapeless, but it felt very real. As it entered the bodies of the creatures around Gu Suihan, they felt a heavy pressure weighing on their hearts. You were the one who spoke earlier? Gu Suihans gaze landed on a creature wearing royal robes and thick armor over its three-meter-tall body. Its greenish face had sharp teeth, and it held a gleaming metal spear in its hands. Thats right. I was surprised to see you, but I could also sort of understand how you ended up in this plight. The voice of the creature was like the beating of war drums. Why? You.have killed too many. The amount of karma your body bears makes it almost impossible for anyone to look at you straight in the eye. Ordinary people cannot kill you at all, because that person would not dare to take over the karma you have! The creature looked down at Gu Suihan and the Evil Ghost and stretched an extremely thick finger out to point at the bloodied robe around Gu Suihan that flapped in the wind. What he was saying was that given how dangerous it was, the creatures living in the Devil Abyss would not try to kill Gu Suihan. This particular creature was no exception. I like making deals because that benefits both sides! Gu Suihan smiled and swallowed a few dozen pills nonchalantly. Excellent! Up theretheres a Divine Soul cultivator up there. Kill him, and you might be able to recover a little faster. Your injuries are too serious right now. The devil had a pleased smile as it calmly looked up at the giant crack in the sky. There was no cautiousness in its eyes. A Divine Soul cultivator was clearly not someone difficult for it to kill. As for why it didnt kill Gu Suihan, one reason was that it was afraid of inheriting that immense amount of bad karma from Gu Suihan. The reason was that killing him would be of no use to the devil. It was better to sit down and strike a deal that could benefit both sides. Anybody with a brain could understand that logic. All that talk about how humans and devils were on opposing sides, or how they had a longstanding feud with one another, or how they could not trust someone who wasnt from the same race as themselves C that was just horseshit. To the two parties here, that sort of thing wasnt even worth one spiritual stone. At the end of it all, devils were also a sort of living creature. It was just that their habitat was a little poorer than other creatures and it wanted to get a better place to live in. But in doing so, they threatened the interests of other races. But here came another problem. If you talked about demons, humans and all that, it was impossible for them to fight the devils one on one. After all, any living creature with a brain and intelligence would have evil thoughts in their minds, and that was exactly how the devils existed and survived. How could one fight such a creature? And so, in order to protect their own interests, the other races came up with this thing called righteousness and combined forces to keep the devils in check. I await your good news! Gu Suihan smiled, then threw a few bottles of pills to the Evil Ghost before dragging him aside. The devil knew that it was time to prove what it had to offer. Before this, Gu Suihan had already broken the seal over the Devil Abyss, opened it up and agreed to a deal. That was Gu Suihans end of the deal. After the devil left, Gu Suihan slowly looked away and turned to observe the group of devils who came in all shapes and sizes, but emanated a strong aura. His lips curled upwards slightly. He had noticed a burning look in these devils eyes when he had given the Evil Ghost those pills. That was a look of sheer greed. Gu Suihan bent down and grabbed a handful of sand from the ground that was as hard as metal. He scanned the sand with his spiritual sense and couldnt help but murmur, Theyre reallyreally poor! This soil was dead soil. Soil that had no signs of life at all was dead soil. The soil in the world where humans lived was spirit soil. It could give new life and enable reproduction of life, and it could work with and convert to the other four elements to keep the world in balance. According to legend, there was soil in the nether world too. That was underworld soil which could nourish the soul, absorb yin energy and store fiendish qi. It was considered a type of spirit soil too. But in the Devil Abyss, this was all dead soil. There was no sign of the laws of nature in it at all, never mind work with the other four elements. You could say that this stuff was completely useless. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 C Heaven Has Made All Things To Benefit Mankind Ba-thump! The sound of a heart beating became more and more frequent, and the vibration and pressure everyone felt became stronger as well. Most of the disciples from the major sects that had come were howling and crying inconsolably. Some couldnt take it in the end and died while clutching their chests with indignant looks on their faces. Besides those were the deacons and elders at Origin Core. All of them were also barely breathing as they did their best to meditate, hoping to hold up against the pressure that was attacking their five bodies from all sides. Unfortunately, as the drumming of the wardrum-like sound got faster and faster, their faces also became paler and paler. Blood seeped out from every orifice and stained their clothing. The gloomy weather gave them a different sort of beauty and depth. The expressions of You Hantian and the rest darkened as time went by. Their faces grew sinister, and some even looked a little twisted. But there was nothing they could do. They were barely even able to move. In the sky, that mysterious and strange eyeball had reappeared, and it was now staring at the opening of the well that was overflowing with devilish qi. An almost unnoticeable tinge of fear flickered in that giant eyeball. A fear that only appeared when it was faced with its natural enemy. Senior sister! Shuanger leaned against the side of the flying ship and looked down at Jingjing, who had collapsed and looked like she was in a lot of pain. The younger girl immediately burst into tears and wailed desperately, Father! I beg you! Please, please save her! Shuanger The middle-aged man looked at the hopeful look in Shuangers eyes, his usually indifferent expression shifting slightly as the guilt in his heart increased. It wasnt that he didnt want to save her. He couldnt. He knew that the thing inside the well was watching him from the shadows, waiting for a moment of weakness. If he had to turn and pull Jingjing onto the ship as well, it would only take a moment, and it might not take a lot of effort, but That one moment was all the other party needed. He knew that well. I beg you! Shuanger eyes were brimming with tears, and they rolled down her cheek and onto the deck like pearls. Each pearl hit the floor very quietly, but it felt like a punch in the middle-aged mans heart. Icant! The middle-aged man turned away from his daughter, his eyes filled with fury, hatred, and seriousness. ImIm begging you! Shuanger fell to her knees with a loud thud and continued begging her father as she bowed again and again. Her fair and smooth forehead hit the deck again and again, making a thumping sound. Are you going to save her? Or watch her die? A voice tinged with schadenfreude resounded. In that instant, a wind blew, and the clouds parted. The trenches in the ground grew deeper and widened, swallowing the corpses of the cultivators who had just died. The trenches were like huge mouths gobbling up the dead bodies and emanating a terrifying, sinister aura. Ahh! Jingjing let out another bloodcurdling scream when the voice spoke. A bright red patch of blood appeared on her white dress and began to spread like a rose in bloom. It was an elegant yet eerie and bloody sort of beauty. Senior sister!! Shuanger reached her little handout and screamed from the safety of the deck. Junior sister Jingjing had a beautiful smile on her ashen face. She was like a fading lotus flower, gentle, sweet, and reticent. Senior sister Shuanger glared at the back of her silent father and bit her lip so hard that it bled a little. She had a resolute expression on her youngish face, then suddenly leaped off the deck. At that moment, the expression of the middle-aged man finally unfroze. There was some anger, some panic, and even a dash of disbelief. Almost instinctively, the middle-aged man stepped off the ship without hesitation. His spiritual energy was as mighty as a dragon as it picked up both Jingjing from the ground below and Shuanger in midair, then he waved his hand and brought them both onto the ship. How noble a fathers love is! The voice was filled with mocking, a faint disdain, and much sarcasm. At the same time, the trenches in the ground suddenly exploded. Sand and stones flew up, and the sound of a spear vibrating could be heard as it launched an attack like a venomous viper on the hunt. It was as nimble and rapid as lightning. Immediately after, the middle-aged man turned around. That spear that looked like it could pierce the sky broke through the heavy layers of the laws of nature. The air shook violently, and the sound of glass breaking could be heard as dark, and deep cracks kept appearing around the spear. The spear itself was like a python, and its tip was like the tongue of the snake. The spear was stabbed hard into the waist of the middle-aged man. The spear glinted brightly as it tore a large piece of flesh off the middle-aged man as he howled in pain. A bloodied mist filled the air, and the broken bloodstained flesh turned to nothing in the wind, quietly becoming part of this world. Across the Skies Cloud Rolling Sword C Hack the Waves in the Wind! The middle-aged man walked several steps in the air and raised a bright white sword. Its glow was majestic enough to cut open the ground as its blade hummed gently. He brought it down hard, so angry that he didnt care anymore. Move your spear horizontally, draw your sword, and stab his chest! A clear and unbothered voice suddenly rang out in the silence. Its you Gu! Sui! Han! You shameless, despicable fellow! Angry shouts poured out of the mouths of You Hantian and the rest. Their vengeful, twisted expressions nearly caused all their features to merge into one. Youre at a high level of cultivation, but your techniques are too weak. Ill give instructions, and you listen to me! said Gu Suihan with a domineering air that nobody would dare to question. Gather fiendish qi and solidify it. Move nine meters to the left, turn your spear, and smash the tail end down. The devil was a little annoyed by how Gu Suihan was treating it with such disdain, but at the same time, its sneak attack on the middle-aged man had hardly caused the man any harm. It looked embarrassed when it remembered how smug it had been earlier and immediately did as Gu Suihan said. Break the space, slice the void! The middle-aged man brandished his sword once more. His move was like wisps of clouds in the sky that were tainted with indescribable gloominess and helplessness. It was like a flower, yet not quite. Like fog, yet not quite. It was just enough to cover the devil. Keep your spirit steady and watch your soul. Swipe your spear to the left, take three steps forward, and bend your finger to gather fiendish qi. Gu Suihans extremely annoying voice resounded once more. It was calm yet sinister and very, very confident. Kill that young fellow! the middle-aged man yelled frostily at You Hantian as he barely dodged the spear attack of the devil and stared down in dismay at his torn clothing. Damn it! You Hantian, and the rest hated Gu Suihan to the core and were definitely more than willing to literally skin and eat him alive. They took a heavy step forward and made a huge crack in the ground. Listen to my instructions. If we succeed, well hold this world in our hands. If we fail, go back into the Devil Abyss. Gu Suihan looked down at the admiring expressions of the countless members of the devil race below. He raised his arm and spoke boldly, Get into groups of three and form the Triple Genius Extreme Dao formation. Cooperate with each other and stall them. Once your leader successfully kills this man, well win. Oddly enough, Gu Suihan seemed like a great orator now. His voice was filled with confidence, and everything he offered sounded tempting. Earlier on, he had already sent the instructions for this formation directly into their minds via telepathy, and this seemingly magical technique made them feel in awe of Gu Suihan. Still, it also made them even more afraid of him. That was why none of the devils were unhappy or upset even though he was ordering them around like this. When they thought about how they might possibly have a better life ahead, they put on a threatening expression and roared angrily as they quickly got into formation. They got into groups of three and worked with one another to create the formation. In a matter of seconds, a living formation was made just like that. Your mission is simple C stall for time. The longer you are able to stall them, the higher the chances of winning. Gu Suihan stared at them while giving these instructions, then dispelled the hypnotic spell he used that had consumed quite a bit of energy. He then moved upward and entered the crack in the ground above again. The trench was pitch black, and a thick layer of devilish qi filled the air around him. It was impossible to see anything. Somehow, Gu Suihan managed to move through the tunnel without running into You Hantian and the rest. You traitor! How dare you betray the human race! I must kill you today! spat the middle-aged man with a furious look on his face when he noticed Gu Suihan walk out from the trench with a frosty smile and his hands folded behind him. Human race? Are you still human? Gu Suihan gave the older man a mocking look. Are cultivators still human? Were they? Werent they? What Gu Suihan meant by these words was simple. To a certain extent, once a human decided to take the first step to become a cultivator, they were no longer human. Becoming a cultivator was to surpass the limits of human life, an evolution of sorts. It was the same with the demons. Were creatures without sentience considered a demon or demonic beasts? Clearly, they werent. They remained merely beats. In the same way, were those ordinary people with no spiritual root and no ability to cultivate considered to be of the same race as cultivators? Heaven has made all things to benefit mankind, but mankind has done nothing to repay heaven. Instead of giving back to the world, youve brought enemies to attack us. You deserve to die!! bellowed the middle-aged man angrily. There were ripples in the air from the soundwaves of his voice. The veins on the arm he used to grip his sword resembled green dragons and looked just as imposing. Heaven has made all things to benefit mankind? Gu Suihan snorted. How do you know that all these things were meant for mankind? Youre as pathetic as an ant, and you know so little. Youre as ridiculously foolish as a frog in a well. These harsh and pointed mocking words made the middle-aged man so angry that he shook all over. He lost focus for one moment, and the devil was able to stab its spear fiercely through the mans left leg, creating a bloody hole. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 C Call Me Supreme Youre asking for it! The middle-aged man flew into a rage and stomped hard on the ground, causing a sonic boom. Within one second, it had created realistic afterimages that went on for hundreds of meters. It was as swift as a dragon and as powerful as the wind as it brought the mighty glow of his sword toward Gu Suihan. Inches Away! Ends of the world! Gu Suihan smiled faintly and took half a step back. In just one second, the distance between the two of them had grown so large that it was as though there were a few dimensions between them. No matter how the middle-aged man brandished his sword and tried to slice through the space in front of him, he was simply unable to get any closer to Gu Suihan. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars C Like Shadow Like Shape! Gu Suihan turned and suddenly disappeared into thin air. While the middle-aged man was still in a state of confusion, a loud swooshing noise came from behind him. A strong wind howled, and the laws of nature gave way as the sparkling tip of a long spear suddenly came toward him. Move the spear three inches down, push seven-tenths of it forward, and aim for the dantian, Gu Suihans indifferent voice rang out once more as he slowly reappeared from the shadow beneath the devils feet. This isthis is a god-level technique! exclaimed the middle aged man in shock as he used his sword to defend himself and stumbled backward. He stared at Gu Suihans calm demeanor with a look of horror. Now is the time said Gu Suihan as he ignored the mans reaction. At the same time, he said to the devil via telepathy, Gather fiendish qi in your finger. Pretend to wave your spear, then point your finger at his chest. Clang! The sound of metal against metal rang once more. The middle-aged man wielded his sword like it was a snake, slithering along the length of the spear and using his sword to inflict harm on the devils wrist. Pfft! The middle-aged man was forced backward again. The devils secret finger attack had left a bloody hole on the left of his dantian. Bits of flesh kept falling from his body, and blood flowed profusely. Bright red patches appeared on his clothes. It was a terrible sight to behold. Hold the Soul and Keep the Body Whole! Heavenly Spirits and Fiends Arise! The middle-aged mans shout was like the ringing of a swords blade, his footsteps like a water dragon, his face as twisted as a vengeful ghosts, and his manner like one ready to meet his end. Retreat! yelled Gu Suihan without hesitation. Only a shadow of himself was left behind, while he had already moved 300 meters away in the blink of an eye. The laws of nature around him transformed into a huge web of obstacles. Just then, the giant eye in the sky that was created out of the will of this world hardened its gaze. Kaboom! Thunder crashed, and lightning flashed through the sky, as imposing and as quick as a ferocious beast pouncing on its prey. Lightning bolts came raining down, and its target was clearly the slightly pale looking Gu Suihan. Youre joining the party too? Gu Suihan scoffed before suddenly drawing his saber and raising his arm. The space around his saber sank in, and the sonic boom it created was no less explosive than the lightning and thunder. The blade was blackened by the devilish qi swirling around it, made from countless vengeful spirits and nasty ghosts howling and contorting. A thick beam of light measuring a few hundred meters in width shot out from the blade and headed straight for the sky. Die! yelled the devil furiously. Its spear attacks fell like rain and as fiercely as a tiger. It was as though the sky was covered in the frosty light of the stars, shining down brightly and covering the middle aged man in an instant. The saber and the thunder collided violently, causing cracks in the space, as though there was a giant spiderweb in the air. Six Slashes of Mara C Slaughter Thousands of Souls! After Gu Suihan had dealt with the thunder, he turned his attention to the middle-aged man. His body moved quickly as he leaped up suddenly. His saber vibrated slightly and rang softly as it flew into the sky. He covered a distance of 300 meters in just one move and suddenly appeared behind the middle-aged man. The laws of nature had already accumulated power and flowed along the blade like water. He took a step out and brought his saber down. He then lifted a leg, stepped hard on the middle-aged mans back and used the momentum to push himself into the air like a roc, propelling himself toward the flying ship. Stall him! Gu Suihan yelled at the devil without turning back. His icy gaze was staring straight at Shuanger and Jingjing, who had both collapsed on the deck of the flying ship. How dare you! The middle-aged man spun around with a start and looked up. Gu Suihans intentions instantly made him fly into a rage. His snow-white clothing turned as red as blood. Red mist sprayed out from his wounds, and fiery red flames started burning. The middle-aged man used this to get himself out of a fight with the devil. He charged at Gu Suihan without turning back because he was hoping to kill Gu Suihan before Gu Suihan could reach the flying ship. Kaboom! Just then, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket suddenly crashed down. Everything that the bolt struck caused the particles in the air to move violently and create cracks. One could clearly see the empty void and the fiendish qi in the void that moved like a storm. Justdie now! The devil stomped angrily on the ground and instantly created a trench measuring 300 meters. Its spear was like a dancing dragon and the metallic glint of its tip was like a pretty ribbon. Youre just a failed product and youve tried to stop me so many times. Did you think I dont have a way to kill you? Gu Suihan moved aside and barely managed to dodge the attack of the lightning bolt. Fiendish qi enough to make one suffer a nervous breakdown appeared in his eyes. The seal between his brows swayed gently in the wind. As it swayed, a giant sea of blood that could make the heavens and earth collapse immediately started to gather from all directions. It came from beneath the ground, from the sky, from the cloud, from the forest. Anything made from the five elements were twisted out of shape the moment Gu Suihan commanded them to. They combined and repelled one another, forming a layer of elements. The sea of blood rose and darkness fell on the land. Everything anyone could see was as red as blood. The only thing they could hear was the sound of rushing waves. The Sea of Blood Appears! Swallow the Sky! Green veins appeared on Gu Suihans forehead. His tightly pursed lips emanated a terrifying tinge of frostiness. BOOM! The air was filled with shrieks, howls, the sound of cursing and pleading. It was like hell on earth. The wind rose to the skies. The waves were thousands of meters high. Violent qi appeared from nowhere, fiendish qi like a dragon. Howhow can it be? The middle aged man paled in shock as he stared in horror at Gu Suihan riding on the waves. The five elements and the laws of nature had been forcibly distorted. This was not a level that a cultivator at Divine Soul could reach. Zing! The middle aged man raised his sword and deflected the long spear. He glared furiously at the devil that kept attacking him and a look of determination appeared in his yes. Ive nourished this sword for a thousand years and I will sacrifice it here. I use my blood, sweat and tears to sacrifice it to heaven. After he finished uttering this incantation, his sword suddenly lit up. A bright white light filled the sky and its sword will like a domain. In the blink of an eye, a sword domain was transformed. It broke through the sea of blood and smashed it to pieces before quickly surrounding Gu Suihan and the devil. A domaina sword domain, hissed Gu Suihan as he suddenly turned around to look at the middle aged man floating in the sky with his sword in hand like an emperor, as well as the solid swords that covered a three thousand meter radius. He didnt expect the older man to actually go all out to create a sword domain just to save his daughter. This was a move that would make it impossible for him to improve in the future. 80% of weapon cultivators, especially cultivators like sword cultivators, would choose the illustrated world route. Compared to creating a domain, creating an illustrated world was an easier and faster method that could help one to maximize their fighting prowess. Domains were usually something that only traditional cultivators like Qingming would do. Qingmings domain stretched thousands of miles and seemed like a little world in itself, but there were no living things inside at all. It was filled with nothing but dead air, dead bodies, puppets and the like. It was more like a backup in a fight and the laws inside were fairly weak. As an example, Qingmings domain might look big and powerful, but it was actually like a cage made of plastic. If a fight broke out inside, it wouldnt take long for the cage to fall apart. This sword domain, however, was like a cage made from refined iron and steel. It looked small and delicate, but it was actually extremely hardy. Its laws were simpler, purer andmore powerful. This is going to be troublesome. Gu Suihan and the devil exchanged sad smiles and were on high alert as they looked toward the middle aged man who wasnt too far away from them. He looked really tired, but continued to emanate a fierce brightness. My name is Su Yuqing. The middle aged man wasnt in any hurry to charge at them. Instead, he took his time to straighten his clothes out and shook the bloodstains off his body. He was back to that nonchalant and serious looking man dressed in white. Gu Suihan grumbled inwardly. His expression became more and more aloof and the previously unnoticeable intention to kill was slowly rising from his body and forming a dark grayish black mist around him. Any part of the swords that came within 10 meters of him would decay badly and the bright, icy glint of the metal would darken in an instant. It only took a few breaths for it to become a rust-covered fragile piece of metal. Introducing himself by his full name meant that Su Yuqing now saw the two of them, or rather, he now saw Gu Suihan as an equal to him. This man had sacrificed his future and forcibly created a sword domain. That meant that he wasnt going to stop until someone died. I am Marahu, said the devil after staying silent for a moment, his expression solemn as he slowly pushed his spear into the ground. I am the supreme one, Gu Suihan zun. Gu Suihan emanated ruthlessness, his pearly whites shining brilliantly in the light of the thousands of swords around him. Zun? Su Yuqing had a grave expression on his face as he looked at Gu Suihan. He slowly wrapped one palm around the other and bowed as a show of respect to the other party. The terms of address used among cultivators were governed by a fairly strict set of rules. Those at Origin Core or Nascent Change could only be called zhenren. Those at Divine Soul were called zhenjun. Those at the legendary Immortal stage, those who could be compared to the legendary immortal race in ancient times were zun! It was just one word, but it represented a juniors respect for a senior. It was an acknowledgment of how much this senior had understood the laws of nature, as well as a fear of such formidable seniors. You may rise, said Gu Suihan as he exhaled slowly. He raised his right hand slightly and placed it on the saber hanging on his belt. Senior, please teach me your ways, said Su Yuqing solemnly after exhaling deeply. In that moment, heaven and earth changed, and galaxies flowed. Wind and clouds met. Blades resonated loudly. A fight was about to begin! Chapter 185 Chapter 185 C The Fiendish SpiritAppears! Nine Steps in the Sky C Ascending the Clouds! Su Yuqing gave a low shout, and his sword began to ring nonstop. The entire sword domain began to ring with nothing but the sound of a blade vibrating. He took one step forward and flew into the sky. He stood in the air and brandished his sword. Thousands of swords arose from the ground. A murderous aura overflowed as the glint of all the swords flashed brightly. If the lips perishthe teeth freeze. Marahu and Gu Suihan exchanged glances and could see the pain in each others eyes. The former was at a high level of cultivation, but because he had been trapped inside the Devil Abyss, a place with nothing to offer him, for so long, he hadnt learned any amazing techniques or spells. The latter had attained the Immortal stage before, but he was now only at Origin Core, and even his spirit had healed to Peak Origin Core or so. He knew a million and one god-level techniques, but he didnt have the body with the ability to execute them. He could only sigh heavily. Lets go! Gu Suihan suddenly landed next to Marahu and said via telepathy, Ill instruct you, and youll do as I say. Theres still hope yet for us. Marahu had a very grim expression on his face. He glanced at Gu Suihan, then drew his huge spear, smashing all the swords within a ten-meter radius with one foot. His eyes bulged as he glared straight at the floating Su Yuqing in the distance, the man who could control thousands of swords just like that. Sword vessels shall cover 3,000 miles. Use your silver light to blind the devils! Thats right. He said sword vessels, not sword qi. (The word for vessels is also pronounced as qi) In the next moment, Marahu saw a dense layer of swords that looked like a layer of clouds tremble fiercely, shrieking as it gave off copious amounts of murderous qi. The entire layer was charging toward the two of them like falling rain. Convert qi, gather them in your body but dont give off any yet. Hold up your spear at a slant and accumulate your energies! said Gu Suihan via telepathy. He turned and was standing in front of Marahu in the blink of an eye. His blade was three inches out of its sheath, its shine as deep as an abyss yet as evil as a devil. Runes swirled around it and were covered in a solid layer of fiendish qi. He had to block this sword attack and create an opportunity for Marahu. Triple Source Immortal Slay C Massacre the Heavens, Prove the Way! In that moment, when Gu Suihan rotated his blade, he was prepared to die. The indifference that came with his loftiness intensified. A black pillar of qi shot out from his body. DIE!!! He finally drew his saber entirely out of its sheath in that instant before the thousands of swords pointed at him moved toward him at the same time. The sky seemed to turn upside down, and the ground cracked. The wind stopped blowing, and the clouds disappeared. The extremely black and sinister meter-long blade whooshed as it sliced through the air. Everywhere that it went, sword vessels wailed, sword tips shattered, and sword blades were damaged. Fiendish qi filled the air. Clang! Clang! Clang! The ear-piercing sound of metal against metal rang like the sound of rain, and the soundwaves from the clashes spread outwards, blasting the area around Gu Suihan so hard that there was nothing left around him. Nows your time to strike. Gather fiendish qi in your spear and stab his skull. A bright blood-red color began to appear on Gu Suihans skin. He was originally at a point where his blood had turned clear. Still, after fighting continuously for so long, his blood couldnt maintain that state anymore, and it was slowly returning to that metallic-smelling red liquid again. Pfft! Gu Suihans concentration lapsed for a short moment, and a short sword that was no more than sixty centimeters in length instantly broke through and stabbed him hard in the shoulder, causing him to stumble. One stumble was enough to make him retreat further. Gu Suihan had no choice but to swing his saber to create a layer of qi between himself and the swords that were enough to give him time to move away from that spot. Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Gu Suihans arm was painful and sore, and his blood dripped like water. The sword vessels seemed to rain down like a huge ocean waves as though the sky never ran out of them. He swung his saber again and again. But his swing was slower and slower with each swing. More and more swords rang loudly as they carried heavy amounts of fiendish qi and broke through the spiritual weapons used as a defense, and stabbed their victims bodies. ROAR! Marahu stomped hard on the ground and flew into the air in an instant. His spear looked sinister and gleamed brightly like the moon, its light filling the entire sword domain. Humph! Su Yuqing had an icy smile on his face. He hadnt used all his strength yet. He had only commanded the sword vessels within the sword domain. This was done in order to force Gu Suihan and Marahu to split up, which would help him find a point of attack. If he had used all his strength, Gu Suihan would have turned into minced meat in one second. DIE!! roared Marahu angrily. He was like a gigantic dragon in the sky as he thrust his spear toward the older man. Gather the fiendish sword qi into the body. Su Yuqing wasnt anxious, and the icy smile on his face did not even flinch. To him, a devil who only had a high level of cultivation but no matching level of technique wasnt going to be difficult to kill. Move all your internal energies to your arm and find a chance to make a sneak attack, said Gu Suihan to Marahu via telepathy when he managed to find a chance to catch his breath and immediately realized what was going on when he turned to look at Marahus situation. He too, knew that Marahu was no match for a cultivator with countless techniques up his sleeve like Su Yuqing. Su Yuqing could torture Marahu to death without much effort. That was the biggest difference between cultivators. Having good weapons and other resources was one thing, but the most important thing to have were high level secret techniques that could help you defeat enemies or your understanding of the laws of nature. As for the difference in the level of cultivation, that was only of significance if the difference was great enough. For example, Gu Suihan and Su Yuqings level of cultivation was almost the same, so their actual level of cultivation meant nothing in a fight with one another. On the other hand, Marahu looked like he was around Mid Divine Soul and should have been at an advantage in this fight if the level of cultivation mattered. But the laws of nature in that pathetic Devil Abyss were such a mess, so it was impossible to quieten down and slowly understand them. On top of that, the Abyss didnt contain a single natural treasure. Gu Suihan was actually rather puzzled as to how Marahu managed to make it all the way to Divine Soul in the first place. As for Gu Suihan, under these circumstances, he just happened to get lucky. The fight between them gave off very violent shockwaves, so if his spirit werent steady, the shockwaves alone would have rattled him to death. Everything in the world is split into yin and yang, and everything is a matter of life, death, reincarnation and the five elements. Fiendish sword qiis also a type of fiendish qi, it is made from the element of gold and it is an extremely yin concept. Thats of benefit to me! thought Gu Suihan as he slowly moved toward the edge of the sword domain and fought off the whooshing sword blades and vessels that kept attacking him while giving Marahu helpful suggestions along the way via telepathy. Youve already become sentient, so let me help you to level up! Gu Suihans sullen expression looked more and more crazed in his darkened surroundings. Immediately after he said those words, he casually wiped one hand on his body to get some blood on his fingers. His fingertips turned into a dao rune that reeked of blood. There was a dim reddish glow as the blood had dried slightly. Gu Suihan had a determined look in his eyes as he gently smacked the dao rune into the area between his brows. In that instant, he felt something that was more powerful than anything in the world break out from the seal on his forehead, making the symbol branded in between his brows fade. In its place, a strange symbol began to form. Whatwhat is that? The fight between Marahu and Su Yuqing got more and more intense when they suddenly felt their hearts tell them that something that could threaten their lives was nearby. Thats They exchanged glances, then looked down slowly at the hunched over Gu Suihan at the border of the sword domain. ROAR!! WAAILL!!! Kill! Kill! Kill! I died such a wrongful death!! Im going to kill you and take revenge! Inside the sword domain, all the sword vessels that had been flying about wildly suddenly trembled and fell to the ground, whining and crying like they had just spotted their natural enemy. An immense pressure weighed down heavily on the sword domain and its surroundings. Everything seemed to stop moving. The innumerable and noisy roars and shrieks that resounded in everyones ears slowly became one roar that filled the sky, KILL!!! Su Yuqing watched as a gargantuan black shadow slowly appeared from behind Gu Suihan. It had a pair of bloodshot eyes that did not hide the violence, bloodthirstiness, cruelty, vengeful hatred and more in its gaze. The only thing that was missing was innocence This isa fiendish spirit? Su Yuqings voice suddenly went up by an octave as a look of shock and horror spread across his face. His stomach churned and he had a look of fear and reverence in his eyes. And its a fiendish spirit consisting of pure massacre qi! Marahus forehead was perspiring profusely as he gulped. His voice trembled as he said, This fellowthe fiendish qi he revealed earlier is probably not even a hundredth of what he has right now The fiendish sword qi has been swallowed up, blurted Su Yuqing bitterly as he felt the sword domain he had created shrink in size. The karma of everything is all on me. Even after massacring thousands, my spirit can hold them down. I slay souls and swallow lives, only I outlive them. I question the heavens but not because I want it to give me the Way. All sorts of illusions exist, but I aloneshall exist forever! As Gu Suihan murmured these words, his voice became garbled, and his expression looked more and more threatening. His gentle and perfect facial features slowly became twisted. The blood-red color of his pupils reddened further. His consciousness had turned into a boundless sea of blood that enveloped his spirit that was covered in cracks and wounds. He cultivated in the Way, he understood the Way, he knew how to use the Way, and he asked about the Way. But he would never beg for the Way. This was Gu Suihans obsession, his heart for the Way, and hisparanoia1. Only my motivations shall outlive everything that has managed to survive the ages. I might go round the world and desire answers about the Way, but I will never bow to it! TL/N: as in like paranoid personality disorder type of paranoia C a delusive and self-obsessed/absorbed sort ?? Chapter 186 Su Yuqing slammed a palm against his scabbard. The entire space trembled, and a ringing sound filled the air. He was slowly retracting his sword domain. He wanted to salvage the sword domain before Gu Suihan drained it of all its fiendish sword qi. Otherwise, everything he had done before this would go to waste. ROAR! The gigantic sinister shadow that seemed to blot out the sun could sense what Su Yuqing was doing and immediately let out a roar. A giant hand that measured at least a hundred meters in demonic qi and was comprised of vengeful souls came toward the older man. Humph! Su Yuqing used his sword to draw a long river of sword qi in the air, then spun around to turn it into an enormous sword that he used to swing at Gu Suihan. Block him! Gu Suihans weak voice suddenly rang inside Marahus head as he hesitated. Marahu glanced at Gu Suihan and made a decision. Pfft! He raised his spear and thrust it at Su Yuqings back. Are you nuts? Dont you know what a fiendish spirit is? Dont you know how much damage this thing can inflict on the world? Su Yuqing barely managed to dodge the sneak attack and turned to stare at the devil in disbelief. Marahu didnt say anything as his gaze flickered slightly. The strange symbol on his body began to flow like water. At the same time, a blood-red moon slowly rose from his back. A green snake rested on top of the moon and stared sinisterly at Su Yuqing. The way it flicked its tongue was able to make one feel a chill deep in their bones. When Su Yuqing saw Marahus reaction, he only had to think for a few seconds before guessing what this devil was up to. His expression turned frosty as he spat disdainfully, Your ambition ispretty great, but just like how a snake dreams of swallowing an elephant whole, its just wishful thinking on your part! He raised his sword, and it collided violently against the tip of Marahus spear, which flickered nonstop like a snake flicking its tongue. The veins on the hands he used to grip his sword were bulging. He was clearly very, very angry. The dark waters of the Huangquan River ebb quietly, under the Naihe Bridge, to the other side. Any consequences, karma, debtsshall be left entirely to fate. Gu Suihan did his best to calm his heart down. His spirit inside his consciousness sat on his heart-soul with a solemn look on its face. A six paths of reincarnation Sanskrit diagram slowly began to gather at the back of his mind. The blood-red color that glowed with violence and the dao runes that gave off murderous qi slowly dissipated. A gentle golden glow stood in its place, giving off a positive qi from the universe, a glow that radiated with righteousness. The boundless sea of blood that surrounded his spirit was slowly corroded and transformed into wisps of green smoke. The sea of blood that was formed by countless stubborn, evil, and other messy thoughts slowly turned into nothingness. At the same time, the demonic shadow that had been absorbing all the fiendish sword qi from the sword domain gave out a howl that sounded a little panicky. It looked down in shock at that tiny person below who was no bigger than an ant to it, yet he was like a tiny spark that had landed in a pool of gasoline. Fiendish qikilling qimurderous qiare all associated aspects of the laws of nature governing massacres. Since I was able to kill all of you back then, the same can be said about now. Gu Suihans clear voice suddenly resounded in space as he stared at the fiendish spirit with those darkened eyes that could bore a hole through the universe. The fiendish spirit that had become sentient from absorbing demonic qi couldnt help but feel fear. You must know that at the end of the day, youre just a combined body that is a physical manifestation of the millions of karma I carry. Gu Suihans lips parted and curled into a cold and malicious smile. In that instant, his blade trembled slightly and hummed. The blood runes slowly rotated, and different parts of the blade began to sparkle with a white light that resembled brilliant stars. The tadpole-sized runes began to gather into a strange and mysterious formation diagram that filled the fiendish spirit with terror. This is the Fiendish Qi Gathering Spirit Trapping Formation! This was the formation that Gu Suihan had come up with after the massacre in Qingguo had gone a little awry. That was why he turned his sword into a saber at Youthful Clarity Sect. He wanted to carve this formation into the blade. EEEK! The fiendish spirit started to panic, and it couldnt hide the terror in its eyes as it stared at the saber that looked like a toothpick in relation to its large size. Demonic qi gathered, and a giant hand made from vengeful souls came crashing down violently toward Gu Suihan. The fiendish spirit glared angrily and hatefully at Gu Suihan. It howled mightily as it raised a chilling fiendish wind, opening its seemingly borderless and bottomless mouth that was at black as ink. The mouth lunged for Gu Suihan as it threatened to vacuum everything in its way. Too late. Gu Suihans lips curled into a relaxed smile. The spirit that had nearly been swallowed by the vengeful thoughts surrounding it was now suddenly giving off an imposing aura that was complex and filled with mystery. The formation diagram on the sabers blade suddenly lit up. It was like a whale swallowing water, like a black hole that could gobble up any creature, as it displayed an incredible suction power from nowhere. The fiendish spirit roared and glared venomously at Gu Suihan as it struggled continuously while being sucked into the formation diagram on the saber. The only thing left in the sword domain was the echoes of its wails and sad cries. Woong! The blade couldnt help but tremble. The formation runes on it couldnt stop falling apart, and the laws of nature around it couldnt stop exploding. The blade gave off a hum that sounded like a whine, as though it couldnt take it anymore. Relax. This is just an appetizer. Gu Suihan put his saber back in its sheath and ignored the trembling of the fiendish qi as it struggled to break free of the formation. He looked up at Marahu, and Su Yuqing, who were still fighting away, and his lips curled into a frosty smile. He then casually took a storage bag out of his coat. It looked ordinary and old, and the design on it had faded long ago. Su Yuqing had been fighting nonstop with Marahu all this time, but he had covered the entire sword domain with his spiritual sense, so everything that Gu Suihan did could not escape him. When he noticed what Gu Suihan was doing, he couldnt help but wonder what the young man was up to. Marahu, get ready! Gu Suihan noticed Su Yuqings more careful actions in response and smiled faintly. He was in no hurry. He proceeded to take out a stack of exploding talismans from his storage ring and stuck them onto the storage bag. Once he was done doing that, he flung the bag toward where Marahu and Su Yuqing were fighting like he was throwing a hand grenade. What is that thing? Su Yuqing had a bad feeling about this and looked a little uneasily at the storage bag that didnt do anything. Keep fighting him. Ill come over to help you. Gu Suihan tread on the five elements in the air and ran upward with large and confident steps. Marahu had no idea what Gu Suihan was trying to do, but he instinctively hid the doubtful look in his eyes deep in his heart instead. After Gu Suihan gave the instruction, he roared loudly and raised his spear. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan suddenly froze in his step for a moment to leave an afterimage in that spot that was difficult to discern if it was real or not, while he leaped right back to where he came from. The wisp of spiritual sense he left on the storage bag that he had flung earlier ignited all the exploding talismans. KABOOM! An explosion hit Su Yuqing and Marahus ears, and they instinctively turned to look at the storage bag, only to see something that nearly paralyzed them. As the talismans exploded, the violent shockwaves instantly caused the formation runes on the storage bag to crumble. The sound of glass shattering resounded continuously as the storage bag turned to ash. In its place were cracks in spacetime that were as densely packed as a spiderweb. The cracks were like a mouth ready to gobble someone up. They led to an endless void and a freezing wind came blowing out from it. Yet at the same time, it had a strange suction power that was trying to suck Marahu and Su Yuqing in. You traitor! Betrayer! Untrustworthy fellow! roared Marahu. His eyes bulged and he bared his fangs as he couldnt stop himself from being sucked slowly into the cracks. Yourea vicious one! Su Yuqings reaction wasnt as vehement, but his heart was cold as he looked at Gu Suihan with a conflicted look in his eyes. The hateful look on his chiseled face said more than his words. Bon voyage, both of you. Gu Suihan had a relaxed smile on his face as he even started waving goodbye to them. GuSuiHAAAAN. As the cracks swallowed them up, their miserable voices faded as well. Without its owner at its helm, Su Yuqings sword domain fell apart immediately. Gu Suihan felt dizzy for a moment before finding himself back at the well that sealed off the Devil Abyss. Cultivation doesnt improve the brain, huh. Gu Suihan used a hand to stop the saber on his belt from vibrating. He looked up at the darkened eye in the sky and gave it a mysterious little smile. He had merely used a little trick earlier. It was too bad that the cultivators in this world had never seen or heard of this trick before. All he had done was to make use of the instant when the exploding talismans exploded to make the spacetime runes on the storage bag explode as well. Cracks of differing sizes in space time would appear based on how strong or weak the laws of space in the place the bag was in were. Most of the time, this technique killed both the one who executed it and the target. After all, if you were stuck in your enemys domain and you couldnt defeat your enemy, the best you could do was to bring your enemy down with you. So, this technique was actually a really nasty one. But whether one managed to pull it off or not also depended highly on luck. If Su Yuqing hadnt just managed to create a sword domain and its laws were therefore not stable, plus it had been weakened by the fiendish spirit sucking up most of its fiendish sword qi, Gu Suihan couldnt possibly have succeeded either. Brains cant compare to luck! Just then, an icy and sinister voice that sounded like the winds from hell quietly rang out from behind Gu Suihan. Gu Suihans face froze and he covered 300 meters in one second as he ran toward the well that had crumbled. He realized whose voice that was. That wasYou Hantians voice! Authors note: There are two possibilities for the next chapter. 1) Gu Suihan escapes into the Devil Abyss again 2) Gu Suihan lures You Hantian into the Devil Abyss, tricks the Evil Ghost, seals off the Devil Abyss temporarily, goes to the Seven Kill Sect, then goes to the Upper World Oh me oh my! What should I do? What should I do??! Chapter 187 And so, as a cultivator with a brain, Gu Suihan didnt even look back as he immediately ran at full speed, like a flash of lightning or an electrical spark. He ran so fast he left behind hundreds of after images with differing but realistic expressions. You Hantians eye twitched when he saw how Gu Suihan was running with all his life and his lips curled into an icy smile. He hooked a finger and flicked it, mixing his internal energy with the dao runes of the laws of nature together and turning it into a gigantic net instantly that whooshed toward the younger man. Ghostly Shadow Seven Stars C Move Along the Ground! Gu Suihan froze and dodged the net as easily as a fish in water. He immediately lay flat on the ground and moved just under the net as he made his way swiftly toward the opening of the well that looked like an inky black whirlpool. Youre asking for it! You Hantian was furious and brandished his sword. The blade gleamed coldly and created an equally cold wind as You Hantian swung it at Gu Suihans back. Pfft! Gu Suihan couldnt help but spray a mouthful of bloodied mist out as he weakly allowed the force from the attack to push him into the whirlpool, and he slowly disappeared. Humph! That old thing is still down there, so Im pretty sure you wont be able to get away. You Hantian did not run after him and merely stood with his hands folded behind him as though he were here for a walk. He stood next to the whirlpool, his blade coming down repeatedly like rain and his qi strong enough to shatter the air. He spread his qi so that any devils that he spotted trying to escape would be instantly turned into minced meat. Woong! A ripple slowly spread through the place. You Hantian looked up to see that the eye of the will of this world that had been watching all this time in the sky constricted its pupil. Then, a long crack in spacetime slowly appeared. Amitabh! A majestic Buddhist chant filled with a deep sense of peace resounded. Dozens of monks dressed in linen robes walked out with their eyes lowered while holding onto prayer beads. Pure Land Temple You Hantians expression fell, and his lips twitched. He looked up with a start at the will of the world that was slowly moving in the sky with a nasty glint in his eye. Right nowthe various factions have suffered too much damage, and they are no longer sufficient to hold the Devil Abyss down. The will of the world could sense You Hantian glaring at it. Its pupil constricted slightly, revealing an almost unnoticeable hatred as well as fear in its eye. Humph! You Hantian scoffed at these words. He scanned the group of monks floating in the air, and he opened his mouth a few times to speak but didnt say anything in the end. Buddha is compassionate and kind. But now, the evil devils have the upper hand, and demonic beasts roam the earth. Dont you know that every creature with a soul is equal? Why dont you put your weapons aside and come with us to head for nirvana? Wouldnt that bring you so much joy? An elderly monk with a face as shriveled and wrinkled as old tree bark slowly landed on the ground, disregarding the chunks of flesh strewn everywhere and the filthy pavements made from corpses. His expression was peaceful, and he spoke with ease as he looked at the devils that kept coming out from the well. His voice echoed loudly like the bell in a Buddhist temple. Sanskrit mantras, sutras in the laws of nature C all sorts of strange phenomena appeared one after another. The sound of chanting was like someone murmuring into your ear as it resounded continuously into the ears of every living thing. In that moment, the weather changed, and golden lotuses covered the ground. A peaceful aura filled the air. theres some more??! Gu Suihan had just landed, and before he could catch his breath, he instinctively somersaulted a good 50 meters before gulping as he stared in horror at the spot where he landed, which was now a huge hole in the ground. Save me! The Huangquan Evil Ghosts wailing was like an erhu with a broken string, hoarse and painful on the ears. Its cry made Gu Suihan frown and turn its way. My fellow cultivator! What a coincidence! Great Elder Lu had a friendly, peaceful, and calm smile as he greeted Gu Suihan. In that instant, dozens of beams of internal energy became like soldiers. They were so imposing it was impossible to ignore them. They immediately came lunging for Gu Suihan in great numbers. This is not a coincidence! Im very busy now see ya next timeeeee! yelled Gu Suihan after he barely dodged the attack and ran for it. But what about the howling Huangquan Evil Ghost crying for help on the ground? Or the devils that were now nothing more than corpses strewn in all directions? They were none of his business. He was in danger of getting killed himself, so why should he care about them? That would be ridiculous. I mean, dont compare this moment with the time when Gu Suihan spoke so coolly to all these Nascent Change old men and even challenged them to a fight. At that time, they were afraid that a fight would cause the seal over the Devil Abyss that was just behind Gu Suihan to break, since it was already very weak. So, of course they wouldnt go all out in a fight with him. But now, they couldnt wait to tear Gu Suihan to pieces. There was no way they were going to hold themselves back anymore. Thankfully, they were in the Devil Abyss where the laws of nature had collapsed and were a complete mess. It was impossible for the Great Elder Lu to fully display what he was capable of and actually had to watch his actions. That was how Gu Suihan got a chance to escape his attacks. You little motherfucker cursed the Evil Ghost furiously as smoke came out through every orifice when he saw how Gu Suihan only cared about himself. But tensing up aggravated its wounds and it couldnt help but yelp in pain. It looked so pathetic. Youd better behave yourself. Great Elder Lu kicked the Evil Ghost without any compassion for the creature. He grabbed it by the neck and was practically flying as he ran after Gu Suihan. Hey, you knowyou dont have to see me out! Ill come and visit you another time! Gu Suihan could see that the gap was closing and started sweating profusely as he ducked and dodged the tons of spells raining on him. He yelled, We dont really have any bad blood with one another, anyway! Your mission was just to capture that Evil Ghost and youve caught it. So, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances, I suggest you return right away! Fuck you! bellowed the Evil Ghost as it flew into a rage and cursed Gu Suihan a million times in its heart. My fellow cultivator, that Evil Ghost is incredibly scheming and it knows a lot of god level techniques to help it escape that you would never even think of! Those arent spells, by the way! Those are god level techniques tied to its existence! To avoid a situation where it ends up escaping and your hard work goes down the drain, youd better go back now! Gu Suihan bent his head and felt something cool sweep above his head. The jade accessory that held his hair together was cut cleanly in half and his long hair cascaded down his back. Roar!! Along the way, he kept seeing devils running in the same direction, forming groups as they all ran toward the exit of the Devil Abyss. When they saw Gu Suihans bloodstained face and how he emanated nothing but demonic qi, they all thought he was just a devil that looked a little different from them and werent too bothered by him. After all, in a crazy place like the Devil Abyss, all sorts of creatures existed Save methere are human cultivators trying to kill us! Countless fellow devils have already been slaughtered and they have died terribly! Gu Suihan sent his spiritual sense out to use telepathy to speak to the devil leading the way. That devil looked very strong and could possibly be the leader of the entire race. Immediately after speaking, he leaped into the middle of the running devils. In the blink of an eye, he changed into a devil with a skinny body, horns on his head and visible fangs on his ugly face. Before the leader of the devils could figure out who just spoke to him, he saw a huge cloud of dust and smoke. An old man with a furious expression on his face was running toward them, carrying a skinny ugly creature that resembled a devil. When they saw each other, their faces froze and they stared at one another wordlessly for a moment. Hurry up and start wailing! Make some noise! Sound as tragic as you can! Put on your best act! Gu Suihan immediately spoke to the Evil Ghost via telepathy when he saw what was happening as he hid among the devils. The Huangquan Evil Ghosts lips twitched and was about to curse at Gu Suihan again when it realized what Gu Suihan was trying to do. To save its own skin, it clenched its teeth and secretly clawed itself, then let out an unintelligible wail of pain, #!#*%!%#$ &%#2!$%&#! *&82^#@! The leader of the devils growled and bellowed a few equally unintelligible things as well. When Great Elder Lu did not respond at all, the leader thought that Great Elder Lu was trying to embarrass him. He let out a mighty roar and brandished a huge and heavy ax at Great Elder Lu. Great Elder Lu really felt like crying now. Gu Suihan had disappeared, and in his anger, he had actually walked into this sort of trap. This really cringy, run off the mill situation where two groups were going to face off for almost no reason whatsoever. But when he saw how the giant ax was coming at him with such power, he didnt dare to take the situation lightly. He immediately cast several spells, then slapped his belt. A delicate and tiny carved green seal flew up and grew in size. The golden phoenix on top of it screeched and the flood dragon howled as the formation runes on it spun and glowed brightly. It came crashing down like it weighed a ton. ROAR! The leader roared and swung its ax upwards to collide with the seal. Sand and rocks flew everywhere and the ground split. As the dust settled, the seal let out a whimper and flew right back into Great Elder Lus hand. When he saw the glaringly obvious cut in the seal, Great Elder Lus entire face twitched and he had a pained expression on his face. He was so distracted that his grip on the Evil Ghost actually loosened a little. %&*#*! Now that the leader had the upper hand, he continued his attack. He covered a few hundred meters with just one step and got to Great Elder Lu in an instant. He swung his ax with enough force to slice through the sky. Honestly, Great Elder Lu was really in a pickle. He knew countless spells and techniques, but most of them were formations and illusionary stunts that were meant to tire his opponent out. The worst part was that this leader was more than three meters tall and wielded a heavy ax very easily. He didnt know any special techniques or spells, but he was strong enough to fight ten men by himself, so he was actually a threat to Great Elder Lu. Chessboard of Heaven and Earth! Great Elder Lu had no choice but to cast the Evil Ghost aside as he put his two hands together to form a seal and recreate the chessboard that he trapped Gu Suihan with earlier. What a great chance! The Evil Ghost immediately broke into a smile. It used both its hands and legs to bravely escape at a speed equal to Gu Suihans despite its severe injuries. Over here! Gu Suihan secretly signaled to the Evil Ghost as he hid among the devils. The two were finally reunited. What do we do now? That big fellow cant hold up for long, said the Evil Ghost anxiously as it quickly swallowed all the pills that Gu Suihan secretly passed to it and did its best to recuperate. Well do the opposite of what he would have donethat old thing would never think that wed actually go back the exact way we came Gu Suihans new devil face had a sly smile on his face as he grabbed hold of the Evil Ghost and they sneaked away from the large group of devils. Once they felt strong enough, they started running in the same direction they came from. Chapter 188 Gu Suihan and the Huangquan Evil Ghost ran with all their might for about fifteen minutes. They began to slow down and their faces were tensed as they watched the densely packed, countless devils move and shriek as they headed for the whirlpool above them that kept growing in size. Do we head there now? asked the Evil Ghost via telepathy as it bent down after glancing at that hair-raising sight. Theres no hurry. Unless you want to be caught by You Hantian again and turned into a bargaining chip meant for claiming credit, replied Gu Suihan in a low voice as he turned himself into a tall, broad shouldered and nasty faced devil with a long spear in his hand. He had his considerations too. He didnt know what the situation on top was like, but he figured that it wasnt going to be much better up there. The devils were great in number, but they were useless when it came to fighting. Everyone leaving now were only going to be vaporized instantly by the will of this world or burned up from just looking at You Hantian. The difference in the level of cultivation was not always something that numbers could really overcome. And so, he decided to wait. He was going to wait for a devil that could compare to Marahu to appear. That way, he could use that devil to stall You Hantian and the rest and draw attention away from himself. Otherwise, even if he knew a thousand different spells or ten thousand god level techniques, he wouldnt stand a chance with so many high level cultivators around. Look over there The Evil Ghost suddenly raised one of its claws and pointed at something in the distance. Its yellow-brown green bean sized eyes instantly lit up and its ugly face was filled with excitement. Not enough. Gu Suihans eyes lit up for a moment when he followed where the Evil Ghost was pointing to before calming down again. That was a devil covered in disheveled hair, one horn on its head, its fangs bared, and with a tail that was slightly more than three meters long. It carried a long staff in its hand that looked more like a metal pillar. The darkened bloodstains on it showed that this devil definitely had a good number of vengeful spirits under its control. Unfortunately, while it looked imposing, it was only equivalent to a cultivator at Peak Origin Core. It was going to be too difficult for it to deal with a scheming, meticulous fellow like You Hantian. Theres another one! Gu Suihan had just looked away when he suddenly looked back in the same direction. The devil with the long staff wasnt actually the leader of that group of devils. In fact, it was standing very respectfully in a subordinate position. The leader of the group was a devil that looked a lot like Marahu, except that it was holding a one-sided halberd. Our chanceis here! The Evil Ghost exchanged glances with Gu Suihan. They could see the delight in each others eyes. ROAR! The leader gave some instructions, then waved its halberd. The devils behind it started yelling excitedly and waved the strange objects in their hands that resembled ritualistic items. They then dashed into the whirlpool fearlessly. Lets go! Gu Suihan grabbed hold of the Evil Ghost with one hand while crushing a devil next to him with the other. He sucked out the devils soul and swallowed it. As he squeezed himself into the large group of devils, he quickly read through the memories of the devil he just killed. Gosh, thought Gu Suihan to himself. This Devil Abyss was indeed connected to that legend and the things in here were rather shocking. But soon after that, his expression displayed not only shock, but alsoexcitement. &%#$*@*#! The clamoring, roaring, ramming noises were filled with uncontainable excitement. A vomit-inducing, disgusting putrid stench kept hitting Gu Suihans nostrils. Thankfully, he had been through too many centuries of life to be bothered by such things. Gu Suihan and the Evil Ghost got caught up with the rest of the group and were pushed into the whirlpool together. Everything went black for just one second and they soon found themselves back on land again. The Evil Ghost stared at the sight before it and went into a daze for a moment before finally cursing, What.the fuck? Shouldnt these monks be meditating in some temple? Why the hell are they here? Gu Suihans lips twitched as his expression fell. He didnt have any prejudice against Buddhism and didnt even have any extreme ideas about them. But that didnt stop him from hating monks. These weak pieces of trash refused to cultivate in this life, yet they hoped to have a next life while they misinterpreted the Way, karma and other such rules. Their hypocritical behavior and seemingly humble appearance really disgusted all cultivators. If the cultivators had not needed people who twisted the rules about heaven, earth, morality and justice in order to keep the ordinary people, or the lowest of humanity, in check, they would have wiped out all Buddhists by now. Even so, the cultivators never bothered to be nice to the buddhist cultivators. If they had been nice, these monks wouldnt have had no choice but to run to the Lower World to escape from danger. Why were they described as those who twisted morality and justice? Or in other words, they twisted the Way. That was because the Waywas a set of laws governing heaven and earth. It encompassed millions of things. Buddhism was just one of the barely noticeable branches of the Way. At the same time, the phrase Buddhism itself is the Way were not words said for fun. They were merely a branch, yet they wanted to be on equal standing as the Great Way. That had to be a gross overestimation of themselves, no? Not only that C they thought themselves as very clever, twisting the meaning of the rules of karma and forcibly merging it with buddhist teaching. They seemed amazing for doing this, but the bad karma they had created from doing this was a million times worse than the amount that Gu Suihan had accumulated. After all, at the end of the day, Gu Suihan had merely massacred a lot of lives, and people would see him as a demon. That was the worst case scenario. But Buddhism had lied to thousands of worlds, hidden the Great Way and cut off the basis for countless factions of cultivators to reproduce and survive. The karma all of this had created wasnt something that could be erased just by making some Bodhisattva vow and be done with it. So, Gu Suihans opinion was that the current things that Buddhism practiced were definitely going to get themselves killed. And that they deserved what they got. The fates and karmas of lives across different worlds wasnt something that one Buddha could take responsibility for. But even though he hated them, he didnt think it was worth giving them any attention. They were a bunch of pitiful idiots who enjoyed lying to others and themselves, thats all. The loud and majestic chanting of Buddhism incantations echoed continuously within a 100 mile radius. Countless devils wailed miserably and slowly turned into wisps of demonic qi as they were forcibly wiped out. In that instant, the sounds of wails and cries, angry and anguished roars shook the sky as they rang out one after another. Youare seriously annoying! Gu Suihan raised his head with a start and stared at the will of the world that kept raining lightning down from above. The murderous glint in his eye intensified with time. He had already noticed this earlier C even though the will of this world seemed to be sentient and even seemed to get emotional at times, it was nothing compared to that mysterious and incomprehensible thing from Earth. The two were at completely different levels. If his guess was right, this thing was probably like the Huangquan Evil Ghost. It was something that the empire had made out of the soul of a cultivator and was made to resemble the will of heaven. But there was something lacking in their technology or something. This will of heaven was equivalent to leaving one person on a deserted island to watch over it. Never mind whether this one person could get the job done properly or not C the wild animals and birds on such an island were like the cultivators of this world. To be able to survive was already an accomplishment. World Cleansing Dark Lotus C Burn the Heavens, Submerge the Soul! His long fingers kept making mysterious rune after mysterious rune and a tiny whirlpool seemed to gather in between his fingers. The demonic qi that kept filling the air around him suddenly changed directions and began gathering within Gu Suihans palm. The laws of nature became obvious. Qi blew wildly like a storm. The Evil Ghost was very careful in protecting Gu Suihan. This concerned its own life, so it made sure to remain as alert as possible. The runes began to wriggle as dao laws gathered. A dark but majestic aura slowly began to spread. The devils, the monks and You Hantian stopped fighting and immediately turned to look. The giant eye in the sky kept blinking and a look of fear began to appear in its gaze. After that, the lightning strikes were like dragons gone wild as dark clouds gathered and ran poured down. Countless laws of nature gathered and kept attacking Gu Suihan as he stood next to the whirlpool. Blockthem! Gu Suihan barely squeezed these words out of his mouth. The Evil Ghost was a little hesitant as it watched the eye in the sky rain down such violent attacks, but it let out a long howl and its body suddenly grew much larger. It waved its claws about to create black ripples in the air. It nearly scratched a crack in spacetime. Kaboom! Countless devils turned into ash instantly. The whirlpool that kept getting bigger also kept shaking, as though it was about to fall apart. Piak! Piak! Tiny crisp explosive sounds slowly began to ring from Gu Suihans hands. Black mist surrounded him as demonic qi continued to gather. This slowly turned into a dark, beautiful, elegant and mesmerizing lotus. It had 36 petals, which represented the number of heavenly spirits, and 72 seeds that contained the essence of the earthly fiends. The complex interweaving runes also strangely gave off a depressing and pitiful aura. RUN! @#$29*&#!&*3$!!! Zhan Wuchang and the rest instantly felt a chill creep down their heads and into the rest of their bodies. Their hair all began to stand on end as well. A fear, anxiety, terror and reverence rose from the bottom of their hearts and ate away at their resilient heart for the Way. Chapter 189 Everything fell silent. Night suddenly came upon them. Nothing could be seen, heard, smelled, or said. The shattering of the sky seemed nothing more than a mirage. The violent shaking of the ground was like a dragon beneath, turning its body. The storm of qi was like the tsunami of a great ocean. If I may ask Gu Suihan could hear a murmur slowly ring in his ears from the deep silence. You must be tired of living! He immediately realized what was going on as he opened his eyes. The chilling look in his eyes that looked more like a frozen lake instantly glowered with murderous intent. Whatare you? How dare you attempt to convert me? Gu Suihan pursed his thin lips. His expression was one of mockery, disdain, contempt, nonchalance, and more. The darkness slowly faded, and a light shone on them once more. It felt like the dark clouds had parted to reveal the bright moon. The giant eye in the sky had long disappeared and was replaced by a very misty evening sun. The remaining clouds in the sky were red, like blood or fire, or like what remained after the cleansing of the world. The whirlpool expanded again, and devils poured into the world once more. The Buddhist cultivators were horrified as they looked at Gu Suihan, who had removed his disguise and had gotten up with the help of the Evil Ghost. The leader of the devils looked warily at You Hantian, Zhan Wuchang, and the rest and quietly made sure to stand in front of Gu Suihan to protect him. It didnt matter who this young man was. That technique had wiped out the will of the world in the sky, which meant that they were in the same camp. Or at least they were for the time being. Everything fell completely silent for a moment. Monk, were you trying to convert me? Gu Suihans lips parted, and his teeth gleamed too brightly for anyone to look at directly. Amitabh. Dear donor, the sea of suffering has no borders. Turn around, and you will find the shore, chanted the elderly monk. His gray beard and white eyebrows were trembling slightly as he put his palms together and looked down with a merciful expression on his face. Gu Suihans bright and narrow eyes were as indifferent and unmoved as an abyss, like the deep sea, and like a mysterious set of laws of nature. The sea of suffering? The entirety of the world is a sea of suffering. Where would I find a shore? The shore is right beneath your own feet. When there is a shore in your heart, you only need to lift your feet, and you will arrive there. The elderly monk rubbed his prayer beads. A bad premonition slowly seeped into his bones from his heart, which made his body shiver slightly. And what happens after you arrive at shore? Gu Suihan smiled faintly. After you arrive at shore, you will find ultimate bliss, said the monk like it was second nature to him. HA! HAHA! Ultimate bliss? Gu Suihan snorted loudly. His disdainful laughter was mixed with contempt as it echoed in stark contrast to the terrible silence. It was so ear piercing. I cultivate in the Way and I put my heart through testing. I experience the noise of worldly desires and with one thought, I can move freely anywhere I like without any trouble at all. Why should I want to seek ultimate bliss? The elderly monks face trembled slightly upon hearing these words and it seemed like the wrinkles on his skin had increased in number. He had a look of disdain on his face even as he continued to stare indifferently at Gu Suihan. He sighed quietly and said, Dear donor, your obsessive streak is too deep. Put down your weapon and you can become a buddha. My weapon? Gu Suihan pulled himself away from the support of the Evil Ghost and gently touched the lifeless saber on his belt. He looked oddly at the elderly monk who seemed like he wasnt sure what else to do and said softly, If I put it down, will I really be able to become a buddha? And if I become a buddha, what happens to the lives that died by my hands? Chant scriptures and help others in order to erase the karma you have created, said the elderly monk, his face unflinching even though a look of glee appeared in his eyes when he saw Gu Suihans reaction. Gu Suihan smirked at the old man. He removed the saber from his belt and held it in his hand. Ill put it down, Ill put it down. He suddenly let go of the saber and it stabbed into the ground below. But before the monk could say anything, Gu Suihan took a step forward and said softly, Ill put it down, but do you dare to take it? WOONG! In that instant. The skies boomed, the earth shook. Lightning cracked in all directions, its light blinding the world. The wind and clouds were suddenly stirred up, a sea of blood appeared. The blade emerged three inches from its sheath, sending fiendish qi soaring into the sky. The miserable wails of ghosts, rang through the heavens. A blood-red glow shimmered, while the laws of nature spread out. Everyone was in shock as they stumbled in retreat. If buddha has no desires and no wants, then why do they enjoy the donations of mere humans? If buddha believes the world is but an illusion, then why do they keep fighting to become the one and only way? If buddha has compassion on all living things, then why dont they fulfil every plea? If buddha says to put down your weapon, then why dont they state clearly where murdered souls belong? If buddha says they want to convert the world, then why dont they state clearly that you have to become a puppet in order to get to ultimate bliss? If buddha says there are consequences to being good or evil and karma will come along with every action, then why havent the vengeful souls in the world decreased in number? What is good? What is evil? Who the hell do you even think you are? You think youre qualified to decide whats good and whats evil, or whats right and whats wrong? The blood on my hands measures way more than one ocean and Ive massacred way more than a million people. If I put my weapon down now, would youdare to take it from me? Buddha? Youre all nothing but people who fool the world and steal fame for yourselves, a people who are filthy and impure. If that werent the case, why would you twist the meaning of morality and justice and stray from the Way? After he said all this, Gu Suihan snorted. He took one step back and pointed at the saber at his feet that was spewing with enough fiendish qi to break through the clouds and sufficient violent qi to cover the sky, then said indifferently, Whats the use of buddha? Buddha often talks about converting the world. Im right here C do youdare to convert me? Do you dare to convert me? Doyou? All the followers of Buddhism immediately had a look of horror on their faces. They subconsciously took several steps backward even as they kept their eye on Gu Suihan. There was a look of indescribable terror as they all turned to look at the elderly monk. The elderly monks face paled suddenly and he spat out a mouthful of pale gold blood. He stared sadly at Gu Suihan as the faint smile on his face faded. He opened his mouth, but did not say anything. You area man with no heart. The elderly monks voice trembled and it took great effort for him to keep his eyes open. He looked at Gu Suihan and said in a cracked voice, You are a man with no heart. Your heart has no sense of good and evil, true and false or right and wrong, so it is natural for you to not feel guilt, shame and regret. Your very nature is messed up, so Iwill not convert you! You wont convert me? Gu Suihan chuckled. He pulled his saber out of the ground and pushed it back into its sheath. Buddhismis the Way huh. I should be the one converting all of you and not the other way round. You want to convert me? Youre not qualified enough. According to legend, the world of ultimate bliss has 100,000 arhats, 300,000 bodhisattvas, and 800 buddhas. I wonder how many are truly buddhas among them? His laughter echoed loudly after uttering these words. Gu Suihan then slowly turned around and didnt bother to look at the monks anymore. He gave the Evil Ghost a look to signal that he had recovered a bit while bantering with the monk about Buddhism and Taoism. The two of them exchanged knowing glances, then sped off into the distance at an insane speed, tearing through space and traveling over lands in a few steps. You Hantian, and the rest gave each other sad smiles. They wished they could run after them, but the leader of the devils was glaring warily at them. Zhou Lingfeng and the rest werent afraid of these devils, but it would take more than a few minutes to take care of them all. You The Evil Ghost seemed to have trouble forming sentences as he carefully chose his words and tone and said cautiously, Just now, you reallyshocked the world! Shocked my ass. Gu Suihans face was pale as he leaned against the Evil Ghosts back and weakly pointed in the direction of the Seven Kill Sect. Grabbing any opportunity to make a run for it is the right thing to do. If those monks didnt all just love talking and doing nothing, we wouldnt have had the chance to escape. What the hell The Huangquan Evil Ghost rolled its eyes and cursed under its breath as it ran faster while swallowing the pills that Gu Suihan gave it continuously. The argument with the monk had been short, so Gu Suihan hadnt been able to recover his strength fully. He grew too weak to move after covering some distance, so he had to get the Evil Ghost to carry him. Even though the Evil Ghost wasnt too happy about doing that, it decided to obey Gu Suihan after considering how formidable and mysterious the young man was. Lets look for the innermost storeroom of the Seven Kill Sect first. But if you ask me, I dont hold very high hopes for that place. After You Hantian came down to this world, I think he would have cleaned out that storeroom a long time ago. But well try our best anyway. The most important thing is to stay alive, said Gu Suihan slowly. He never stopped swallowing pills and using his cultivation technique to recuperate as much as he could. Why are you so obsessed with this? The Huangquan Evil Ghost simply couldnt understand. He had realized that ever since he met Gu Suihan, this young man never stopped thinking about the Seven Kill Sectsinnermost storeroom. It was as though there was something in there that he had to get his hands on. This ismy Way! Gu Suihan chuckled, then slowly closed his eyes and focused on calibrating his body. YourWay? A glimmer flashed in the Evil Ghosts eyes. It was quickly followed by a dazed look as though he felt lost. Whatwhat is MY Way? Hesitation and confusion slowly appeared in its heart even as it sensed that Gu Suihan had gone into recovery mode. Chapter 190 Who in the world was that? The elderly monk shook as he got up and calmed his heaving emotions down as he threw You Hantian a nasty look. No idea, butIm very happy. You Hantian dodged the long staff that had come toward him and swung his sword to unleash a blade glow measuring 300 meters before turning to grin at the monk with a look of schadenfreude. Regardless of their earlier feud, Gu Suihan had indeed reprimanded this bunch of monks, and that really made their day as cultivators. They had been bullied by these damned monks for a long time now. And whenever they came to a point where they were ready to fight the monks, the monks would get scared and retreat. Their skin was so thick; they were perfect examples of what it meant to be shameless. This fellow always knows exactly what everyones bottom line is, which can really tire one out and make everyone hate him to the core, thought You Hantian as he wondered if he ought to continue hiding what he knew about Gu Suihan. If he did that, it would resolve the feud between them, and Gu Suihan would even owe him one. The young man had already escaped anyway. As for the Huangquan Evil Ghost, everyone had already agreed to put the blame on the monks. They just needed to reseal the entrance to the Devil Abyss, and theyd be able to get away with it. But it was going to be hard to convince Zhou Lingfengafter all, his sect that had been passed down from generation to generation had been destroyed by Gu Suihan to a point where there was nothing left. It would be more surprising if he didnt chop Gu Suihans soul into eight large pieces and roast them for a thousand years. This was always the thought process of a cultivator. Nobody remained an enemy forever. The only thing they thought about all the time was how they could benefit. As for the Seven Kill Sect? You Hantian was someone from the empire, so whether the Seven Kill Sect survived or went extinct had nothing to do with him. The only person who would be worried about the sect would be Great Elder Lu. Not him. Things were much clearer now. You Hantian proceeded to defend himself against the devils attacks distractedly as he thought about whether his plan was feasible. Thoughts ran through his head rapidly, and he finally decided that he wasnt going to help either side. He was just going to stand aside and watch. Hed help the side that won. After he used telepathy to communicate his plans to the other sect leaders, he received positive responses from them in no time. And so, they suddenly put in more effort to gather all the devils together and yelled out, Great Elder Lu, Sect Leader Zhou, Gu Suihan, and the Evil Ghost have gone towards the Seven Kill Sect. Well stall these fellows here, so both of you need to hurry over and capture them alive. Great Elder Lu couldnt read minds and had no idea that You Hantian had already reached an agreement with the rest. So, he nodded and exchanged glances with Zhou Lingfeng before they both fought off the devils around them and flew toward the Seven Kill Sect. The seal over the Devil Abyss is broken, and countless devils have come pouring out from beneath. Theyll be busy fighting the devils and wont be able to catch up so quickly. But staying alive is the most important thing no matter what, so we can only spend 7 or 8 minutes here. Any more, and wed be in danger, said the Evil Ghost to Gu Suihan after thinking about it for a moment, as though he were dispensing advice. There arent any characters we need to be wary of within the Seven Kill Sect right now, so we can just kill our way in. Anybody in our way shall die, said Gu Suihan in a clear voice as he stood in front of the entrance to the sect with his saber in hand. Immediately after he said those words, the heads of the two disciples guarding the entrance went flying. Blood spurted out and splattered all over the ground. Im taking these souls! Gu Suihan shot qi out of his finger and easily pulled the souls of the two disciples he had just killed out. Nothing Gu Suihan led the way and sprinted toward the First Peak of the Seven Kill Sect. The First Peak must have it Whos there? A ghost? AHH! Weve been invaded! Defend against the enemy! Howls of pain, shouts of panic, and the sound of spells being cast turned the quiet Seven Kill Sect into a cacophony of wails. Anybody they saw was killed and died on the spot. The lifeless bodies that littered the areas they went through dried up and turned into powder in the wind. Their blood splattered all over the translucent jade walls and slabs, slowly forming a red glow in the air. Youve recovered? Gu Suihan glanced at the Evil Ghost that had become larger in size as he stood in the main hall of the First Peak and did not go further in. Im doing alright! The Evil Ghost grinned widely. The stench of blood from the pinkish-red bloodstains between its teeth suddenly filled the air, and it made one frown and feel nauseous. Based on the memories of those lowly fellows, the secret realms legacy is actually in the hands of Great Elder Lu, including the innermost storeroom of the sect. Since thats the caseIll have to make other plans slowly. Weve done all this in vain. Gu Suihan frowned and walked to the middle of the main hall, muttering as he went, But I still think that there are clues inside the meditation room that the sect leader uses for seclusion. This guyreally never gives up, said the Evil Ghost as it spat out some leftover bones in its mouth. It used its three-meter odd tall body to smash right through the door frame and used its head to ram through any beams in the way. The Evil Ghost had just made it to the center when it noticed that Gu Suihan was standing outside a door made from rock. It looked over and instantly felt an extremely sinister aura. Theres somethingdangerous here. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow at these words and said, This is a Dark Ghosts and Fiends formation. It can block off ones spiritual sense, impede ones spiritual vision and make one lose all five senses once inside. Vengeful spirits and malicious ghosts will harass you nonstop, so if youre not careful enough, you could die inside there very easily. Ghosts and fiends? The Evil Ghost grinned and waved its claws about as it dashed in excitedly. That makes it a lot simpler. Gu Suihan smiled as he saw the Evil Ghost suddenly disappear within the formation. He could break this formation, but it would take him some time to do so. However, the one thing he didnt have was time, so trying to break the formation on his own might cost him his life instead. Thankfully, the Huangquan Evil Ghost was around. Ghosts and fiends were like supplements to this creature. Pop! The sound of a bubble bursting rang out, and the Evil Ghost slowly appeared in front of the door. It looked relaxed as it sat on the floor and glanced up at Gu Suihan with a gleeful expression on its face. Bam! Gu Suihan shot a beam of qi from his finger and blasted the door open. He ignored the Evil Ghost and walked around it to get into the meditation room. Whatsthis? the Evil Ghosts voice rang out from behind Gu Suihan. It was asking about the three strange formation diagrams inside the completely empty meditation room. They were mysterious and incomprehensible but carried a tinge of the presence of spacetime. They took up almost the entire meditation room, which wasnt very large in the first place. These are formations. Teleportation formations. Three diagrams means that they lead to three different places. Gu Suihans expression instantly fell. There were no labels to indicate the destinations of these three diagrams, so he had to pick one of the three randomly. He was certain that one of them went directly to the headquarters of the empire. You Hantian worked for them, so he definitely needed a way to travel there and back. As for the other twonobody knew where the hell these two led to. We have to choose one out of three?! The Evil Ghost looked equally dismayed. Even an idiot knew the consequences of picking the wrong one. If they were unlucky, they might find themselves smack in the middle of the empires headquarters. Not only would the Evil Ghost be captured, but Gu Suihan would too. He would end up just waiting for You Hantian to return and torture him. I used some deductions to find the place with the most concentrated levels of qi. Who knew this would lead to both a blessing and misfortune at the same time. Gu Suihan swallowed a few more pills with a wry smile on his face. He hadnt found this place purely by luck. He had used a sort of divination spell to do so. It wasnt some rare, god level technique either. Some cultivators who loved raiding tombs liked using this technique too: it was the Meridian Tap Dragon Searching Qi Finding spell. Among all the places in the First Peak, this place had the most concentrated levels of qi as well as other leading signs, which was why Gu Suihan had gone toward this place. The good part was, they had to use this teleportation formation to escape this place sooner or later. Discovering it this early had saved them a lot of effort. The bad part was, there were three formations that led to three different places and they had no idea which was which. If they chose the wrong one, they wouldnt be able to escape. Senior sister Meanwhile, nobody had the time or the energy to care about Shuanger and Jingjing since they were protected by the flying ship in the sky. Shuanger had a powerful father, after all. Nobody knew how Gu Suihan made Su Yuqing and Marahu disappear suddenly, but it didnt take a genius to figure out that neither had died. Why else would Gu Suihan have run like some crazy person? Shuanger was young, but she wasnt stupid. After being among cultivators for so long, she could understand such obvious things, so she wasnt too worried about her father. She was much more worried about the barely breathing Jingjing who looked like she was about to die. As the vehicle of a cultivator all the way at Divine Soul, this flying ship wasnt just a run of the mill ship. This deck alone was made from an evergreen narra wood that had been nurtured for 10,000 years. It was based on the element of wood and was good for recuperation. So, while Jingjing was still lying weakly on it and barely breathing, her superficial wounds had all healed up and her life wasnt in danger. Dont worry, junior sister. Try and think if you have any item that can help to bring Senior Su back here, or anything that can tell him where you are, said Jingjing weakly as her pale lips trembled. An item? Hmm Shuanger paused to think for a while, then suddenly reached for the pendant on her belt. She remembered what Su Yuqing had told her about this pendant. He said that a wisp of his aura was imprinted on it, so when necessary, she could crush it and he would know where she was and he would come and rescue her. With that in mind, Shuangers youthful face broke into a smile. She removed the pendant from her belt and waved it in Jingjings face as though she were boasting, then blew out internal energy to shatter the pendant. Soits true after all. You could be incredibly talented and come across the most amazing opportunities in life, butnothing beats having a powerful mom and dad Chapter 191 Jingjing quickly hid the envious look in her eyes, but she still couldnt help feeling jealous inside. At the same time, she felt glad as well. Getting close to this girl had turned out to be the right decision. That way, she could go to the Upper World with Shuanger. Just thinking about that made her secretly happy. Woong! The flying ship suddenly shook. Shapeless laws of nature suddenly began to gather, and the qi in the air started to form a gigantic whirlpool. A thin crack in the spacetime looked like a large mouth appeared, and an icy wind blew out of it. Heaven is on my side! a mildly delighted voice suddenly rang out from the crack. Su Yuqing slowly appeared after those words. And youre still trying to make a sneak attack on me? Immediately after that, an earth-shaking roar cut off Su Yuqings laughter. A gleaming spear shot out from the crack and crashed into the flying ship violently after Su Yuqing barely dodged it. Marahus large and muscular body suddenly squeezed out through the crack. His eyes were as large as temple bells as he kept his gaze on Su Yuqing. An immense wave of demonic qi came crashing down and darkened the flying ships surroundings. Thats enough! You should know very well that I dont care about these pathetic lower worlds you live in. Who cares if these lowly ants live or die? You do your thing, and Ill do my thing. Stop making trouble for yourself! Su Yuqing glanced at Marahu and snapped, And now, you can go ahead and conquer this lower world of yours if you want. Ive got other things to do, so Im not going to spend any more time on you! Sure, sure Marahu raised an arm to take his spear back. His laughter sounded like war drums as they thundered loudly. He gave Su Yuqing a long look before appearing next to You Hantian in less than a second. What a vicious attack! You Hantian looked up and gritted his teeth as he barely managed to dodge Marahus sneaky attack. He was now the only Nascent Change cultivator around, so it wasnt possible for him to defeat a devil at Divine Soul like Marahu. Thankfully, this fellow had very little understanding of the laws of nature, so that had given him the chance to escape. Retreat! After he came to a decision, he yelled that one instruction to the rest, kept away his sword, and made a run for it. The way he ran without hesitating made it clear that this wasnt the first time he was doing something like that. What the hell?! Zhan Wuchang and the rest gaped at this instruction, and they all felt like crying now. You Hantian was at Nascent Change, so he could run really quickly. But the other sect leaders were only barely at Peak Origin Core. How could You Hantian just tell them to run without doing anything else? Did he think that Marahu was an idiot? But since things had come to this, they werent going to sit around and wait to die. They quickly cast several spells to force the devils that kept fighting them to move aside, exchanged glances, and quickly followed You Hantian in the direction of the Seven Kill Sect. Was this fate? Or was this predestined? The intense battlefield had fallen apart immediately after Su Yuqing made it clear that he wasnt going to help. All the main characters in this battle had headed toward the Seven Kill Sect instead Thats the end of the matter, so lets go! Su Yuqing looked down at the monks who had been abandoned with an icy look on his face and twitched his lips. He formed a dao seal with his hands and thrust it out, causing the flying ship to shake violently. The laws of nature seemed to transform into swords that cut through the sky, and dao runes glowed brightly from the corners of the ship. It rammed a gigantic black hole into the space in front that looked like a void and slowly drove into it. The Buddhist cultivators left below exchanged bitter glances. By this point, they realized that they had fallen into a trap. Their original plan was to defend their beliefs and rid the world of the devils in order to accumulate good karma. Who knew so many unforeseen things would happen? Bitterness rose in their hearts as they watched how more and more fang-baring, nasty, muscular devils kept pouring out from the whirlpool. If not for that cultivator named Gu Suihan, we wouldnt be in this state now. A slightly younger monk had a furious look on his face, and the anger in his voice expressed more than his words. All of this is a test for us, or the consequences we have to face from our previous lives. We just need to do our best, said the elderly monk with a saddened sight. He suddenly recalled all those blasphemous things Gu Suihan had said about buddha, and his heart trembled. An iciness from deep within his bones hit him, causing his face to look even older and shriveled. His skinny body started to bend a little. All of you are like the pillars of the Pure Land Temple, and I dont want anything bad to happen to you. In the past, there was a buddha who cut his own flesh to feed an eagle in order to save a sparrow. So, why dont I use my body to feed the devils instead? A middle-aged monk with a troubled look on his face suddenly kept his prayer beads and levitated in a cross-legged position. A strange glow burst forth from his back, as though buddha had come to save all living things. The golden glow spread everywhere like the sea, such that every devil that had gathered was converted by the chanting of scriptures. Their faces were peaceful as they picked up their weapons and began to hack at their fellow devils. Junior brother Tears streamed down the elderly monks cheeks. He clutched his prayer beads tightly s he watched his fellow Buddhist monk do his best to fight off the thousands of devils attacking him. He let out a long, frustrated sigh, then raised his hand to shoot the prayer beads in his palm out. Boom! The scriptures on the beads made an explosive noise, and a giant golden door suddenly appeared. Junior brother, take care. I will be waiting for you to conduct the morning class at the temple The elderly monk looked up at his junior in mid-air, his golden glow slowly weakening and waning. He gritted his teeth to hold back his tears, then stepped into the golden door without looking back. Senior brother, Im so sorry, but I wont be able to make it! The monk watched the golden door slowly disappear with a peaceful smile on his face. The sarira pearl in his consciousness burst forth, and a majestic buddha glow spread across the land. As though he had found his last spurt of energy, he put his palms together with a satisfied smile on his lips as he finished reciting the Pure Land Rebirth mantra. Once he had finished reciting the mantra, he quietly bowed his head. The Sanskrit on that brilliant sarira pearl in the air disintegrated, and the runes on it fell apart. Everything turned to ash and was blown everywhere. Crap! Gu Suihan and the Huangquan Evil Ghost looked up at the same time and turned to one another as they said simultaneously, Theyre here! And who were they referring to? Great Elder Lu and Zhou Lingfeng, of course. These two didnt bother to hide their vast, imposing aura that seemed able to shatter the skies at all, so it felt like two gods had just descended upon the earth. They were like two immortals as their presence covered thousands of miles, with a close eye on the Seven Kill Sect. Choose one of threewhich one should we choose? said the Evil Ghost anxiously. It looked up at the thick layer of dark clouds from time to time and felt a chill rise from its heart to its head, which made it shiver. Things have already come to this and you still refuse to say it? Gu Suihan suddenly looked straight at the Evil Ghost, his darkened glare so intense, it was as though he could bore a hole right through the Evil Ghost to its heart. Saysay what? The Evil Ghosts heart started palpitating in fear. Gu Suihans seemingly indifferent yet mysterious stare made it feel a little uneasy, as though the young man had managed to peek into its thoughts. In that case, forget it. Well just randomly choose one of them. Gu Suihan sighed quietly and turned to fill each of the three formations with spiritual stones. A thick wave of qi instantly gathered in the meditation room. It looked misty as the sheer amount of qi made it visibly white and caused the Evil Ghosts vision to become a little blurry. BAM! You Youre trapped! Several noises resounded within the meditation room along with angry sounds from the Evil Ghost. A few moments later, peace returned to the meditation room. The only sound left was the panting of the Evil Ghost as it struggled weakly. It was in great pain as a saber was used to pin it to the wall. You already planned to do this a long time ago, didnt you? The Evil Ghost had a sad smile on its face as it used all its strength to lift its head. It could feel the energy inside its body being sucked out by the saber like a whale taking in water, even though the saber looked more like a toothpick to it. It finally gave up struggling. Thats right. Earlier on, I fell for your trap and so I ended up getting caught by You Hantian at the Youthful Clarity Sect. This time, I actually walked into your trap again. I really deserve this The Huangquan Evil Ghost began to shrink in size, which made its ugly head look even scarier than before. Gu Suihan ignored it and continued to hit the Evil Ghost with seals made from the laws of nature. They hit the Evil Ghost again and again, as though he were forging a piece of iron. Each time a seal hit the Evil Ghost, the hateful look on its face would intensified. It would also look paler as time went by. Its struggling became weaker and weaker. Gu Suihan pulled his saber out and looked down at the goblin-like Huangquan Evil Ghost on the floor. It was now only four feet tall. He said in an indifferent tone of voice, You know You Hantians identity and you also know which one of these formations is the safe one. And you also know many more things that I dont. I gave you two chances. I dont mind giving you one or two chances, but not a third one! I will find out what you know sooner or later, so youre not as useful as you imagine yourself to be. Ha, what a joke. Whether I tell you about these things or not is my business. Why must I tell you? the Evil Ghost retorted as it looked at Gu Suihan with a mocking look. Gu Suihan glanced at it and spoke in a voice that was chilling as the winds in hell. It was none of my business at first, but what you know happens to overlap with what I want to know, so you have to say it. His tone of voice was gentle, but it was filled with a dominance that did not allow any room for negotiation as well asa sense of finality. BOOM! The first peak suddenly began to shake. The courtyard and study outside the meditation room were completely destroyed. The ruins, flying rocks, splintered wood and broken plants gathered to form a huge wave of dust that could make one choke. Youare finally here. Gu Suihan wasnt surprised by the commotion outside the door. He picked up the Evil Ghost with one hand and used the other to wave the dust away as he stared at Great Elder Lu and Zhou Lingfeng, who were standing outside the room. Chapter 192 Hand it over. Great Elder Lu pointed at the Huangquan Evil Ghost in Gu Suihans hand. It looked defeated as Gu Suihan held his saber against its forehead. Great Elder Lu had no idea that Gu Suihan didnt actually have the ability to kill the Evil Ghost and thought that Gu Suihan was keeping it alive just to threaten the rest of them. Relax. There are others who are on their way. Gu Suihan waved his arm in a leisurely fashion and got rid of the rubble around them to reveal a green jade floor. A small table appeared from nowhere along with a few little hay stools. Gu Suihan sat down on one of them, took out a teapot, put in some tea leaves, then injected some of his internal energy into it. The water in the teapot instantly warmed up and he poured the tea out into cups. The lovely fragrance of tea filled the air as the wind blew past. It was faint and carried the smell of the osmanthus flower. There was no qi in the fragrance at all. This was ordinary tea that any normal person on the street drank. What do you want? Great Elder Lu was a little puzzled by Gu Suihans actions, but since he was at Nascent Change, he didnt need to fear Gu Suihan. So, after a moment of hesitation, he sat down on one of the stools first. He took a cup of tea and narrowed his eyes as he observed Gu Suihan through the steam rising from the cup, hoping to find more clues from Gu Suihans expression. Once the rest of them arrive, everything will be revealed. Gu Suihan raised his cup and drank the hot tea down in one gulp with a smile. Tea is something thats best drunk freshly brewed. Once it turns cold, it wont be nice to drink anymore. The Youthful Clarity Sect had no feud with you, so why did you scheme against us like that? asked Zhou Lingfeng as he tried to hold his temper back. He still had a nasty look on his face. Sect Leader Zhou, actually, part of this matter is pure coincidence. Besides, now that the sect has completely gone under, arent all the hidden backup resources of the sect yours and yours alone? said Gu Suihan very deliberately as he raised his cup. Youeven if thats not the case, Im the sect leader of the Youthful Clarity Sect, after all. Zhou Lingfeng had already thought of how everything was now his alone, but the fact that the enemy who destroyed the sect which had raised him was right in front of him, yet he couldnt kill him, made Zhou Lingfeng rather annoyed and frustrated. He gripped his cup tightly and stared straight at Gu Suihan. Being the sect leader is one thing, while the sectis another thing. Sect Leader Zhou, youre a clever man, so I wouldnt think youd be so hung up on this, right? Besides, its hard to say if this is a blessing or a curse. Gu Suihan looked into the distance, chuckled, then refilled his cup with tea. Zhou Lingfengs heart tensed up when he listened to Gu Suihans slow and steady words and felt a little unsure about his understanding of them. So, he tried to ask more, What do you mean by that? Theyre here! Gu Suihan didnt answer him. Instead, he looked up and spotted a black shadow that was getting bigger and bigger as it came closer. You little asshole! How dare you scheme against me! Im going to kill you! Before the black shadow could even come close enough to be recognized, his voice could be heard first. Marahus furious roar was enough to shake the clouds away, his thunderous anger audible even a hundred miles off. Just a moment C dont you want to conquer this world anymore? said Gu Suihan as he ignored the green spear coming toward him and casually glanced at the table in front of him. Hmm? The demonic qi in the air suddenly stopped moving, creating a chilling wind that blew so hard that Gu Suihans messy black hair looked like crazy snakes. The spear stopped just three inches away from Gu Suihans face. Then, as Marahu grunted suspiciously, he made the spear fly toward him, and it crashed violently into the ground, piercing a deep hole into the soil. Everyone, please take a seat! Gu Suihan looked at everyone with a faint smile, stretched his arm out at the hay stools around the table to motion them to sit, then sat back down on his own stool. Are you thinking of using that thing as a bargaining chip? asked You Hantian testily. His gaze flickered as he glanced at the unconscious Evil Ghost on the ground before plonking himself down and getting himself some tea. No. I discovered that this matter is a little messy, so I wanted to help everyone settle everything properly. Gu Suihan uttered these seemingly random words as he served everyone tea and tapped the rim of his own cup with a bent finger. Before they could figure out what in the world he was trying to say, Gu Suihan pointed at You Hantian and said, Youre from the empire. I dont know exactly which part youre from, butIm very certain youre not doing particularly well there. Otherwise, why would you be sent to this lousy place to guard the Devil Abyss and watch over these sects? You want to capture the Huangquan Evil Ghost because youre hoping that these could help to improve your standing. Or perhapsI have to add on credit for the death of Qingming. Thats right. Youre a great senior whos had to restart his cultivation journey, alright. You Hantian raised an eyebrow and downed his cup of tea before confirming Gu Suihans words calmly. Gu Suihan smiled faintly at this response and moved his arm to point at Great Elder Lu very nonchalantly. Youre the most senior of the Seven Kill Sect. Even though You Hantian forced you to give up the position of Sect Leader, the legacies and secret realm of the sect are still in your hands. Therefore, youre not actually worried or bothered by whether this world will eventually be conquered by the devils or not. You helped the rest earlier on with the attitude of just trying your best, but the result didnt really matter. Your main goal was to make sure that You Hantian left as soon as possible so that you could regain control of the Seven Kill Sect. Am I right? Great Elder Lu looked gravely at Gu Suihan for a few moments, then slowly looked down and stroked his gray beard and said in a low voice, Youre right. Gu Suihan had succinctly pointed out the real situation behind these two men, which made Zhou Lingfeng and the rest feel rather interested to hear more. The next person Gu Suihan looked at was Zhou Lingfeng. Sect Leader Zhou. Even though it looks like your sect has been completely annihilated and youve suffered a terrible loss, but its turned out for the better. Now, everything that the Youthful Clarity Sect has is yours and yours alone. And if you want to move to the Upper World, you just need to make use of your connections to Shuanger to get close enough to Su Yuqing. It wouldnt be too difficult for you to fit in there. Besidesthe Upper World is a lot better than this awful place, isnt it? Zhou Lingfengs eyes instantly lit up at these words, but he quickly retorted, And how am I supposed to get close to Su Yuqing? Hoho Gu Suihan chuckled and waved his hand about carelessly. You should know how better than I would. If you hadnt alerted him, would Su Yuqing suddenly come all the way from the Upper World in such a great hurry? And he even happened to arrive exactly when everyone was in trouble. If my guess is correct, you did this in order to prevent You Hantian from killing you off after making use of you. And because you contacted Su Yuqing in time, he was able to rescue his own legitimate daughter. This favor is waaaaay bigger than you imagine. Why? Zhou Lingfeng was clearly bent on asking everything he could without holding back. He knew that Su Yuqing would repay him for doing him this favor, but he didnt understand Gu Suihans last sentence. Gu Suihan thought about what happened back then and had a faint smile of admiration on his face. Did you know? For that little girls sake, he gave up the sword fiendish qi he had accumulated for a thousand years and the sword will that was about to make a breakthrough just so that he could create a sword domain. Thats as good as cutting off his future. Unless something drastic happens later on such that he can somehow reach the next stage, hell spend the rest of his life stuck at Beginner Divine Soul. After he said that, he turned to look at the other sect leaders and said with a smile, Sect Leader Zhou has Su Yuqing to fall back on, so hes got a backup plan ready. The rest of youactually have one too! He looked knowingly toward You Hantian. HAHAHA! You Hantian laughed loudly. What a good strategy, plan, and scheme. He now looked more gravely at Gu Suihan and was now more determined to be on good terms with this young man. When it came to these very senior cultivators whom nobody knew who they really were or what their true abilities were, most cultivators would either choose to be on good terms if possible, or if this wasnt possible, they would hide as faraway as possible and just respect these seniors from afar. As for some dumbasses in those novels which attempt to kill such senior cultivators just because they werent as powerful as before without any good reasonin reality, such idiots would have died before getting through Foundation Establishment. It wasnt so bad to be the type who didnt know how to scheme against or manipulate others, but one was doomed if one didnt have brains. The fact that this senior cultivator had been able to restart his cultivation journey meant that he had countless trump cards that nobody knew about. The road of cultivation was filled with countless mysterious spells and techniques. God-level methods and treasures were as many as the stars in the universe. Nobody knew if this senior cultivator might suddenly pull out his trump cards and whip out a weapon that could kill you instantly. Actually, all of you have been stuck at Origin Core for many years, right? I might be able to help you get to Nascent Change. Gu Suihan calmly put his teacup down and looked at the sect leaders, who were barely containing their excitement as they stared at him with burning gazes. Youve been hiding in this world, which is really nothing more than a waste of time. There are few resources here and very little qi. And the biggest problem is that none of you discovered the most important thing. Whats the most important thing? asked Zhan Wuchang anxiously as the rest also looked like they were dying to hear the answer. Youve gotten the order of things wrong, said Gu Suihan nonchalantly. You have too many bondages, you obsess over things that dont come to any conclusion, so you arent able to focus on cultivation. On top of that, all of you are the only ones who know the most in this world, and youre the top cultivators around here. You have no interaction with others and no new experiences. Even if I gave you another 10,000 years, you wouldnt reach the next level. Chapter 193 Butour sects are our legacy. How could we Zhan Wuchang realized what Gu Suihan was driving at and immediately began to hesitate. Whos more important? You or others? Youre willing just to continue creating new frontline soldiers for the empire and do a job thats even worse than what ordinary people call menial labor? Gu Suihan sneered. Youre willing to put in all this work and let the empire reap all the benefits? The faces of the sect leaders began to change dramatically, as though they were peeling different masks off their faces as they went through various emotions. The indignation, hatred, anger, and helplessness hidden deep within their hearts were finally revealed. Actually, all of you could have had control over your own fates, but you didnt know how to think flexibly, so you ended up becoming nothing more than a bunch of slaves, said Gu Suihan without mincing his words. You just need to sacrifice some trash that has nothing to do with you, those who are merely lowly fellows, and you could change your destiny. I cant believe youre hesitating despite having such an amazing chance. Its true that you cant sculpt a piece of dead wood, I see. Even if were willing to abandon our sects, what about our families? Do we just leave them to their own devices? Zhan Wuchang was beginning to get a little upset with what Gu Suihan was saying. Great Elder Lu has a secret realm on handOnce everything blows over, he could let your families out again. Wouldnt that work out perfectly? Gu Suihans persuasive voice was like the tempting murmur of a devil as it slowly echoed in his listeners ears. Ohhh Everyone exchanged glances and gasped. As for whether Great Elder Lu wants to help you or not, I thinkthis matter can be resolved easily. Isnt that so, Mr. You Hantian? Gu Suihan threw You Hantian a knowing smile. Thats right. You Hantian wasnt stupid. Since Gu Suihan was working so hard to help him gather a bunch of loyal subordinates, he was happy to cooperate. After all, the one thing he lacked most right now was people he could trust. He looked at the unsure faces of the sect leaders, cleared his throat, and said in a deep voice, In the past, cultivators would sign a pact with each other when they formed alliances. Pacts are the gathering of the laws of nature and connecting them to the Way of karma, so even powerful people of the past dared not break their pacts too easily because the price to pay was simply too high. If you agree to be loyal to me, we can sign a pact with each other and make our mark in the empire. We might be able to accomplish a thing or two. Basing ourselves in the empire would definitely be more reliable than being in any of the other worlds. Once he had said that, the sect leaders glanced at one another. They could see that all of them were itching to agree. They had heard about this pact thing before, just that they didnt know exactly how it was done. Now that You Hantian had offered them something like that, it was hard for them not to feel tempted. Once theyre done discussing, your side of thingswill come naturally, said Gu Suihan as he held a cup out to Marahu next to him. This devil seemed nearly as large as a small mountain. Thats a good plan, alright. Marahu grinned widely after stopping to think for a while and finally took the teacup from Gu Suihans hands. So now, we need to think about how we can explain things and how were going to cover up some other things. Gu Suihan seized the chance to keep going and slapped the unconscious Huangquan Evil Ghost awake. Theres still one more major problem here. You Hantian suddenly frowned. The will of this world here has been dispelled by you, Mr. Gu, and its spirit has been destroyed. The empire will notice this. Dont worry. We still have this fellow. Gu Suihan pointed at the Evil Ghost, who had just woken up, and said in a mysterious manner, Theyre all test experiments, sothere must be some similarities between them. Everyone leaned forward and stared at Gu Suihan as they waited for him to explain what he had just said. This fellow was created by the empire and isnt naturally a ghost in the first place. It shares some similarities with certain legacies, is covered by flesh, has a mixture of elements, and has both entrapped and merged a soul into this body. That will of this world is a little simpler in comparison. It is the merger of a sentient soul with the laws of nature, and trapped within a particular area. Gu Suihan smacked his lips and continued, Mr. You, if you dont mind, we could do a little switcheroo. Are you saying You Hantians eyes suddenly lit up. Thats right. We can input some false memories into a soul that has its will erased, then stuff it into this Evil Ghosts body. At the same time, well dig this fellows sentience out and merge it with the laws of nature here to form a brand new will of this world. That all sounds very nice, but how do we actually go about doing this, and how do we make this fellow cooperate with us? You Hantian and the rest turned to look at the silent Huangquan Evil Ghost. Itll agree to this for sure. Unless its willing to become an experiment subject for the empire to dismember, reinvent, torture, and analyze all over again! Gu Suihans tone of voice was as calm as ever, but the chilling reality of the things he said felt like a tub of ice water that had been in the freezer for three whole days, and saying them out loud rained this tub on the Evil Ghost and drenched it completely. Did youdid you already have all this planned out? The Evil Ghost paused for a moment, then suddenly spun around to stare at the impossibly indifferent Gu Suihan. Its heart began to shudder in fear. Hoho, who knows? Gu Suihan merely chuckled and did not answer its question as he calmly removed the seals around the Evil Ghost that had trapped it here. I cant kill you, not only because your body and soul are completely merged into one, but the biggest reason is that your consciousness has a connection to the underworld. There are too many possibilities hidden in the underworld, and these waters are too deep. Not even I would dare to go in and take a peek. Gu Suihan looked at the Evil Ghost as his tone became sterner and sterner. He paused for a moment, then said, Theres some headway in your situation, so its my turn to state my conditions. Oh? You Hantian, Marahu, Zhou Lingfeng, and the rest immediately looked up at Gu Suihan when they heard these words, but they all breathed a big sigh of relief in their hearts. If Gu Suihan were to say that he was going to help them out of the kindness of his heart, they were certain that that would be bullshit. Theyd never believe it. But now that Gu Suihan was behaving as they expected, they were a little relieved. My aim is very simple. I want to go to the Upper World, and you must erase my existence altogether, said Gu Suihan sternly as he tapped his knuckle against the side of his teacup. After that, well go separate ways. Dont you think youre being a little optimistic here? You Hantian chuckled. Su Yuqing hates you to the core. Do you think hed keep such a secret for you? Gu Suihan smirked. Him? Even if he tells anybody about me, would anyone believe him? Do you think the empire would choose to believe you or believe someone whos not from this world or the sects here? The larger camp is more likely to be believed Zhou Lingfeng exhaled slowly. Gu Suihan turned his attention to the Evil Ghost, who had managed to sit up. Now, Im going to ask you some questions. If you give me answers, youll live, and Ill even give you a big gift. If not, Ill wipe out all of these memories. Choose one. Go ahead and ask, said the Evil Ghost in a bitter voice as it shut its eyes. It had finally caved in. It didnt have a choice. In order to survive and never return to that place that made its life a living hell, it had to give in to Gu Suihans demands. How long has the empire existed? Huh? Even You Hantian and the rest stared at Gu Suihan in surprise. What sort of question was this? You could grab anybody in the streets in the Upper World and get the answer. 7,600 years, said the Evil Ghost after it snapped out of its initial surprise. How many large and small worlds does the empire control? Or rather, how many large and small worlds does it span? It spans three large worlds and a few dozen small ones. But in order to unite them into one territory, that person has gone all out to use any magical powers and supernatural powers to combine them. Hes amassed power from the entire empire to merge everything together so that they are now one space. I was right Gu Suihans gaze flickered when he heard this response. And whats this workshop place? That person used some supernatural powers to take one of the tributaries of the Huangquan River forcibly and fixed it in the middle of the empire. The workshop uses this as its foundation in an attempt to create creatures that can compare to the ferocious beasts from ancient times, yet have a sentience that will obey commands. You Hantian was the one who answered this question. Are theredemons in the Upper World? asked Gu Suihan slowly as he chose his words. There arent just demons. The empire has conquered thousands and thousands of worlds and has left footprints everywhere. The lands they have entered are covered in nothing but burned soil and dead bodies all over the place. There are so many remnants of races. Perhaps its because these races have the bloodline of a strong race from ancient times, they often have very outstanding aspects, or you could say they have incredible strengths. So, the empire makes full use of anything it gets its hands-on, and nobody really thinks that other races are plotting against them. Because that man is so oppressive, nobody dares to create any trouble besides some of those powerful sects. They have rather high-level cultivators guarding their sects. They arent as powerful as the empire, but they dont make trouble and follow the rules, so the empire cant be bothered with them. That sounds perfect Gu Suihan let out a hearty laugh to calm his mildly excited heart. He looked intensely at You Hantian. Is everyone in agreement with my plan? It benefits you and me. We can kill three birds with one stone, and we can even pour shit all over those monks. Why wouldnt we agree? replied the others as all of them chuckled and exchanged glances. Thats what being a cultivator was like. They wouldnt go out of their way without getting tangible benefits in return, and their relationships were as fragile as paper. As long as they could reap benefits and profit from working together, even the greatest feud and hatred between them would dissolve into nothingness. In the capital city of the Upper World. Your Supremacy, theres news from the Star Divination Court. A dark shadow wearing tight-fitting clothes and a black long robe suddenly appeared in front of the man who stood at the highest point in the empire. He bowed, then presented the jade slip in his hand to the other man. Oh. The other mans voice sounded a little distracted, but the gravity, the authoritativeness, and the dominance it exuded made the subordinate perspire profusely. You may be dismissed, the other mans voice resounded once more after a few moments. This time, he sounded a little amused. After the door was shut again, an almost ethereal voice quietly echoed in the room, Someone with no heart? Howvery interesting! Authors note: 2,800 characters. I guess this barely qualifies as a large chapter (its about 200 characters more than usual). Who would have expected that things would turn out this way? Ill start to wrap up the book from these chapters onward. Im not a professional author, and Im definitely not one of the best web novelists out there. I cant just dig a hole anytime, anywhere, and fill it up again without leaving any traces behind. So, I can only conclude one arc and try to fill up the holes. Writing a book isnt like writing a composition. You guys take less than three minutes to finish reading one chapter, and you could even read a few hundred chapters in a day. But writing two or three chapters a day is really exhausting. More importantly, my memory is very poor. There are times when Ive forgotten what Ive written earlier on by the time I get to later chapters, which is probably why many authors get scolded and why the details arent consistent. Looking at this book now, Ive already hit 500,000 words Thats the end of this arc, and the next ones will be centered around the empire, the Upper World, the Qin dynasty, its emperor, etc. Also, I dont know if youve discovered yetif youre not trying to write the trendiest trope in eastern fantasy books like fighting monsters as part of the cultivation training process, winning a bunch of auctions, falling into a trap and finding treasure instead, being poisoned and forced to practice dual cultivation with some pretty lady, get back at rich young masters and insult genius etc etc etc, I simply cant squeeze extra pointless chapters out Boohoo.I want to write useless chapters toofor example, the later part of Reverend Insanity is beginning to go down this path, while Strongest Boss System is now nothing but garbage I would love to pull this off too. An incident where a character pretends to be better than he really is and gets slapped in the face, in the end, can span more than ten chapters or even 20 chaptersthinking about it makes me feel greatmost importantly, such chapters dont require any thinking. There are so many web novels nowadays, so you just need to copy a few chapters, modify them slightly, and voila! *huge sigh* One last thing. What the hell? The zhuishushenqi app (another Chinese web novel app) has more than 2,600 subscribers? Are you serious? Chapter 194 Po Solidifying and Nascent Gathering technique. Body Abandoning Deity Transformation technique. Gu Suihan smiled as he placed both jade slips on the table and looked intensely at everyone. Till we meet again! He was already standing as he said these words and stepped into the teleportation formation on the left. A bright glow filled the place, and qi shook violently. As the laws of nature turned into sparkly ripples, Gu Suihans body slowly disappeared as You Hantian and the rest watched on. They looked like someone had just died. Thats a strange way to put it, yet that was exactly what this scene looked like. Wewill meet again. You Hantian had a strange smile on his face. Would they? Nobody knew. But You Hantian had a feeling that this mysterious young man would definitely head for the capital of the empire C Xianyang! Of the three teleportation formations, the middle one was linked to one of the empires secret organizations. The left one was one he had secretly created, which led to his home. The one on the rightwas a trap. It was a trap that led straight to a crack in the void. If you want the plan to succeed, then you need to get a cultivator and prepare all the fake stuff, said the Huangquan Evil Ghost quietly as it looked at the golden glimmering jade slip in its hands. Thats not a problem. You Hantian waved his sleeve and a disciple hidden in some corner of the sect came flying from nowhere. If Gu Suihan saw this person, he would have found him familiar. That was because this disciple was actually an old acquaintance who had suddenly disappeared without a trace C Feng Ran. So, this is the Upper World, huh. Once the formation diagram around him had faded, Gu Suihan could feel the rather thick swathes of qi in the air. His lips couldnt help but curl into a faint and creepy smile. He walked out of the room he had arrived in and the guards at the door spotted him immediately. They held up their weapons and shouted, Who are you? This is You Hantians token, he allowed me to use his teleportation formation. Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by their reactions and threw a token made from purple gold and shaped in a wolf crying to the moon at them. The words You Hantian were inscribed on the front and the back featured a very eerie looking bird creature. In no time, You Hantians servants politely saw him out and even gave him some money in case he needed it. Xianyang City, 49 regions, buddhists, demons, ghosts, and philosophers all fighting C what a lively place! Gu Suihan flung a thick book into his storage ring and mumbled to himself as he looked around at the busy street that was constantly filled with people, chuckling as he continued walking This place was made from forcibly combining a few large worlds. How big was it, exactly? If you took Earth as Suihan once knew it as an example, then the entire continent of Europe would only be one tiny county among the 49 regions. Xianyang was the capital of the Qin Empire and it was said that it spanned tens of thousands of miles. Just the wall around the city was 300 meters high. Even though nobody knew for sure if this was true, this estimate probably wasnt too far from reality. This was a peaceful and developed place to lowly creatures like ordinary humans, but it was a suitable place for living to cultivators. If you wanted to become successful, you had to conquer regions outside the capital and build your own business. If you wanted to live without worries, you just had to follow the law of the land. But if you wanted to become the king over part of this land, thentoo bad, your head would roll in less than a day after you declare your intentions. Any sense of superiority that cultivators felt, or any level of cultivation and strength that might have allowed them to ignore any rules elsewhere were killed off and oppressed cruelly by someone even more powerful. That persons name wasYing Zheng. Legalism, agriculturalism, Mohism, Confucianism C the Hundred Schools of Thought fought each other. Buddhists, Taoists, ghosts, demons and devils C they were filled with turmoil and undercurrents. Cultivators in spells, or weapons, or the body, or martial arts C you name it, they had it. This was a very exciting and varied world, but it was also a cruel world. I wonder how faraway the capital city Xianyang is from here. But Ive got plenty of time. Ill check out the situation first before making any plans. After leaving You Hantians home, he paused to think for a moment. Once he had decided which direction he wanted to take, he found a place to buy a carriage, then decided to use this opportunity to pick two maids carefully. One was lively and energetic, the other was docile and quiet. The former was named Lihua, while the latterwas named Taohua. The two maids continued the same destiny that their seniors of the same name had. They respectfully served the young man who was as lazy as a wealthy wastrel and as gorgeous as the stars and moon in the sky. Young Master, we will arrive at the prefecture seat of Qingyang Commandery in three days, said Taohua quietly as she massaged the shoulders of the young man in front of her with just enough strength. Noted. Its getting dark, so find a village and well rest there for the night, said Gu Suihan distractedly as he continued reading the book in his hands. Taohuas lips twitched a little and felt like rolling her eyes as she responded obediently. She pulled the thick curtains of the carriage aside and passed on the instructions to Lihua. Gu Suihan was reading some famous persons travel logs, and it was the sort that had colored drawings included. Taohua had asked Gu Suihan why he loved reading such a random assortment of literature. It was random alright C some were famous classics, while some were accounts from wandering martial artists. Some were even tabloids. But Gu Suihan never despised any genre and was able to read each one seriously. And when Taohua asked him about it, he merely smiled back and did not explain himself. Young Master Lihuas slightly panicky voice rang in his ears before he felt a fragrant wind on his face, and everything went dark for a moment. Lihuas small and supple body had landed in his arms. Whats happened? Gu Suihans expression did not flinch as he looked at the frantic expression on the maid clutching his sleeve desperately. He used his finger to transfer a qi that exuded a gentle and warm aura to Lihuas body, which calmed her down after it had circulated inside her. Outsidetheres a dead body outsidesomeonessomeones died stuttered Lihua in a trembling and frightened voice. Oh! Well, if theyre dead, theyre dead, Gu Suihan responded flatly. Immediately after he said that, the curtain floated aside as though someone was physically drawing it back. The wildebeest pulling the carriage was whinnying a little fearfully as it kept raising its thick hooves and landing them back in the same spot again. It hesitated and refused to budge, no matter how Taohua tried to get it to move. More than ten bodies were strewn all over the road in front. A horse carriage was in shambles and there were broken pieces everywhere. It was clear that a fierce fight had just occurred here. Interesting. Gu Suihan narrowed his long, slanted eyes slightly as he called out in a frosty voice, You have three seconds. Show yourselves now. Woooo! A cold wind blew. The dense trees planted by the side of the main road looked especially scary in the slowly darkening sky. Sir, please, save me A desperate wail cried out from the trees on one side, followed by some muffled sounds, as though someone were squeezing that persons throat. Sir, so sorry about this! A gruff voice rang out next, and a muscular man with messy hair, bloodstains all over himself came running out from the trees with a large blade in hand. He bowed respectfully to Gu Suihan. A robbery case, huh? How pitiful. Gu Suihans spiritual sense instantly covered dozens of miles, so he knew even the slightest movement of the grass in the wind. It only took him an instant to figure out what happened. He flicked a finger out and his qi was like a whip made out of water as it drove away the coldness around his carriage. It also pushed aside all the debris that was blocking the road. Carry on with whatever you were doing. Gu Suihan glanced at the muscular man, then got back into his carriage and drew the curtains. Nobody was driving the carriage, but the wildebeest seemed sentient as it neighed and continued pulling the carriage forward. Standing up for the unjustly treated? Saving the damsel in distress? Gu Suihan had interest in none of these things. There were way too many injustices in the world to care about and way too many people died every day. He didnt care what happened to strangers. Boss, those two young ladies look so sweet. And looking at that young man Another man stood next to the muscular man and watched the carriage leave with great reluctance. He started wondering if they ought to attack that carriage too. But unfortunately for him, he hadnt even finished his sentence when his head suddenly exploded like a watermelon. The insides of his head spurted out and blood spewed everywhere. The muscular man and his other subordinates immediately shuddered in fear. The muscular man gulped and said in a trembling voice, Cl-clear the place up, wewed better go It was at this point when the cringiest thing in the world happened. Like a scene taken from one of those dumbass romance dramas on Earth. One of the subordinates was shaking so hard that he loosened his grip, allowing the woman who yelled for help earlier to get away. And get awayshe did. Gu Suihans carriage was still no more than 50 meters away, soit didnt take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next. The woman seemed to suddenly have superpowers, as though she had been possessed by Liu Xiang or as though she were Usain Bolt with additional speed points. She suddenly moved at an unbelievable speed, breaking free of the hooligans around her, and sprinted toward Gu Suihans carriage. As she ran, she kept yelling, Sir! Please, help me! I can offer great rewards from the family! Chapter 195 You pieces of trash! The voices of the muscular man and Gu Suihan resounded at the same time. Huh? What in the All the hooligans looked completely confused. It made sense that their boss was scolding them, but why was that young man from before scolding them too? Before they could wrap their heads around the situation, the two men spoke in unison again, You cant even watch a woman. How the hell do you expect to commit robbery like that? What the hell is going on? This time, even the muscular man was confused. Are you guys professional robbers? Gu Suihan drew back the curtains and walked out with this sarcastic remark. Sir, please help me! You will be handsomely rewarded! The woman cried miserably as she fell before Gu Suihan and kowtowed continuously, disregarding the bloodstains on her body. Her chiffony dress had been badly torn in the scuffle, revealing bright patches of fair skin. She was on the verge of being indecently exposed, and her slim figure kept enticing the robbers behind her. Look, Sir, our boss is the most One of the hooligans had just opened his mouth to speak, but before he could finish the rest of his threat, his head also exploded like a watermelon before his body limply convulsed and collapsed onto the ground. Tell me, what sort of reward would I get? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow as though he were interested. Sir, I will need you to rescue my Young Master first. ImIm only a maid, pleaded the woman anxiously after she realized that Gu Suihan might be willing to help. Your Young Master? Gu Suihans lips twitched, and he looked at the robbers oddly. You guys have verystrong tastes, I see. There was no need to put it plainly. The icy look in Gu Suihans eyes made them shudder in fear, but they quickly realized what he was driving at and became angry. Sir, I think you are mistaken. We The muscular man tried to explain himself, only to be interrupted by a different loud, mocking voice. Several figures suddenly appeared in the air as though they were fairies descending upon the world. A woman in a green robe carrying an elegant long sword among them had an icy and fierce voice as she sneered at Gu Suihan, What a heartless person you are! You ought to help those who are suffering in the first place, yet you demand a reward for doing so? Humph! Gu Suihans gaze paused as he scanned the small jade token on her belt. His expression slowly hardened and his completely indifferent gaze was like a bottomless whirlpool that exuded a nonchalance that could make ones heart tremble in fear. Theyre from the Dao Origin Sect? Their sect leader is at Peak Origin Core and oversees a thousand mile area nearby. The young cultivators couldnt help but feel their hearts tremble when they saw how Gu Suihan was staring at them so frighteningly. The young ladys face was pale, but she gritted her teeth and stopped talking. Instead, she slapped a palm against her belt, and her sword rang brightly, its blade gleaming like lightning. She quickly aimed it at a spot further back. She wasnt stupid. Based on Gu Suihans reaction and tone of voice, it was clear that this young man wasnt someone she could really afford to offend. She drew her sword because she wanted to help the woman pleading with Gu Suihan, and not because she wanted to attack Gu Suihan. Cul-cultivators!! From the Dao Origin Sect The robbers were already so terrified that they were trembling on the spot and stared in horror at the shiny blade coming their way. Did I say you could do that? Gu Suihans voice suddenly rang out like the voice of heaven. Without any warning, the sword was like a bolt of lightning that had become drunk as it swayed nonstop in mid-air. Shortly after, the young lady let out a scream, and the sword turned into nothing but ash. Since youre all here, then its a good time to prove your usefulness, Gu Suihans calm voice resounded once more. The Dao Origin Sect disciples instantly felt the qi around them transform into an invisible cage, chaining them to where they were. After that, the trees and plants around them turned into swords, the sound of their blades humming filling the air. The plants whooshed through the air to cut off their arms and legs, then pierced their dantian to shatter the spiritual meridians and spiritual roots inside their bodies even as they screamed and shrieked in pain. There was no way they could recover after that. Swoosh! He flicked a finger and a grayish black qi shot out like a snake, wriggling into the head of the young lady who had shouted at Gu Suihan earlier. As she cried out miserably, a graying mist was drawn out from her head. He proceeded to swallow all of their souls, then slowly turned and looked down at the robbers who were practically paralyzed as they lay shuddering on the ground. Bring the young master this woman is referring to here. Y-yes, sir The muscular man was overjoyed when he could see that Gu Suihan didnt intend to kill him. He ran with all his might into the forest as though he had just survived a great ordeal. In no time, he carried a young man tied up like a piece of ham waiting to be roasted in the oven out from the trees and put him carefully in front of Gu Suihan. Then, he suddenly fell to his knees and started crying and pleading, Esteemed sir, please spare my life! I didnt have a choice either! I have 80 Move aside. Stand over there and wait. Gu Suihan waved his hand impatiently, then used his qi to carry the muscular man back to where he was earlier before he could even respond. Whatreward would I get? Gu Suihan bent his head once more and stared at the trembling woman with his darkened gaze that exuded nonchalance. He flicked his finger and caused a bloody wound in the unconscious young mans body. Young Master! Young Master! The woman scrambled over to the young man instantly when she heard him let out a cry of pain, as though she had been struck by lightning. She quickly untied the young man, held him in her embrace and whispered something to him. Thank you, esteemed sir. I, Li Yu, is forever grateful to you. A few moments later, the young man broke free of the womans embrace and forced himself to his feet. He bowed and said, I hail from an influential scholarly family. The clan is declining by the day, but we still have some resources to survive on. If you want spiritual treasures and the like, Im afraid that while I would love to give you these, I really dont have any. Please deal with me in any way you wish. Oh? Gu Suihans gaze shifted. This young man looked rather calm on the outside, but he was about to die from nervousness inside. His calm demeanor was slowly beginning to fall apart the longer Gu Suihan remained silent, but he was holding up pretty well still. An influential scholarly family, huh Gu Suihan muttered these words to himself. After pausing to think, he waved an arm to cause the tree trunks around him to rise into the air. His internal energy was like an ax as it swiftly chopped the wood and joined them to form a large box that resembled a coffin. He used his chin to motion to the young man and the woman to get in. After they got in, he casually scanned the area behind him. In that instant, the earth shook. The laws of nature gathered and the ground became a giant mouth that was ready to swallow anything in the way. The robbers screamed and pleaded as the ground swallowed them along with everything else, erasing any traces of what happened earlier. Once one end of the rope used to tie the young man was tied to the back of Gu Suihans carriage and the other end used to hold the young man in place inside the makeshift coffin, Lihua gave the command and the carriage continued on its way. All of this had come to him without any effort. As Gu Suihan thought about the situation this way, he slowly withdrew the hand he used to hold up the curtain and also stopped looking so deep in thought as his lips curled into an evil smile. He had just been trying to think of a good way to understand the history and networks of the Upper World. He didnt expect someone to come knocking on his door almost immediately after he had been thinking about it. That saved him a lot of work. The great Qin empire has been around 7,600 years. Its been around for less than 10,000 years, yet it has the power to conquer other lands and could even shift the laws of nature around spacetime to forcibly merge a few large worlds together. Im becoming more and more convincedthat legend wasnt made up! He shut his eyes and leaned back in the carriage as he slowly digested the memories of the Dao Origin Sect disciples he had swallowed earlier. Without him realizing, his lips had curled into a cruel smile that could really terrify another person. Wheredid this person appear from? About 15 minutes after Gu Suihan had left, a goblin-like old fellow with sweat pouring down his back shot out from behind some rocks. His face was pale as he collapsed on the ground and panted heavily. He stared at the faint traces on the ground and felt a bitterness in his mouth. He was very certain that Gu Suihan had discovered his presence a long time ago, but did not expose him. Was it because Gu Suihan didnt think he was worth any effort, or was it because Gu Suihan had some other concerns? It couldnt be either of these. The old goblin instantly dispelled these ridiculous possibilities. After eliminating everything else, only one possibility remained. He leaned against his walking stick with a bitter look in his eyes. Youwant me to tell the Dao Origin Sect what happened. You want to warn themis that right? This wont do. I have to quickly report what happened to everyone else and make sure none of them ever offend this cultivator, thought the old goblin to himself. He couldnt help but let out a long sigh when he thought about how he was so scared just now, he didnt even dare to move an inch. Theres something even more terrifying inside that carriage. If we offend that thing, this entire region could turn into a ghost town overnight. This personhis person and bodyhas the heart of a demon! The old goblin stroked his white beard, a deep sadness on his wrinkly and genial face. Chapter 196 Young Master, why dont you let them take the carriage? Even if you make them sit on the beams, that would be better than what theyre sitting in right now. Taohua had a sweet personality, so when she saw how the young man seemed to be in such pain as he clutched his wound, she couldnt help but feel sympathetic toward him. So, after thinking about it for a while, she rested in Gu Suihans embrace and decided to persuade him in a gentle voice. Unfortunately for her, Gu Suihan merely smiled indifferently, and a nonchalance as unfeeling as a frozen lake flashed in his eyes. He seemed to be answering her, but also sounded like he was talking to himself. Mere ants must be aware that they are mere ants. There are some lines that cannot be crossed, and there are some rules that cannot be broken. His voice was flat, empty, and void of any feeling, making Taohuas face pale involuntarily. She knew that Gu Suihan was warning her. He was warning her to know her place and never question the decisions of her master. This young man looked like he had walked right out of a painting, but his thoughts were as unfathomable as the bottom of a bottomless abyss. It was impossible to guess or grasp what he was thinking about. Taohua looked at Gu Suihans perfect and flawless face, then buried the strange emotions she had earlier deep in her heart. She was a princess, actually. She had been the princess of a nation from one of the small worlds conquered by the empire. Ever since she was born, she had been given the best food and the best clothing, she never needed to lift a finger, and she hardly even left the palace. But one day, a powerful army suddenly appeared and destroyed everything in the way as though they were all made from bamboo. It only took the army three days to completely annihilate the country. She became a prisoner of war and was eventually sold to the slave market. Perhaps it was because she was frail yet carried a tinge of elegance, so the slave trader decided to train her to become a maid instead. Those days were like hell to her, but after Gu Suihan bought her, her life changed completely, which made her feel like she had been transported to a different world. The liveliness and kindness she had buried deep inside her were slowly coming out again. That was why she tried to plead on behalf of the young man suffering outside the carriage. But Gu Suihans words cast a shadow on her heart once again. Thats right C she was still a slave in the end. She wasnt the princess she used to be. She was lucky even to be alive. She didnt have any extra kindness left to give away. Moreover, this young man, the young man who bought her, was one of those cultivators she had heard about. A person who could change the world by just breathing or make the sky collapse with a thought. Someone with supernatural powers. As a princess in the past, she had some understanding of such people with incredible powers. Anybody who could go down this path became successful and well-loved by all. But more than that, their temperamental and unpredictable moods were something that terrified the common people. Gu Suihan looked at the distracted Taohua in his arms and smiled faintly. In that moment, it was as though the ice in him had melted into water. He looked kind and warm, and the gaze that had nearly frozen Taohua over was gone as well. Are you very scared? Taohua instinctively shook her head a little frantically, but when she looked straight at Gu Suihans discerning stare that seemed to be able to read her mind, she began to panic and nodded vigorously. Actually, what you need to do is simple. Just dont question my orders. Gu Suihan smiled and pulled her into his arms before slowly picking up a book that he was reading halfway. He mused, Perhaps, I could help you two to get into cultivation and live for a thousand years. Ooh Taohuas eyes flew open as she looked at Gu Suihan in shock. Having a good spiritual root is like having an entrance ticket to cultivation. You might not have one, but you can always take one from someone else, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he added this comment, as though he could tell what Taohua and Lihuas concerns were. After that, he went back to reading. He wasnt kidding. For him, catching hold of a cultivator, pulling that cultivators spiritual root out, and putting it into another persons body was a piece of cake to him. Even though it was inevitable that this robbed spiritual root would lose a little of its quality along the way, this was almost a miracle to ordinary people who didnt even stand a chance to cultivate previously. Taohua, this book says that the empire comprises 49 regions, each region has 100 commanderies, each commandery has 100 prefecture seats, and each prefecture seat has 100 government offices. Is that true? asked Gu Suihan suddenly as he pointed to a passage in the book. Its true. The area were in right now is within a place named Fengyang Commandery. Taohua snapped out of her daze when she heard Gu Suihans voice and quickly started explaining, It is said that each city with a government office usually has cultivators at Origin Core to guard them, while the prefecture seat city has cultivators at Nascent Change. Commanderies have Divine Soul cultivators. I dont know whats the rule for anything higher than that. Thatsvery easy to understand, murmured Gu Suihan to himself as he narrowed his eyes and heightened his guard. The cultivators in this place were a million times more formidable than those in the Lower World who had run away and lived like rats in a sewer. As for the empires seemingly overly simplistic way of organizing the land, Gu Suihan could somewhat understand the logic behind it. Ying Zheng was a leader who had built the Qin Empire all by himself. He was a king who had massacred millions and had power over the entire world. He was an overlord himself. His incredible power and strength as well as his willingness to kill to get what he wanted was something that could quash any rats hiding in the darkness. In the world of cultivators, fighting and conquering wasnt a war over food or time, and definitely wasnt about money. It was about resources. Inestimable resources. Cultivators could go for months without food and water and had plenty of spells, techniques and weapons that could defeat ordinary people easily. Even cultivators at Foundation Establishment could live a few hundred years without any problem, so time wasnt a factor here. What did cultivators really want? Strength? Freedom? Longevity? Regardless of what it was, the most basic thing was to have their own strength. As long as their fists were strong enough, nothing was a problem. The Qin Empire was a place that gave them a way to plunder resources. With a huge mountain like Ying Zheng weighing down on everyone else, they could go ahead and rob, kill and steal from the enemy all they wanted. As for who their enemy was, that depended on who the empire wanted to fight. So, as long as the empire had Ying Zheng, nobody dared to make any trouble. It was clear that all the social status and etiquette that ordinary people placed so much importance on was actually just bullshit. The size of your fist determined how successful you were and how many special privileges you would get. That was an unchanging truth that held true since the beginning of time. Huhai, Fusu, Lv Buwei, Li Si, Bai Qi, Wang Jian (these are all real people who lived during the Qin Dynasty, Huhai and Fusu being the royal names of two of Ying Zhengs sons C you guys can read everything on Wikipedia), murmured Gu Suihan to himself. His thoughts were everywhere as he muttered, Whatin the world did all of you do back then? Why did you do that? Whatwhat did you know? In his daze, the scene that had been hidden deep inside his mind replayed itself once more. That domineering and audacious middle-aged man stood beneath the skies with a crazed expression on his face as he held a seal in his hands and a sword at his waist. He seemed to know a powerful technique used by the Monkey God in Journey to the West, so his head was in the clouds, his back was like an army too vast to see the end of, and huge cities beneath his feet that resembled hibernating beasts. Across from him was a darkened, deep set gigantic eye that was gigantic, half covered by clouds and made from a moving whirlpool that was the gathering of the laws of nature. Its gaze contained a fury, indifference and aggression as it glared fiercely at everything before it. Thiswill be the last time! Gu Suihan mumbled to himself. He seemed to have understood this message from the gaze of the giant eye. In that instant, he seemed to have understood something. He slowly closed his eyes to hide the bright glint in them. After that, qi dissipated, the ground collapsed, cultivators died and demons disintegrated. Legacies were cut of and history became legend. Specialists in various aspects, qi refiners, cultivators C everything was carefully buried and sealed up. By deduction, before this time, there was one more time, or even more than once. And during one of them, immortals disappeared. Heaven did not reappear either. Gu Suihan rapped his knuckles gently against the windowsill and continued thinking. Was itthe Investiture of the Gods? Or Journey to the West? Perhaps I should be able to find out more from the corpse of the immortal that the empire got their hands on. After making a decision, Gu Suihan slowly stopped his thoughts from running on and on. He exhaled quietly, took the water that Taohua offered him and downed it in one go. This worldhas a lot of people with extremely strong bodies. Is it because they dont lack the resources? So theyve all gone to become cultivators in the physical body? asked Gu Suihan as he smacked his lips. ThatI dont know about that, but I heard that many people go through a process to beat and quench their joints and bones from a young age said Taohua quickly after initially being unsure. I see. Of course, Gu Suihan knew why these people were beating and quenching themselves. The first step to cultivation was to hit Perfect Physical Realm. Both the inside and outside of the body had to be a mixture of elements without fail. But this wasnt the answer he was looking for. Then again, Taohua was only a slave and wasnt even from this world. It was only normal that she wouldnt have answers for him. And so, he didnt make things difficult for her. He turned his gaze to the map in his hands and stared at the city of Fengyang Commandery. Chapter 197 Young Master, Young Master! The fellow at the back looks like he might not make it, said Lihua after she looked back and noticed that the young mans face was unnaturally pale as he lay in the womans arms. His wound had turned blackish in color, and the bloodstains on his clothing were terrifying. Ah. Give him this pill, then. As long as hes just barely staying alive C its no use if he actually gets well. Gu Suihan threw a pill to Lihua, then went back to reading. Gururu Gu Suihan looked up again to see a red-faced Taohua clutching her stomach. She was so embarrassed that even her ears were pinkish. I forgot you two were merely ordinary humans. He chuckled, then spread his spiritual sense far and wide. It rattled several wild rabbits and chickens to death and brought them back to the carriage. He waved a hand and said, The things are out there. Help yourselves. Yes, Young Master! Taohua bowed, then ran out of the carriage like a frightened little sparrow. Sir, thank you for the pill. A short while later, the young man hobbled over with the womans help and bowed in front of the carriage. Its no problem. Gu Suihans voice was like icy spring water, cold and terribly distant. Taohuas gentle voice called out, Young Master, come and have some too. Alright then. Gu Suihan finally put his book down reluctantly after some time. They sat around the fire together. Gu Suihan did not say anything, and everyone else just looked at each other without speaking. The atmosphere became really awkward. Show yourself! There was a glint in Gu Suihans eyes as he suddenly cast a spell, and it landed on the rocks about 50 meters away. OOF! Flames appeared, and broken rocks rolled everywhere as the giant rock measuring a few meters in height disintegrated. There was a loud yelp, then an old goblin-like person who was only a few feet tall came stumbling out on his walking stick. Youre a rather bold one, arent you? Gu Suihan snorted as his lips curled into a frosty smile. Sir, please forgive me! I am the Mountain god of this place, and I had a duty to fulfill! I hope you understand, said the goblin humbly with a respectful bow. Mountain god? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow and said thoughtfully, River god, soil god, kitchen god, door god, city god Youre under the jurisdiction of the city god of Fengyang Commandery? That is correct, said the goblin with a sad laugh. He put a palm against his other fist politely and said, I didnt have a choice. After all I understand. Actually, as long as theyve got brains, I wouldnt smite them for no reason, said Gu Suihan nonchalantly with a wave of his hand. Earlier on, you just hid, and I didnt bother you for it. Why are you here this time? He didnt think this mountain god was following him around to fulfill some mission or because he was being dutiful. If Gu Suihan and those Dao Origin disciples hadnt suddenly appeared at that time, this fellow would probably have done a good deed and deliberately made sure everyone knew he did it. Gods, at the end of the day, were really the same as ghosts. It was just that the living worshiped the former, so they were able to attain godship and took a position of a revered being. At the same time, the latter was a spirit that refused to go through reincarnation because they were obsessed with something from before their death. At the heart of the matter, they were the same sort of thing. It wasnt like how those crappy legends described them. All that talk about how gods watched over the world, blessed the people, and brought happiness to all living things was all just boastful talk. If not for the fact that these sentient but lowly human beings were able to feed them with their faith and strengthen their godly powers, they wouldnt care about these stupid humans. The mountain god stroked his gray beard and said very sincerely, There is a temple not too far from here. Its name is Gu Suihans lips twitched as he had a bad feeling about this. Lanruo Temple? Theres a tree spirit named the Black Mountain Old Demon? And he has a subordinate female ghost named Xiaoqian? Er The mountain god paused in confusion, then went on, That temple is called the Temple of the Rain God, but eventually, nobody came to worship this god anymore, and the temple is now in ruins. Later on, a supernatural creature took over the temple, and it has been using the name of the rain god to harm living creatures. After that You want me to go slay a demon? Gu Suihan looked amused as he stared at the mountain god, then pointed at himself. Do I look like a good guy to you? The mountain gods face instantly froze at these words. The handsome, feminine young man in front of him was in a long expensive robe and large black cloak over it. The pattern on it was strange and was weaved all over the cloak, making Gu Suihans indifferent expression look exceptionally fair. A barely visible iciness kept floating around him and the entire forest around them was silent. Not a single living thing dared to make any noise. Well, that The mountain god was fearful as he looked at Gu Suihan, but when he thought about the big matter he wanted out of the young man, he shut his eyes, gritted his teeth and endured the iciness as he said in a trembling voice, Sir, it only takes me one look to know that you help others as commonly as one finds water and fire! You are a merciful good man who takes pity on all living creatures! If you werent, you wouldnt have saved that young man and the woman with him. A good man? Taohua and Lihua couldnt help but laugh secretly to themselves. They were trying so hard to hold it in that they had to hold onto each other. They had witnessed how their young master had turned those Dao Origin Sect disciples into limbless creatures and sucked their souls out before they could even open their mouths. Despite having done that, he was now being described as a good man. Either the heavens were blind, or this mountain god had really thick skin. Well, if that demonic beast didnt have some ancient creatures bloodline, we wouldnt be so defenseless against it either, mumbled the mountain god with a long sigh after he saw that Gu Suihan remained completely unmoved. He turned to leave with heavy footsteps. Stop right there. Gu Suihan pulled the mountain god back in an instant and stared at him with a burning gaze in his eyes. You said that demonic beast has an ancient creatures blood in it? What sort of ancient creature? The Demonic Race had a very complex hierarchy of creatures and only nine types were right at the top. They were tigers, tortoises, snakes, rocs, bears, macaques, luans, bulls and elephants. Thats right C the Demonic Race didnt include dragons. The dragons we know now werent some incredibly formidable creature in ancient times. Even the Eight Legions that were described as a heavenly dragon had to rely on those buddhist monks to keep going. Rocs actually ate dragons. Why did ordinary people think dragons were fucking awesome? It was just a case of broken telephone. Just like what happened when the Buddhists first came to spread their beliefs. Their scriptures said that the Land of Bliss would be full of gold, silver, jade, lapis lazuli and even a lake of meritorious acts with eight treasures in it. But whats the use of all that? You were supposed to have reached a point where everything is nothing. You were supposed to have no emotions, no desires, no greed, no complaints, no obsessions, no hatred. Thats how you became a bodhisattva. So, why would you need all that gold, silver and jade? And did you think youd get a chance to use that meritorious act lake? Thered be countless buddhas and arhats lined up in front of you. Itd never get to you. On the contrary, these nine bloodlines of the Demonic Race are incredibly formidable demons. For example, there was the Elephant Swallowing Great Snake, the Wind Footed White Tiger, the Golden Winged Giant Roc and more. These incredible creatures truly existed. Its got tiger blood in it. The bloodline of a Wind Footed White Tiger from ancient times replied the mountain god in a trembling voice. He had been shocked by Gu Suihans sudden reaction. That wasnt too difficult. I hope you did inherit something from your ancestors. Gu Suihan pursed his lips and terrifying fiendish qi spread across his face. All of you, wait here. Ill be right back. Gu Suihans storage ring flickered and dozens of talismans flew out, sticking themselves onto the carriage like raindrops. The glowing runes on them gave off an eerie blood red color in the night. He raised an arm and everything around them fell silent. A tremendous amount of fiendish qi suddenly exploded from inside the carriage and the sound of metal clanging resounded loudly. There was a bright flash and a strange sword suddenly landed in front of Gu Suihan. When the mountain god had a closer look at the sword and recalled the way Gu Suihan had made it happen, he sucked in a mouthful of air and shuddered. Lets go. Gu Suihan hooked the sword to his belt, then pointed at Taohua and the rest. His qi was like a rope that gathered all of them and threw them into the carriage before they even knew what was going on. He turned back to stare at the mountain god with a darkened but somewhat crazed look in his eyes. Alright. The mountain god immediately made a hand seal and he quickly started sliding across the ground, as though it was made from water. I hope you wont disappoint me. Gu Suihan took a deep breath, then walked like he was flying. He was like an apparition as he silently floated into the air and followed behind the mountain god. While he was gone, the pale faced young man inside the carriage asked Lihua curiously, Miss, do you know what level of cultivation your young master it at? No idea. He has never mentioned it before. Lihua was a lively and chatty girl, but she wasnt stupid. She immediately began to look at the young man warily instead. Miss, please do not misunderstand, Im only asking because Im curious. Im just curious! the young man quickly explained himself when he instantly realized that the two maids had become wary of him. Dont ask what youre not supposed to ask. It could very well turn into your downfall, Taohua warned him as she stared indifferently at him. Yes, yes. The young man clasped his hands together apologetically and bowed his head. His messy hair cascaded down and covered his flickering, uncertain gaze. This is based on a 1987 movie A Chinese Ghost Story thats also based on one story in a collection of stories, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio published in 1766. The story features Xiaoqian, a female ghost who lives in an umbrella and falls in love with a living human, while the movie added the Black Mountain Old Demon as an antagonist of sorts. Here is the tls fav from the movie starring both the Black Mountain Old Demon and Xiaoqian. Chapter 198 Thoughts ran through the young mans mind as he kept his head bowed inside the carriage. Gu Suihan was either really powerful enough to completely incapacitate his enemies earlier by himself, or he had some extremely powerful backers. Either way, it was sufficient to help him with the fact that he hadnt been able to carry out his duties this time. Even if Gu Suihan just said one word, that would be helpful. ButGu Suihans personality was very aloof and unfeeling, so he would never do anything for you if he did not stand to benefit from it. After thinking about it more, the young man seemed to have come to a decision. He bit his lips, and there was a determined fierceness in his eyes. Since that was the case, he was going to force Gu Suihan into taking sides! But when he remembered how Gu Suihan could exude a murderous qi that seemed capable of vaporizing everything, his expression fell again. So what if his scheme worked out? Based on Gu Suihans personality, it was going to take more than words to convince him against taking revenge. Forget it. So what if they die? As long as I stay alive, then the rest of you will have to suffer. Thatdoesnt matter. A vicious look slowly appeared on the young mans tense face. Were here. The mountain god stopped and looked at the rundown, sinister-looking temple ahead. Gu Suihan came closer, then flicked a finger at the mountain god. His internal energies were like talismans as the air around the mountain god turned into several chains that tied the old fellow up. Even the elements and the laws of nature quickly turned into a cage. To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, you shall wait here. Gu Suihan glanced nonchalantly at the mountain god. The mountain god sighed and watched on as Gu Suihan walked toward the rundown temple that was filled with the sinister aura of fiendish qi. Whos there? It was as though he had stepped on a line that would set an alarm off. The moment he came too close, the broken main door of the temple suddenly exploded. A nasty and evil wind blew out violently from inside with a mighty roar that made all the trees and plants around it shake noisily. Very good. Youre sentient, and youve refined your bones enough to speak like humans. I hope youve gotten some of the glorious traits from your ancestors, said Gu Suihan with a frosty smile. He stopped in his footsteps and made all the sounds around him shut up instantly. He flew into the sky and covered 300 meters in just one breath. The sound of metal against metal rang through the clouds as his blade brushed against its sheath. The clouds above scattered, and the plants below died on the spot. Blackish-red fiendish qi surged out like water as his sword flew out of its sheath. There was a slightly panicky noise coming from inside the temple as the glow of his qi spread across a few hundred meters and came crashing down as though the milky way had descended on the Earth. I have no feud with you! Why do you attack me with a sword like this? A loud roar was followed by the creaking of the temple as it could not hold up against the attack and collapsed loudly into a pile of rubble. As the wind blew wildly, a giant tiger appeared from nowhere. It made a leap and moved its lower half slightly, dodging Gu Suihans mighty swing of the sword by less than an inch. Youhave something that I want! Gu Suihan licked his lips and pushed himself further into the air. His blade trembled slightly and made a terrifying humming noise as he drew illusion after illusion which surrounded the giant tiger in an instant. Which one is the real one? That one? Or that one? Or are they all illusions? The demonic beast widened its eyes and stared intently at the dozens of illusions that looked unbelievably realistic. It solemnly lay on the ground with an arched back and let out several low growls. You have the blood of a Wind Controlling White Tiger, so hurry up and use the traits youve inherited from them Gu Suihan turned and immediately appeared behind the demonic beast. He swung his blade down like it was a rain of falling stars. His low and unfeeling voice sounded like it was ready to take someones life without batting an eye. It made the beasts fur all stand on end. It couldnt help but widen its eyes further and open its huge mouth to let out an ear-deafening roar. The mountain god whom Gu Suihan had chained down not too far away from the tiger paled instantly. He broke free of his shackles within a second and stumbled backward. His mouth gaped, and he sprayed a mouthful of blood out before collapsing weakly onto the ground. Not bad, youve still got it. Gu Suihans blade brushed past the demonic beast, taking some blackened blood with it. Some grayish white furs were also minced by the saw shaped blade. The demonic beast trembled as its instinct told it that it didnt have the power to defend itself. It would just have to do its best. Its many years of experience were enough for it to know that this young man didnt intend to kill it at all. He was simply cheekily pushing its potential. Step on the Wind A mighty roar shot through the clouds and one could see the ripple of soundwaves in the air. All the trees, grass, ceramics, rubble and rock were instantly pulverized. At the same time, the beast suddenly leaped up and moved like the wind. Its inch long claws shone brightly as they exuded a frightening amount of fiendish qi. Theres still more. This isnt enough. Gu Suihans eyes shone as he stared more and more intensely at the demonic beast. He turned his blade and used the back as a club, crashing it down fiercely on the beasts head. The sound of bones cracking sounded like the crisp noise of firecrackers. Its head sank in by a good two inches. Blood splattered everywhere and stained its grayish white fur. You still have more. You still have a trump card or two Gu Suihans lips curled into a smile that struck terror in the beasts heart. Turning the Wind to Fiendish Qi, and Murderous Qi to Knives! This was what it concluded after years of killing, the essence of what it learned and the thing it was most proud of. It could turn the laws of wind into a wind that could freeze the sky and transform the laws of massacring into swords. Not bad! Its time for you to reunite with your ancestors! Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and dragged his blade as he ran. In that instant, he became like an apparition as he suddenly disappeared without a trace. Where did he go? The giant tiger felt a little dizzy before feeling an excruciating pain that seemed to cut through its very bones. After that, all it saw was blood and its enormous body convulsing on the ground. Its blood flowed like a river out of its body without any signs of stopping, creating a bright red pool of blood on the ground. Before it could figure out what just happened, it suddenly felt like something very strong was pulling at it, and that force was coming from the young mans hand as he stood on top of its body. It only took it a second to realize why this fellow had done things this way. Youyoure trying to suck my soul out and take away what I have inherited from the Demonic Race bloodline! Im not going to let you do that! ROAAAR!! The giant tigers eyes were bloodshot as it roared furiously. If that wasnt the case, I wouldnt have put in so much effort to make sure you put in the same effort, said Gu Suihan with a snort. A frightening beam of light shot out from his eyes as he instantly shattered the bleeding tigers head that had been roaring just moments ago. He hooked a finger and made a whitish ball of light land in his palm. If he hadnt forced this tiger to use a secret technique from its Demonic Race bloodline, which caused its soul and bloodline to merge temporarily, he wouldnt have had the chance to get hold of the legacy imprinted in the bloodline of the Demonic Race. That would have disappeared with the death of the beast. Dont disappoint me, murmured Gu Suihan as he kept that ball of light. He then threw a bottle of pills to the mountain god, stared at the mountain god intently for a moment, then chuckled and left. Of course, he didnt leave the tigers skin behind. He peeled it off the tigers body and kept it for himself. This beast had refined its bones and merged its blood and soul after all, so it was equivalent to an Origin Core cultivator. Its skin and fur were definitely no ordinary items in that case. GULP! A long while later, the mountain god finally snapped out of his daze. He stared at the mess of flesh and blood on the ground and couldnt help but shudder. Some time later, he finally let out a sad laugh. He really doesnt miss anything out. Did he leave this body behind as payment to keep my mouth shut? The mountain god sighed heavily. Li Yu, the young man whom Gu Suihan had saved, and the woman who had pleaded on his behalf ended up being able to remain inside the carriage instead of being dragged along outside. It wasnt that Gu Suihan had been convinced to help them, but because he didnt want to attract unnecessary attention. Getting to a good place to rest and check out the tiger demons blood soul was his top priority. He thrust a hand seal out. A faint, misty glow appeared around the carriage. As the runes hummed loudly, the animal pulling the carriage seemed to have grown wings as it began to run on the clouds. In an instant, they were 300 meters above the ground. They travelled like the wind, causing sparks as they quickly disappeared into the sky. Gu Suihan was pushing the carriage to its maximum, so its speed was way faster than what it would have been capable of on land. His vast spiritual sense was controlling every tiny part of the carriage, so it was travelling like a shooting star, covering thousands of miles within seconds. Were almost there, murmured Gu Suihan as he glanced at the map, as if he were speaking to himself. Li Yus expression shifted when he heard these words and his body trembled very slightly. He seemed to be struggling to make a decision of sorts. Several moments later, he finally gritted his teeth and tensed his facial muscles to force himself to calm down. The hesitant look in his bloodshot eyes covered by his messy hair was slowly replaced by a determined and resolved one. Li Yu suddenly pulled the womans hand away from him and fell to his knees inside the carriage with a loud thud. Tears streamed down his face as he said in a choked voice, Sir, please save me! Well see. Gu Suihan glanced playfully at him, then blinked. Li Yu wasnt able to speak anymore after that. He didnt want to get his hands dirty for nothing. As long as Li Yu gave him what he promised, he didnt care if he lived or died. Chapter 199 Li Yus indignation was like river waters trapped behind a dam, repeatedly ramming against the blockage just outside his mouth. He tried his best to speak, but unfortunately, he was merely an ordinary man. Even after his face had turned completely red and sweat was pouring down his face, he still wasnt able to utter a single sound. Where do you stay? Gu Suihan finally broke his silence, but the person he was asking was instead the terribly antsy woman with Li Yu. West of the city, the Li manor! The woman was feeling more and more uneasy. She knew well what her young masters status within this manor was. The promise she made earlier was merely a desperate attempt to avoid death. She dared not say it out loud, and she dared not even allow herself to look worried. Everything she witnessed along the way helped her to see that this young man, who seemed as lazy as a rich mans son, had absolutely no regard whatsoever for human life. The carriage slowly landed back on the proper road and continued on its way. The wildebeest seemed used to flying already and actually started braying in protest when it landed before finally giving up and pulling the heavy carriage along with its head bowed in dismay. Dwarves, barbarians, and rockmen. Gu Suihan leaned against Taohua and pulled the curtains back leisurely to look at the busy street outside as he commented, There are actually demons too. What an eye-opening experience. Besides humans, there were three to four-meter-tall rockmen covered entirely in rocks, barbarians with bulky muscles and aggressive expressions on their faces, and even some strange-looking demons and other mythical creatures. It was too bad. This place wasnt Earth, so there werent any idiots yelling stupid things like, those of a different race definitely harbor ill intentions against me. There were no experts insisting on dumbass theories like humans were intelligent beings at the top of the food chain. Anybody who said that must have become some creatures poop by now. Here, everyone was equal. Any sense of superiority that any race had been torn to shreds by the Qin Empire a long time ago. If you wanted to live, then you had to listen to what the empire said and follow its laws. Of course, if you insisted on trying to challenge the empire, you could legend has it that there were dozens of statues made from the bones of the races the empire annihilated right outside the entrance to the capital city. Making one more wouldnt hurt. Oho! This is definitely not something human strength can accomplish! Gu Suihan walked out of the carriage and looked up at the city wall that was a hundred meters tall, majestic, and well-fortified. It gave off an oppressive murderous aura, and the two sides he could see spanned thousands of meters. It looked like a giant dam. The sheer size was enough to make someone feel pressured. After taking a quick look around, he murmured, This is merely a commandery, yet it is already this magnificent. What about the capital city of Xianyang? I cant wait to see what it looks like He spread his spiritual sense over a vast area for a split second, and that was enough for him to sense the formidable auras within the city. He withdrew his spiritual sense without hesitation, and his gaze darkened. Only thenwill I be able to catch a haul! As he stopped to think, a faint smile slowly spread across his face. The carriage slowly approached the city gates, and Gu Suihans pupils constricted immediately after looking at the guards outside the gates. Even the low-ranked guards at this station were already at a stage where they could absorb qi into their bodies. How many? asked the guard keeping records without even raising his head. Five, said Taohua in a sweet and gentle voice. Purpose of visit? To do business. Any cultivators among you? My young master is one. Her sweet voice made the guard raise his head, but when he saw her expensive clothing, he lowered his gaze warily and smiled deferentially at her as he passed her a small booklet and said in a warning voice, Miss, this book contains all the laws of Fengyang. Make sure you dont break any of them. Thank you, Sir! Taohua smiled gratefully, bowed politely, then returned to the carriage. Phew! The guard finally breathed a sigh of relief after the carriage had entered the city. He mumbled to himself, What the hell is going on? Why do these cultivators keep coming to Fengyang of late? Is there some new secret realm in there or something? After they entered the city, Gu Suihan got the woman to drive the carriage. She knew the way, so getting her to drive them would save them a lot of trouble. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan looked through the little booklet in a leisurely manner. The sly look in his eyes intensified as he flipped through it. Were here? Gu Suihan called out when he felt the carriage come to a stop. Y-Yes The woman looked timidly at Gu Suihan with a pleading look on her face. Its time for you to give me the reward youve promised, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. He undid the invisible shackles around Li Yu and sent the young man out of the carriage with the flick of a finger. The curtain fell back over the window as his frosty voice said, You have 15 minutes. Li Yu had a bitter expression as he stood at the entrance to his own home, while the woman behind him had a worried look in her eyes. Its a disaster I cant avoid. Li Yu pulled himself together and quietly encouraged himself as he thought, Its better that he isnt going inside with me. That will make it easier to get things done. My my! Isnt it the Third Young Master? One of the guards at the entrance took a few steps forward and realized who it was. His expression shifted slightly, and his tone of voice was sarcastic as he said, Didnt you storm out after refusing to get married? Why are you back again? Another guard had a slightly disdainful look on his face as he said, Back then, you made such valiant promises. Have you forgotten? Youre not a young master of the Li family anymore. You were chased out three years ago. Hoho! Theres some drama, eh? said Gu Suihan with a tinge of schadenfreude. He could hear everything perfectly well from inside the carriage. Young Master, it seems like this young man isnt welcome in his own house. Do you think they would Lihua became a little worried about whether Li Yu could come up with the reward he promised. Dont worry, theyre just a bunch of ants. Gu Suihan leaned against Taohua and pointed at the books next to him as he said emotionlessly, Humans are just a bunch of lowly and shameless creatures. Their uncouth and despicable disposition often makes them do brainless things. When the difference between doing something and not doing something isnt great, they usually choose to be rebellious. But when the difference is extremely great, they quickly choose to go with the side that would benefit them the most and do anything to stay on that side, even at the cost of their own pride. Our situation and their situation are the same. The Li family? Theyre just an influential family comprised of trash that have barely reached Foundation Establishment. If they dont give me what was promised, thenIll just kill them all. Taohua and Lihua fell silent again after hearing Gu Suihans cruel and unfeeling words. Cultivators and ordinary people. They both looked like humans on the outside. There was no discernible physical difference. But once a human went down the path of cultivation, they were no longer human. This was an upgrade of strength, a change in attitude, and a difference in capability. You could put it this way: an ordinary person was no different from an animal when faced with any creature with great power and strength, like a cultivator. Or maybe there was one difference. Human meatwas pretty yummy While Gu Suihan was teaching his maids about the attitude of one in a higher position than others, Li Yu finally managed to convince the guards to let him in with the little bit of standing he had left in the family. After much effort and being stared at in contempt and puzzlement by all the servants, maids, and butlers in the house, Li Yus request was finally granted. He was allowed to see his father, the head of the Li family, Li Xingjian. Father Li Yu bowed politely, then looked at his father with a conflicted look on his face. His heart was equally in turmoil. Why are you here? Li Xingjian finally let out a long sigh after he stared at Li Yu for a while. The younger man had kept his head bowed the entire time. Three years ago, I refused to get married and left home, and I swore that I wouldnt return until I had made it in life. ButI succeeded, and I failed too, said Li Yu slowly as he sat across the table from Li Yu and bit his lip hard. What do you mean by that? Li Xingjian was a little confused. Li Yu could taste the blood from biting his lips too hard. He replied in a depressed voice, I succeeded because I was able to achieve something. But I failed because I was robbed on my way back, and everything I had achieved went to waste. Thankfully, a cultivator rescued me, and I was able to survive the attack. Li Xingjian fell silent for a moment after listening to his sons story, then said in a deep voice, What reward did you promise that cultivator?! He was the head of a large family, after all. It didnt take him long to figure out why Li Yu was in this predicament. I promised himall the books that the family has, said Li Yu slowly. As he spoke, Li Xingjians expression grew angrier and angrier. He looked like he was about to explode. You bastard! Li Xingjian couldnt hold it in anymore and threw his teacup at his son. When he saw that Li Yu did not dodge at all and allowed the teacup to smash his head and cause him to bleed, another thought struck him. What level of cultivation is he at? Not too high. He seems to be at around the same level as Second Brother. Li Yu suppressed his thumping heart with all his might and spoke as casually as he could. Yuner Li Xingjians expression calmed down a little as his highly strung heart finally felt relieved. If this cultivator was only at Mid Foundation Establishment, then his family could still handle him. Chapter 200 Go and get 3,000 spiritual coins and give it to the carriage outside the gate, said Li Xingjian to one of his servants. After thinking about it, he decided that it was better not to start a feud. The Li family was living well within a commandery, but to put it bluntly, they were not much different from any person on the street. This family only had a couple of cultivators at Foundation Establishment to its name. That was useless. It was always better to be cautious. It was hard to say if this young man might turn out to hail from some powerful family or have formidable backers and was wandering about pretending to be a weak fellow after being overly inspired by those martial artist stories. 3,000 spiritual coins Li Yu clutched his head as a frosty smile crept over his lips. His things had been worth nearly a hundred thousand spiritual coins, but Gu Suihan had destroyed it all. 3,000 coins? That had to be an insult. Young Master, itit has been fifteen minutes, whispered Taohua as she timidly bit her lip. She looked at the silent gate to the Li family residence with a tinge of sympathy in her eyes. As far as she could tell, things werent going to end well for this Li family. Lets go! Gu Suihan suddenly opened his eyes as a frosty air began to gather around him. The invisible fiendish qi he exuded made Taohua and Lihua shudder. Lets go? Where to? Taohua stared back at him in confusion. Its time to collect on some debts! Gu Suihan chuckled as he flew out of the carriage and landed beautifully in front of the gate like a feather. Who are you? yelled the guard at the gate with bulging eyes when he saw Gu Suihan get out of the carriage. Tell Li Yu to come out. Its time he repaid his debts, said Gu Suihan hollowly. His tone was unfriendly, and his expression was as unfeeling and unflinching as a pool of still water. But the guard didnt let any of his irritation show. Instead, he bowed and smiled deferentially, Sir, please wait here while I go in and report this matter. He turned and walked into the house. Just then, the gate opened, and an old man with a wrinkled face came walking out rather quickly with a small box in hand. Sir, Im so sorry for the wait. Third Young Master has not seen the head of the family in a long time, so things were a little delayed. He then held out the box in his hand respectfully to Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan didnt say anything, so his maids didnt dare to take the box from the old man. Both sides were silent for a moment. Do you know what Li Yu owes me? Gu Suihan broke the silence first with a smirk on his face as he threw the pretty box a glance. II dont know. The old man looked like he wasnt sure what to do. He owes metwo lives! said Gu Suihan, as if he was out to shock them. He walked around the old man and the guards and sauntered further in as though there was nobody around to stop him. Bam! Inside the study, Li Yu and his father were still seated in silence when they suddenly felt the air weigh heavily on them. Immediately after that, the roof of the room disappeared, and a figure that exuded a chilling wind slowly appeared inside the room. Whoare you? Li Xingjians face was stiff, and he could barely speak as he tried to calm his slightly startled heart down. He meant to shout loudly, but he simply couldnt find the strength to do so. He also meant to fight back, but the internal energy in his body that used to listen to him was like a pool of dead water. No matter how hard he tried, it refused to budge. You are his father? Gu Suihan did not answer the older mans question and sat down with some interest as he poured himself a cup of tea. Yes Li Xingjians face was a little pale now. If he werent seated on a chair, he would have collapsed onto the floor by now. He owes me some things. Gu Suihan glanced at the pale and nervous Li Yu. His gaze remained on Li Yu for a moment and seemed to contain a ton of energy as Li Yu suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood. The chair he was sitting on broke with a loud bam, and he fell heavily on his knees against his will. Why, you.this is a commandery! Li Xingjian squeezed these words through his teeth as he glared furiously at Gu Suihan. Those who owe a debt should repay it. Theres nothing wrong with that, said Gu Suihan nonchalantly as he pushed the teacup in his hand toward Li Xingjian. 3,000 spiritual coins isnt enough? growled Li Xingjian as though he were a wild beast. At the same time, his brain never stopped thinking about how he could do something to get himself out of this sticky situation. He wasnt stupid. From the moment Gu Suihan appeared, he knew that this man wasnt at Foundation Establishment like Li Yu had said. That was clearly a manifestation of the laws of nature, which meant that this young man was at Origin Core. Damn it! How dare you lie to me! Li Xingjian cursed his son in his heart. If looks could kill, this biological son of his would have been chopped up and fed to the dogs by now. What did he tell you? Gu Suihans lips curled upwards slightly as he noticed the extreme anger in Li Xingjians eyes. He said you wanted every book the Li family has! spat Li Xingjian through clenched teeth, even though he really didnt want to give these up. Gu Suihan clicked his tongue, then made the suffocating pressure weighing down on the room disappear in an instant. He chuckled and said, Im not interested in things like cultivation techniques and all that, so you just need to give me your ordinary books and any copied abstracts of other books you have. I suppose there was a little misunderstanding over this matter. Indeed. It was a misunderstanding. Definitely a misunderstanding. Li Xingjian could become the head of a large family because his priority was human life. He wasnt dumb. He could tell that Gu Suihan didnt want to go on a massacre. Besides, Gu Suihans request was such a simple one. It was so simple he could hardly believe his ears. At the same time, he became even more incensed by Li Yus deceit. I will see to this immediately. Based on my observations, this is probably your first time in the city, right? If you dont mind, I could give you a house as a show of sincerity. Li Xingjian quickly agreed to Gu Suihans conditions to get into his good books but was still afraid that Gu Suihan might seek revenge in the future, so he decided to spend some money in order to both prevent Gu Suihan from harming him as well as get himself connected to this formidable young man. A house wouldnt be necessary, but I dont mind a shop. I intend to open a bookstore. The location doesnt matter. Gu Suihan intended to turn the offer down, but another thought struck him, and he decided to take it. Thats no problem. Li Xingjian had been more worried that Gu Suihan would reject the offer, so he was delighted that Gu Suihan had agreed to accept something from him. He quickly gave his subordinates instructions, then poured Gu Suihan a nice cup of tea. His expression was apologetic as he said, My rebellious son doesnt know how to behave and nearly brought disaster upon my family. But dont worry, sir, I will not let him off. Li Xingjian glared at the nearly unconscious Li Yu kneeling on the floor with a hateful rage in his heart. A moment later, the same old man from before walked over with a jade box in hand. This old man was probably the butler of the family. Li Xingjian passed the box to Gu Suihan and said in an eager voice, This is the title deed. The copied abstracts will take a few more days to be ready. If you dont have a place to stay, you could rest here for a few days. Theres no need for that. Ill come back another day. I suppose youll be very busy today, so I wont hold you back any longer. Gu Suihan took the jade box from the older man and glanced at Li Yu as he spoke, then sauntered off with a smile. Throw this bastard into the underground jail. I will deal with him myself. Immediately after Gu Suihan had walked out of sight, Li Xingjians friendly expression turned into a scowl. He clenched his teeth and glared at Li Yu on the floor, and said icily, Call for a family meeting tomorrow. I want to announce a few things. Lets go, said Gu Suihan after he returned to the carriage and passed the jade box to Taohua. Where will we go? asked Lihua sleepily as she poked her head into the carriage. They had nearly fallen asleep waiting outside the gate. Find an inn. Well buy a few things tomorrow. Were going to start a business. Gu Suihan stared intently at the Li family residence for a moment. A mocking look flashed in his eyes. Young Master must be up to no good again, thought Taohua as she pursed her lips and looked suspiciously at the cheeky smile on Gu Suihans face. It seems that a number of cultivators have gathered in Fengyang recently. I wonder why. Gu Suihan suddenly recalled what the guard outside the city gates said earlier that day and took note of it. Chapter 201 The next day, after Lihua and Taohua were done helping Gu Suihan to wash up and get dressed, they took the money that he gave them and left the inn excitedly to go shopping. He even told them very sternly that they were not allowed to come back until they had spent every single cent. Reality proved that regardless of era, human females were always obsessed with buying things. The two maids happily went shopping with a maid sent over from the Li family. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan went on a little trip himself and snuck into the Li family residence again without anybody knowing. After getting into the memories of one of the maids easily, he began to understand the situation better. Li Yu was a little rash, had poor luck, and didnt have a spiritual root that could help him to cultivate, but looking at his situation, heactually matched the MC template of some of those weak to strong novels on Earth. Except that his surname wasnt Xiao, and he hadnt traveled in time. When he was in the Lower World, the stupid weapon spirit living in that broken dagger had been so carried away being that typical Old Man Shifu that it ended up perishing as well in the end. That weapon spirit had actually regarded the equally dumb Liu Ming as its disciple. This time, Gu Suihan decided to part with a tiny wisp of his spiritual sense and create yet another Old Man Shifu. After all, if another shit-stirrer with all the makings of an OP MC suddenly appeared in Fengyang, a city that was slowly getting murkier by the day, it would make things a lot more convenient for him. As for who this MC was going to be, Gu Suihan had his eyes set on Li Yu. Firstly, this fellow had proven to be a rather resilient one. According to the memories of that maid, three years ago, this young mans fiance had insulted him and called him a piece of trash, and thats why he swore to leave and only return after he had succeeded out there. He eventually found a little success and could barely be considered to be returning home with great treasures in tow, like the Chinese saying for those who left their homes to seek greater fortunes. Unfortunately, he ran into robbers, and even more tragically, he ran into Gu Suihan. He had made such MCs so many times now. In fact, he had learned this technique from some old fellow from a particular sect. It was supposed to help one understand the laws of nature better. Of course, the experimental subjects were all those nerds who stuck themselves at home all day. The process was simple. He had to alter the targets memories, then create an illusion at a different level based on the nature of the target and give them a cheat of sorts. Then, he would purposely lead them in such a way as to see if this target could get some inspiration during his cultivation process, which would, in turn, help him to understand the laws of nature. Otherwise, how else would he have understood so many laws after just cultivating for a little over a thousand years? Of course, whether he reached his aim or not, as long as one became an experimental subject for him, that subject was most likely going to die. After that, the dead subject would go into the process of samsara. His soul would be split, regrouped, and he would be born again. Anything left behind would be described as inspiration by those authors, slowly perfected and turned into novel after novel. The difference this time was that Gu Suihan wanted Li Yu purely to be a distraction and shield at the same time. With a bright light like Li Yu, who would attract all sorts of hatred toward him around, it would be much easier for Gu Suihan to do what he wanted quietly. The interesting part was that Li Yu was just like a particular character of a novel with the surname Xiao C they both had a girl who showed them extra concern from a young age. You could say they were childhood playmates. But the girl in question here was actually Li Yus younger cousin. This sounds vaguely like the novel, Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils by Louis Chasoap opera material, sighed Gu Suihan to himself. He glanced at the young lady bathing in her bathroom, flicked a finger, and shot some qi at her, which knocked her out immediately. He looked at the mounds on her chest that were just forming and sighed. How rich your family was decided how early one would go through puberty after all. Even as these frivolous thoughts ran through his head, a rune slowly formed around his fingers before he thrust the run into her head. He slowly came out from her subconscious after 15 minutes and gently put a finger onto her slim and fair finger. Then his body slowly faded from sight and disappeared, like he had been nothing more than an apparition. The bathroom remained silent, and there was mist in the air. The seemingly messy pattern on the strange-looking ring on the young ladys finger suddenly gave off a reddish glow. A very small pair of eyes slowly appeared, like a demon that had been watching humanity all this time. It was filled with evil, greed, violence Uhhh Fang Rou slowly opened her pretty eyes, and a look of confusion filled her large pupils, as though she was wondering why she had suddenly fallen asleep. Is it because of Brother Li Yu? She started panicking and quickly cast a drying spell on herself. Like an elegant fairy, she shook all the water off herself, put on a dress, and sprinted toward the ancestral hall. Mother will watch over me, murmured Fang Rou as she grabbed the bangle on the table and glanced at the very ordinary-looking ring around her finger. She pursed her lips, and a look of determination spread across her face. Xiaorou, excellent timing. Everyone else has already gathered in the hall, and I was about to go look for you. Just when Fang Rou was almost at the hall, she turned a corner hurriedly and saw a young man wearing a green shirt with the Dao Origin Sect emblem on it ahead of her. He turned, smiled gently at her, then slowed down to walk next to her. Thank you, cousin. Fang Rou bowed slightly and followed him a little stiffly. But she was unable to hide the worried look on her fair little face. Lets go to the front. The young man noticed the expression on her face, so he took her soft hand in his and squeezed through the crowd. After they finally managed to get themselves right in front of the crowd, Fang Rou only threw him a grateful glance without even saying thank you out loud. She looked through the slats of the halls panels and saw the haggard Li Yu in the middle of the hall, his body covered in bloodstains. Brother Li Yu Fang Rou stopped herself in time before calling out to him. Seeing the sheer number of wounds all over him made her feel an excruciating pain in her heart. Her thin lips were so tightly pursed that they had begun to bleed, but she didnt feel it at all. Li Yu, you walked out on this family three years ago and ruined the Li familys reputation, and now, you almost brought disaster upon us. What do you have to say for yourself? said an old man seated on the chair reserved for the oldest person in the family in a steady voice after clearing his throat. His face was covered in deep wrinkles and his all white hair looked like the aerial roots of a very old tree. Li Yu scoffed and spat out some blood in his mouth before responding in a hateful voice, Humph! That stupid bitch insulted me first that day. How is it my fault now? I left home because I was the one who couldnt hold my anger in. Didnt that give the family a way out of the situation without falling out with her family? Its just too bad that I have the worst luck. I came back with great treasures but ran into robbers. The plans I had didnt work out and some unforeseen circumstances came my way. Thats how I got to this point. All of you have already come to a decision, havent you? Whats the point in talking? Humph! How dare you argue back? What an obstinate child, said the old man with a loud snort as his eyebrows furrowed deeply in anger. He glared frostily at the young man in front of him who continued to keep his head raised and refused to kneel. Since things have come to this, just announce the decision made by the elders of the family, said another old man with a long sigh as he glanced at Li Yu and stroked his gray beard. Li Xingjian watched everything unfold with no expression on his face, but he wasnt feeling good inside. After all, the young man in the middle of the hall was his own flesh and blood, yet he had been the one who had pushed his son into a corner. His emotions were conflicted for that moment, but after the moment had passed, he slowly hid away the sadness and bitterness he felt. He took a deep breath and his face tensed up as he said, The head of the family and the elders have come to a unanimous decision on the punishment that Li Yu must face for the multiple wrongdoings he has committed. One, he shall be chased out of the family and cannot receive any financial aid from any member of this family. Two, he shall be removed from the Li family genealogy. Three, his dantian shall be destroyed and his meridian channels shattered. The main tendon of his hands and feet shall be severed Stop! Fang Rou couldnt take it anymore. She forced her way into the hall and stood in front of Li Yu, then looked pleadingly at the esteemed elders of the Li family before falling to her knees with a loud thud. Her voice cracked as she said, I beg you, please, let Brother Li Yu off. He cannot cultivate to begin with and it will be hard enough to survive if he leaves the family without any money. If you also severe his tendons and destroy his dantian and meridian channels, he wouldnt even be able to learn the sort of martial arts that ordinary folk learn, which would leave him with no way to survive!! As she spoke, she hit her fair forehead against the hard and cold stone floor again and again. Tears poured down her cheeks, turning into colorful pearls before shattering as they hit the floor. Rouer The faces of Li Xingjian and the rest instinctively relaxed when they saw who it was. This young lady was the daughter of a concubine, but she was born with much talent and had already hit Beginner Foundation Establishment even at this young age. She was destined to become one whom the family would rely on in the future. The elders on the brink of death were usually a lot more forgiving toward the younger generation with potential to become great. But the person whom Li Yu had offended this time was an Origin Core cultivator whom nobody knew anything about. Even if they let Li Yu off this time, they would definitely look like they were merely trying to protect one of their own. Someone at Origin Core wasnt anybody that great in Fengyang, but that depended on who you were talking to. The Li family lived in a more secluded part of the city and was depending on a business that was started by their ancestors. It was getting more and more difficult to keep the family going and the family was declining day by day. They didnt even have an Origin Core cultivator in the family right now. The only ones holding the fort were these elderly members who were still stuck at Peak Foundation Establishment and they couldnt hold up much longer either. If they became enemies with an Origin Core cultivator at this point in time, they would be completely destroyed. IIm willing to take the punishment for Brother Li Yu. Fang Rou wasnt a young child who didnt understand the consequences of her actions. She knew exactly what was going on. She wasnt hoping that Li Yu could be let off completely either. She just hoped to share the burden with him, even if she could only share a little of it. Rouer, dont plead with them! Id rather die than accept their pity! Moreover, this is pity at the expense of yourself! Li Yu pulled Fang Rou to her feet and pulled her behind him to protect her as he glared angrily at the rest of his family. I thinkthats possible. To everyones surprise, the young man who was walking to the hall with Fang Rou earlier suddenly took a step forward and spoke thoughtfully, My esteemed elders, Rouers giftedness is an extraordinary one. Shes only cultivated for a few years and shes already made it to Foundation Establishment. If we could use that to get on good terms with that Origin Core cultivator, that would do the Li family much good He didnt go on, but nobody in the hall was stupid. They immediately realized what the young man was driving at. Their eyes lit up and the gears in their heads began to turn quickly. TL/N: HUMPHH EXCUSE ME Chapter 202 Be quiet, barked one of the elders. Once he had forced the crowd to calm down, he turned to look grimly at Li Xingjian. They had heard the entire story from Li Xingjian, after all. None of them knew anything about this mysterious Origin Core cultivator. They needed Li Xingjian, the head of the family, to give them guidance in this matter. No way! I will not agree to let Rouer serve that demon! Li Yu was agitated as he glared at the young man in the Dao Origin Sect robe. He gritted his teeth and hissed, What a vicious move, Second Brother No, the one who pushed Rouer into a desperate situation was you. If you hadnt done the improper thing, Rouer wouldnt have disregarded the altars of all our late ancestors in this hall and pleaded for you. The young man suddenly spun around and glared hatefully at Li Yu. His expression was as twisted as a demons. His heart hurt as much as Li Yus, after all. Fang Rou was a girl he cared for too. They grew up together and saw each other every single day. And now, this same girl was willing to sacrifice herself in order to protect the family and protect a piece of trash. Of course, he wasnt going just to let that happen. If the family doesnt pay a price of some sort, how are we going to appease that senior cultivator? How are wegoing to make him feel bad? Li Yus second brother stared venomously at Li Yu with bloodshot eyes. That look in his eyes was enough to make anybody around him feel terrified. If this scene were part of a brainless soap opera on Earth, it would definitely fit into the typical cringey love triangle of the long-running Eastern fantasy/ancient mythology/transmigration romance drama genre, one filled with enough feuds and disputes to make viewers weep. Nonstop family drama action that would make your summer holidays pass by in the blink of an eye. To put it simply, Li Yus second brother liked Fang Rou, but Fang Rou liked Li Yu. At the same time, Li Yu was an ordinary man who couldnt cultivate, so it was impossible between them in the first place. Which was more important to Li Yus second brother? His family or his crush? He didnt know either. But he understood one thing. Without the resources from his family, he would never have come so far in his cultivation journey, never mind getting into the Dao Origin Sect. With that in mind, there was no way he was going to allow his family to be driven into a corner by a piece of trash like Li Yu. Even ifhe had to sacrifice everything. Nobody knew that the nondescript ring on Fang Rous finger contained Gu Suihans spiritual sense, and it was able to watch everything from that ring. In that caseI guess I should bring Rouer to Mr. Gu and see what he thinks? After pondering it for a while, Li Xingjian decided to give it a shot. The young man being punished was his own flesh and blood, after all, and no father and son were truly at odds for life. Cultivators were mostly unsentimental creatures, but having to watch his son die before him wasnt something he could handle either. The Li family was clearly at a point where they were really desperate. In order to become allies with Gu Suihan, they were willing to put in as much thought and effort as needed. They were even capable of coming up with a honeypot trap. No Li Yu instinctively held onto Fang Rous fair and supple little hand. His eyes bulged and he looked horrified. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried to hold onto her hand, it was to no avail. She was smaller in size and looked weaker, but she was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the end. There was no way he could fight her in strength. In his frustration, tears mingled with the blood that flowed down his cheeks as he let out one last roar in pain and despair, clutching the ring he had pulled off Fang Rous finger that still had a little of her warmth left. He sprayed a mouthful of blood, then fell to the floor and lost consciousness. Fang Rou touched her fingers with a saddened look on her face. She pursed her lips and looked back to look at the unconscious Li Yu one last time, then turned around with tears in her eyes and walked away. That ringyou can think of me when you see it, she murmured. It was hard to say if she was talking about Li Yu or herself. Aw man, I seem to have turned into a super evil villain helping the MC go from weak to strong for the sake of revenge, murmured Gu Suihans spiritual sense inside the ring as though all of this had nothing to do with him. Oh, is that so? Gu Suihan was smiling as he watched Taohua and Lihua busy themselves around the courtyard behind the shop that the Li family had given him when he suddenly received a message from the bit of spiritual sense he had left in the ring. He looked a little puzzled for a moment before breaking into a smile. Well, since he dares to give her to me, why wouldnt I dare to accept her? As for your plansthats none of my business. A cultivators lifespan is incredibly long. Absorbing qi, awakening it, and transformation of ones meridians were enough to add 200 years of life. If you hit Foundation Establishment, you could add another 200 more years. If you could gather your hun together into your core and turn your po into nascence, you could easily live past a thousand. Of course, that was all assuming you didnt get murdered along the way or do something really suicidal like cultivate in some forbidden technique or other dangerous cultivation technique. Or dig up some grave or go on some adventure in hope of discovering something that could help you in your cultivation journey, then end up getting trapped somewhere and die tragically for no good reason. But it was also true that most cultivators did not end up dying naturally. After all, you always needed more resources and greater understanding in order to arrive at the next stage. And where would these resources come from? You could rob someone of them, or join a powerful faction and possibly end up risking your life for them. Otherwise, you had to go on a journey to seek out more opportunities and hope to get lucky, like find something left behind by a formidable cultivator. Either way, all these methods had one thing in common C they were all highly dangerous activities. Of course, if you had a great father, a good family or a good sect, none of this would apply to you. After all, the most important thing in cultivation was your level of giftedness and that could be improved with certain techniques even if you werent born with enough talent. Otherwise, other resources like spiritual stones were helpful to have. The least important were the usual bullshit in novels like resilience and experience etc. Those who succeed solely by relying on their empty ambitions and willpower wouldnt live for long Unless, you were a lucky fellow, or what was called a Child of Fortune. And what was a Child of Fortune? Simply put, you had the good fortunes of the world in your body, like an OP MC. But of course, becoming a Child of Fortune also depended on what you looked like. What were fortunes anyway? Simply put, this was something that most living creatures in a particular world subconsciously wanted to become or wanted to strive for. The most obvious example was one particular anime about ninjas that was shown on Earth. In times of war, the only thing that everyone wanted was for the war to end and for life to be peaceful. All the noisy people with negative intelligence scores appeared. Why was their intelligence poor? Because the rules of that world were extremely simplistic and could barely count as a domain of a cultivator. It was already not bad for a living creature to continue living in it, so one shouldnt ask too much of it. In the comic, Storm Riders, every character wanted to become a martial artist, so all of them focused on learning martial arts and the royal courts were weak. The court lost its authority and the might of martial artists became the driving force of that world. A tyrant later wanted to conquer the world and struck terror in the hearts of everyone, so the two MCs of the comic appeared to save the world. Thats what everybody wanted. Back to the story. Before this, I already mentioned that besides looking like humans, cultivators were basically no longer humans. It only took about a hundred years for them to become no longer bound by the constraints of worldly desires and human needs. The bulk of a cultivators life was actually free time. A few years ago, a signboard that read No Money? Dont Bother was hung up and this bookshop quietly opened for business. There was no opening ceremony and the owner did not seem interested in competing with the other shops in the neighborhood. This nondescript, ordinary looking bookstore that never had any customers continued to stay open for years. Everyone was so surprised that it was able to stay afloat. But it didnt take long for everyone to guess that the owner of this shop had opened it just for fun. Why else would he have given it such a ridiculous shop name? They were relieved when they were sure that this new shop wasnt going to threaten their livelihoods. From time to time, they would chat and play chess with the owner. From these interactions with him, they were even surer of their guess now. I mean, seriously. Have you ever seen an owner whose clothes were expensive enough to buy the entire shop despite being in his 20s? Not just that C they had seen it for themselves. The three young ladies serving the young man were so pretty and elegant, they were no less than the pampered daughters of the rich and powerful of the city. Gu Suihan placed an incredibly luxurious looking and immensely expensive chair in front of his shop in the morning and lay down lazily on it. He pulled away the book on his face and asked the young lady massaging his back, Meihua, how are you doing in your cultivation lately? Meihua was obviously Fang Rou. Every time this name rang in Fang Rous ears, she would instinctively feel a sense of oppression, sadness and anger. But it was too bad that she couldnt fight her circumstances. No matter how conflicted she felt, she never dared to show any of it on her face. The young man before her looked harmless and even looked just like one of those spoiled wastrels from a rich family, but he was really a cultivator at Origin Core, whose origins nobody knew anything about. Authors note: Alright, Ill address the complaints you guys had about the names like Taohua (peach blossom) and Lihua (pear blossom)actually, Im just too lazy to think of something so I simply typed one Dont you guys know that thinking of a name is an extremely, particularly, especially, and incredibly difficult thing to do? Meihua = Plum blossom Chapter 203 Oh, I got to Mid Foundation Establishment a few days ago. Fang Rous fingers froze for a moment before continuing what she was doing again, kneading Gu Suihans shoulders in a firm but relaxed manner. The waters in Fengyang are very murky now, murmured Gu Suihan. He ignored the confused expression on Fang Rous face and got up from his chair before slowly making his way toward the restaurant across from his shop. Ever since the owner of this restaurant came over to have a game of chess with Gu Suihan out of boredom, Taohua and Lihua never had to cook again. Why, hello there! What would you like to eat today? The owner sitting at the counter of the restaurant was just feeling bored when he noticed someone walk in. His expression immediately lit up when he saw who it was and started waving. Once youre done eating, lets have another round! Im certain Ill defeat you! Youve already lost ten years worth of meals to me, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he ignored the confident declaration made by the owner. He slowly walked toward a seat near the window. Ill have my usual. He didnt bother waiting for a response from the owner and rapped his knuckles on the table to tell Fang Rou, who was standing behind him, to call Taohua and Lihua over for lunch. Even though given his level of cultivation, nothing bad would happen to him even if he didnt eat or drink anything. But since he could get free lunch, he didnt see why he should let himself suffer because of that. This was something that Fang Rou didnt understand. To her, Gu Suihan was someone who spent his days doing absolutely nothing and indulged in leisure activities like these. She had never seen him cultivate. If an older family member hadnt warned her several times with a wary and fearful look on his face that this young man was truly a cultivator, she would have lost her temper by now. Gu Suihans level of cultivation hadnt risen at all, and he remained around Origin Core or so. The most important thing to do now was to recuperate well, but that was easier said than done. He wanted to do that, but he didnt have the energy to. This city was merely a commandery, yet the waters were so deep. This was a place watched over by not just one cultivator at Divine Soul, but three cultivators at that level. He could imagine how much more difficult it would be to survive in any of the 49 domains, and there was still the big boss of the Qin empire What level of cultivation could Ying Zheng be at? Higher than Immortal Gu Suihan could guess without even using his brain. Hoho, 49 domains, large worlds, the great Qin empire. Gu Suihan looked out of the window in a daze as he continued thinking to himself, Ying Zheng, youre such an ambitious one. Why does it seem as thoughyou wish to rebuild Heaven? The more he thought about it this way, the more careful he was about his actions. This wasnt something to joke about. Over the past few years, he had made some rough calculations. Even if he were to recuperate completely and be as formidable as he used to be, he wouldnt be able to stir up much in this empire. The waters here ran too deep. The more he understood this and the more he discovered, the less confident he became. He knew himself best. He could have been called an Immortal back then and was able to roam that lousy place called Earth without running into any problems at all, but he knew that at the end of the day, he had accomplished this in an illegitimate way. He had arrived at the Immortal stage through unconventional means, and that actually made him a fake Immortal of sorts. He had a lot of dao runes branded all over his heart-soul, but he wasnt an expert in any of them. He had relied entirely on an era that did not believe or practice the Way, the few resources that Earth had left, and the countless souls of living creatures to finally barely put his heart-soul together. You could say that he was undernourished. Should I find a faction to join and find out a bit more about the situation? After considering that for a long time, he finally gave up on that tempting idea. It was too dangerous to do that. Any sect that managed to survive the oppression of the Qin empire was definitely guarded by some ancient fellow. He had no way of finding out exactly what these ancients were capable of. Most importantly, he couldnt ensure his own safety. Nobody knew if these ancients happened to know some secret technique or if they cultivated some sort of hypnotic techniques and other forbidden arts like that. If that were the case, then Gu Suihan wouldnt be able to get away if his cover was blown. Young Master, why arent you eating? Lihua shook Gu Suihans arm, and he snapped out of his daze to find three pretty pairs of watery eyes blinking innocently at him. None of the dishes on the table had been touched. Ill just deal with it when it comes. This chanceis coming soon! Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes to conceal the murderous look deep in his gaze and cleared his throat. Lets eat, lets eat. I was busy thinking about some matters just now. The three ladies at the table finally picked up their chopsticks and started eating in small bites after Gu Suihan started eating. Those were the rules. By right, servants were not allowed to eat at the same table as their master, but Gu Suihan couldnt be bothered to follow such unspoken rules. Taohua and the other two ladies were happy that Gu Suihan never cared about such things, but those were still the rules that everyone else in society adhered to, and they dared not break them still. It was only after some time before they finally agreed to eat at the same table as him, but their condition was that Gu Suihan had to start eating before they could start. So, it was a compromise on both sides. Youre up so early? A middle-aged man with a pot belly came down from upstairs and greeted Gu Suihan in a lighthearted manner. This fellow owned a shop nearby, and Gu Suihan had gone to his shop for some tea before. Gu Suihan raised his cup of wine to acknowledge the greeting and smiled as he replied, Id have to go to your shop later and get some free tea, I see. Sure, sure, said the middle-aged man with a chuckle as he put a palm over his other fist politely and turned to leave. Just then, a hoarse, duck-like voice (Quackers!) suddenly resounded, Arent you Fang Rou? Why in the world are you wearing the clothes of a maid? The sounds of footsteps descending the stairs paused after those words were uttered. A group of four had come down the stairs in pairs. The one leading the group wore a simple robe with gold embroidery and had healthy eyebrows, but unfortunately, his cheeks were a little saggy, his eyebags a little gray, and his pupils dim and listless. It was clear that he had indulged in vices too much, which caused his previously rather handsome face to look somewhat sickly. The entire restaurant fell silent. Everyone instantly turned around and looked at the somewhat sickly-looking rich young man with some sympathy in their eyes. Gu Suihan turned around, glanced casually at the young man, and asked softly, Who is he? One of the sons of the Wang family, Wang Chunyang, said Fang Rou with disgust as her face tensed up. The Wang family? That sounds familiar said Gu Suihan. His voice was soft and indifferent, but it echoed pretty loudly in this rather small and silent restaurant. Brother Li YuLi Yu was engaged to this mans older sister, said Fang Rou quietly. Gu Suihan suddenly realized why this name was so familiar. He looked at the other young man carefully and twitched his lips. Wang Chunyang? Why not Wang Shengxu instead? (Chunyang basically sounds like hes filled with nothing but yang energy, ie, a very high sex drive, while Shengxu literally means weak kidneys, which is a descriptor for men with ED problems, since traditional Chinese medicine links the two.) Why, you Wang Chunyang was so angry, he was shaking. But he wasnt stupid. Anybody who could treat someone like Fang Rou as a mere servant had to be someone pretty formidable. So, he pretended not to have heard this dig at him and forced himself to puff his chest out. He held his folding fan out and got ready to attack. Humph! How dare you ignore me like that! Fang Rou, youve become terribly bold, havent you? Let me teach you a Before he could finish his sentence, he was attacked by a rush of sword qi that came flying at him from outside the window. Hoho, is the MC about to start on his weak to strong journey and commence his faceslapping antics? Gu Suihans curved eyebrows were like little crescents that made his already handsome face a little more feminine. Wang Chunyang, you must be tired of living! A roar resounded from the entrance to the restaurant, like the roaring of a mad lion. Everyone turned to look, only to find that the man roaring away was actually Li Yu, who had disappeared for a long time now. Going back to when Gu Suihan nodded and agreed to let Fang Rou become his maid in exchange for letting Li Yu off The Li family finally decided to remove the third punishment they had planned and allowed Li Yu to just leave the home with nothing to his name. Just when Li Yu was filled with hopelessness for the future, a wound that had burst open by accident spilled some fresh blood on the common-looking ring on his finger. And so, he became fucking awesome. He unlocked a cheat code and got his golden finger. He got what it took to become an OP MC, and he now had the MC aura of a weak-to-strong MC. After going through a battle where he nearly lost his life, Li Yu managed to somehow kill a severely injured cultivator at Qi Activation stage who was on the verge of death. He had done so by following the instructions of an Esteemed One. This Esteemed One taught him how to take the cultivators spiritual root for himself, thereby managing to gain a ticket into the world of cultivation. After that, he went through all sorts of trials and gained a lot of experience in killing others. And because he had MC aura, he was also able to overcome his IQ zero enemies C wastrel sons of rich families. They all died harboring hatred in their hearts. Finally, he made it to the Foundation Establishment stage. And when he entered the city to buy some things, the Esteemed One suddenly told him that one of his beloved childhood playmates and eventual members of his harem was nearby. Worse still, she was being teased by one of those nasty wastrels. So, he flew in a rage. His temper exploded and blood rushed to his head. He ran at a speed above his usual speed and managed to get here just in time. And proceed to save the damsel in distress. What a perfectsoap opera, said Gu Suihan wistfully in the midst of the silent restaurant, which interrupted the longing look that Li Yu and Fang Rou were giving each other right now. Authors note: Li Yus about to embark on his journey of a good-for-nothing making a comeback, defying the heavens as he seeks justice, surrounded by pretty women, and showing off all sorts of moves Guess how long hes gonna live for? And how long is Fang Rou gonna live for? And how long are the two maids who have inherited the glorious traditions of their same name predecessors gonna live for? Chapter 204 Control yourself, said Gu Suihan with a strange chuckle. He tapped the tabletop lightly, and a wave of qi spread outward like ripples on the surface of a pond. Fang Rou, who was still in a daze from being too happy and excited, immediately shuddered and turned to look at Gu Suihan in horror. He gave her a mysterious smile, and she slowly lowered her head. She knew that Gu Suihan was warning her. She was still his maid, and she must never forget how to behave as one in that position. Hmm? Thats it? Your woman was bullied, and youre still in the mood to act like youre not bothered by it? murmured Gu Suihan with some disappointment. His tone was calm, but it was clear that he was trying to incite something. I dont know how a piece of trash like you managed to reach Foundation Establishment, but a piece of trash is a piece of trash. Wang Chunyang had no idea that Li Yu was an MC whom Gu Suihan was training. He unfolded his folding fan with a flourish, and an icy wind that felt like knives and arrows turned into a rush of freezing air that moved toward Li Yu at the entrance. I didnt have to do much for that to happen. The winds change direction anytime C back then, the Wang family humiliated me and cursed at me. Im going to collect some interest on this debt from you first! Li Yu snorted, then spun around and stomped so hard on the floor that a huge crater appeared. He made it past every obstacle in front of him and made it to Wang Chunyang like a fish swimming in water. He threw a punch out, and his internal energy solidified into a beast that roared as it lunged for Wang Chunyangs chest. Humph, thats nothing. Wang Chunyang was clearly not as weak as he looked. He clenched and released his left fist multiple times like he was creating a huge suction force, which was able to block the oncoming attack. He opened his folding fan with a flourish, the mountains and meandering rivers painted on it gushing out as though they had come alive. His control over the scenery from the fan turned into hundreds of rivers that were like ropes as they surged at Li Yu. Thunder Moves the Heavens Li Yu gave a low shout as his fist suddenly unleashed a mighty vibrating force. There was a low humming sound as he broke through the oncoming attack easily like hacking through bamboo. He ignored the bloody wounds that the water on himself had inflicted and threw a punch straight at Wang Chunyangs waist. Humph. Not bad, not bad. Wang Chunyang paled terribly and stumbled backward. The three bodyguards behind him quickly formed a human wall between the two young men. He slowly wiped the blood on his lips away and had a scowl on his face as he snorted, It wont be long before the Fengyang Clan Ranking will start ranking everyone again. Ill admit defeat today, but I hope Ill see you again when the ranking happens. With that, he glared at Li Yu one last time, then turned and left. They were in a commandery, after all, and there were formidable cultivators in charge here, so nobody dared to really fight too hard. If someone ended up dead, that would be going against the Qin Empires laws. The two men had exchanged blows just to see how good each other was. And after a few blows, it was Wang Chunyang who bowed out first after suffering a small loss. Immediately after Wang Chunyang left, the stern look on Li Yus face disappeared. He groaned a little as he moved his body slightly and looked down sadly at his torn clothing. He then looked up again with a determined look on his face. Rouer, I will save you from this place. Once I get into the Ranking and prove myself, I will beg the family to redeem you. Fang Rous body trembled a little, and she did her best to hold back the tears that were on the brink of rolling down her cheeks. She pursed her lips and kept her head down. She didnt even dare to let a sound out. Hoho, the Li family? Do you think youre capable of doing that? Ill look forward to that said Gu Suihan with a snort, like the good antagonist he was. He rapped his knuckles on the table and said, Were eating, and you dont have a seat at this table. So, get lost. Why, you Li Yu immediately spun around to glare furiously at Gu Suihan. The fire burning in his eyes looked sufficient to raze the whole restaurant to the ground. Thankfully, he still had a brain. The last bit of rationality in his head kept warning him that Gu Suihan was someone at Origin Core, which was a level he was no match for right now. After that voice in his head went on for a while, he finally took a deep breath and glanced one more time at Fang Rou, who continued to keep her head down. He clenched his fists hard, gritted his teeth, then left the restaurant. Those who should be eating, eat. Those who should be drinking drink. Todays meal is all on me! Gu Suihan flicked his finger and dissolved the protective screen he had created earlier. The guests in the restaurant cheered and clapped when they heard what Gu Suihan said, and before long, the place was filled with lively chatter once more. But this time, all they talked about was how Li Yu had successfully turned the tables on Wang Chunyang and defeated the latter. The Fengyang Clan Ranking? Hoho, thats not all, right? Why else would so many cultivators suddenly come here? Gu Suihan took the cup of wine that Taohua had refilled and fiddled with it while thinking. The wine inside seemed to be made from jelly, since it kept moving about but not a single drop spilled out. It was strange, yet marvelous to look at. In all of Fengyang, there were three cultivators at Divine Soul, a conservative estimate of the number of cultivators at Nascent Change was probably a few hundred. There were probably as many stray dogs as cultivators at Origin Core. The various factions probably added to a hundred or more, but only 27 of them were able to boast of being one. The Fengyang Clan Ranking was split into three categories. The lowest category was the Human Ranking, which included all the Foundation Establishment cultivators. It wasnt worth talking about. The Earth Ranking was mainly made up of Origin Core cultivators. The Heaven Ranking was probably decided among those 27 factions. Rando wandering cultivators or cultivators from small factions werent even fart compared to these big guns. Gu Suihan closed his eyes as he lay on his chair, but his mind never stopped thinking. He was very curious. Why was the Fengyang Clan Ranking attracting so much attention this time round? After all, the Human Ranking kept changing. Only the very bottommost cultivators would care about it. As for the Earth and Heaven Rankings, these were rankings that would barely move even in a hundred years. Cultivators lived longer than tortoises and that wasnt surprising at all. This time round, all three Rankings were about to change. What was going on behind it? He wasnt interested in these Rankings at all. It was just a fight to the death between a bunch of idiots for a reputation that wasnt even worth a single penny. Could such a thing really represent the caliber of a cultivation? Only an idiot would believe that. Lets just take Gu Suihan as an example. Based on his current caliber, as long as he was given sufficient time to plan and lay everything out properly, even a cultivator at Nascent Change was going to end up dead with no exceptions. But did that mean he was as strong as a Nascent Change cultivator? Saying that would be ridiculous. Dont do anything that isnt meaningful. You think it was so easy to just suck some souls out and use them to heal your own? You might have just killed some fellow, but this fellows backers might have already found out who you are. The world of cultivators was not one that could be treated like a normal place. The number of unforeseen circumstances was staggering. There were also all sorts of strange and rare secret techniques or techniques that were supposedly long extinct or banned a long time ago. The fellow youre fighting might look like a lowly ant for one moment, then suddenly pull out some god level weapon from his pants and hack you to pieces. If Li Yu made it into the Human Ranking, then the only benefit to him would be that he would no longer be called a piece of trash. At most, he might get some good opportunities and become more well to do in the future. What if he managed to get into the Earth Ranking? For most people, this wouldnt be possible at all, unless you threw dao weapons and spiritual weapons at your enemies like they were trash and buried them alive with it. But dont forget, Li Yu was supposed to be the OP MC with a golden finger. If a black sheep like him suddenly appears out of nowhere, would you guys leave some traces behind? A warm smile slowly spread across Gu Suihans face. Youd better not screw up. Otherwise, if I manage to sniff out your schemes, things wont be as fun anymore. As for why Wang Chunyang purposely harassed Fang Rou earlier in the daygiven his family background, surely he would have known what happened to the Li family over the past few years, right? Duh! So, the reason for doing this probably had something to do with Gu Suihan. The Wang family was taking this chance to check on the relationship between Gu Suihan and the Li family. Why else would the wealthy heir to the Wang family come all the way to this little restaurant of all places? That proved thatthe Wang family had plans to attack the Li family! If Gu Suihan had taught Wang Chunyang a lesson, then the Wangs would probably give up their plans to attack the Li family, orthey would have to include Gu Suihan on their hitlist. But to everyones surprise, Wang Chunyang had just said a few words when Li Yu suddenly burst in from nowhere. The Wang familys plan to test Gu Suihan went down the drain just like that But they could still tell a thing or two based on the attitude that Gu Suihan had displayed earlier, so their plan hadnt failed entirely. They still managed to reap something after all. Chapter 205 Damn it! Someday, Ill stand at the top of the world and look down on the rest of you! Li Yu sat in a room in a guesthouse somewhere within Fengyang. His expression was hateful as he glared straight at a simple token on the table with rough edges. By its side lay three paper paintings that were the size of his palm. One was of Gu Suihan, one was of Fang Rou, and the last one was of his second brother, Li Qingyuan. Tiny words were inscribed on each sheet, carefully detailing any information he had about each person. He knew that none of this was really Gu Suihans fault at all. At the end of the day, it was all because he had secretly hoped to just sit by the sidelines and watch his family and Gu Suihan fight it out and injure each other. That way, he would be able to stay alive. He might even be able to get rid of that marriage of convenience he hated so much. Then he wouldnt have to suffer the mocking and humiliation from others. He couldnt cultivate, so the only thing he could do to survive was to drag all those lofty cultivators down from their place and push them into a circumstance as dire as his own. But Li Yus subconscious mind avoided thinking about it this way. He just put all the blame on Li Qingyuan and Gu Suihan. He felt that if Gu Suihan hadnt suddenly walked in and explained everything, he might have succeeded in his original plan. If Li Qingyuan hadnt made that suggestion to give Fang Rou to Gu Suihan as a maid, this wouldnt have happened to her. To him, death was a release. Unfortunately, the fates decided to play a trick on him. By some incredible coincidence, he gained the help of an Esteemed One and even managed to start his cultivation journey as a result. It was as though he was a drowning person who saw that one strand of straw sticking out that could save him. It gave him hope, even though this waver of hope was so small and insignificant. If you really want to be able to stand proud and rescue your Rouer and even take revenge against your Second Brother, then getting into the Human Ranking of the Fengyang Clan Ranking will not be enough. Only pathetic ants like yourself would put their sights on the Human Ranking. The true middle class of Fengyang is to be at the Origin Core stage. Foundation Establishment? Thats for babies, a calm and indifferent voice suddenly resounded from within the ring and echoed inside Li Yus heart, causing him to snap out of his daze instantly. Li Yus heart shuddered, and was a little unconfident as he asked, Esteemed one, its only taken me a few years for me to get to Foundation Establishment, which is already an insane improvement on my part. You thinkI could get to Origin Core within the next two years? Dont be stupid. Even if you have the highest level of giftedness, you wont be able to hit Origin Core even after cultivating for a few decades. Its not a matter of how talented you are but how much youve been through. You have to break through demonic barriers, pass through three tribulations, and six disasters and allow a heavenly tribulation to quench your body before you can go to the next step of forming your core and reaching Origin Core, then moving onto Nascent Change. Is there a hole in your brain? How dare you even dream of this? Look at yourself in the mirror before deciding if youre even capable of something like thatseriously, the ignorant have no fear. Before Li Yu could even finish his sentence, the mocking from the Esteemed One hit him. The voice was as calm and emotionless as before, but the harsh and nasty words made Li Yu angry. It took Li Yu a few moments of silence to calm himself down and face reality. He asked respectfully, Esteemed One, what else can I do? Get intothe Earth Ranking. The ring suddenly sparkled brightly. Its blood-red color gleamed in a mesmerizing manner like it was a red ruby. Li Yu was in shock. His tongue was tied, and his voice trembled, Whwhat?! It wasnt his fault for reacting this way. After all, the difference between Foundation Establishment and Origin Core was as much as the heaven was from the earth. At the former stage, one had just changed the nature of your body so that one no longer had the physical needs from before. If you were a little more talented, you could use the special characteristics of your cultivation technique to sort of refine some qi for yourself to use. That amount of qi wasnt enough to do much, either. But at the latter stage, you could break through demonic barriers, understand the heart of the Way, refine fiendish qi, and more. Those who were especially talented might even have understood the nature of the Way, or the laws of nature. The difference between the two was so great. How could they be compared? How could Li Yu possibly defeat someone in the latter category? Unless, as mentioned before, you had a rich family that could supply you with enough weapons and other items to bury the opponent alive literally, there was no other way but to die trying. Of course, there was a reason why Gu Suihan had been so formidable all this time. No matter what his actual stage of cultivation was, his powerful spirit sat within his consciousness. Also, his opponents were always concerned with repercussions and dared not go all out in their attacks on him. He wasnt someone who didnt care about his physical body and forcibly used the laws of nature to fight his enemies. As long as he and his opponents exchanged equal blows, he would be able to hold up against a few moves. If that were not possible, then even if you gave Gu Suihan a hundred times more courage, he wouldnt dare to use his Foundation Establishment or even his Origin Core body to fight those Nascent Change or Divine Soul cultivators like that. That wouldnt be bravery. That would be stupidity. But you just said Li Yu snapped out of his daze and tried to argue back. Before he could finish his sentence, the Esteemed One cut him off, Are you brainless? Of course you wouldnt be able to kill an Origin Core cultivator by yourself. But if you add myself into the equation This time, Li Yu got it. His heart palpitated with excitement. This Esteemed One was a good guy, alright. Someone on his side. Dont get too smug now. I can only use my spiritual sense to attack the opponent twice or thrice. Thats enough time to stop any moves hes launched on you. But the rest still depends on you. As if he were doing it on purpose, the Esteemed Ones words were like a huge tub of cold water pouring down on Li Yus excited heart. Li Yu slumped his shoulders again and looked depressed. The Esteemed One consoled him, Well, you dont have to get into the Earth Ranking. The most important part is to make sure that everyone watching notices your potential. Otherwise, even if you get into the Human Ranking, at best youd be considered a piece of trash who happened to get lucky. So, the most important part isnt the result but the process. Youve got to exchange some blows with your opponent and make the fight exciting. That way, the spectators will throw away your piece of trash label and call you a genius instead. Youre right. The process is the most important. I have to display a fighting ability thats no lesser than an Origin Core cultivator. Li Yu was enlightened now. He clenched his fists tightly and said with determination, Ive got to succeed. Im the main lead. Im a genius. Ill definitely rise to the top! Meanwhile, Gu Suihans relaxed expression as he sat inside the bookstore suddenly froze, then became a little puzzled. Theres somethingreally chuuni about this declaration. He hasnt even gotten started and hes already made conclusions about it? Does he really think hes an MC now? Young Master, did you say something? asked Lihua curiously as she leaned over. Nothing. I was just wondering when this bookshop will finally close a deal said Gu Suihan flippantly with a chuckle as he pinched her little cheeks. Lihua wriggled unhappily out of his grip and pouted. Young Master, the books that we sell are a bunch of hearsay and travel logs that you can find in any street corner. The few books that are useful can be found in any bookshop too. Besides, youve set the prices so high. Who would buy these books? Gu Suihan merely smiled at her complaints and said quietly, I have a feeling that it wont take long for some idiot to walk into this trap. Tsk, youve said that for so many years now. Lihua wasnt convinced and even rolled her eyes at Gu Suihan. It wont be long now, just anotheryear. After that, Gu Suihan didnt speak anymore. He pulled her little body into his arms, then looked out thoughtfully as he smiled in silence. Late at night, somewhere in the Wang family residence. Father, I went to test the waters with that man earlier today, but something happened and my efforts went down the drain, said Wang Chunyang with some dismay as he sat politely at a table. Why did it fail? Why, what happened? Sitting across him was a middle aged man with stereotypical strong features and an authoritative look. He frowned and said in a deep voice, Did you overdo it? He was a little upset. That young man was an Origin Core cultivator whom nobody knew how formidable he was, and worse, nobody knew where he had appeared from. He wanted Wang Chunyang to test the waters because Wang Chunyang grew up with Li Yu, Fang Rou and their peers. He wanted to know how close Gu Suihan was to the Li family. But this attempt had failed. Father, perhaps we have achieved our aim, though. When I made fun of Fang Rou, that young man just looked on like he was watching a show and didnt have any intention of standing up for Fang Rou at all. Butsomething else happened after that. Wang Chunyangs expression fell a little when he recalled what happened earlier that day. Something else happened? repeated the middle aged man. He tapped the side of his teacup with a crisp clinking sound as he motioned to Wang Chunyang to continue with his story. Li Yu appeared. We exchanged blows and I suffered a small loss. Wang Chunyang didnt try to blame it on reasons like the layout of the restaurant or that he had underestimated his opponent. He had lost, fair and square. There was no need to lie to himself. He drank a mouthful of tea, then recounted what happened slowly without hiding or changing any of the details. You call that a small loss? The older man furrowed his brows as the look in his eyes became more and more serious. That piece of trash must have come across some opportunity out there and I dont think it has anything to do with Mr. Gu. Otherwise, Fang Rou wouldnt have been so scared that she didnt dare to utter a single word. Based on earlier events, what happened between Mr. Gu and the Li family was nothing more than a transaction. In other words, it was the Li family who had hoped to use Fang Rou to get close to Mr. Gu. It wasnt Mr. Gus idea at all. Once the situation was analyzed this way, the two men exchanged glances and their expressions relaxed. The grim atmosphere around them disappeared immediately. As for Li Yuwell, nobody even gave him a second thought. The restaurant was very small, so it was very hard for Wang Chunyang to display what he was capable of in the first place. Besides, they had merely exchanged a few blows. If they had to fight until one of them died, it was hard to say who would be the last one standing. Li Yu was just someone who happened to get lucky. That was how both of them thought of Li Yu. Chapter 206 Time passed in a flash. Months went by without anybody noticing. As the notice continued to make its rounds over the years, cultivators from every nation and geniuses from every race came rushing toward the city of Fengyang in drips and drabs. They were hoping for their name to rise above thousands, hoping to make it big. More importantly, they hoped to make it right to the top by stepping on the skeletons of countless geniuses. The peak was a very small space. It only allowed for 100 people or so. There were ninety-two places on the Human Ranking. Seventy-two on the Earth Ranking and only thirty-six on the Heaven Ranking. Yet, the number of people pouring into Fengyang never stopped. There were hundreds of thousands of people here now. The deadline was fast approaching. As the numerous cultivators took up residence in Fengyang, the city started to liven up. Handsome men and beautiful women were at every corner you turned. They carried themselves elegantly and had an extraordinary air about them. But if you asked Gu Suihan, they were merely dogs in human clothing. And they were doing a pretty good job of pretending to be human too. Taohua and Lihua clearly did not believe Gu Suihan when he implied that these people were actually like greedy animals. Even Fang Rou gave him a weird stare as though she thought he was merely jealous of these people. Gu Suihan sighed in exasperation and clapped his hands. Watch this. Im going to do something to make them reveal their true colors. Despite their looks of utter contempt, Gu Suihan focused his energies, tore a random page of the book in his hand, and held it up. He cleared his throat and began to mumble, seemingly to himself, This looks like the map for a secret realm left behind from ancient times. It seems theres even demonic script on it Before he could even finish his sentence, the area within a hundred-meter radius of Gu Suihan fell completely silent. And before the maids realized what was going on, that torn page was gone from Gu Suihans hands. How dare you steal my map! Stop right there! Gu Suihan looked as though he had just noticed that the map was gone from his hands and stood up angrily with a start as he got ready to run after that person. But even faster than him were all the good-looking men and women in the street who looked like they were casually shopping and checking out the scenery just moments ago. A few seconds passed in no time. More shouts could be heard in the distance, and countless people instantly leaped into the sky and used all sorts of techniques to chase after a black shadow far from Gu Suihan. In just the blink of an eye, the streets emptied out. The lively scene of people milling around and conversing with one another vanished just like that. Gu Suihan put down the leg he had raised to look like he was about to run and lay back down on his chair. He said in a leisurely tone, Did you see that? Thats their true nature. Those are the true colors of cultivators. Young Master, youre amazing! You sent them running with just one false statement, said Lihua with a big smile as she clapped. Fang Rou, on the other hand, nearly rolled her eyes at Gu Suihan. Her lips twitched as she said, I cant believe you Gu Suihan paused for a moment, then looked up at the sky. He clicked his tongue, then said matter-of-factly, Come along now. I heard that some talented gentleman from the last Human Ranking is having some elite gathering and fancy banquet at Fengyuan Bordello. Lets go take a look. I dont think youre going to take a look. Youre just going there for a free meal, muttered Fang Rou under her breath as she narrowed her eyes at Gu Suihan in contempt. Over the past few years, she tried to understand Gu Suihans intentions but to no avail. However, she had to admit that his day-to-day behavior was really something. Every single person along this street seemed to know this young man who looked like a wastrel but was always gentle and polite. And they were all pretty nice to him too. Every day at mealtime, he just needed to walk around for a while, and someone would call them in for a free meal. His incredible PR skills were certainly something that Fang Rou couldnt deny. Whenever he went out to buy things, it wouldnt take long for someone to greet him in a rather familiar manner. These people didnt look like they were pretending or forcing themselves to be nice either. I think wed better cultivate inside the shop. We shant get in Young Masters way. Taohua pouted with a sour look on her face as she dragged the reluctant Lihua and the expressionless Fang Rou into the shop without even turning back. Well, thats exactly what I would have liked. Gu Suihan had a mysterious smile on his face after the three of them had left his sight. He began strolling toward Fengyuan Bordello. Oh my, I cant believe Mr. Gu has found the time to patronize my business! Your bookshop is always so busy, teased the owner of Fengyuan Court, his eyes lighting up when he spotted Gu Suihan walk through his doors. Its true that Im always busy, but even then, I can sneak a break or two. Boss Zhang, whos holding a banquet here tonight? asked Gu Suihan in a low voice with a smile before randomly taking a new vessel of wine from the owners desk, opening it, and pouring its contents into his mouth. Boss Zhang didnt get angry with Gu Suihan and actually took two wine cups out instead. He dropped his voice to a whisper, I heard its the seventh son of Fengyun Court, Fengyun Yu. Hes ranked ninth on the Human Ranking, and rumor has it that hes about to make a breakthrough to Origin Core. Given that he could run a restaurant and brothel business in the heart of town, Boss Zhang clearly had some powerful connections. He was very familiar with Gu Suihan only because Gu Suihan had helped to throw out a bunch of idiots who had tried to make trouble inside the restaurant. Boss Zhang had discovered that this young man knew everything from zithers to chess to books to art and even poetry, plus he was modest and never put on any airs. He was able to hold a conversation with those young men from well-to-do families, but he could also chat merrily with the hawkers along the street. Moreover, this young man was a cultivator at Origin Core, which piqued Boss Zhangs interest. After chatting for some time, they became more friendly with one another. And his teasing words to Gu Suihan when Gu Suihan first appeared were also something that everyone around town knew about. The young man had opened a bookshop for several years now but had never sold a single book. Everyone loved teasing him about it whenever they saw him. Fengyun Yu? Thats a pretty good name (lit. Wind Cloud Rain). So, were going to see some clouds rolling about? Someones gonna make it rain? What a punny name, said Gu Suihan with a snigger. Indeed, it is. Boss Zhang wasnt a clean guy himself. He knew what Gu Suihan was talking about. Anyone who would walk into a place like this would. The two men sniggered for a while, then Boss Zhang suddenly seemed to have recalled something. He whispered, By the way, I heard youve got some connection to the Li family? I guess you could say that, said Gu Suihan as he frowned and purposely did not elaborate further. The daughter of the Wang family, the one who was engaged to someone from the Li family named Li Yu C I heard that shes on suspiciously close terms with Fengyun Yu. Besides coming for the Clan Ranking, Fengyun Yu is going to ask the Wang family for her hand in marriage! said Boss Zhang in a gossipy voice. Also, over the last few years, theres been talk about how apparently that piece of trash, Li Yu, has actually managed to cultivate and isnt lower in level compared to Wang Chunyang. That gave the Wang family a shock. I suppose their time is coming. His words didnt seem to make any sense to anybody without the relevant context, but Gu Suihan was someone who could piece anything together. He knew exactly what Boss Zhang was talking about. He quickly realized that Boss Zhang was trying to hint at him to quickly cut ties with the Li family as soon as possible. Before this, the Wang family might have been wary of an Origin Core cultivator like Gu Suihan, but once they had the Fengyun Court cultivators on their side, the Wang family would be emboldened. And once that happened, a terrible disaster would befall the Li family. Well, it was too bad C thats what they got for not having a wonderful daughter like the Wang family. The Wang family had a daughter who wasnt particularly talented, but she was pretty and had technique. She managed to get the heir to the Fengyun Court into bed and made him actually fall for her as well. That was an accomplishment in itself. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes at this and had a mocking look on his face before quickly changing the topic. He pointed upstairs and said quietly, Dont worry about that. Tell me how many are here for the Clan Ranking first. Quite a number. Besides all those whove died, gotten themselves injured or incapacitated over the past few years, there are at least 60 or 70 of them. Boss Zhang was a little surprised by the query but did not give it too much thought. Gu Suihan tried not to roll his eyes as Boss Zhang pulled out two plates of deboned pork trotters, took a big bite, and continued speaking even while chewing, I know what youre thinking about, but the bets arent open yet. Besides, only nobodies care about the Human Ranking, so nobody else cares about it either, and so theres very little to earn from it. Nobody knows if the person who makes it to the ranking today might find their corpse somewhere in the wilderness tomorrow. Id advise you to place your bets on the Earth Ranking filled with Origin Core cultivators. Just like how any concept with potential was followed by business opportunities, any bustling civilization was followed by gambling opportunities. Gambling was something that existed anywhere, just like murder and prostitution. These were probably the three activities that existed for the longest time in human history. Hoho, just look at how much fanfare theyve come with. I think theyve already secretly decided among themselves who would make it to the top ranks. Otherwise, if a powerful faction like the Fengyun Court gets defeated by some unknown wandering cultivator, theyd be so embarrassed, said Gu Suihan with a disdainful sneer. Such rankings were nothing more than a list of names, but these were exactly the things that these reputable families and factions went after. Absolutely shameless people. You make very good sense, said Boss Zhang with a sigh after thinking about it. Ill sort out the information about the cultivators on the Human Ranking and send it to you later. Thanks, said Gu Suihan as he clasped one palm over his other fist politely. He then flung a jade slip to Boss Zhang. Weve gotten fairly close and I know some of the issues you have with your cultivation technique. Youll find a way to improve it inside, chew on it. Boss Zhang gasped a little in shock and cast the piece of pork trotters in his hands aside. He disregarded how oily his fingers were and grabbed the jade slip before sending his spiritual sense into it. A moment later, he withdrew his spiritual sense and stared excitedly at Gu Suihan. He said very solemnly, Mr. Gu, the favor you have done me is going to transform me completely. I dont care what happens C if you need anything, just let me know. Boss Zhangs cultivation technique was a pretty old one that was found incomplete, and even after someone tried to fill the rest in, it still seemed awkward somehow. This had bothered him for so many years, but it had now been resolved by Gu Suihan. Hoho! Get me a table of dishes. I dont think Fengyun Yu would notice this little bit of money, so put my order on his tab. Besides, given his status, I dont think hed even check the final bill, said Gu Suihan before finding a random table to sit down. He said in a cheeky voice, Get me the best youve got. Brother Gu always has the best taste! An equally cheeky smile spread across Boss Zhangs plump face as he skipped all the way to the kitchen. He didnt carry himself like an Origin Core cultivator at all. **The Clackers Cold Dish Collection** Todays snack recommendation: It might sound a bit weird but if you leave pig/chicken skin long enough in the fridge after cooking, the gelatin in the skin will become a jelly. The pork trotter version is really yums because the pork is braised in lovely spices. The recipe in this link adds gelatin but technically you dont need it? Umami: **_ Of course, a large variety of pork trotter related snacks are available, including basic braised ones (Korea has jokbal). But I love the chilled ones and so I shall imagine thats what theyre snacking on. =D TL/N: OMG I love theeeese If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 207 While Gu Suihan and Boss Zhang were having a good conversation A commotion broke out upstairs. Sounds of shouts, jeering, and even the breaking of tables and chairs could be heard, making everyone within earshot frown and feel upset. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps came from the staircase, along with a charming female voice. A young man with some bloodstains on his face came down the steps with his arms around a voluptuous woman. Guess what happened upstairs? said Gu Suihan with a snigger as he raised his cup and smiled faintly after casting the stairs a glance. There was probably some disagreement followed by a fight, said Boss Zhang. He wasnt bothered by this at all. He finished the wine in his cup, wiped his mouth, and raised his voice, Mr. Fengyun! Everything, including the tables, chairs, and other items youve damaged, and the food will cost you around 5,000 spiritual coins. Thanks for patronizing! Five. Thousand. Spiritual. Coins. The entire establishment fell silent. Boss Zhang wasnt just trying to weasel a little extra money. This was daylight robbery. Five thousand? Youre really greedy. Fengyun Yu wasnt some idiot. His expression instantly turned foul. He slowly sauntered to where Boss Zhang and Gu Suihan were seated and said in a menacing voice, Arent you afraid thatyour stomach might burst from eating too much? Not even a cultivator on the Earth Ranking would dare to refuse to pay in such an unreasonable manner. Youre not very old, but you say very big things for your age. Thank you for your concern, but my appetite is enough to fit way more than just 5,000 spiritual coins. Boss Zhang stopped eating and gently tapped the end of his chopsticks onto the table. His tone of voice was indifferent, but the threat and disdain in his words were obvious. His words and actions were making it very clear to Fengyun Yu that he was in Fengyang and not within any territory controlled by the Fengyun Court. There were as many cultivators as stray dogs in this city, so Fengyun Yu had no right to throw his weight about as though he were someone really that formidable. Boss Zhang was only collecting 5,000 as a favor to Fengyun Court. If Fengyun Yu werent from somewhere reputable, he would have been beaten to death for making such a commotion. After all, Fengyuan Bordello was a fairly famous place in this part of the city. It wasnt a place where just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could enter in the first place. Excellent. Just great. Im gonna take a good look and see what in the world is even worth 5,000 spiritual coins, spat Fengyun Yu as he narrowed his eyes after his expression went through several transitions. Five thousand spiritual coins werent really worth much, and Fengyun Yu was well able to afford it. He just didnt think this meal was worth that sort of money. Besides, if he actually foot the bill, he was going to be known as the idiot who paid way too much for nothing. After all, everyone watching him right now werent people of integrity. These people were the sort who would add unnecessarily to the story as they passed it around, so in less than half a year, Fengyun Yu was going to go from just being an unfortunate guy who was pushed into paying too much to being labeled a complete fool. Boss Zhangs expression turned sour as well as he stared at Fengyun Yu, who looked like he wasnt going to back down without a fight. Boss Zhang sneered inwardly. He was determined to fleece this young man, yet this young man was going to insist on checking the bill? Get the bill. Boss Zhang let out a couple of insincere laughs and took the bill from his wait staff. He was expressionless as he said, You wanted a banquet and reserved ten tables. Each table had 39 dishes and six soups, including Demonic Monkey Paw, Liger Heart Hold up, Fengyun Yu stopped him right there and scowled. These things will never add up to 5,000 spiritual coins. Of course. The expensive things are at the end. Boss Zhang smiled brightly and went on, You broke three tables and seven chairs, as well as some cutlery. The tables were made from thousand-year earth-grade otherworldly wood, the chairs were made from warm jade pine wood, the chopsticks were made from the bones of a blood-winged ice crystal condor Fengyun Yus eyes bulged as he instantly stared at the seemingly ordinary cutlery on Boss Zhangs table, and his lips began to twitch uncontrollably. Tell you what, Ill round it down for you and make it exactly 5,000. Boss Zhang flung the bill in Fengyun Yus face and snorted. You can take it as paying to learn a lesson. When youre in Fengyang, even if your dad, Fengyun Ba, were here, hed have to pay for this as well. Youre merely from Fengyun Court. Why you Fengyun Yu was so angry that he started shaking, but the slightly plump middle-aged man in front of him was giving off the aura of an Origin Core cultivator. The aura was very slight, but it was enough to remind him that the older man was not afraid of Fengyun Court at all. If he really refused to pay, he might never see the light of day again. All of a sudden, the gorgeous and charming woman next to him fluttered her eyes, glanced at Gu Suihan and hurriedly sent a message to Fengyun Yu via telepathy, Mr. FengyunI think the man next to him is Youre the pillar of support the Li family got? After reluctantly handing over the money, Fengyun Yu suddenly turned to look at Gu Suihan, who was eating quietly, and asked this question in a frosty voice. Hoho. Gu Suihan turned around slowly and stared at Fengyun Yu and his companions. His stare was like actual pressure weighing down on them. He suddenly increased the pressure and the crackling noises followed. In that instant, Fengyun Yu and his companions, including the guards behind him, turned purple in the face. The crackling noises were coming from their bones. They had barely held up for a second when their knees gave way. The group fell to their knees with a loud thud. This is to teach you a lesson. Use your brains when before speaking or doing anything. Not everyone is willing to let you off just because youre from Fengyun Court. Gu Suihan splashed a cup of wine on Fengyun Yus face. Fengyun Yus eyes were bloodshot and his expression was twisted as Gu Suihan patted his face. When youre here, make sure you behave yourself. Even if youre a dragon, keep yourself coiled up. Even if youre a tiger, just lay low. The Clan Ranking is about to start, so dont end up putting lots of effort to get in only to be injured severely just before it starts. Thatll be terrible. How dare you! Immediately after Gu Suihan said those words, the last two of Fengyun Yus guards who were still somewhat standing because they were at Origin Core got angry when they saw how their young master was being humiliated. They gave a loud shout and thrust their palms out. The wind and clouds within a kilometer radius came together and turned into a giant hand that howled and boomed like a thunderstorm, then flew toward Gu Suihan. Pieces of trash at Origin Core. Gu Suihan merely snorted at the mighty palm coming toward him. He narrowed his eyes and everything in the restaurant suddenly paused. His power over the laws of nature shot out from him as thin but brilliant lines that weaved together into a net that trapped the giant hand. The net turned the hand into nothing but a cloud of qi in mere seconds. The net was not weakened in the slightest as it moved on to cover the two guards. The guards shrieked as the net chopped them into tiny pieces no larger than a finger. Before anyone could even smell the blood of their bodies, a large hole appeared in the floor and swallowed up all their flesh and bloodstains. The whole exchange happened within the blink of an eye and the winner was obvious after just one breath. Everyone could hardly believe their eyes. The two guards who had just shouted angrily and launched an attack had vanished into thin air. All the people watching inside the restaurant, including Boss Zhang and Fengyun Yu and his companions who could not get up from the floor at all gasped in horror at this sight and felt cold all over. All of that seemed to have happened very simply, but thinking about the process was terrifying In just the blink of an eye, Gu Suihan had made use of so many laws of nature. Not even a cultivator at Nascent Change could have understood so many laws and be as familiar with them. His actions sent shudders down everyones backs. In the capital, Xianyang, of the great Qin empire, at the moment when Gu Suihan launched his attack. A figure who resembled a civet suddenly appeared, wrote a lot of words on a piece of paper and presented it respectfully before slowly fading away like a cloud of mist. The middle aged man seated in the room looked carefully at the note that was written very simply. His gaze paused at one of the lines written and a faint smile spread across his lips. Ive been looking for you for a long, long time. I didnt expect everyone to be gathered here. As the emperor, I will give you a chance. A chance to stand on the chessboard. After he uttered those words, he casually cast the paper aside and focused all his attention on the animal hide on his table that measured no more than a foot or so. The tiny words inscribed all over it were dizzying. It was creepy, yet it contained the mysterious vicissitudes of ancient times. Nuwa created mankind and blessed all the creatures in the world. Thatsso foolish. What a joke. Mankind, humans, are made from demons, souls, and some other things. You who have no heartyou have something I need. Ive been bored for too long. Ill give you a chance to get onto the Go board to fight and take a gamble on. It was late at night. The moon shone brightly in the sky. There was a light breeze, and the skies contained no clouds. Gu Suihan sat alone in his courtyard and drank by himself. All of a sudden, his face paled, then turned bright red as a mouthful of blood came out of him against his will. It sprayed into his cup of wine, swirling itself into the clear liquid inside, and turned the wine into a faintly red, mildly fragrant liquid instead. My spell has been broken. Who is it? Who is trying to find out where Ive come from and where I am now? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 208 Tens of thousands of cultivators of varying levels of cultivation gathered at the fighting arena in the west of the city. Each of them had a number, so they followed the sequence and took turns entering the arena to compete. The rules were very simple and also very cruel. The first round was for Foundation Establishment cultivators, and there were more than a million of them. So, the three Origin Core cultivators watching over Fengyang raised their hands and created thousands of arenas that were three kilometers in diameter. A hundred people were to enter each arena at one time. They were to fight for 15 minutes, and only one person could remain standing at the end of it. If there were more survivors than that, all of them would be deemed to have failed. Once these cruel instructions were given, an uproar went through all the cultivators, and many quickly gave up. But many more were hoping to make it in the mess somehow and see if they might be able to get to the next round. There was always a chance, after all While it was true that in many aspects, cultivators werent quite human anymore. But the nature that coursed through their blood made them still feel hopeful about the future and encouraged them to take a gamble. And so, on the several fighting arenas, sisters attacked one another, brothers tried to harm each other, and couples raised swords at each other. Friends and soulmates schemed against one another. All sorts of similar actions were carried out across the arenas, and it was like hell on Earth. The array of behavior that humans were capable of were on full display in these narrow arenas. The selfishness and survival instincts of humans were clear for everyone to see. In less than a day, the first round was over. And now, the second round was about to begin. It was just as cruel as the first round. This time, ten cultivators were to enter the arena at each time, and they were also given 15 minutes to kill each other until only one person was left standing. When his number was called, Li Yu instinctively clenched his fists as he got into the arena and looked down at the huge crowd watching below. He couldnt help but feel the excitement. This was only his first step in rising to the top. Its been a while. Ive even kinda missed you. While Li Yu was staring down at the crowd, the sky suddenly darkened as Wang Chunyang made the first move. The entire arena broke into a fierce fight immediately after that. Everyone in this round was smart. Ten competitors meant that they could fight in pairs. Once they were done with their first opponent, they could go and stab someone else after that. And so, the entire arena was quickly split into a few standalone fights. Nobody dared to be the slightest bit merciful to their opponent. Being merciful was equivalent to having a death wish. Nobody tried to hide their true capabilities because that would only spell their end. All of them were in this arena to make a name for themselves. Nobody spoke to one another. They glared furiously at their opponents and went all out while guarding against any sneak attacks from other competitors. Kill! Kill! Kill! The sound of drums and shouting resounded like sea waves. Fight! Fight! Fight! Compliments and curses could both be heard. From time to time, someone would be thrown out of the arena, and they would struggle to get back in to continue fighting. Sometimes, the competitors would spew blood from their mouths and stumble backward, but they would just wipe the blood away, give a loud shout and keep going. The whole of Fengyang was in a frenzy. Regardless of whether you were a cultivator, an ordinary person, a goblin, or a barbarian, everyone was beside themselves, yelling and shouting away. In Xianyang. Inside the royal study, two people sat across from one another with a Go board in between. There were no stones on it yet. Your Majesty, what do you intend to do? The older of the two cleared his throat as he slowly put the piece of paper in his hands down. I am very bored. Nobody is willing to play Go with me, so Im willing to give this person a chance. A chance to become a player. With that, he raised his hand and put a black stone right in the middle of the board. The whole of Fengyang was still in a frenzy. The three Origin Core cultivators who watched over Fengyang sat respectfully in a lower seat within the Ouyang family residence. Further down the hall were people who used to be extremely famous in the city, including the head of the Dongfang family, the most senior elder of the Nangong family and more. The strange part was that the entire hall was completely silent. Besides the faint sound of people breathing, it was so quiet that one could hear the sound of hearts beating very clearly. The Saintess has arrived! Immediately after the maid made that announcement, everyone, including the three guardians of the city, stood up and bowed respectfully. Greetings to the Saintess. You may rise. Theres no need to be so stiff. Please take a seat, spoke a voice that was as icy as the moon in the night sky, carrying a chill that seemed to drench the heart, yet also exuded a charm that made ones heart palpitate. Everyone exchanged glances and took their seats. They kept their eyes down and dared not speak. The light breeze came with a fragrance as the woman who arrived walked past them. Her dress was as red as blood and one could see a little of her fair skin in between the slit of her skirt. As she walked, the ethereal tinkling of a bell came from her ankle. Her gaze gave off a charm without her even doing anything. Her almond-shaped eyes, her pretty nose, her petal-like lips, and flawless complexion made her seem more like an art piece that had been delicately carved out. It was exquisite, perfect. Her eyes and smile couldnt be more gorgeous. It was as though she were a fairy who had fallen from the heavens. She was pure and untainted, yet had pity for the people suffering injustice. Hows the plan going? The woman sat on the seat reserved for the person with the highest position in the room. She picked up a cup of tea with her fair and slim fingers. As she spoke, a warmth arose in everyones hearts like a spring breeze after winter. Two more days before the Equal Spirit Order finishes setting up the formation, replied one of the guardians as he stroked his gray beard. Ive been having a bad premonition lately. She frowned slightly and the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy. BOOM! All of a sudden, the skies turned cloudy. Countless layers of clouds appeared as thunder resounded loudly. Before the woman in red could say anything, the three guardians suddenly sprayed a mouthful of blood out and their physical bodies instantly turned into nothing but a bloodied mist. Their spirit were still alive and were about to make a run for it, but a flash of lightning appeared from the sky, striking their souls and turning them into mere dust. The only trace left of them was the echo of their terrified howls. Somethings happened. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan, who was watching Li Yu beat the crap out of the scions and other valiant competitors, felt an agitation in his heart. The spirit he had kept deep inside his consciousness emerged as the feeling of the world collapsing and pushing him into a dead end rose inside his heart. AHHH! He then heard those cries that could be heard for thousands of miles. Before he could do anything, the wind and clouds started swirling rapidly and a deep crack appeared in the sky. A majestic and authoritative voice suddenly boomed, His Majesty has found rebels in Fengyang C the Equal Spirit Order. The leader of this organization has already been executed, but there are still other key members of the order who are still alive. The voice suddenly became even more domineering, I, the emperor, will give you a chance. Within the next three years, only five of you can remain alive. I will not do anything to you after that. But if more than five of you are still alive by then, the city of Fengyang will cease to exist. The voice continued echo in the skies even after it had stopped speaking. Before anyone could wrap their heads around what just happened, a brilliant light burst forth from the city walls. Complex and mysterious runes floated into the air, gathering and solidifying into a cover that made sure nobody could leave or see the outside world. Soits you! In a corner of the city, Gu Suihan had a nasty look on his face as he stared unblinkingly at the seemingly ordinary black Go stone in his hand. Since youve already placed a stone, thenI have nothing to fear. Gu Suihan slowly kept the stone and shut his eyes tightly. He then suddenly rose into the air and raised his arm. A red beam of light shot out and fiendish qi powerful enough to kill all life exploded suddenly. The bookshop instantly crumbled. The saber that had been hanging on the wall and gathering dust gave off an ear piercing hum as it turned into a black beam that flew into the sky. Imlooking forward to a game of Go with you, murmured Gu Suihan. He turned his attention away from Li Yu and the rest in the arena and unleashed his spiritual sense in its entirety. His powers over the laws of nature became obvious and solidified, turning every living thing within a 300-meter radius into a bloodied mist. As his clothing transformed, the souls amidst the bloodied mist that had barely wrapped their heads around what happened suddenly turned into physical entities that embedded themselves onto his large, long cloak, which formed the strange and eerie pattern on the fabric. His black hair flew wildly and his flawless face was icy. His narrow eyes exuded nothing but indifference. Every living thing that he laid his eyes on turned into nourishment for him. Regardless of whether one was a cultivator or not, as long as they within his line of sight, they turned into corpses. Mankind? When Nuwa created humans, besides using the bodies and blood of demons, what else did she use? As he murmured, he stepped on the dry bones that were strewn all over the ground and disappeared into the distance. Thisis what youre truly capable of? Li Yu stood alone in the arena and couldnt help but utter these words as he stared in a daze at the figure that slowly faded out of sight. The judges, along with all the cultivators watching and hundreds of Origin Core cultivators, had died in an instant. Thousands of living creatures had turned into corpses in a snap. Was thiswhat he was truly capable of? **The Clackers Pop-Up Store** Todays snack recommendation: There are a lot of versions of this, I personally like the simple ones that are just lightly roasted with a bit of sugar and salt, and maybe a tiny bit of chili. Also I bought these in bulk when we went into lockdown because I really, really wanted to chew on something Umami **_* TL/N: Significance of this move: Black always goes first in Go, and placing the first stone smack in the middle of the board, a point called Tengen, is an opening move that has apparently been controversial in history. Apparently a sign of an aggressive game and some people think its a big no no, some think it works out wellClacker has no idea Clacker doesnt play Go. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 209 Its the emperor! In the Ouyang family residence, the young woman in a red dress had a look of absolute hatred in her eyes, and her flawless face tensed up. She looked at the three Origin Core guardians of the city, who were now merely a bloody mess on the floor, and felt a deep anger blaze within her heart. The veins on even her fair and supple arms beneath her large sleeves began to pop up tiny light snakes from how agitated she was. But her slightly trembling body and pale face exposed her terrified emotions beneath her angry exterior. Was the emperor scary? To her, he was. He was to be feared. You could even say he was terrifying. But instead of being paralyzed by fear, she used the crippling fear in her heart as her motivation. She had been planning this for a few decades, and it hadnt been easy to get to the current stage. Unfortunately, all her prior efforts had now gone to waste. Since thats the case, the most important thing now is to stay alive. As long as Im still alive, I can still make a comeback, hissed the young woman through clenched teeth. She then gave instructions, Now, we have three years and five spots up for grabs. All of you can decide how to get a spot yourselves. With that, she left quickly. The Equal Spirit Order was an order that believed in the equality of all living creatures. It was clear that this was a group that was unhappy with the way the emperor of the Qin empire continued its conquest of more and more domains and swallowed up world after world, so they formed their own organization. They had been lying in wait and hid well as they continued to think of ways to overthrow this empire that was oppressing the entire universe and kill the tyrant that ruled from Xianyang. Unfortunately, they werent living in a fairytale, or a novel, or a movie. Also, this wasnt an empire led by ordinary folk. This was a reality where cultivators, strange creatures, and countless other races existed simultaneously. What was the reality? The reality was that only pure strength was recognized. It was survival of the fittest, a place where the stronger ones would always dominate the weaker ones. The Equal Spirit Order had been secretly planning for decades, and just when they were about to succeed, the emperor casually put a stone like that on the board. The Order was now forced to kill each other within the next three years. They couldnt even just keep a low profile and live quietly. That was what it meant to have power. That was reality. So-called righteousness, kindness, and good people C to a world where cultivators lived, a spiritual stone was worth more than any of these. One only had manners when their stomachs were filled. One only obeyed the law when their survival was guaranteed. On Earth, people only rebelled when they realized that their lives were threatened. And all they really wanted was to fill their stomachs. The really ambitious ones were the ones leading such rebellions. Why were some of them successful? There were some who claimed that it was because their movement resonated with the hearts of the people. Power to the people. How about applying it to this universe? Who the hell cared about the heart of the people? As long as their lives werent threatened, they werent going to rebel. That was what was really in their hearts. Did the emperor of the Qin Empire care about the hearts of the people? Asking this question was like asking if a person cared whether an ant lived or died. Clearly, the answer was no. He could ignore these ants altogether, but if some of these ants were hiding a bomb, he was happy to quash them. The reason was simple. The great Qin empire had no lack of people with a heart to survive. And it certainly didnt lack people either. The vast empire spanned 49 domains, thousands, and thousands of cities. Its land knew no bounds and contained so many people. A few thousand people were completely insignificant. The Equal Spirit Order had similarities to a particular political party on Earth. But why did the latter succeed and the former fail? At the end of the day, it was because the Equal Spirit Order was nowhere near powerful enough to carry out its intentions. Young Master Taohua and Lihua ran frantically along the streets, and Fang Rou was tense as she did her best to protect the two girls. She had lived with them for several years now and had some attachment to them. She wasnt going to just watch the two girls run to their deaths. Thats the end of the road for the three of you and me. Li Yus still in the arena, you can go to him. After Gu Suihan quietly said these words to the three girls with an indifferent look in his eyes, he turned and walked away. He had to make full use of his time and kill more people. He had to use quantity to make up for quality. That way, hed recover faster. A thousand people? Two thousand? Ten thousand? Perhaps, twenty thousand? He had no idea how many he needed and it didnt matter. Anybody he saw was dead meat. Everywhere his saber pointed, a violent qi would rush out and fiendish qi would float around him like an actual black cloud. He was like a venomous snake on the prowl and sent shivers down everyones back. Just then, he raised an eyebrow. He turned and saw an elegant man in a plain robe and a piece of jade hanging from his belt, looking much like a Confucius scholar. The man was standing at least 300 meters away and looked completely at ease. He looked at Gu Suihan and asked, Do you know the meaning of wind, flowers, snow and the moon? Oh? Interesting. Gu Suihans usually expressionless face finally lit up a little. This man seemed to be at a level no higher than Origin Core, but the way he behaved gave away clues that he was deeper in his cultivation journey than most others at his level. In other words, this man was at a point where he was beginning to understand the laws of nature. A cultivator who could begin to understand the laws of nature at Origin Core stage was definitely a genius. Let me give you the answer. Gu Suihans eyes glinted and a gentle yet strange smile spread across his face. Wind comes through the mountains and over the waters to meet you face to face; flowers can fade and return to the soil yet bloom again and again; snow is the white substance on rooftops that melt when the sun rises; the moon is a witness from afar to the thousands of years past. I see. The confused look in the scholars eyes slowly faded and became clear. His gaze burned as he looked straight at Gu Suihan. Thank you so much Youre welcome. Your cultivation journey has been going well, I see. Gu Suihan smiled faintly, nodded slightly, then turned and left in a different direction. Windcould be wind of the highest heavens Flowercould be the red spider lilies along the way to reincarnation Snowcould be the snow of cold hells Mooncould be the frosty, bright light of the night sky Understanding the laws of nature this way was to understand the immortal and carefree aspect of these four laws. This was the Way that this scholar had chosen. Gu Suihan could see that, and that was why he said that the scholars journey was going well. Was there anybody that he wouldnt kill? Gu Suihan smiled faintly as he went through the crowds in the city, killing everyone he went past in the blink of an eye. He ran into no resistance whatsoever. Blood spewed everywhere, staining the city with an exceptionally beautiful, dreamlike hue, even as his victims shrieked in horror. Iyou Boss Zhang gripped his sword weakly as he stared in disbelief and terror at Gu Suihan. He couldnt understand why Gu Suihan would want to kill him. Because Gu Suihan moved past him without any expression on his face, his saber slicing through Boss Zhangs fingers and into the older mans head. He unleashed his internal energy like a hook, fishing out Boss Zhangs spirit and swallowing it whole. youre just food to me, Gu Suihan finished his sentence in an emotionless voice after he had finished consuming Boss Zhang. He kept his saber back inside its sheath. Hundreds of people lost their lives and even their souls. Gu Suihan had gobbled everything up. From the moment he kept that stone, he knewthe city of Fengyang had already been condemned. Or at least, to the emperor, his territory would no longer include this city. This was giving Gu Suihan a chance, and it was also giving the Equal Spirit Order a chance. It wasa chance given to everybody. A chance for everyone to go from being merely a stone on the board to being a player. The emperor didnt care who would live and who would die. He only cared about whether his opponent would give him any surprises. Whether his opponent would pose a challenge to him, a feeling he hadnt felt for a long, long time. Life is like a game of Go, and vice versa. Both of us play a game with one another, but we dont realize thatwe are both stones on the board. Were stones who think were players, murmured Gu Suihan as he stood alone atop a tower and looked down. I must survive, and you must survive too. You must not die, you must not die Li Yu uttered over and over again, like he had lost his mind, as he hugged Fang Rous body even as it slowly went cold. Next to them, Taohua and Lihuas cold corpses had a look of relief on their faces even as they died hugging each other. The two maids had killed themselves. They werent stupid. They had heard that majestic voice from above earlier too. The two of them had just begun their cultivation journey, so they were considered dirt to the thousands of cultivators residing in the city. In order to prevent themselves from going through a living hell, they hugged one another tightly like they were trying to keep each other warm and consumed poison after Fang Rou was severely injured. Fang Rou had been injured by the impact from the fight between other Origin Core cultivators in her attempt to save Li Yu. The qi blast from those fights was like a sword that stabbed through her defenses and pierced her exactly through her dantian and spinal cord. The Esteemed One living inside the ring suddenly started speaking in an annoyed voice to Li Yu, Stop crying and whimpering. At most, Ill draw her soul out and if you manage to survive long enough, youd be able to help her cultivate again. Really? Thank you! Thank you so much, Esteemed One! said Li Yu excitedly even as he wept. But on one condition C you have to survive. Ive taken quite a big hit this time and I need to go into hibernation, so I wont be able to guide you anymore. Youll have to do your best to survive, said the Esteemed One. A red, gloomy beam of light suddenly shot out from the ring and sucked Fang Rous soul out before she breathed her last, and the voice spoke no more. Esteemed One! Esteemed One! Li Yu started calling out in a panic. But when he realized that the ring had lost its luster completely, he stopped and pursed his lips before saying with a look of determination on his face, I will survive this. I will make sure I survive. Oho, has his inner cockroach mentality been activated? Things are going to get interesting. There was a glint in Gu Suihans eyes as he murmured these words, before gobbling up a few dozen more souls before him. Authors note: Side character 1 has appeared C its that scholar. (Author promised to feature two of his readers in chapter 177) Also, the explanation Gu Suihan gave of wind, flower, snow and moon was copied from a song LOLOLOLOL (ref to TLs notes) The Clackers Pop-Up Store Todays snack recommendation: This fried potato flour with MSG. Period. Theyre also fun shaped and before you know it, youve eaten the entire freaking bag. MSG: off the charts. TL/N: I assume hes actually referring to the CCP, but its been censored in the original text (Read: Coward) So. The phrase wind flower snow moon originally referred to the usual themes in ancient Chinese poetry, but later also used to refer to shitty poems that sounded fancy but didnt carry much substance.At the same time, the phrase also referred to falling in love and/or a life of debauchery. It has negative connotations so its often used to describe the life of a womanizer/wastrel/bum. But here, the author has copied lyrics from a song thats titled Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon, sung by internet singers Shan Mao (Mountain Cat) and Dan Juan (Eggroll). The lines he uses are from the very first chorus and the song explains that this phrase means that the speaker wants to be in a love relationship with the entire world. Listen to it . While the Chinese lyrics are original, the music is actually originally a Japanese song titled Natsukoi, written/produced by Otokaze, performed by Rhyzz & Bell & Jas Mace. You can listen to that The original text literally says bloodline of Xiaoqiang, which would mean that Li Yu is a descendant of a cockroach. A Stephen Chow movie from the 1990s had Stephen Chows character keep a pet cockroach named Xiaoqiang, so it became a nickname for cockroaches. Someone uploaded a famous clip from the movie where Xiaoqiang gets stepped on and But of course, the cockroach mentality is one where basically the person can face failure and trouble again and again but never gives up. So I guess its more like that episode of Mythbusters where they tried to kill a bunch of roaches and failed miserably. You can watch that If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 210 KABOOM! The ground shook, and qi exploded everywhere. Buildings, towers, and other large structures collapsed like dominoes from the waves of energy hitting them. The thick, gray clouds in the sky suddenly swirled into a gigantic whirlwind like they were parting for the sun to shine through. One could even see the ripples from the sheer amount of qi in the air. Nascent Change cultivators are exchanging blows. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes. His clothes were flapping wildly from the whirlwind, making loud noises amidst the nothingness before him. To people at this level, those thousands of cultivators and other living creatures were nothing. They could turn them to dust with just the wave of an arm. They didnt care if these ants lived or died. They just didnt have any energy to clean up the mess right now. I need to go faster, thought Gu Suihan as he turned to move toward the north of the city. That was where the demons, the barbarians, and other strange creatures gathered. Perhaps he could find something interesting there. If the souls, qi, and blood of cultivators at Foundation Establishment and Origin Core were slightly differently sized water droplets, then Gu Suihan was like an ocean that was close to drying up. And this was an ocean of dark, heavy water too. The amount he needed to fill up the rest of the ocean couldnt be fulfilled by gobbling up 10,000 cultivators. The quality of each person was too low, so the size of each droplet was simply too small. Gurgle, gurgle. Gurgle, gurgle. The sound of water boiling suddenly resounded in this almost silent place. It was rather unsettling. Fengyuan Bordello Gu Suihan suddenly stopped in his footsteps and turned slowly to look at the three-story building a few kilometers away from him. Despite how the qi blasts from all the fighting nearby had destroyed all the buildings around it, this one remained standing. Wanna eat some? an almost ethereal voice floated over. It was a horror-inducing voice, like hearing a ghost in the middle of the night. A barbarian Gu Suihan traveled across the rubble between himself and Fengyuan Bordello in less than a second and stood at the entrance as he stared indifferently at a large and muscular person seated on the floor. That person kept tapping on the huge cauldron that could fit a human and still have extra space left over. The bubbles inside the cauldron kept bursting and giving off a fragrance that would make one salivate. The softened meat and bones cooking inside the cauldron gave off a milky color, and the large person still had a small mountain of other ingredients waiting to be cooked next to him. Thats right. My name is Chamu. The large person raised his head and grinned at Gu Suihan. He scooped out a bowl for Gu Suihan and placed it on the floor. Im Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan smiled as he sat down across from Chamu and looked down at the thick, oily, meaty soup that smelled so appetizing. He retrieved a bottle of wine from his storage ring and passed it to Chamu. Thank you. Chamu scratched his messy hair and smiled as he took the bottle from Gu Suihan. He swallowed a huge mouthful of wine before smacking his lips like he wished there was more, then let out a long, satisfied sigh. Someone else is here. Both of them raised an eyebrow as they exchanged glances, then smiled. This is a rare sight. Its such a mess out there, but someones actually just happily cooking away, unafraid of death, a voice said teasingly as a white apparition appeared in front of the other two. Do you want to eat some? Chamu scooped out enough for another bowl and laughed as he held it out. If I didnt want to eat, I wouldnt be here. The apparition slowly became more opaque, transforming into a young man in silver armor with a halberd in hand. He took the large bowl from Chamu and took several large bites of the meat without holding back. What meat is this? It smells really good, but its too oily, so I get a bit sick of the taste, said the armored young man through bites as he finished the meat in his bowl within seconds and fished another piece directly out of the cauldron. Its human meat. Gu Suihan spoke calmly, but there was a cheeky smile on his face. The young mans face froze immediately before he turned to look at Chamu for confirmation. Chamu just kept his head down and chomped on the meat. After Chamu finished his first bowl and got himself another, he finally looked back at the young man, furrowed his brows for a while, then said, Hesnot wrong in saying that. What do you mean by hes not wrong?! The young mans lips twitched uncomfortably as he tried to stop his stomach from churning. Chamu finally put his bowl down, drank the remainder of the wine from Gu Suihan, wiped his mouth, and said in a very serious manner, This is meat from humans, not human meat. The young man was completely flummoxed. He stared at Chamu in confusion. What in thewhat? Isnt meat from humans the same as human meat? No, its not. Chamu seemed a little angry now and raised a hand to stop the young man from going on. He declared very earnestly, There is a distinction between the two. Meat from ordinary humans is considered human meat. Im cooking the meat of cultivators. This soup contains meat with qi. It contains extra nutrition. Gu Suihan chuckled as he continued eating his share slowly. He said quietly, Its just like how humans distinguish between different animal meat. Pork isnt the same as dog meat. So, the concept of humans is also different from the human race. Get it now? The former refers to ordinary humans who dont cultivate, while the latter refers to cultivate and does not include the pathetic type who dont cultivate. But why The young man wanted to ask more, but the barbarian interrupted him, Do you think the pathetic sort of humans he mentions are able to defend themselves if another race attacks them? Theyd have to rely on cultivators to protect them, wouldnt they? To put it simply, humans are just animals bred by you cultivators. They give you vow power, good fortune, and other benefits, plus the things they want out of life dont really clash with what you cultivators want. Its just like how humans rear animals. They could sell them for money, but they could eat the animals too. The young man stared at Gu Suihan in disbelief. Chamu was just a barbarian, after all. He wanted Gu Suihan to explain this. He wanted Gu Suihan to overturn this insane argument against their own race. But when he saw that Gu Suihan had no intention of disagreeing with Chamu and continued to put piece after piece of meat into his mouth, he realized that Gu Suihan agreed with Chamu. The truth is often cruel, dont you think? Gu Suihan swallowed his last mouthful of soup, then took out more bottles of wine for everyone. He looked at the young mans horrified expression and chuckled. Its just like how some ordinary folk prays for the protection of some god or Buddha. Actually, theyre no different from how the animals they keep at home try to gain their owners favor. Its just that the humans dont make it look so obvious. The universe has no mercy. It sees everyone as dogs, muttered the young man, as though he was reconsidering what this phrase really meant. The universe doesnt have emotions. It views all creatures as equal and does not have any bias because all creatures are mere ants to it. Some are strong ants, and some are weak and tiny ants, but theyre all still ants. Thats why it wouldnt give either side any preference. Gu Suihan slowly explained this phrase that had been twisted by mankind as he saw the confusion in the young mans eyes. It was too bad that ordinary people were often dumb and foolish. They thought that the phrase meant that the universe had no mercy and treated everything in the world as its toys. That interpretation was garbage, but a large majority of people believed this was its true meaning. That majority included the thousands of novels from Earth. Did they really understand what this phrase meant? Nah, they were just repeating what they heard from elsewhere. The young man took a deep breath after understanding what Gu Suihan just said. He got up and bowed solemnly. Hearing your explanation is like having a tub of ice-cold water poured on my head. I, Tang Xiaoyun, have learned much! Hoho, its nothing, really. Gu Suihan chuckled, then turned around as he sensed something. He looked out of the entrance and called out, Its a bit cold out there, my fellow cultivator. Why dont you come in and chat with us? Huh? Chamu and Tang Xiaoyun were alarmed and readied themselves for a fight. They hadnt noticed that someone else had come so close to them at all. Who in the world was outside? Hoho, youre very sharp. I was still listening intently to your explanation earlier. A laughter like the tinkling of bells was heard as a young woman with pretty eyes, pink cheeks, petal-like lips, and a mesmerizing figure appeared in the doorway. She had no shoes, but she wore a red dress that made her look like a beautiful rose in bloom and her hair in two buns. The breeze wasnt strong, but it seemed especially chilly in this place, covered in rubble and filled with dead bodies. The young woman slowly made her way in, accompanied by the melodious sound of a bell. Her gaze was mysterious and exuded an aura that could make everyone fall head over heels in love with her. Her charm and gorgeousness were extremely attractive, yet it also seemed to keep others at a distance. Every rose has thorns, remarked Gu Suihan with a chuckle before looking away and pouring himself another cup of wine. He swirled it in his hand as he glanced thoughtfully at the staircase landing of the second story. Authors note: Tang Xiaoyun, the character requested by the other reader, has made an appearance! This time, Ill try to let the girl survive more chapters than the last fewotherwise, Id have to think of yet another name, which is suchhhhh a headache If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 211 This place has been isolated from the rest of the empire, and there is no difference between day and night anymore. Three yearsfive people. Besides cultivating like crazy, what else could I do? Li Yu stared in frustration at the tiny bit of light he could see in the gaps between the rubble. He suppressed his hunger and dared not move at all. More than ten days had passed since that majestic voice as powerful as the sky and sea had made that announcement, and the entire city had been sealed off. Only that thick and heavy layer of clouds was left in the sky. It seemed to weigh down on every persons heart, and that demonic-sounding voice was still echoing in some peoples ears. The ones who were affected first were those ordinary people who had been just going about their lives as usual and could not hold up against what had come their way. Without the boundaries of the law, every living creature would go mad. And to Li Yu, everyone had certainly gone mad. The usually gentle and peaceful creatures turned aggressive, killing ordinary humans without any reservation and gobbling children up. The tough barbarians who had been oppressed and subject to slavery and insult by humans all this time raised rocks and iron clubs that weighed half a ton and used it to cruelly take revenge against mankind. Thousands of ordinary living creatures were killing each other, robbing each other, and quarreling amongst themselves. In just three days, everyone was either dead or injured. The next group that was affected was the cultivators at Foundation Establishment, like Li Yu. All those incredible cultivators who had made it to the Clan Ranking were now no better than any random pig or dog on the street. He watched with his own eyes as top-ranking geniuses like Fengyun Yu and Wang Chunyang turned into nothing more than minced meat from the explosion. They were supposed to be the cream of the crop. The best of the younger generation. And what of them now? Li Yu smiled sadly. In such dire circumstances, who cared if you were from some famous faction or if you hailed from an influential family? The only person you could rely on was yourself. Your own strength. He had been hiding in this rubble for several days now after getting injured from the shockwaves caused by a fight between a few Origin Core cultivators. He had just weaseled himself into this tiny cave and didnt dare to move at all because he was afraid. Afraid that he might be killed by something that appeared out of nowhere. He had seen how those Origin Core cultivators had been wiped out by a Nascent Change cultivator so easily. Those Origin Core cultivators werent able to defend themselves at all. Spells and techniques were completely useless in the face of absolute strength. Whenare you going to wake up? He put his thoughts aside and slowly looked down at the unconscious young woman in front of him quietly. She was covered in wounds, and her clothes and things were in a mess. Her pale face and furrowed brows showed how weak she was. This was the person who had caused this place to turn into a mere pile of rubble. He had seen how this young lady had been severely injured after an Origin Core cultivator had caused his own body to explode. The explosion caused her weakened body to crash into the house he was in and turn it into ruins. There was still no sign of her waking up, even though some days had already gone by. Li Yu dared not move. He wasnt sure if the qi that she subconsciously emanated would crush him. Also, he had noticed the creepy tattoo on her wrist. It seemed to be alive and was staring at him, which stirred up fear in his heart. Uhh The young woman groaned quietly, and her face crumpled up as she did her best to open her eyes a little. She could see a blurry figure in front of her through her thick eyelashes. Beltpills She had no idea what was happening right now, so she could only pray hard that this person wasnt going to seize this chance to kill her in her weakened state. Youre awake. Li Yu suddenly jolted up, then knelt next to her head and bent down to put his ear to her mouth so he could hear the few words she could barely utter. He then turned to her tiny waist that he could probably hold with one hand. He instinctively gulped and closed his eyes to force himself not to look at the part of her body that was indecently exposed because her clothes were torn. He held his breath as he tried to ignore the softness he could feel in his hands while searching her belt. After searching for a while, he finally found three pills. This was something that all cultivators did. Nobody could predict if you would be so badly injured that your spiritual sense would run dry, so it was definitely a good idea to carry pills at all times. He had found two red pills and one blue pill. Which one should he give to her? This was a really difficult problem. Firstly, he didnt know if she would kill him after regaining strength; secondly, he wasnt sure if one of these pills was actually poison. But when he noticed that her breathing was becoming weaker, he clenched his teeth and pried her mouth open before stuffing all three pills down her throat. Whether she lived or died was up to the will of heaven. Li Yu was a rather noble martial artist, or rather, he still had some conscience. If it were Gu Suihan or any cultivator who was advancing well in this world, the first thing they would have done to her would be to take anything she had of value for themselves, then make full use of her. For example, they could turn her into a puppet, or they could consume her soul and blood in order to fortify themselves. These were common practices among cultivators. Uhh Just a few moments after she swallowed the pills, her breathing began to regulate and slowly calm down. The blackened wounds on her body where the skin had folded outward started to push the tainted dark blood out of itself, then grew new skin and healed up. You She let out a sigh of relief when she felt her dantian absorb the energy from the pills. But before she could give Li Yu a grateful look, restlessness started growing inside her heart. A warmth, an emptiness, and other complex and unexplainable emotions filled her heart. In that moment, a terrifying thought hit her. She struggled to get up but she wasnt strong enough to stand and her knees gave way weakly. Huh? She expected to feel pain, but instead, a shadow that exuded a strong, manly air suddenly held onto her and prevented her from falling to the ground. Are you alright? Li Yu shook her limp body gently as he asked her anxiously. He could see her face slowly turning red and her body rapidly rising in temperature, so he really didnt know what to do now. Iyouunghh She felt her body become hotter and hotter. An emptiness and a thirst inside her couldnt stop scratching away at her frustrated yet shy heart like a kitten was clawing at it. She finally let out a long sigh and forced herself to look at the slightly good-looking face in front of her and muttered, Im going to make a really big loss huh After she muttered those words, her eyes glazed over, and the slightly flirtatious look in them threw Li Yu into a daze. Before he realized what was going on, he felt a gentle yet passionate pair of lips on his HmmThis sort of melodramatic scene seems rather familiar. Gu Suihan read the information from the wisp of spiritual sense he left inside Li Yus ring and had a slightly odd look on his face. But he quickly threw all that to the back of his mind. Li Yu was only a random pawn he made use of back then. He didnt expect this pawn to actually turn out somewhat useful now. Thingswere going to get fun. Xia Yun, how many saintesses does the Equal Spirit Order have? Gu Suihan suddenly turned around and asked. The young woman in red smiled prettily as she stared dreamily at Gu Suihan. Her voice sounded as sweet as a girl in love as she replied, There are three of us and Im only one of them. Im the only one sent here for the plan this time. Is that so? I think I spot a second saintess. Gu Suihan glanced at the strange tattoo on her wrist with a mysterious smile on his face. How interesting. Tang Xiaoyun rubbed his palms and laughed mirthlessly at Xia Yun, who looked stunned as she held a little bowl in her hands. Looks like your Equal Spirit Order isnt that inflexible after all. Of course, he hated the Equal Spirit Order. If not for them, they wouldnt have landed in this state. Whatwhat does she look like? asked Xia Yun quietly with a tense look after she had paused to think for a while. Shes dressed entirely in white, but its a pity shes very badly injured. And nowit seems like shestending to her wounds. Gu Suihans expression became more and more unnatural as he spoke. After hesitating for a moment, he finally settled on considering it tending to her wounds. After all, according to some novels, the female lead would consume some aphrodisiac, sleep with the male lead and then advance in level of cultivation greatly after that. Sothat act could be considered tending to her wounds, couldnt it? How are you so sure? asked Xia Yun anxiously as her expression fell. Gu Suihan looked at her fair wrist and said flippantly, Shes got a tattoo too Rou Lingyun Xia Yuns expression finally turned into a tense scowl. She gritted her teeth and seethed, How dare you ruin my plans TL/N: That is one way to decide between the blue and red pill If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 212 Where is she? Xia Yun suddenly remembered what Gu Suihan had said earlier and asked this question immediately. She had already gotten up at this point and looked ready to kill someone. She was clearly going to seize this chance to kill the other woman despicably. I think shes still of use right now, said Gu Suihan with a smile as he took a leisurely sip of his soup. He flicked his finger and shot a beam of qi at the second story. You are able to detect my presence?! Chamu and the rest immediately became wary, and their expressions tensed up when they heard the shocked exclamation from upstairs. A murderous aura from within them quickly engulfed the building. Everyone, please dont panic. I just happen to be here. There was a chuckle as a young man who looked like a Confucius scholar strolled down from the second story with a folding fan in hand. He put a palm over his other fist and said apologetically, I got here before Brother Chamu did. Since I had nothing to do, I thought Id rest here for a bit. I didnt expect the rest of you to eventually appear later. So sorry for alarming everyone. After he said those words, he sat down next to Gu Suihan in a relaxed and unaggressive manner, poured himself a cup of wine like he was old friends with Gu Suihan, and sipped it happily. The act of gathering is fate in itself. Besides, were not the only people in this city, said Tang Xiaoyun in a cryptic manner. He burst into a smile when he saw the other party and was the first to put his weapon down. He clearly knew this person. Hurry up and tell me where that little bitch is! Xia Yuns brows were furrowed, and she put on a nasty expression as she glared fiercely at Gu Suihan. Unfortunately, her facial features were too adorable for anybody to feel wary of her, no matter how hard she tried. You want to know? Ill just show you. Gu Suihan couldnt convince her to calm down, so he sighed a little and poured the wine in his cup into the air while casting a mirror spell on it. The slightly cloudy liquid instantly seemed to boil, then slowly calmed down, extending itself into a screen that measured a few feet in diameter. Everything that was happening on Li Yus side could be seen clearly on the screen like it was a movie. Oh my Tang Xiaoyuns eyes instantly lit up, and he licked his lips as he focused all his attention on the screen. Thisit is rude to watch such a thing. The scholars face instantly turned as red as a lobster. He started reciting passages from literature about holy and virtuous things while keeping his head down so that he wouldnt have to watch the steamy scene in front of him. Its a little small Chamu commented in a garbled voice as he chewed on a piece of meat in his bowl that looked like it belonged to an arm while looking disdainfully at the vigorously moving Li Yu. This position isnt too bad, lookmy my! A saintess is truly a level above the rest. Even her technique is extraordinary, remarked Gu Suihan as he glanced at the very embarrassed yet angry Xia Yun next to him. The few enjoying the show exchanged glances and let out a few lecherous laughs. This is reallythisI Xia Yun was a young lady who hadnt seen the world and her mind was as pure as Shuangers. She had spent all her life on cultivation and planning this big scheme. She didnt know anything about such things. As she watched this silent movie that seemed to somehow have sound, she actually began to feel shock and panic inside. As the few of them continued to comment on what they were watching, 15 minutes flew by. Li Yu and Rou Lingyuns bodies stiffened up, trembled for a while, then they embraced each other weakly. The live show had finally come to an end. Gu Suihan tapped his wine cup gently with his finger. The bright sound made the liquid screen in the air fall apart and return to his cup. Hmm, that boys a little weak, huh, grumbled Tang Xiaoyun as he made a face like he was hoping for more. And its small, short and skinny, added Chamu with a grin. You two are really into something else, eh? I was focused on the pretty girl but you two were focusing on the man? Tsk! Gu Suihan threw Chamu and Tang Xiaoyun a weirded out expression. Shut up and stop talking about this already! Xia Yuns face was already as red as cooked shrimp and she was just short of spewing steam. She started yelling at them when she realized they were still talking about what they watched earlier and glared angrily at Gu Suihan. The whole place fell silent for a moment and they just exchanged glances without saying anything. After this little seemingly mischievous incident, the group seemed a lot less wary of one another now. Only five people can live in this place, the scholar finally broke the silence. His expression was grim and that embarrassed expression he had earlier was gone. The Divine Soul cultivators in the city are all dead, said Xia Yun. She paused to sit down, then continued, They died right in front of me. They didnt even get the chance to fight back. Fengyang still has countless Origin Core and Nascent Change cultivators, murmured Chamu in a deep voice after spitting out something that resembled a finger bone. Gu Suihan calmly poured the wine out of his cup onto the floor. The puddle of wine turned into an inconspicuous teleportation formation and Gu Suihan tried to activate it, but it didnt react at all. He figured that this was probably going to happen, but when it actually did, he still felt a little disappointed. The situation is rather complicated. Once those Nascent Change old fogeys are done killing everyone in their way, well be like sheep waiting to be slaughtered. Teleportation formations areuseless. Or rather, anything related to the laws surrounding space and dimensions dont work anymore, includinggod level techniques, spells, forbidden techniques, secret techniques, dao equipment and so on. The rest of them exchanged glances silently, then looked down at the palm sized formation at Gu Suihans feet. They were horrified that it hadnt worked at all, and a little despair crept into their hearts at the same time. Youre a saintess of the Equal Spirit Order. I highly doubt your folks would send you out here all by yourself to do everything by yourself, said Tang Xiaoyun suspiciously as he suddenly looked up and stared straight at Xia Yun. And do you think my status as saintess is still useful in any way given the current situation? Xia Yun looked up as well and snapped right back at him. If I hadnt run fast enough, I would probably have perished from that wave earlier too. Chamu said quietly, Impossible. Youve travelled all the way here with such a big scheme in mind. Its impossible that you werent accompanied by other trusted members of the Order. Those people? Xia Yun snorted. Theyre all dead. The first ones to diewere them. Everyone immediately realized what must have happened. It was easy to explain. The people who came with Xi Yun must have been pretty formidable when they fought together. They had no problem fighting the random stragglers, and those cultivators didnt stand a chance against them at all. But the random stragglers werent stupid. They immediately joined hands and killed the entire entourage. With so many people in the fight, her team had to fight on their own, and that was much easier. So, these people werent the problem. The problem was the Nascent Change cultivators. You could be at Foundation Establishment or even Origin Core, but so what? They didnt mean a thing to Nascent Change cultivators. Such high-level cultivators just had to wave a hand, and anybody, regardless of whether you were at Origin Core, Foundation Establishment, or whether you cultivated in demonic techniques or the physical body, would end up keeling over and dying. The difference in the level of cultivation was simply too large. Those Nascent Change cultivatorsthey cant possibly be invincible, spat Tang Xiaoyun through gritted teeth. He looked angry as he gripped his halberd tightly. It was clear that he wasnt willing just to sit around and wait to die like this. He didnt want to be quashed dead by those cultivators in such a humiliating and helpless manner. But right now, they are literally invincible. Chamu seemed to enjoy making such cutting remarks naturally and spoke these words of despair very casually with his usual deep voice. Tang Xiaoyuns motivation vaporized, and he slumped his shoulders again. Thats not necessarily true Gu Suihans eyes were like the indistinguishable flame of ghostly fire as they glinted dimly. His strange and unfeeling eyes sent a shiver down their spines. The scholar remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said, You have a way out of this? Everyone immediately focused their attention on Gu Suihan. What were your original plans? Gu Suihan did not answer the scholar and turned to Xia Yun instead. He had sensed that there was something odd about Fengyang in the first place, which was why he wanted to make use of Li Yu to help him find out more. He didnt expect the Qin emperor to intervene from nowhere. From the looks of it, all of this was likely to be because the Equal Spirit Order had been preparing for their big plan. So, he had to clarify the situation before making plans. Xia Yun hesitated for a while but eventually clenched her teeth and slowly explained their plan to him. We spent a few decades to make sure that the Divine Soul cultivators watching over Fengyang were all members of the Order. We then used another ten-odd years to slowly make changes to this city. Finally, we were going to make use of this Clan Ranking event to sacrifice the blood souls of a million cultivators to teleport the entire city into the void, before the elders of the Order drag it to a secret location belonging to the Order. We didnt expect Why did the Order come up with such a plan? What did they want to do with this city? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 213 Gu Suihan was even more puzzled now. This city was grand, vast, and majestic. But that meant nothing to cultivators. Because they could fly. Besides, any Nascent Change cultivator could create a larger and more resilient city in just the blink of an eye. Becausewe used the resources given by the empire and put in countless hours and effort to transform this city into a dao weapon. Xia Yun took a deep breath and pursed her lips before finally spilling the beans on the full plan. Good god Chamu and Tang Xiaoyun instantly leaped up and stared at the floor in horror, as though a terrifying beast that could gobble them up was hiding beneath them. The Orderwas very ambitious, the scholar finally settled for a more neutral description. A dao weapon, you said? Gu Suihans eyes shone brightly as he stared at the floor beneath his feet and murmured, These people took such a long time to carry out the plan. They were ambitious indeed. Just when we were almost done with setting up the teleportation formation, the news was leaked by accident. After thatyou know the rest. Xia Yun had a downcast look on her face as she raised her hand resignedly. Hahahaha! Since we cant survive thisneither will they! Gu Suihan suddenly burst out laughing, and his laughter was exceptionally frightening. His gentle demeanor seemed to look more and more evil, and even his perfect facial features looked especially scary, making everyone around him feel a chill in their hearts. Whatwhat are you thinking of doing? asked Tang Xiaoyun after taking a big gulp and doing everything he could to stop himself from just running out now. Gu Suihans frosty and darkened gaze made him look like a wild beast that had been pushed into a corner. There was a maniacal tone in his voice as he said, A dao weapon is a good thing. We can all die together. Youreyoure crazy! Xia Yuns eyes widened as she took several steps away from him with a horrified look on her face. Youyoure going to explode the dao weapon! Everyones going to die if you do that! You mean, if we leave things as they are, were not going to die? Gu Suihan asked her in return. He noticed an uncertain glimmer in her eye and stopped looking so frightening. He said in an indifferent voice, So, you do have a trump card after all. A trump card that will ensure you survive. I Xia Yuns face paled. She suddenly stomped her fair little foot against the floor and ran for the exit. Her fragrance trailed behind her slim body, and she moved so quickly, only after images were left where she was earlier. Dont panic, my fellow cultivator! said the scholar with a chuckle. He waved his folding fan gently, and the temperature immediately dropped. The wind it created whooshed and turned into a light green wall of wind that blocked any exit around them completely. The moonlight shone down as though it were a sword, piercing through the thick clouds and crashing hard right in front of Xia Yun. It created a slit in the ground that was at least 50 meters wide and too deep to even tell. The laws of nature? Thats why youre one of the four great men of Fengyang, huh, said Xia Yun as she stopped just millimeters away from the slit. Her expression was frosty as she spun around to stare at the scholar, causing the bells around her ankle to tinkle. Before the bells stopped ringing, Chamu suddenly looked up and let out an earth-shaking growl, ROAAAR! The soundwaves were like the waves of the ocean as they came rushing out of him. In that instant, all the furniture inside Fengyuan Bordello turned into a fine dust. How dare you! The impact from having her spell broken halfway drained the color from her face. But she didnt dare to stop for too long. She grabbed the air, and there was a flash of lightning. The next they knew, Xia Yun already had a curved sword in her hand, and she was running toward Gu Suihan with her sword raised. How pointless. Gu Suihan didnt even look up. He patted his belt, and his saber hummed loudly. Murderous qi burst forth from it, shaking the entire place as though it was ready to fill the space with all that qi. In that instant, the howls of vengeful spirits and the shrieks of nasty ghosts resounded, along with the roars of demons and the screams of deities. As though it was ready to massacre the world and cover itself with nothing but blood, the saber moved like a laser beam, cutting through the web Xia Yun had created with her sword before she could respond to his attack with something more than a pale face. BAM! AHH! Xia Yun let out an ear-piercing shriek. The saber was covered in darkened blood as it pinned her body onto the wall behind her. In that instant, her fair and supple skin began to wrinkle while the saber actually started producing the clear sound of swallowing. Letlet go of me! Its swallowing my qi, blood, and soul! Pull it out! Pull it out! Xia Yun snapped out of her earlier shock and started yelling in horror when she realized that she was losing her internal energy to the saber. Her face was as white as a sheet, and she looked so pitiful. Gu Suihan was in no hurry. He waited until she had nearly dried up completely before finally pulling the saber out of her. The saber whined unhappily as he put it back in its sheath. He then threw a bottle of pills at Xia Yun in a leisurely fashion, even as she had collapsed weakly onto the floor and was barely breathing by this time. Thatswhat youre cultivating in? The scholar had finally snapped out of his daze after being hit by that huge wave of murderous qi. His expression was solemn as he stared at Gu Suihan. Or, more accurately speaking, he was staring at that strange saber hanging from Gu Suihans belt. The Way of massacresyou could reach an almost deity stage more easily, but you would suffer great karma. Its extremely powerful, but it comes with great affliction Tang Xiaoyuns lips twitched a little fearfully as he uttered the warning his father once left him. Arent you afraid of being consumed by karma? Chamu sat down again slowly, but he was still gripping his huge hammer tightly and dared not let his guard down. But Gu Suihan asked a question in return, What is karma? Do you know what it is? It is a cause-and-effect concept, a basic law that governs the entire universe. Everything you do has both cause and effect. The good beget good The scholar instinctively started quoting from the classics. But after he noticed Gu Suihans disdainful expression, he immediately recalled how Gu Suihan had given him an answer that had helped him understand his cultivation journey better. So, he stopped talking and looked imploringly at Gu Suihan. Do you know why ordinary people all believe in karma? said Gu Suihan. But before any of them could respond, he continued, Because they dont have the power to fight it, so they have no choice but to accept it. They have to allow karma to consume them. Thats why the concept of retribution exists. But cultivators are different. Our journey to find the Way starts with entering the Way, understanding it, having control of it, absorbing it, grasping it fully, and finally moving away from it. This process is exactly what makes a cultivator more powerful. Karma is just a law. At best, it can be considered a more powerful law. Cultivators discover their giftedness, gather their three hun and seven po, form their spirit and become immortals. Thats the process of entering the Way. At the same time, one would also have the power to resist, make use of and control the Way. If one is unable to hold up against the effect of what theyve done, they will be consumed by it. If one can, then karma will just slowly accumulate. As long as you can guarantee that whatever you cause is more powerful than the effect it creates and make sure that the effect can never consume you, then this whole concept of cause and effect is pure gibberish. I can hold up against its attempts to consume me, so it has no choice but to go into hibernation. Gu Suihan stopped here. An icy smile quietly spread across his lips as he glanced indifferently at the silent saber hanging from his belt. If I caused something to happen, it means Im able to hold up against the effects. Karma? Retribution? Those are just nonsense that has fooled humans all this time. Buddha, do you know how many living creatures youve harmed because of the scriptures you left behind? I wonder if youd be able to hold up against the effect of doing that. Weve learned a lot! After a long period of silence, they slowly snapped out of their thoughts and responded to Gu Suihans words respectfully. What Gu Suihan just said was no less than a lecture from a formidable cultivator. What he said was so helpful. No problem. This is something that Ive understood. Whether its of benefit to you or not will depend on what you do from now on. Gu Suihan waved his hand as he accepted a deep bow from everyone. He then turned his qi into strings that dragged Xia Yun closer to him. She still looked very weak, but at least she wasnt as pale as before. You can take what I said as compensation for attacking you earlier. So now, let me ask you one more time. Whats your trump card? Or perhaps, what are you relying on? To everyones surprise, despite being so badly injured, Xia Yun remained as stubborn as ever. She turned her nose up and said very sarcastically, Humph! Like you said, its my trump card. If I tell someone else about it, can you still call it a trump card? Well, if you dont want to talk, I have plenty of time to wait for you to do so. Itll take at least half a month for those Nascent Change cultivators to fight each other until one finally wins, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. Then he suddenly asked, By the way, what do you think of Rou Lingyuns technique? Youyou shameless, despicable pervert! Lecher! You lowlife! You scumbag! You! Xia Yun immediately leaped to her feet like a frightened kitten when she heard these words and started hurling insults at him. Youre an Origin Core cultivator! How could you Im also a man, Gu Suihan cut her off. He gently helped her to straighten out her slightly crumpled dress, then ran a finger from her forehead, down the fair and supple skin of her face and neck, before suddenly stopping just above her full bosom. And so are they If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 214 YouAll of you are shameless! Perverts! Filthy animals! Xia Yuns face was red from anger, and some panic could be seen in her bright eyes. She looked like a frightened little rabbit at first, but after getting over that, she quickly sorted her thoughts out. She glared furiously at Gu Suihans teasing gaze and spat, You play tricks! You use illusions! Humph! Do whatever you want! My skin is merely a barrier to my soul, and my physical body is nothing more than a shell. Did you think Id fall for these stupid little tricks? Dream on!! Ha! I see why you became the saintess of that random order youre from. Youre quite resilient emotionally. Gu Suihan wasnt upset that his ruse didnt work and put his hand down again like he wasnt any longer interested in teasing her. He paused for a moment, then analyzed the situation in a lazy voice, Actually, I can more or less guess what sort of trump card you have. Spatial laws of nature no longer work in this place, so there arent a lot of ways to escape, and you arent capable of pulling off most of them. In that case, youre only left with those few possibilities. Xia Yun sneered at this. Humph! There are countless secret techniques and god-level methods in the boundless world of cultivation. How can you be so sure? Your action earlier on was a pretense. Which cultivator isnt someone secretly obsessed with becoming more powerful? Why would you be bothered by an attack on something perishable and worthless like a physical body? Gu Suihan chuckled quietly. He suddenly raised his head and stared straight into her eyes. Spells, god-level techniques, forbidden techniques, formations, dao weaponslooks like your trump card is a formation. His sudden statement caught Xia Yun by surprise, so when Gu Suihan went through the list, her heart skipped a beat in fear, and her usually indifferent gaze trembled a little when he mentioned the word formation. A chill rose from within her heart as his ghostly low voice echoed in her ears. Youyou.. Formations, spellcasting, hand seals, formation eyes Her heart skipped a beat again when he mentioned the words formation eyes. The odd glint in her eyes lasted merely a second before disappearing, but unfortunately, that glint had been caught by Gu Suihans sharp eyes. Looks like your trump card has something to do with formation eyes. Let me continue guessing Gu Suihan broke into a smile. His smile was sweet, his brows seemingly painted on, his eyes bright, and his teeth white. His features were nearly perfect, yet they made Xia Yun shiver uncontrollably. Before Gu Suihan could speak again, she shut her eyes and hissed, Its a formation eye, and it has something to do with our plans. After saying that, she seemed to have lost her will to fight as she retrieved a shiny round dark colored ball from her storage ring and flung it fiercely at the infuriating young man in front of her. A Heavenly Positioning Stone. Hoho, its true that this thing would be able to get us out of this crappy situation were in, said Gu Suihan as he turned it over in his hand with a strange smile on his face. What a pity, though. Its such a large piece, so using it in this situation would be a waste of precious resources. If my guess is right, you are still going to activate the formation to sacrifice a million souls in order to complete your mission. Am I right? You are. But once this is in your hands, theres no way that could possibly happen. Xia Yun collapsed weakly onto the floor again and gritted her teeth. She glared angrily at Gu Suihan and sneered nastily, Without knowing the spell for activating it, this thing will only allow one person to get out of here. What about the rest of them? She looked smugly at Chamu and the rest as she sniggered inwardly. Thats what you get for pushing me into a corner, she thought. Youre all going to suffer with me. And who said I was leaving? To her surprise, Gu Suihan merely looked at the ball in his hand and casually put it down again. His expression darkened as he said, Why dont you make a guess this time? Since Rou Lingyun is prepared to secretly foil your plans, or rather, take your credit, thendo you think she wouldnt be prepared with something like this? After he said that, Tang Xiaoyuns eyes widened. He stroked his chin, and his eyes darted about. Oh myare you saying shes got another Positioning Stone? Thats not necessarily the case. She might have something else, like a spell to get coordinates in space, that could replace the need to have an actual stone like this one. If shes going to borrow the power generated by sacrificing a million souls, its possible that something like that might work if executed at that exact moment, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. His lips curled into a creepy smile as he stared at the Positioning Stone that was now in the center of their little circle. You want to get out of here alive, but you also want to complete your mission. We just want to get out of here alive, so theres no conflict of interest. Gu Suihan glanced at Xia Yun, then drew a few things in the dust on the floor as he helped them to make some calculations. Now, with an uncertain pawn like Rou Lingyun, we could try and plan something. We might be able to get something out of it along the way. You have a way to control her? spat Xia Yun in a disdainful voice as she made a face. The scholar suddenly spoke up, That man is one of the pawns youve planted? When he mentioned that man, everyone immediately thought of the young man they watched having a romp with Rou Lingyun. How else could Gu Suihan have possibly been able to see exactly what the two of them were doing at that moment? The biggest difference between men and women is the way they think. The former tend to be more focused on logic, while the latter tend to focus more on their emotions. Since time immemorial, men usually managed to get through tribulations brought by romantic entanglements, while most women end up getting entrapped. Or at least, thats the case for most people. Gu Suihan massaged his brows, narrowed his eyes and continued quietly, If thats the case for Rou Lingyun, then its inevitable that the man who both saved her life and took her virginity would have a special place in her heart. Anything that Li Yu says or does might have some influence on her. I dont think its fair to generalize like that. Im not like that, retorted Xia Yun immediately. Youre right. Youre not like that. Gu Suihan threw her a knowing glance and said, Youve never gone through such a tribulation, so your heart is stable and unaffected. Of course, you wouldnt be like Rou Lingyun. Butperhaps the rest of them would understand. He turned to look at the other men, who were all deep in thought. The scholar felt Gu Suihans gaze and unconsciously cleared his throat. Please go on. Firstly, we need Rou Lingyun to believe without a doubt thatXia Yun is dead. She must be fully convinced. Then only will she proceed with her plans without any worry. I think, since she was able to get concrete information and be fully prepared, then she must have people on her side within Fengyang. Theres no way she could have pulled this off all by herself. But the people who came with me are all dead, blurted Xia Yun. Did I say the people helping her were in your entourage? It would be too hard for them to go unnoticed like that, so Im sure shed get someone outside of your team. Im not sure about this, but we ought to give it a try, dont you think? Immediately after saying these words, Gu Suihan suddenly thrust his palm out and hit the still-recuperating Xia Yun hard, even as the rest looked on in horror. If were putting up a show, weve got to go all the way. If you dont die in front of her very eyes, how is she supposed to believe for sure that youre dead? he said calmly as Xia Yun glared venomously at him. He then turned to the rest and said, Now, shell start running, and the rest of us will run after her. Rou Lingyun is now about 30 kilometers from here. Once we get to where she is, the rest will depend on whether Xia Yuns acting is able to fool Rou Lingyun. If it goes well, Xia Yun will be able to do what she wants in secrecy. As the saying goes, when the mantis is too focused on catching the cicada, it fails to notice the finch waiting behind to gobble it up. The scholar rubbed his palms and chuckled to himself. Chamu laughed heartily. And who would have thought that theres still a hawk waiting for that finch. And when all her efforts end up going down the drain, you can take the credit for her work and complete your mission while we get to benefit and get out alive. Its a plan to kill two birds with one stone. Were happy to go along, said Tang Xiaoyun calmly as he gently rubbed his halberd. You can hold on to the Positioning Stone. Shed definitely search your body, so let her take this thing from you. Otherwise, wed end up fighting each other for it eventually. Gu Suihan kicked it gently toward Xia Yun. Lets sign an agreement. Xia Yun wiped away the blood dribbling from her lips and kept the Heavenly Positioning Stone. She squeezed a bit of blood onto her finger and stretched her hand out. Thats exactly what we were thinking of doing too. They exchanged smiles and saw the fierce determination in each others eyes. Humans were willing to die for wealth, like how birds were willing to die for food. Of course, they were tempted by the prospect of gaining the belongings of those at Nascent Change. It was worth risking their lives to get such items. That was how cultivators were. They embodied greed, selfishness, unpredictability, prejudice, and other sinister traits that seemed to work against each other yet co-existed. Li Yu and Rou Lingyun slowly regained their senses after their moment of passion and woke up at the same time. As their eyes met, they saw a deep embarrassment and awkwardness in each others gaze. I, uh As she stared frostily at him, his fingers tensed up subconsciously, and he felt a smooth and warm object in his hands. Let go. Rou Lingyuns fair and flawless face reddened immediately when she felt his hands on her and bit her lip as she forcibly suppressed her emotions and barked at him emotionlessly. Huh? OhOH! Li Yu stared at the impossibly beautiful face just inches away from him in a daze and put his hands down again in a panic. He started to wriggle unnaturally, trying to avoid the stressful glare she was giving him. But to his surprise, his movement caused Rou Lingyun, who had just gotten up from lying on him, to groan. A pinkish flush spread across her fair skin as her slim waist bent under her weight. She landed back on his chest and panted heavily. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 215 II Li Yus face was all red, and he stammered frantically as he tried to explain himself, but he was cut off by Rou Lingyuns angry voice, Pull it out Huh? Li Yu had no idea what she was talking about. He propped his upper body up and had a confused expression on his face as he looked down at Rou Lingyuns beautiful eyes while she continued to lean against his chest. The thing down therepullit out said Rou Lingyun firmly as she struggled to maintain an aloof expression while cursing him inwardly for being an idiot. Unfortunately, her half-open dress, messy hair, glassy eyes, and reddened cheeks only made this already strange scene even more awkward. When he looked at the two smooth mounds that kept moving very slightly against his own chest as she breathed, his throat became very dry, and he felt like there was a fire burning in his abdomen. Without him realizing it, his member decided to raise its head and straighten itself out once more. Gu Suihans wisp of spiritual sense could see all of this unfolding as it rested inside Li Yus ring. He couldnt help but smack his forehead and sigh deeply. This young man really has no experience. Howwhy is it hard again? exclaimed Rou Lingyun with some alarm as she felt the heat inside her. Her mind was a mess, and she couldnt maintain that emotionless look anymore. ThatIts beyond my control Li Yu was a little upset by her accusatory stare, and he tried his best to calm himself down, but it wasnt working at all. Just when another moment of passion was about to begin, a terrible shriek resounded from outside. How darehow dare you!! AHH! That voice sounds familiar. Could it be Rou Lingyun ignored the thing that was rising in temperature inside her and got up. Even though she was almost too weak to move, she forced herself to crawl to a crack in the rubble so that she could see what was happening outside. At almost the same time, she saw a bright red figure crash heavily to the ground. The figure did not move or make any sound after landing. Xia Yun Rou Lingyun nearly let out a shout, but she quickly snapped out of her surprise and forcibly used her internal energy to conceal both her and Li Yus presence. She continued to stare at the motionless figure covered in wounds, lying in the crater she had created by her crash landing. What sort of saintess are you? Youre just a piece of trash, spoke a calm, indifferent voice that was as emotionless as a pool of dead water. Li Yu nearly leaped to his feet in horror. That voice was a voice he wouldnt forget, even if he were dead. Damn itif not for youif you hadnt His expression turned nasty, and his features were twisted as he glared furiously at the crack in the rubble. A wave of sadness and anger instantly filled his heart. Hmm? Rou Lingyun sensed movement behind her and instinctively turned around. But what she saw nearly shocked her to death. Li Yu was holding up a weapon and looked like he was going to fight the person outside to death. Are you stupid?! She immediately ran over and held his tense and trembling body back. She slammed a palm into his abdomen to silently seal his internal energies, then hit the back of his neck hard enough to make him lose consciousness and collapse onto the ground. Lets go. It seems she used up all her stuff while escaping. Damn it! A rough and thick voice resounded, accompanied by a slight shaking of the ground. It was as though the ground was about to give way from the sheer weight of the person walking on it. A barbariana barbarian at Origin Coreoh dear Rou Lingyun simply allowed the dust and tiny rocks to rain down on her because of her shaking. She made sure she didnt move and even held her breath, afraid that the other party would discover her. A short while later, the frightening presence of the people who had come by disappeared, and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She collapsed weakly onto the ground, and her thin dress was already soaked in perspiration, so it stuck to her skin. The dim light coming through the crack made her look even more seductive. Whether we succeed or not will depend on what she chooses to do. Now, Xia Yun is severely injured, and so is Rou Lingyun. The only person who has enough energy to fight is just a piece of trash at Foundation Establishment, so we dont have to worry about him. Gu Suihan and the rest stood at the top of a tower that was less than ten kilometers away and looked toward the rubble with an indifferent and icy looks on their faces. Several hours later, the motionless body in the crater that was presumed dead suddenly let out a horrifying groan. Her fingers moved stiffly, crushed a few pills, and poured them onto her wounds. I just knew you werent dead yet. Rou Lingyun had remained within the rubble and had watched the crater very warily. Her expression turned frosty as she sneered. She decided to check out the situation before deciding what to do and immediately turned to look at the silent Li Yu behind her, who sat with his head bowed. She was about to tell him to go out by himself, which might end up getting him killed when the scene of their lovemaking suddenly appeared in her mind. Her heart was thrown into confusion, and her tone softened. YouI need help to walk over and take a look at her. But when Li Yu heard her voice, he suddenly leaped up like he was agitated by something. He looked resolutely at her and said, II will take responsibility. They both fell silent for a while as they stared at each other. One looked extremely determined, while the gaze of the other one flickered slightly as though she didnt dare to look at Li Yus burning gaze out of a guilty conscience. II Her heart trembled as she lowered her gaze and stammered for a moment as though she felt touched by him and didnt manage to say anything in the end. That fellowwas right. The Esteemed One was right. The same thought hit Xia Yun, who was eavesdropping from outside, as well as Li Yu at the same time. Its a success. Gu Suihan received a message from the wisp of spiritual sense in Li Yus ring and said calmly to the rest, Rou Lingyuns heart and mind are not stable. Theyre now inevitably linked to that boy. The rest will depend on Xia Yun! Chamu leaned against his giant hammer and scratched his head as an intelligent look that no one would expect of him appeared on his face. Stay here and dont move. Ill go outside and take a look, said Li Yu in a domineering voice. He punched a hole in the rubble above him and walked toward the crater with heavy footsteps. Yoube careful. Rou Lingyun pursed her lips and eventually listened to him without knowing why. She told him to be careful and didnt speak anymore after that. Whos that? The red dress of the person in the crater began to flap in the wind as Xia Yun struggled to sit up and leaned against some rocks. Someone whos here to kill you. Li Yu broke into a terrifying smile. He rid himself of the fear he felt earlier and gave a loud shout as he ran toward her. A cultivator at Foundation Establishment? Xia Yun raised her head slightly and a disdainful smile spread across her pale face. Youre just a piece of trash. Apiece of trash? Im going to show you that I am NOT A PIECE OF TRASH! Li Yu became even more enraged when he heard these words. He had been called a piece of trash for nearly 20 years, after all. As he yelled back, the qi in his body went up by yet another level. He swung his fists like the wind, moving as quickly as a snake and as powerfully as a dragon to reach Xia Yun in no time. As he threw an iron fist at her, he let out a roar that sounded like it belonged to a wild beast. It made Xia Yuns heart suddenly tremble and interrupted her qi flow for one moment. At the same time, Li Yu brought his fist down, butit landed about three inches from her. And so what if I call you a piece of trash? Xia Yun did not panic. She raised her fair hand and flicked her fingers to shoot a beam of greenish qi at Li Yus wrist. It whooshed loudly like an arrow and pierced through his wrist, making him howl in pain. But she had underestimated how courageous and determined he was. His wrist was severely injured, but after just letting out a howl of pain, he continued with his attack. He stomped the ground hard and shot himself into the air before bringing his long legs down on her abdomen like a whip and whipping her mercilessly. How dare you! The new injury to her body made her spray a cloud of blood out from her mouth. She gave a loud shout and used her palms to thrust a magic seal out. Li Yu didnt dodge in time, and the magic seal made a depression in his chest. He vomited blood and flew backwards like a willow in the wind, eventually landing right in front of Rou Lingyun. Humph! For some reason, Rou Lingyun actually became angry when she saw how badly Li Yu was injured. She pried his mouth open to stuff a few pills down his throat, then grabbed the air with a hand as she let out a shout to fly at top speed toward Xia Yun. Damn it, youre here too? Rou Lingyun Xia Yun looked up with a start. Her expression was one of shock, hate, andfear. Meanwhile, Gu Suihan and the rest, who were using a seeing spell to watch the fight, couldnt help but marvel. This womans acting chops were superb. If they didnt know anything, they wouldnt have imagined that Xia Yun already knew beforehand that Rou Lingyun was here. Youre surprised, arent you? Rou Lingyun held a long sword in her hand, and it sparkled like the stars, glimmering brightly and bathing its owner in its light. The brightness of the sword extended a meter beyond the blade, and the sounds of it slicing through the air resounded loudly. Rou Lingyun couldnt help but smile icily at Xia Yuns horrified expression and brought the sword down on her. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 216 Gosh, theyre really going all out. The scholar couldnt help but shake his head as he watched how the two women were fighting each other to the death. How much did they hate each other? Life Changing Survival Instinct C Hiding the Soul in the Heavens. Gu Suihan was watching the fight closely and sent these words to Xia Yun via telepathy when he could see that she was about to collapse. She seized the chance to spray a fountain of blood out from her mouth, stumble backward, and fell to the ground before executing the technique Gu Suihan taught her that would make her seem like she was dead when she wasnt. Her eyes were filled with hatred as she glared fiercely at Rou Lingyun. She let out a sad and indignant laugh before slowly fading away. Once she saw that her long-time opponent had finally died at her hands, Rou Lingyun relaxed and was no longer able to stand properly. The adrenaline that had kept her going instantly dissipated, so her body grew limp, and she was about to collapse onto the ground. Thankfully, Li Yu noticed her situation and caught her in his arms. Perhaps she could sense Li Yus overflowing anxiety, so she couldnt help but break into a faint but gentle smile. Search her body for anything valuable. Imneed to rest for a while. Alright, be careful. Li Yu carefully put the beautiful young woman in his arms down on the ground, then ran over to the motionless, bloodstained Xia Yun and pulled off her storage ring. He quickly carried Rou Lingyun again and left the streets that had turned into nothing but mere rubble without wasting any time. After a long time, someone appeared in the distance. Li Yu had returned. He stared at Xia Yuns icy corpse, and his expression relaxed a little. Shes dead, alright. He proceeded to search her body. After finding a pouch hidden in her belt, he ran off as quickly as he could. After Li Yu had disappeared, Gu Suihan and the rest suddenly appeared right next to Xia Yun. Tang Xiaoyun narrowed his eyes and sounded regretful as he said, This fellows not bad. Its too bad that You can stop pretending. Theyve left. Gu Suihan glanced emotionlessly at Xia Yun lying on the ground, looking exactly like a corpse. He couldnt believe how professional she was being about this. Cough cough! Argh! I got the really short end of the stick this time! said Xia Yun weakly after she opened her eyes and swallowed the pills Gu Suihan put near her mouth hurriedly. She coughed some blood out as well. Youve got to part with some things in order to gain other things, said the scholar with a smile to console her. He waved his folding fan, creating a light breeze that carried them away in an instant. They reappeared in the next second at the same tower where the men had been watching the fight earlier. Tang Xiaoyun rubbed his stubbly chin and looked deep in thought as he said, Weve done it. Now, it will all depend on what shes going to do. Rou Lingyun would definitely recognize something like a Positioning Stone, and that young man is even dearer to her than before. I think shes about to go through a romance-related tribulation at this rate. Will she get through it and stand firm, or will she delve deeper into this relationship? That will depend on her luck, said Chamu in a rough voice. He took a bottle of clear wine out from his storage ring and took a few swigs. As a safety precaution, weneed to make some changes to the way the formation is set up. Gu Suihan carried the weak and frail Xia Yun and quietly spoke into her ears, What sort of formation did you set up? His warm voice was like a trickling stream, calm and gentle, making Xia Yuns heart skip a beat when she suddenly heard it in her ears. Her flawless fair skin and cheeks instantly turned pink and it took a long while before she noticed her own reaction and snapped out of her daze. She quickly responded, Its a Heavenly Illusion Space Breaking Six Paths formation. The activating formation eye is in the middle of the city, and there are a total of seven main formation eyes, 14 subsidiary formation eyes, and 96-star points. Your folks spent a lot of resources on this, huh. A shocked look flashed in Gu Suihans eyes for a moment. He fed her a few more pills and paused to think for a while before continuing, I dont know exactly what Rou Lingyun will do, and I dont know if anything will go wrong with the plan. But to play safe, we have to take control of one of the main formation eyes. That way, we would be able to threaten her with the prospect of everyone dying together. Of course, he wasnt referring to detonating the city, which was now a dao weapon. That was something that required the formation to be activated, as well as the combined effort of several Nascent Change cultivators to make it rotate the other way. Otherwise, they would require the activating formation eye and the Positioning Stone to forcibly destroy the formation. But think about it this way. If Rou Lingyun was able to successfully use the secret hidden in this city to break into the void and guarantee the survival of most people, any normal person would be interested in hearing more. Rou Lingyun had the Positioning Stone and a method of activating the formation now. Her words would definitely carry a lot of weight. However, if Gu Suihan and his comrades made a small change to the formation and made the activation of it fail; as a result, they would have snatched away the hope that they themselves had given everyone. The terrible loss of hope because of this would certainly drive them insane. It wouldnt be surprising if Rou Lingyun and anybody with her were to be hacked into minced meat by all the cultivators who had lost their minds. Gu Suihan and his comrades would step forward at this time, and they would become the actual saviors of these people. The cultivators mentioned here arent the pathetic and weak Origin Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators but the Nascent Change monsters who were fighting off every survivor they found in order to remain the last one standing. Make a rough estimate. How many more Nascent Change monsters are left in Fengyang right now? said Gu Suihan quietly as he narrowed his eyes and looked down at Xia Yun. Before Xia Yun could reply, the scholar closed his eyes to get a sensing of the number of such cultivators. His face suddenly paled terribly, then he vomited blood several times and collapsed weakly onto the floor. About 40-odd people, if were not counting those hiding their actual capabilities. But its definitely not more than 50, said the scholar weakly. Are there formation eyes nearby? asked Gu Suihan softly. He scanned the tragic sight of rubble outside and put Xia Yun down since she had recovered quite a bit. Xia Yun relied on the few ruined buildings and streets outside to finally get her bearings and pointed confidently toward the north. Theres a main formation eye 150 kilometers from here. Focus on recuperating. Were starting a very risky game here, said Gu Suihan before he shut his eyes and began thinking very carefully. He was trying to think of a way to alter the formation without leaving any traces. Formations were a very detailed thing in the first place. The change of even the smallest detail could cause a reaction throughout the rest of it. The higher the formations level, the rarer and more valuable resources it would require. And it still came with several major limitations. That was why there werent a lot of cultivators who chose to cultivate in formations. Firstly, you had to follow the geographical properties of the location in order to set up a formation. Secondly, a formation that could kill required really incredible dao weapons and spiritual weapons to guard the formation so that your opponent wouldnt be able to break through the formation and escape. Lastly, this stupid thing couldnt be moved unless you created a formation drawing and embedded the formation runes into the drawing. But doing that would weaken the formation greatly, so you were going to do yourself in instead. A lot of people thought that formations were fucking awesome because you could just set up one formation and kill a group of cultivators at the same level of cultivation. But that was assuming that your opponents had negative IQ levels or didnt have much knowledge of formations at all. Otherwise, one just had to scan the road ahead with their spiritual sense, and they would know a formation that could kill them was waiting for them. Which idiot would still go ahead and walk right into a trap? Unless there was something more valuable than life itself inside, like dao runes that could recreate life, a dao weapon that could alter the laws of nature or some ancient invincible cultivation technique within that formation, anybody with a brain wouldnt go anywhere near it. What could be more important than your own life? As long as you were still alive, there was hope. If you died this way, you wouldnt even have anybody to bury you. Do you think the people planted by Rou Lingyun have the ability to complete the second step? asked Tang Xiaoyun in a bored voice as he hugged his halberd. Since she was able to get actual information on Xia Yuns plans, plus my hints, it wouldnt be difficult to notice a few issues. The bigger problem would behow to spread the news and make the remaining Nascent Change cultivators believe that she actually has the power to save all of them and get out of here alive. How to stay alive and remain the one in charge despite how they could kill her easily, responded Gu Suihan softly as he leaned back in his chair. He didnt have a complete plan for sure. The more complicated a plan was, the more loopholes there were and the higher the chances were for something to go wrong. That was why Gu Suihan only told them the outline of his plan. As for the rest, they would have to continue monitoring the situation and adapt accordingly. All of a sudden, Gu Suihan thought of that tiger that had died as well as the mountain god that resembled an elderly gnome. Somethings not right. Gu Suihan suddenly stood up and spread his spiritual sense out, covering tens of kilometers in an instant, as though he were searching carefully for something in particular. His expression grew grim. The city of Fengyang does not only contain cultivators. Theres another group of powerful beings. Butwhere are they? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 217 What?! Tang Xiaoyun, Chamu, and the rest immediately exclaimed. Their hearts had nearly stopped when they heard what Gu Suihan had uttered out loud. Thegods! The scholar seemed to have suddenly thought of it. His eyes lit up, and he gnashed his teeth nastily. The city god, the earth god, the gate god, the kitchen godnot a single one is around. Where are they? Tang Xiaoyun unleashed his spiritual sense and started searching for any presence that carried the power of human vows and faith but came back with nothing. The north side150 kilometers from here seems to be the newly built temple of the city god within Fengyang, said Gu Suihan in an indifferent voice and a murderous look in his eyes as he withdrew his spiritual sense that had covered the city like the ocean. Chamu scratched his head, and the giant hammer next to him began to exude a murderous air. What a bad thing to happen. The second step hasnt started, and were already facing such a major disaster. The lowest of humans have been wiped out, so faith in them has crumbled, and their prowess has hit a low point. The scholar put away his folding fan and glared northwards with a look of disgust. It was well known that Confucius never spoke of the supernatural and that referred to these things that prided themselves on being gods and similar spiritual beings. Ghosts werent so bad. At most, they could turn into vengeful ghosts and kill the living, but the only ones who would get killed were the ones who brought misery to these angry ghosts. But these gods were different. They were also creatures that existed like ghosts, except that they shamelessly cheated and fooled ordinary humans in order to gain power from their vows and faith, thereby making themselves more powerful. Their methods were quite similar to those of baldies who cultivated in Buddhism. But when it came to being pretentious, the monks were clearly superior. Monks used the vows of ordinary people to cleanse their bodies and quench their spirits. Gods, on the other hand, could survive on just the faith of their believers. The scholars words carried a clear message. Now was a good time to get rid of this potential threat. If they waited too long to do it, things might change. I need their godly crystals. Gu Suihan looked at everyone, and a murderous smile spread across his lips. He didnt really care about the existence of such beings in general, but right now, they were a variable that could upset his plans. Also, godly crystals, or their godhood, were something that was excellent for helping his spirit to recover from its injuries. What were godly crystals? That referred to the stupid godhood thingy that those novels loved putting on a pedestal. To put it simply, those were spirits that were quenched with the vow power of their believers to the point where it became tangible. It was similar to a cultivators spirit. But compared to the latter, godly crystals were merely the gathering of belief from countless ordinary people. Its quality could not be compared to the spirit of a cultivator. That was why once a deity suffered a decrease in believers, their godly powers would also decrease and they could even be completely destroyed. In other words, if people believe in them, theyd be ridiculously powerful. If people dont, then deities were garbage. For example, that mountain god who asked Gu Suihan for help. He couldnt kill a demonic tiger that hadnt even solidified its core for the same reason. To put it the way a cultivator would, these deities were just a bunch of parasites that lived off lowly, ordinary humans. They were pathetic and hateful creatures. Kill them. Chamu licked his thick lips and grabbed hold of his axe and hammer. He carried them on his back and glared unblinkingly at the northern side of the city with a violent glint in his eyes. To cultivators, the existence of these deities was a major disturbance to the order of the cultivation world. An evildoer that wanted to claim territory for themselves. They were unscrupulous within their own territory, but they groveled at the feet of potential believers outside of it. But because their ability to fool ordinary humans helped to maintain stability within the empire, the empire couldnt be bothered to do anything about them. Im done recuperating. The scholars paleness was gone, and a faint but brimming trace of internal energy spread across his face. Lets go. Xia Yun finally got up by herself and slowly drew her curved sword, seemingly from nowhere. She hated these deities, too, because their existence had impeded the advancement of the Order. So now, she was more than happy to bring them down. A light breeze blew, and the tower suddenly started transforming into nothing but sand, flowing onto the ground and becoming a mound of dust. The people who once stood on top of it had disappeared. What do we do now? whispered Li Yu. He carefully squeezed himself into the rubble of a collapsed house and looked at Rou Lingyun as he licked his dry lips. The more he looked at her, the more beautiful she seemed. We wait. Rou Lingyun glanced at him indifferently and said emotionlessly, We wait for the one who can save us. Us Li Yu had caught that. He felt even more admiration and respect for the Esteemed One. The Esteemed One was seriously nothing short of perfect. He even knew how to win the hearts of women! Save us? Li Yu didnt seem frustrated at all. The Esteemed One had secretly told him what to do, so Li Yu shamelessly continued to get closer to Rou Lingyun and put his face near hers like they were on close terms. He looked curiously at a crystal ball in her hands and said, Only five people are allowed to live, and you think someone would save us both? Rou Lingyun could sense the growing manly scent next to her and frowned uneasily. She shifted away from him without making it obvious and said, Yes, he will. Hes my father. Father? Li Yus face froze, and he let out a few sad laughs. My father, not yours, emphasized Rou Lingyun as she rolled her eyes at him. Same difference, same difference. Li Yu laughed awkwardly, then said to her with a resolute look, Dont worry, I will take responsibility. Rou Lingyuns expression darkened, and she felt like yelling at him. Take responsibility, my foot, she thought. But for some strange reason, the scene of how Li Yu had bravely charged at Xia Yun earlier suddenly appeared in her mind, followed by the scene of their lovemaking. She felt a little weak, and her calm heart was immediately thrown into confusion. She looked at the man grinning awkwardly at her and sighed inwardly. Just my luck, she thought. This is the temple of the city god? Tang Xiaoyun held his halberd loosely and scanned the temple before him with a flippant look. Its gates were shut fast. Bam! Gu Suihan didnt want to waste any time. He drew a line in the air, and his qi turned into a sword with a gleam that was tens of meters in width. It whooshed loudly as it crashed down on the gate of the temple as well as its outer walls. His qi spread out, and a loud and bright explosion instantly blew a huge hole in the once-gray and dead place. ROAR! The two stone lions at the gate came alive and pounced at Gu Suihan with a roar. Get lost! Chamu gave a sinister laugh as he kicked one lion and slapped the other, turning the two majestic lions into broken pieces instantly. Gate god! Tang Xiaoyun carried his halberd, exerted strength in his waist, took a step forward, and flung the weapon. It shot out like a rainbow and moved as quickly as a roc. The illusion of a ferocious beast appeared on it and howled as it flew toward the gate. Whos there?! How dare you desecrate the temple of the city god! You must be tired of living! Two angry voices resounded at the same time. The two colorful paintings above the gate lit up as qi was gathered to become two three-meter-tall warriors with strange weapons and gold armor. Youre the one whos going to die! Tang Xiaoyuns halberd spun rapidly and came down powerfully as he screeched maniacally. The gold-armored warriors could barely raise their weapons, and before they could launch an attack, the spirit of a dragon residing in the halberd roared. Its aura gushed out like a rushing river, drowning the two warriors in an instant, then smashing the gate without any reduction in its energy level. For you! Tang Xiaoyun picked up his halberd with ease and threw two transparent crystals the size of beans to Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan nodded in response and threw both crystals into his mouth at once. The faint screams of the warriors could be heard but were cut off by a cracking sound as Gu Suihan chewed the crystals up and swallowed everything. The god of court officials, the god of writing, the city god, the earth god, the kitchen godthere are at least a few dozen more gods in there. None of them are getting away. Gu Suihan immediately refined the extremely pure and concentrated power of souls he possessed. He raised his right hand slightly and gently touched his saber. He moved swiftly to one side, and the gleam of his blade shone as frostily as the moon and filled the air like the ocean. Murderous qi shot into the sky, violent qi overshadowed the temple. He swung his blade, causing the sounds of ghosts crying and demons howling to resound. Countless vengeful souls wailed as they appeared one after another. The entire temple looked like a scene from hell. Kaboom! Thunder boomed, and a deafening explosion echoed all around them. The entire temple was turned into dust after Gu Suihan had brought his blade down on it. Which lowly rat dares to offend me this way! An angry and frustrated roar was heard, and a vast godly might gushed out from the main hall of the temple, the only place left standing. A gleaming golden figure loomed over Gu Suihan. It chased away the murderous qi he emanated, turning into more than ten humanlike figures that glowed brilliantly. Ha! Calling us rats? And that were offending you? The scholar gave a few snorts, then his gaze hardened. The temperature within a 100-meter radius fell within seconds. He flicked his fingers and snow began to fall. A powerful wind started blowing from all directions. It was as sharp as a knife and as aggressive as a sword. A frosty moon suddenly appeared in the sky, shining brightly with an icy silver gleam that covered the brilliant golden beams from the gods. Confucius does not like talking about deities! He took a step forward and began ascending into the sky, as though there were a staircase made from air. His righteous qi exploded from within his body and the milky white aura turned into a boundless field of flowers. The flowers trembled and swayed in the wind, blooming and fading in the blink of an eye. His words seemed to have shaken the universe. It only took seconds for him to push those deities back to the ground. They were unable to glow as brilliantly as before. The Way of martial arts, the Way of Confucius, and the Way of weapons. Gu Suihan watched the rest launch their attacks, and his lips curled into a faint smile. He held his saber up, and the blade hummed quietly as the eyes of the sculpted ferocious beasts around its hilt lit up. He didnt give those deities any chance even to speak as he brought his blade down on them. That was an attack filled with the fearsome murderous qi from decimating lives and exterminating living creatures. The attack was bold and vicious, unleashing its energy like an angry sea. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 218 One record decides if one accumulates good karma or not. The god of court officials let out an angry snort after Gu Suihan brought his blade down with a force that threatened to swallow the sky. The deity brought out his natal weapon C the records of merit. Each record he made, and each book he created would decide how much merit each ordinary life deserved. Gods were powerful because they had natal weapons. Gods did not have physical bodies, so the only thing they had to refine their weapons were their godly crystals. As a result, the weapons would naturally begin to be imprinted with traces of the laws of nature. These were a lot more powerful than the items that cultivators considered magic weapons. They were like a simplified, no-brand imitation local version of a dao weapon. Someone like you? You think you can judge me? Gu Suihan snorted. He moved like an apparition, covering more than 300 meters in the blink of an eye. He suddenly appeared from behind that god and raised his saber. A flash of gold shone brightly, and the god shrieked as the saber sliced him into two. The roar of the fiendish qi from the saber swallowed up the frantic godly crystal from the god in a second, wiping out any life left in him instantly. Youre asking for it! The city god looked furious as he raised a hand and summoned a seal that carried the vow power of millions of people from Fengyang. The sky darkened right away, and venomous, vengeful roars echoed in Gu Suihans ears, Get out, get out, die, die Tsk. Vow power? Gu Suihans expression turned frosty as he looked up indifferently at the seal hurtling down from the sky and was only a few dozen meters away from his head. He raised his hand, and his palm immediately gathered stars from outer space, his qi turning all of them into a whirlpool. A mist as black as a bottomless pit rose into the air and swallowed the seal whole without any problem at all. Thatsa god-level technique? Not only did the city god reel back in horror, but even Tang Xiaoyun and the rest held their breaths. Why dont you guess? Of course, Gu Suihan wasnt going to waste time answering dumb questions. He merely snorted and started brandishing his saber again. This time, his target wasnt the city god, who had lost his natal weapon, but the kitchen god wielding a wooden club by the side. I am the kitchen god, the one who watches over the millions of fires that cook the food that the people eat. The kitchen god hit the ground hard with his wooden club, creating a huge wave of air. His small figure seemed to explode with never-ending energy as he raised a hand and blocked Gu Suihans attack. Oops, guessed wrongly! Gu Suihan sniggered disdainfully as the left hand he had hidden in his sleeve suddenly grabbed hold of the stars, moon, and clouds in the sky, then pointed a finger at the city god. Three Fingers of Yama C Ask Creation! Another god-level technique?! The city god retreated in horror and flew into the sky as swiftly as he could, narrowly dodging that wicked finger of Gu Suihans. You cant get away! yelled Gu Suihan. He put his saber away, then appeared in a flash right behind the city god. He raised his palm and brought it own again. That same whirlpool reappeared, and the seal it had swallowed came crashing down heavily on the city god like a collapsing mountain. Humph! Using my natal weapon against me? How na?ve. A sparkle appeared in the city gods eyes for a moment. He waved his arm and caught the mighty seal, keeping it in his sleeve again. A divine light glowed from between his brows like the eyes of a god looking down from heaven, illuminating the entire area. He then shot a pillar of brilliant light toward his enemies. Empty Dark Frosty Light Gu Suihans expression didnt flinch. It looked as though smoke was billowing within his eyes. The sea of blood began to spread, and the sparkles of starlight glowed even more brightly as they came together and formed two exceptionally cold, bottomless whirlpools. It carried a tremendous suction power that instantly swallowed up that pillar of light. Sea of Blood C Boundless! Gu Suihan laughed, his clothes flapping in the wind and his black hair flying wildly. His saber gave off a tinge of red as he brandished it in the air. The laws of nature around him began to shake. The trees and grass withered, stones and sand turned to powder, the yin qi from corpses gathered, and the ground shook as everything turned into a giant wave that contained a bloody stench, covering the entire temple in an instant. The laws of the five elements? Its too bad that I dont have a physical body. Im so sorry for disappointing you, said the city god with a snort. He raised a hand, and a beam of golden light shot out. The seal appeared once more. A strange beast formed around it, and it roared nastily as it surrounded Gu Suihan. It stared venomously at Gu Suihan with its bloodthirsty and vicious eyes. Im not done. Gu Suihan ignored the stare of the beast as he made a seal of his own and shot spell after spell out like rain. Bloodied runes filled the sky and spun rapidly in the air. It was as though something terrifying was hidden in the sea of blood, but there wasnt even a ripple on its surface, like a pool of dead water. The rest watching the fight, couldnt help but have a bad feeling about this. Whats hiding inside there? Chamu instinctively removed the giant hammer on his back and held it in front of him as he focused all his attention on the silent sea of blood. Kill! Kill! Kill! All of a sudden, a faint roaring started to echo in everyones ears, an oddly hypnotic chant that seemed able to arouse the bloodthirsty instinct hidden deep inside ones heart. Kill! A low-level deity instantly lost his rationality when it heard this hypnotic chant. His eyes were bloodshot as he made a hand seal and flung it on a fellow deity. Kill! Kill! Gu Suihans lips curled upward slightly. As the city god continued to watch him warily and with some confusion, Gu Suihan casually threw the saber into the sea of blood. Bubble! Bubble! A bubbling sound like the sound of water boiling instantly resounded. The sea of blood below suddenly began to move, and the stench of blood coming from it grew stronger and stronger. At the same time, a pressure that felt like the weight of mountains came down on everyone. ROARRRR!!! A furious roar suddenly emerged from the depths of the sea of blood. The city god looked horrified as a giant wave arose, and an enormous shadow appeared from nowhere. The shadow held that strange-looking saber that belonged to Gu Suihan and brought it down at an angle. Afiendish spirit!!! The city god quickly realized what he was dealing with and barely managed to dodge that attack. He moved several meters backward in a panic while keeping his eye on that moving and pulsing shadow that continued to emanate wisps of fiendish qi. At the same time, he summoned the seal back and made sure the green light from the seal covered him entirely. Time to die! A frosty and indifferent sneer rang out from behind the city god even though the city god had kept his eyes on the shadow and was ready for an attack. After hearing the sneer behind him, he had barely managed to move his power toward his back and got ready to block the sneak attack from behind. But when the spell attack from behind hit him, he was surprised not because the attack was too powerful but because it was simply too weak. It felt like a child trying to punch an adult. There was no trace of any qi in the attack at all. Crap! The city god noticed the tiny smirk on Gu Suihans lips and his heart sank. Immediately after that, he screamed in agony as the brilliant gold light that formed his humanlike body turned into nothing but gold dust and disappeared in the wind. AHHH! A strange-looking crystal gave off pure divine power as it floated in the air and trembled nonstop. It let out a furious and murderous roar, How dare you destroy my divine body!! Im going to fight you with everything Ive got!!!! With everything youve got? And what do you have left? Gu Suihan merely snorted at the city gods threat. He waved his arm, and a giant hand measuring about three meters in diameter appeared, grabbing hold of the crystal even as the city god continued to yell angrily. Mountain River Green Seal, explode! Explode now!!! The city god was not some meek and timid character after all. He made a quick and bold decision to make his natal weapon explode so that he could take that opportunity to make his escape. KABOOM! Runes shook and flickered continuously. Dao lines spun rapidly and howled without stopping. The ferocious beasts on the seal had a resolute look in their eyes as they prepared to die, staring straight at the giant hand coming for them and made one last sad roar as they pounced onto the hand. Fiendish spirit Gu Suihan blinked as he gave the command in his mind. Two beams of red light shot out from the boundless sea of blood floating in the air as well as the fiendish spirit made from the gathering of murderous, yin and fiendish qi like a pair of eyes filled with violence. The fiendish spirit stepped on the sea of blood and flew up higher. It covered a hundred meters in a second, appearing next to the giant hand in an instant. It swung its saber and the beams of qi from it came down like rain and wind. The storm of qi it created crashed down on the ferocious beasts that had pounced onto the hand and crushed them. The beasts were then swallowed by the hungry waves of the sea of blood. Everything had happened so quickly, the beasts didnt even get the chance to roar. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 219 Id rather be destroyed than let you swallow me! yelled the city god in despair as he watched his last chance to escape vaporize after Gu Suihan had killed off those beasts. He arrived at his final decision and was about to kill himself by imploding. Did you think you could decide whether you lived or died? said Gu Suihan in an indifferent voice. He thrust out the seal that he had already prepared beforehand and stopped the city god from imploding even as the city god howled indignantly. The power from countless laws of nature turned into strings of runes that weaved together and trapped the city gods consciousness inside his own godly crystal. The rest of youshall die too! Gu Suihan kept the city gods godly crystal and didnt even bother to look at the terrified and frantic deities left behind him. He pointed a finger at the sea of blood, and the sea rose immediately, its waves drowning the remaining deities in the blink of an eye. The sound of several things being swallowed followed, then the waves brought a dozen bean-sized godly crystals to Gu Suihan as though they were sentient. If they hadnt lost the sacrifices and the beliefs of thousands of ordinary people, they wouldnt have been this easy to deal with. Gu Suihan turned to look at Tang Xiaoyun and the rest, who were staring rather warily and fearfully at him, and smiled faintly as he put his saber back in its sheath. Even if theyve lost their source of power, it doesnt mean theyd become so weak that an ordinary Origin Core cultivator would be able to deal with them by himself either thought the rest of them as they exchanged glances and buried their deep wariness of Gu Suihan in their hearts. We only need to alter the formation slightly. As long as Rou Lingyun is unable to successfully activate the formation, wed have succeeded. Gu Suihan and the rest floated in the air as they looked down quietly at the formation lines below. The more they looked at the formation lines, the eerier it seemed. He waved an arm, and the sand and stones around them started flying, quickly turning into a mighty storm and covering the corner of the formation they had uncovered in an instant. Shuanger, my dearest Shuangerwho in the world did this? Who in the world changed your memories? A beautiful middle-aged woman in pink royal robes and perfectly styled hair stood a short distance away from the unconscious young lady. She sighed heavily as she looked at the young lady worriedly, but a frightening murderous look also flickered deep within her eyes. The flickering continued to accumulate and spun together to become a strange and mysterious symbol. Not long after Shuanger was brought home by her father, traces of alterations to her memories were discovered. The way her memories had been altered was very odd, and no matter what they did, nobody could get rid of the alteration. Su Yuqing looked pretty upset too. He had forgone his own future for the sake of rescuing Shuanger, after all. In the future, unless he had some really amazing encounter or chanced upon something terribly rare, there would be no way he could move to a higher level. He had gone all out to rescue Shuanger partly because he was her father and he had some fatherly love for her, but the more important reason was Shuangers mother. Reality did not work like fairytales. There were no princesses who fell in love with the short, poor, or weak. Such sweet and dumbass love stories would never happen in real life. Back then, Su Yuqing had married into his wifes family and didnt actually have many feelings for Shuangers mother to begin with. If not for that item, he would never have wanted to be married to this woman. Later on, because of some issues, the family went into crisis, and Shuangers mother had no choice but to pass her child to Su Yuqing, telling him to send her away and protect her well. To his dismay, a mission that should have gone perfectly well had actually gone wrong. Not only had it cost him his future, but the one thing that connected him to his wife, Shuanger, was hurt as well. Moreover, this was a hurt that she could not recover from. This really irritated him. Over all these years, she had been unhappy with him more than once. And worse still, after that one time, she had never slept with him ever again. She always looked at him as though he were a piece of trash, with disdain reserved for things of a lower class. Ill go and get that person! Su Yuqing couldnt stand the hateful and icy look that Shuangers mother was giving him, so he said these words with a glum face and ran out of the room. He was going to look for You Hantian. Su Yuqing knew that this man was working for the empire and that his family lived in the countryside within the 49 domains. Apparently, it was some lousy place called Fengyang. He had no idea where Gu Suihan was, so he could only try to get in contact with You Hantian, the last person he was in touch with. He just hoped thatYou Hantian was still alive. Otherwisethe 49 domainswere going to become chaotic. Who is this? a middle-aged man turned to ask Rou Lingyun after frowning and scanning one very nervous Li Yu emotionlessly. Rou Lingyuns heart pounded fearfully, and she hesitated for a moment before finally stammering, Hehe saved my life! Is that so? The middle-aged man frowned deeply. This was going to be tricky. To put it very honestly, if Rou Lingyun hadnt told him that she had a way to get all of them out of this present crisis, he would never have bothered to come back and save her. If he lost a daughter, he could always father a new one. But if he ended up dead, then there was no future to speak of. Just do what you can, said Rou Lingyun to her father via telepathy. She could see how much of a dilemma he was in. The middle-aged man nodded. We just have to go with it then. I hope your information is really useful. Ive already contacted those monsters, and because nobody wants to die, theyll do their best to cooperate with you. But Rou Lingyun cut her father off and said in a determined voice, There are no buts. I must succeed, and I must not fail. Otherwise, we will all end up dead! Im glad you understand. The middle-aged man sighed heavily, then waved an arm to pick both of them up and flew rapidly into the sky. It has begun! Gu Suihan smiled as he slowly picked up the teapot and poured tea out for the whole group. The second step The scholar fanned himself with his folding fan. There was a slightly grim look on his face. Tang Xiaoyun laughed merrily and drank his tea down in one gulp. He wiped his mouth and said, The cleansing is about to begin. A million souls! Ha! The rest will depend on your own capabilities, said Gu Suihan in a cryptic manner. His voice was still echoing around the group when he disappeared completely. What a mysterious character! Xia Yuns eyes clouded over as she stared thoughtfully at the empty space where Gu Suihan once was and uttered these words. Hohofarewell, everyone! The scholar rested a palm over his other fist. A wind began to blow and carried him away like he was merely a feather. He, too, flew away and disappeared. It didnt take long for the room to be left with a hot teapot and the smell of tea. The humans who were enjoying the tea earlierhad all disappeared. Someone is using a secret technique to find out where I am! said You Hantian as he sensed something. He subconsciously thrust a hand seal out to trace the origins of this sensing. But the other party had no intention of concealing themselves. After making a clear connection with You Hantians hand seal, they left again quietly. Interesting, said You Hantian with a chuckle as he raised an eyebrow. What do you mean? asked Zhou Lingfeng as he sat next to You Hantian. After gaining enlightenment from Gu Suihan about their cultivation techniques, all these sect leaders who had access to the resources of their entire sect had now reached the Nascent Change stage. The presence of the laws of nature was flowing all over their bodies since they did not retract it. Nothing. Itll take him some time to get here. We can attend to our own business first. You Hantian didnt explain and turned to look at the incredibly developed city outside with a faint smile. Thanks to the Huangquan Evil Ghost, You Hantian had been promoted gloriously. He had jumped ranks and reached a much higher position than before. Zhou Lingfeng, Zhan Wuchang and the other sect leaders who had helped him were also rewarded and became You Hantians subordinates as planned. They had become a group that worked hard for the empire. Five Elements Sumeru C Into Heaven and Earth. Gu Suihans expression was solemn as he thrust magic seal after magic seals out from his hands to form an extremely complex diagram. He bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of his blood into the diagram. He took a deep breath, stepped into the diagram, spread his arms out, and slowly allowed himself to be absorbed into the diagram. He concealed his presence, and soon, he disappeared completely. This was yet another god-level technique. After Gu Suihan had restored his core, he stopped using ordinary spells and techniques. Either he made use of the laws of nature, or he used these strange and mysterious god-level techniques. Spells, sabers, and sword techniques were too limiting for him. They were completely useless to him! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 220 Youd better not harbor any hopes. The difference in status between the two of you is too great, and even comparing mud to clouds isnt enough to fully describe the difference. Do you understand what Im saying? The middle-aged man thought about the reaction that Rou Lingyun had when speaking to him as well as the odd look on Li Yus face, and put two and two together quite quickly. A deep unhappiness appeared on his face, and he sent this message to Li Yu via telepathy. It was clearly a threat. To him, Li Yu and Rou Lingyun belonged to two completely different worlds. If his daughter was really romantically linked to this man, thenjust the thought of the rules that the Equal Spirit Order had made his heart grow cold. Why had he never let anybody else know how he and Rou Lingyun were related? That was becauseRou Lingyuns mother was no ordinary person. His secret communication with her was already an act that might get him killed. Unexpectedly, she ended up getting pregnant with Rou Lingyun. She was afraid that this matter would be exposed, so she gave him a lot of resources and made him leave. But after Rou Lingyun was born, this matter was exposed after a series of unfortunate coincidences. And so, Rou Lingyuns mother ended up dying. He swapped Rou Lingyun for a different baby to save her and told her the truth after that. However, Rou Lingyun refused to let him take care of her but ended up in the Equal Spirit Order by chance. She was more talented than her peers, and she worked very hard at cultivation, plus she was supposedly an orphan. That was how she ended up becoming one of the three saintesses of the Order. All of this sounds rather complicated, but basically, two people had a secret romance, but they werent careful, so she got knocked up, and the secret was exposed. But that was also why Rou Lingyun was so confident that she could steal the credit from Xia Yun. After all, her biological father was actually part of the Equal Spirit Order. II will definitely make sure you regret this! Li Yus first reaction to the older mans words was fury and indignation. Her father had condemned him at first sight. That made him feel unfairly judged and angry. Humph! Regret? If not for the fact that you saved Yuner and killing you would make me look bad, did you think youd have lived till now? Rou Lingyuns father glanced disdainfully at Li Yu and didnt bother to hide the mocking look in his eyes. Just when Li Yu was about to yell back at the older man, the ring on his finger sent a coldness through his body, and his anger disappeared instantly. He was still a little puzzled when Gu Suihans wisp of spiritual sense suddenly rang in his head, speaking in that frail and elderly voice, Do not anger this man. He is a monster at Nascent Change. This calm warning instantly snapped Li Yu out of his earlier angry state. He cursed inwardly, This old fogey is such a scheming fellow. He tried to make me so angry that Id lose my cool and offend him. That way, hed have a good reason to kill me right now. No wonder he decided to speak via telepathy instead of speaking out loud. He was trying to trap me! Hmm? Hes got a fairly strong heart, huh. Rou Lingyuns father watched as Li Yus expression calmed back down, then bowed respectfully at him. Li Yu didnt look affected by his words at all. He was a little disappointed, but he also felt a little admiration for the young man. Father, what did you say to him? Rou Lingyun was not stupid. She looked at both of them with her large, pretty eyes and could guess what must have happened. She couldnt help but feel a little angry inside. I just said a few things that ought to be said, replied the middle-aged man calmly. He gave the command in his mind, and the thick layer of clouds in front of them moved aside. A few dozen people with the ability to crush anything within a million miles and a majestic presence slowly came into full view. He glanced at Rou Lingyun, then said, Were here. You can speak to them now. Compared to Rou Lingyuns calm demeanor, Li Yu felt like he was about to be crushed to pieces. His blood was flowing the wrong way, and his bones made cracking noises. Because of the malfunctioning of his insides, blood started seeping out of his pores, and his gaze became unfocused as he nearly fainted. Thankfully, the middle-aged man realized that this might kill Li Yu and make Rou Lingyun unhappy, so he helped to shield Li Yu from the powerful auras emanating from the crowd below. Otherwise, Li Yu was going to turn into minced meat in no time. Greetings, seniors. I am Rou Lingyun, saintess of the Equal Spirit Order. Rou Lingyun had a calm expression on her face, but she was actually feeling very nervous inside. After all, if the initial plan had worked out, 99% of the people in Fengyang would have to die. She had no choice but to tell them exactly who she was now since nobody would care about or believe anything a pathetic Origin Core cultivator said if she didnt do that. Her words would only sound like boastful, ambitious talk that didnt mean anything. Old man Li said that youve got a way to get us out of here alive. Tell us about it, said an old man among them slowly as he stroked his gray beard. He wore a long robe with red clouds embroidered on it and had a genial demeanor, but he also had an eerie-looking tattoo on his face. I am but an ant to all of you, and I wouldnt dare to hide the truth from anyone here. What happened earlier was the doing of another saintess from the Order, Xia Yun, and has nothing to do with me. I happened to get the chance to kill her and obtained the method this way, said Rou Lingyun as she adjusted her stance and spoke in a very humble manner. Well, this situation is the doing of the Equal Spirit Order in the first place. If the situation hadnt suddenly taken a different turn, wed probably have died unjust deaths and turned into vengeful ghosts by now. Enough of this useless chatter. Tell us the plan so that we can consider it, said a young man rather impatiently. He wore a purple robe with clouds on it and had long white hair. Continue with the original plan. Rou Lingyun took a deep breath as she took the Positioning Stone out. Her tone was resolute and unshakeable. What?! Not only did her own father raise an eyebrow at her words, but all the powerful cultivators listening to her went into an uproar. But these were cultivators who had survived for more than a thousand years, so there was little that could really throw their hearts into turmoil. A moment later, everyone shut their mouths. They quietened down and prepared themselves to listen to Rou Lingyuns plan. The original plan was to sacrifice a million cultivators in Fengyang in order to make a hole in the void, but we could do it in a different way now. Rou Lingyun pursed her lips together. Saying these things in her sweet and cute voice made this scene look even weirder than it already was. We can massacre a large number of low-level cultivators, then add on resources to make up the difference. Resources? The first old man in the red robe was a little confused. Spiritual stones, spiritual herbs, heavenly and earthly treasures, hun and po, bodies, spiritual weapons, magic items, and so on. Anything with qi in it is considered a resource. Rou Lingyuns pretty eyes remained emotionless. Her equally emotionless face did not seem affected by anything she was saying. The whole of Fengyang is only left with a few hundred thousand cultivators. In that casehow many resources do we need to make up the difference? Another Nascent Change cultivator had a nasty look on his face. Rou Lingyun frowned slightly and thought about it for a while before responding in a grave voice, The city of Fengyang has 27 powerful factions. According to my estimates, theywill probably have to hand over everything they have. Plus, everything those pathetic cultivators have, wed probably just have enough. But why? asked the same cultivator indignantly. Making any cultivator surrender everything he had was as good as roasting him over a fire in hell for a thousand years. Becauseof him! Rou Lingyun raised her head to look at the thin, translucent layer of light in the sky covered in countless sparkling, mysterious runes. Who was the him she was referring to? Everyone knew exactly who she was talking about. Who else could it be besides that powerful tyrant who could rule over thousands of worlds and remain invincible within his empire? In order to break through the protective layer around the Qin empire, one needed to sacrifice the lives of millions of living creatures. But now, Ying Zheng had also used a god-level technique to watch what was happening in Fengyang. The obstacles they faced were even greater than before. This was like trying to take a chestnut out from the roasting fire with your bare hands. And what happens after we make it into the void? someone else finally asked after a long period of silence. These words were as sharp as a needle, piercing open the loophole that Rou Lingyun could have gotten away with a more vague explanation. The real question behind that question was simple. So what if everyone gave up all their resources and made it through the layers in the way? What happens then? Were they going to end up floating about in the void and dying anyway? He didnt think a plan that the Equal Spirit Order had spent decades planning and executing would have overlooked such an important aspect. Once that happens, I will use the Positioning Stone within the void to call for the elders of the Order to receive us. They will lead us to the land we have prepared and all of you can leave via a teleportation formation after that. Rou Lingyun realized that she couldnt get away with a vague explanation and had no choice but to speak the truth. What? Theyll receive us and lead us into your territory? And we can leave after that? Is this a joke? The white haired young man in purple snorted loudly. His gaze was like lightning as it exerted an extremely sinister pressure on Rou Lingyuns head, causing it to bend. He was clearly angry now. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 221 Young lady, this plan of yours isnt convincing at all. Why dont I share a plan with you? One of them threw the pale and trembling Rou Lingyun a strange look as a vicious expression spread across his face. Search her soul and get the method from her. As long as we can get through this layer made by the emperor to keep us in, we can go anywhere we want without problem and go as far as we like. Why should we give up what we have in order to do something as crazy as going into the void? Old man Nangong, stop bullshitting here. Searching her soul is definitely an option, but are you sure youd be able to accurately get the full method out of her without making any mistakes? The young man with white hair immediately retorted and even threw the cup of wine in his hand at the other man angrily. But what he said was true. Nobody could guarantee that searching Rou Lingyuns soul would be able to get the full method out of her. If any information were missing or wrong, then they would end up back on their road to death and lose their chance of surviving. I think its a good idea. Were not from the Equal Spirit Order, so why should we venture into the void to escape? We just need to get out from the shackles over this place itself. Why go through so much trouble? Another cultivators eyes lit up as he started to see what was really happening and realized what the other cultivator was driving at. Exactly! Were just pitiful victims who have been implicated for nothing. We just want to get out alive! It only took a couple of sentences for all these scheming characters to quickly zero in on the most important part. Its a good way of thinking and a good plan. But too bad its a waste of energy! Gu Suihans wisp of spiritual sense had a mocking smile and a fervent look of greed in his eyes as he overheard everything from inside the ring. Among these powerful cultivators was a demon. A powerful demon! Back when he studied the demonic tigers soul, he had only understood a little more than a dozen demonic script characters. Based on the analysis he had made earlier and the broken sentences and random words he was slowly beginning to connect, he was starting to see something really terrifying. He could see how humans were being manufactured. Thats right. How they were being manufactured. As long as you were a cultivator with a working brain, you wouldnt believe it if someone said they could use mud to create a living creature. That sounded absolutely ridiculous. Even if you used Innate Five Color Sacred Spirit mud to sculpt a person, it remained a mud figurine. The real human race, or humans, was manufactured with the combined powers of various factions. Andyou could say they were a failed product. The body, blood, and flesh were taken from the demonic race, but what about the hun and po? The spiritual root? Which race was the structures of meridians and acupoints based on? Gu Suihan had no idea, either. But these bits and pieces of information were enough to make him suddenly shudder in fear. He suddenly felt as though he had walked into a forbidden zone. A zone that had been closed off and covered up by that mysterious thing on Earth. Im really curious. What does the thing you have to write about? Gu Suihan sat in a hidden place and slowly took a black stone out with a frosty look in his eyes. Damn it, cursed Rou Lingyun inwardly. She was getting rather frustrated. These powerful cultivators were wily old foxes that had lived for centuries, after all, so they were all very clever creatures that could see through even the most obscure of loopholes with just a simple hint. Even though she knew how to activate the formation and had possession of the Positioning Stone, she was still a lowly Origin Core cultivator at the end of the day and was not seen as an equal to these powerful cultivators at all. If they didnt have to be wary of certain other factors, they would have pulled her soul out of her body and searched for it by now. Are you alright? Li Yu finally spoke up. He took a step forward and pulled Rou Lingyun behind him before she suffered a breakdown. He didnt know where he found the courage to stand up against the threatening aura of these Nascent Change monsters either. Rou Lingyun looked at Li Yu, who stood resolutely in front of her even though he was trembling and bleeding profusely. Several inexplicable emotions arose in her heart, and she couldnt help but say, Youdont just stand there! HohoIs-said before, II willtakecare of you! Li Yu barely managed to open his mouth to reveal a twisted smile as he squeezed these words out. His skinny body was like a giant rock at the bottom of the sea and was virtually immovable as if he was holding up half the sky for her. Youreally dont have to! Rou Lingyun sighed heavily, then bit her lip as a fierce look appeared on her fair and flawless face. She pulled the unconscious Li Yu, who continued to protect her with his body aside and raised her arm to display the Positioning stone. No matter what, you must have this and the spell to activate the formation. Nothing else will work. As long as you werent afraid of getting cuts all over your body, you would be capable of pulling even the emperor off his horse. The unreasonable were most afraid of the insensible, and the insensible were most afraid of the ones who didnt care about their own lives. It was clear that Rou Lingyuns brave boldness shocked the old fogeys present. And you think you have what it takes to threaten us? scoffed the young man disdainfully. I dont, but if you dont cooperate, well just end up hurting each other. Rou Lingyuns heart pounded in fear from the terrifying way he stared at her, but she forced herself to keep calm. Just when the young man with white hair was about to kill her, the old man in purple said quietly, What were afraid of is the possibility. What possibility were they afraid of? The possibility that they could kill Rou Lingyun but fail to get the method out of her. As powerful cultivators of high status who had survived this long, their own lives were of utmost importance. Nobody wanted to take the risk. To a majority of cultivators, the most important thing was their lives, and the most worthless thing was the lives of others. The old man had not spoken much, but these words weighed heavily on the young mans heart. His face instantly froze, and he reluctantly moved his fingers to retract the terrifying aura that paralyzed Rou Lingyuns five senses with an annoyed scoff. Phew Rou Lingyun slowly returned to her senses, but she was still feeling the fear from what had happened just now. Perspiration rained down her body and drenched half her white dress, making it stick to her body in an uncomfortable way. The third stepalmost didnt make it, muttered Gu Suihan as he watched from Li Yus ring. Since neither side was willing to compromise, then they had no choice but to go with the earlier plan to break through the layer over Fengyang that Ying Zheng had created, then return to wherever they wanted. That way, the Nascent Change cultivators wouldnt have to give up any of their resources and they wouldnt walk into the trap of the Equal Spirit Order. It was a win-win situation. Except for one very indignant Rou Lingyun and one severely injured and unconscious Li Yu, that is. At this juncture, old man Li, or Rou Lingyuns biological father, cleared his throat and said, Since thats the case, well move on our own. Rou Lingyun gave the jade slips she had with the formation diagram on it to the cultivators present, then hurried to feed Li Yu with some pills. She finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Li Yus breathing stabilize. Exactly what is your relationship with this fellow? Old man Li finally asked Rou Lingyun after he randomly found a house that was in fairly decent shape. Nothing. Humph! Youre a saintess of the Equal Spirit Order, so you should know the rules of the Order, he snorted as he did his best to hold his anger back. How is this fellow deserving of you? Thats my business. Dont interfere, I know what to do! retorted Rou Lingyun before turning around to attend to Li Yu and ignored her father. The older man could only sigh. He shut his eyes and didnt speak anymore. He knew that if he kept harping on it, it might have a reverse effect and throw her heart into further turmoil. It was better if he just let nature take its course. At the same time, his relationship with his own daughter was rather complicated. On one hand, he felt guilty for not having fulfilled his fatherly responsibilities. On the other hand, he was afraid that his relation to Rou Lingyun would be exposed, which would endanger his life and make him suffer the same fate as her mother. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 222 Young man, dont be so downcast. If you dont even have dreams, then youre no better than a salted fish waiting to be eaten. Gu Suihans spiritual sense started speaking to Li Yu via telepathy. This is your chance to reach a brighter future. Besides, youve had intercourse with that girl already, so no matter what happens, theres always a special place in her heart. Li Yu was actually still conscious, except that his physical body was on the verge of death from the severity of his injuries. Gu Suihan had specially protected his soul so that part had not been severely injured. But his soul could only remain in his consciousness and was unable to control his physical body. Esteemed One, you are right. If I dont have dreams, then Im no better than a salted fish. I will definitely succeed, replied Li Yu with determination. Oh dear. Why does this look like one of those chuuni stories where the useless MC manages to win the heart of the prettiest girl in the story? The fruitis about to ripen! Gu Suihans voice indifferent voice resounded suddenly in an unknown location, as though he was looking forward to something. Where is that Immortal now? asked Su Yuqing again. His fingers rubbed against the lip of his teacup as he stared straight at You Hantian seated across from him. I have no idea. I only know that he must be somewhere in the empire. Perhapshes within the 49 domains. You Hantian was unaffected by the hidden threat in Su Yuqings actions since he had a powerful backer now. Su Yuqing was a Divine Soul cultivator, but there was no way he alone could take on the empire itself. Is that so? said Su Yuqing calmly. He started to gather his thoughts and immediately made a hand seal in order to deduce Gu Suihans location. In an instant, visible wisps carrying the power of the laws of nature appeared within a 100-mile radius. His eyes seemed electrifying, and his flickering dark irises seemed able to bore a hole through the nether world. The world lost any color it had, and strands of bright red karma lines appeared from You Hantian and his companions bodies, shooting into the sky and connecting with the void. You are right. Fengyang Su Yuqings expression finally relaxed a little when he saw where the karma line between You Hantian and Gu Suihan extended toward. He threw a storage ring to You Hantian, then turned the laws of nature into a robe, which he put on and vanished after taking a few steps. Has he begun to understand the laws of space? There was a conflicted look in You Hantians eyes. What Su Yuqing had just done was a legitimate god-level technique. It was very low level, but the hardest part about this whole thing was being able to even learn it. So, Su Yuqing still had a road ahead of him, unlike what Gu Suihan had thought. In fact, he had a different sort of path ahead. The city of Fengyangwhy are the divination results like that? Su Yuqing floated in the sky tens of thousands of meters above ground, allowing the strong winds to come toward him because he could make it weaken and disappear when they came within three inches of his body. He frowned as he looked at the strange runes on his palm. A grim, puzzled, andwary look spread across his face. He had a strange feeling that something had happened to Fengyang. This was a cultivators instinct, a sensitivity to danger. If they were faced with something that posed a threat to their lives, they would feel a rush of blood in their bodies naturally. His first reaction was to avoid Fengyang, but it had taken him a lot of effort to finally trace Gu Suihans barely detectable whereabouts. He was reluctant to suddenly give up just like that. Oh, never mind. Ill just adapt accordingly. Otherwise, Shuanger wont be able to hold up for long. Su Yuqing let out a sigh after hesitating for a few moments. He confirmed the correct direction, then continued on his journey. Shuanger was now as precious as his life was to him. If something happened to her, then he as her father and guardian during this time, would certainly meet a terrible fate. Shuangers mother was not a merciful character. Someones trying to deduce my whereabouts! As his old injuries slowly healed up, Gu Suihans senses became sharper and sharper. He was now much more sensitive to presences that were very far from him. He had felt it from the moment Su Yuqing had made those hand seals. Who is doing this? He furrowed his brows as he contemplated this question. People had been trying to track him down time and again, which only intensified his will to kill. But before he could figure anything out, a terrifying wave of spiritual senses came hurtling his way, forcing him to conceal his presence and go into hibernation. The sounds of balloons popping could be heard continuously all over Fengyang. Tens of thousands of cultivators and living creatures were being wiped out by all these Nascent Change monsters to become a bright red-colored blood souls. A hundred thousand, two hundred thousand. Tragic howls, wails, pleading, angry shouts, hateful cursing, nasty words, despairing laughs, indifference. The low-level cultivators stuck on the line between life and death did their best to put up one last fight against these powerful monsters. In just one day. Or, in fact, less than a day. Ninety percent of cultivators had been massacred. All ordinary lives had been wiped out. A thick layer of fiendish qi felt almost real as it rose into the sky and joined the already thick layer of clouds above. All of Fengyang turned into rubble. Nothing was left standing. From time to time, fountains of blood would spew up from the ground, accompanied by indignant cries of pain. Spells were launched into the sky, sparkling brightly and terrorizing everyone below. Kill. Kill. Kill. Everyone had gone mad. The only goal they had wasto stay alive. While it was true that the resistance of low-level cultivators was nothing to worry about, the way they fought desperately for as long as they could was making things more difficult than expected for the Nascent Change cultivators. After all, these cultivators had a plethora of trump cards that were difficult to predict. Cultivators at a lower level always hoped to win by catching their opponent off guard. Finally, one Nascent Change cultivator slipped up and was trapped by some mysterious curse. Everyone charged toward him and killed him on the spot. The maniacal, bloodthirsty group of low-level cultivators let out a loud cheer after that. They proceeded to work together, gathering once more to charge toward another Nascent Change cultivator. Damn it! If we werent targeting your blood soul, we wouldnt end up like this, yelled the young man with white hair angrily. Fiendish qi exploded from inside him, and he waved an arm, causing a giant palm measuring 300 meter across to suddenly crash down and smash the hundred-odd cultivators below into minced meat. What was a blood soul? It meant exactly that C the amalgamation of blood and flesh with ones hun and po. That combination was a blood soul. When cultivators were living their normal lives, their souls and bodies were separate entities. But when they made use of their internal energies, they would use their qi-filled souls to spread into every part of their body, which would mix both their soul and body together. In short, you could only get a blood soul if you killed a cultivator when they were fighting or when they were cultivating. That was why the Nascent Change cultivators were being thrashed so badly. On one hand, they had to endure the attacks of these lowly cultivators. On the other hand, they couldnt smite them immediately. They had to wait till the cultivators were giving their best before killing them. Given such a situation, it was no wonder they were so furious. Youre asking for it! Another spell came flying from nowhere and struck the young man with white hair on the sleeve. The spell was a burning one and began to burn the sleeve. The sparks were small, but oddly enough, it was impossible to put out. Great Wind! said the young man with white hair frostily. The skies instantly darkened, and a typhoon made from fiendish wind appeared all of a sudden. The rubble and broken rocks were quietly blended into nothing, and the ground shook a good meter from side to side. Everything within a hundred miles was instantly wiped out as countless living creatures and cultivators had their bodies fall apart, and their souls disappeared without a sound from the wind. Did you think I was going to just let you attack me like that? Since you want to fight back, Ill give you a chance! A murderous glint flashed in his eyes as he grabbed the air, and a Ghostly Mist Skeleton Flag appeared in his hand. He shook it gently, and fiendish black qi surged out of it. Countless ghosts, monsters, and nasty souls came crawling out of the flag with long howls and evil cackles, killing everything they touched. What an idiot, cursed Gu Suihan. He happened to be hiding nearby and had seen what had happened clearly. The creatures that had crawled out from the flagwere also proper souls. It was hard to say if some powerful cultivator might decide to make use of them and fling them into the formation to feed it. Given that cultivators were usually selfish characters who loved to kick people when they were down, the chances of someone doing that were pretty high. The cultivator with white hair wasnt dumb, either. He had done something irrational only because he was too angry. He quickly realized what he had done and waved his flag again to take back the immense wave of souls he had let out. To his surprise, his fingers suddenly froze. His spell had been disrupted. But before he could figure out what was happening, the millions of ghosts had disappeared in an instant. Thatsa really vicious move, muttered Gu Suihan as he stared in shock at what happened. Damn you, Duanmu! You must be tired of living! The young man was stunned for just a moment before bursting out angrily. He pulled his flag back and slammed a hand on it. It turned into a long spear that sliced through the air murderously, moving at high speed toward the figure a hundred miles away from him and making a run for it. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 223 Hoho! A million warring souls! I cant believe you can bear to part with these! Duanmu laughed heartily without even turning back. With just a thought, spells targeting the white-haired young man hurtled toward him continuously. Humph! Return them to me right now, or Ill slaughter your entire clan! The white-haired man suddenly stopped running. His snake-like eyes reflected maniacal violence. Humph! Try if you dare! Duanmus heart skipped a beat in fear when he heard the young mans threat, but didnt show any of it on his face, as though he didnt care about his family at all. The heavens and earth are governed by the Way, and the Way is made from the laws of nature. Spells depend on ones technique, while curses depend on the will of heaven, said the young man calmly, even as he continued smiling mirthlessly. He proceeded to take out a small and intricate altar. An ugly and simple straw figure was on it. Several stray strands stuck out from it, and it was bound with tattered strands of hemp. Yet, it exuded a creepy aura that could make ones heart tremble in fear. Youyoure prepared for both of us to be hurt? Duanmus expression finally shifted when he saw that item. He seemed rather familiar with its function. He looked angry as he gritted his teeth and said, Activating this thing will cost you at least a hundred years of your own life. Is it worth losing a hundred years over these warring souls? The white-haired young man glared steely at the other man as he used his nail to cut one of his fingers. He flicked his finger, and ruby-like drops of blood splattered onto the straw figure before letting out a snigger. Of course, it isnt worth it. But I refuse to take this lying down. Excellent! You think Id be afraid of you? Let me tell you something C Ive never had to spit out what Ive eaten before. Duanmu was so angry that he let out a hearty laugh. He waved his hand, and the weather immediately darkened. Qi billowed violently in the roaring of thunder and flashes of lightning in the sky, turning into a dragon made from lightning. It moved its 300-meter-long body up and down, growling and roaring as it surrounded Duanmu to protect him. This is a curse, not a spell. What a blockhead, the white-haired man couldnt help but mock the older man when he saw how Duanmu had gone into a defensive stance as though he was expecting a major attack. He sneered loudly, then bit into the tip of his tongue, spraying out a stream of blood that emanated a golden glow onto the altar. The straw figure immediately came alive, and the laws of nature were altered to turn the straw figure into one that looked exactly like Duanmu. It was also in a long robe, and a dragon made from lightning was also flying around it. Of course, I know that. But if I kill you before it takes effect, its effect will cease! said Duanmu loudly. He gave the order in his mind, causing the lightning dragon to roar as it flew into the sky and rushed at the white-haired young man with its highly electrically charged body. The laws of heaven and earth will protect me. The nine rotations of heavenly demons will be completed in heaven! The young man didnt seem panicky at all as he raised a finger. A golden light filled the air, and thunder resounded as he stabbed it into the area between the straw figures brows. At the same time, he slammed his chest violently to force his body to spray out several mouthfuls of blood, which dyed the altar a beautiful yet creepy dark red color. The golden glow around his finger crumbled, but Duanmu stumbled backward dramatically like he had been struck by lightning. His face paled as he sprayed a mouthful of blood out. A look of determination flashed in his eyes as he raised a finger and used his blood as ink to draw hundreds of runes in the air. His sleeve flapped wildly as the runes turned into a long rainbow that whooshed into the lightning dragon. The emperor has sealed this place off, and anything that requires the laws of space dont work anymore. Im going to see how you dodge this! He let out several cackles as he stared at his opponent with a vicious look on his face. White Skeleton Heavenly Demon Flag! Explode NOW!!! The white-haired young man seemed to have lost his mind. The lightning dragon was right in front of him, yet he chose to advance instead of retreat. His flag appeared in his hand as he raised it and thrust a spell out, glaring maniacally at Duanmu as he did so. Youre a vicious one! Duanmu felt a shudder, and his eyes twitched as he instinctively turned to run. It was clear that this young man was so agitated that he was no longer thinking rationally. The young man had actually decided to destroy a spiritual weapon he had been honing for a few centuries in order to kill him. Did you think you could get away? The young man thrust spell after spell out. A red glow filled the air, and the world seemed to spin as the altar suddenly burst with a violent aura. Duanmu wasnt able to react in time at all. He flew tens of meters backward like a kite with a broken string, spewing mouthful after mouthful of blood as though he had a never-ending supply of it. His robe was dyed a dark red from all that blood. In just a short period of time, he had been severely injured without even getting the chance to fight back. Youre asking for it! Duanmu glanced at the young man, and his eyes bulged angrily when he saw that the straw figure on the altar had been turned to ashes. He swallowed a few dozen pills immediately and flew into the air without taking the time to readjust his breathing, even raising his palm and bringing it down again. The laws governing smoke and clouds gathered to become a dark whirlwind, and lightning began to appear. The whirlwind expanded, and before long, it turned into a gigantic hand that looked like it was powerful enough to destroy the entire world. Break!!! The white-haired young man looked up at the palm that kept growing in size above him and quickly summoned the qi in his body. It coursed through all his meridians and acupoints to transform into a mysterious energy that flew out from his fingertips. KABOOM! The smoke cleared, and the clouds parted. The area within a 300-meter radius was cleared of anything previously on it and turned into a hole that was at least 100 meters deep. Only the white-haired young man stood where he was, completely unharmed, like one lonely boat in the midst of the vast ocean. Lets call it quits, shall we? The young man stared down at Duanmu, and Duanmu stared back at him from inside the hole for a while before Duanmu made this suggestion with a pale face and a weakened voice. You could say that Duanmu had admitted defeat. After all, while Duanmu was indeed powerful, his opponent was a vicious and completely insane fellow who clearly did not care for his own life. My spiritual weapon has been destroyed, and Ive lost my warring souls. The white-haired young man was panting a little too. That attack had been hard on him as well. Ill give them back to you. Duanmus expression kept switching between one of dismay and one of exhaustion, which made him look rather comical. He scowled as he threw a spiritual item he used to contain the warring souls at the young man, then scoffed before walking away without even turning back. If they continued fighting, his body was going to disintegrate, and he would be left with only his nascent soul. The young man was probably also only at 20% strength now. Given the current circumstances, it wasnt difficult to imagine what would happen to two severely injured Nascent Change cultivators if they didnt take the time to recuperate. If they were to be killed and thrown into the formation, they would be worth as much as the souls of tens of thousands of low-level cultivators. The white-haired young man was a lunatic, but he wasnt stupid. He wasnt going to sacrifice himself and benefit others he didnt care about just like that. Only an idiot would do that. And sothe two men agreed to stop fighting and walk away in peace without having to talk it out. Of course, at the same time, both parties had suffered equal amounts of losses. Duanmus lifeblood was damaged, and he was severely injured. He had also lost a powerful spiritual item. The white-haired young man not only lost the straw figure on the altar, but he had also lost a few hundred years of his life in the process. The spiritual item given to him by Duanmu was barely enough to cover the loss of his flag. At the end of it, the white-haired young man had lost a little more than Duanmu Just as the white-haired young man floated into the air to recuperate, a deep and dizzying sound resonated from the skies. Four blood red pillars of light shot into the sky from four different parts of Fengyang. A vast aura suddenly spread through the city, as though it was going to make a hole right through the sky and the ground. Four? Nothings happening with the last one. Whats happening? All the Nascent Change cultivators used their spiritual sense to scan all of Fengyang and their expressions fell. It was clear what was going on. You lied to us? one of the Nascent Change cultivators broke the silence with a nasty look on his face. The rest moved swiftly to appear next to Rou Lingyun and old man Li almost instantly. The gathering of such energetic and threatening auras changed the weather within Fengyang and caused rare phenomena to occur. Internal energies exuding violence and aggression shook the entire place. The tremendous pressure made Rou Lingyun spray a mouthful of blood out immediately. Her entire body shook and she was about to collapse, but she managed to grit her teeth and uttered her guess, Perhaps there arent enough sacrifices yet. Not enough? Thenweve got to add to it! said old man Li. He waved his arm to put up a protective barrier between the cultivators and Rou Lingyun, then looked toward the north of the city with a determined look in his eye. Youd better not be lying to us. Otherwise said the white-haired young man frostily. The spiritual item in his hand shook violently and a million warring souls rushed out, roaring and howling as they flew speedily toward the formation eye in the north of the city. Without a flag that had gone through several centuries of refining, these warring souls werent very useful to him. So, instead of keeping them as a backup, he felt it was more worth it to make a worthy contribution that would make all these cultivators owe him a favor. A million warring souls! Thats very generous, uttered some of the cultivators in a surprised yet thoughtful voice. They nodded unnoticeably in response, which was an acknowledgment of how they now owed this young man a favor. Some of them, however, had an odd look on their faces because they noticed that the spiritual item the young man had used resembled the one that belonged to Duanmu. They turned and noticed how pale Duanmu was, so they quickly put two and two together, and became additionally wary of this white-haired young man. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 224 Im going to the castellans manor to activate the formation. Rou Lingyun watched as the last blood-red pillar of light burst forth and pursed her lips as she looked toward old man Li. Alright. Old man Li glanced at her, then gathered qi around her to restore her severely injured body. He covered her and Li Yu with a protective barrier, then left for what used to be the castellans manor with the other cultivators in tow. Theres a change in the plan! This amount of resources alone was nowhere near enough to get through the two barricades and enter the void. Xia Yuns expression fell as she watched from the shadows. She had a bad feeling about this. But nobody dared to trust each other, and the group had gone separate ways. So, even though she had noticed something amiss, there was nothing she could do about it. Damn it. Gu Suihans wisp of spiritual sense inside Li Yus ring could see what was going on very clearly. But besides sending back information to Gu Suihan, there was nothing else it could do. I can only hope that this formation isnt strong enough to break the Qin emperors barrier. I dont know what my master changed in the formation either, it thought. The formation is 30 meters beneath the ground, so Ill need everyones help, said Rou Lingyun quietly after taking a deep breath and pointing downwards. She had just uttered these words when the ground began to bubble like rolling waves, spraying in all directions and opening up to form an enormously deep hole. Inside the hole, lines, and lines of formation runes were woven together and gave off a dim and frosty glow. A bright spark would go off every now and then, and the aura of the faraway, vast yet dark void slowly filled the hole. In the middle stood a terrifying-looking altar that was about ten meters in height. It was covered in signs of wear and tear, which made the altar look even more ancient. This Equal Spirit Order you belong to is quite capable huh? And very ambitious too C youve even managed to get this thing here, snorted the white-haired young man. There was a glint in his eyes as he looked carefully at the altar. But all our efforts went to waste right at the end, didnt it? said Rou Lingyun quietly. But her tone wasnt one of sadness or disappointment. Instead, it sounded a little excited. But that was nothing surprising. If the plan hadnt suddenly failed, the chances of her snatching the credit from Xia Yun would have been nearly zero. She wouldnt be leading the way now. Anchor the skies! she shouted. Her hands moved so quickly to form a seal, one could only see the afterimages of her arms. The Positioning Stone floated into the air and shone like a crystal as it was embedded into the altar. A humming sound instantly resounded throughout Fengyang. The ground began to shake. Extremely deep trenches broke open for no reason, and beams of blinding light shone brilliantly suddenly. The formation runes around the altar started to move slowly. The etches, and impressions formed by the laws of nature slowly lit up in various colors. Oho, there is movement within the space! All the Nascent Change cultivators were extremely sensitive to change. Within moments, they could sense that the invisible barrier around them had loosened up considerably. Woong! Rou Lingyun ignored their words and proceeded to thrust out the last seal. She bent a finger and drew a line in the air. A humming sound filled the air as five red pillars of light shot into the sky, bringing with it the roars of countless vengeful souls and the howling of angry ghosts. It exuded a dark red hateful and murderous aura that seemed almost real. All of it suddenly gushed into the formation below, following the miles and miles of formation runes and entering the altar in the middle. The skies turn to nothingness, determine the position of the stars, break through all barriers! she called out. Ripples ran through the air around her, causing her white dress to flap. Her black hair danced wildly like clouds in the icy winds. Her small face was flawless but emotionless like it was covered in frost. Her expression was tense, solemn, and grim. In that instant, the altar exploded with a shocking brightness. The qi within a thousand-mile radius whooshed toward the pillars of light as though they had received the command to do so. They turned into one pillar shooting out from the altar, like an arrow that could reach the sky, a spear that could pierce through the clouds as it flew upward, dashing relentlessly toward the seemingly thin and frail barrier of light in the sky. Craaack! The barrier of light above immediately gathered countless, trembling dao runes around itself as though it had just suffered a scare. The dao runes came toward the barrier like moths to a fire, forming a humongous set of runes that glowed brightly and was determined to block the attack of the pillar of light. Everyone, we have to put in our best efforts! Rou Lingyun felt like she could hear the groaning of the barrier as it struggled to hold up. A look of joy lit up her small face. Hurry, hurry! The expressions of the Nascent Change cultivators also began to light up, and they couldnt stay calm and indifferent anymore. They immediately took their places and contributed whatever internal energy they had to the pillar of light, hoping to break right through the barrier. Once that happened, they would be free to go anywhere they wanted. Hold still! An indifferent yet absolutely domineering voice resounded from the skies. The previously trembling barrier that looked on the verge of shattering was fortified and blocked the pillar of light from getting through. The barrier has reached its limit! Weve got to put in more effort! This voice made everyone more excited and not afraid because this voice wasnt coming from the emperor but from the barrier itself. Otherwise, the altar would have been reduced to pieces instantly. We offer a blood sacrifice! yelled the Nascent Change cultivators. They couldnt hold back anymore since they could see a glimmer of hope. In that instant, the last hundreds of thousands of their surviving family members screamed as they dropped dead and turned into a bloodied mist that flowed into their bodies. With the additional energy in their blood, the internal energy they unleashed became even more powerful. What were fellow countrymen? What were clans? What was family? These things meant nothing to the cultivators now that their lives were at stake. Earlier on, they had put in much effort to protect them. But now, they killed their families with their own hands in order to get the energy within their blood. All for that slim chance of getting out of here alive. Its not enough! Its not enough! As time ticked by, the clash between the pillar of light and the barrier had reached its climax. Both sides were giving their best. Countless spiritual and magic weapons were destroyed by their Nascent Change owners without regret for the sake of gaining whatever qi they could get their hands on. They swallowed countless pills in hope of holding up for a little more time. Craaack! An awful cracking sound resounded suddenly, but it sounded like melodious singing to them. Keep going! Rou Lingyun looked at the sky excitedly and ignored the brilliance from the clash as she kept her eyes on what was happening without blinking. She became even more excited and exclaimed these words when she saw a clear crack in the barrier, but immediately after she made that exclamation, the light around the altar began to flicker nonstop. The runes on it looked like they were getting jumbled up. Everyone was shocked to watch as the altar creaked suddenly as very thin crack lines appeared all over itself. It cant hold up anymore? Gu Suihan slowly came out of hiding. A mocking smile spread across his lips as he looked toward the center of the city. He stood next to the last red pillar of light that had shot out from the fifth corner of the formation that he had altered earlier. This pillar was mightier than the other four by several times, and the fiendish qi it carried was several times more concentrated as well. What will they do now? The scholar slowly appeared from beneath the ground, but there wasnt a trace of dirt on his scholarly robes. Tang Xiaoyun held his halberd in his hand as he came running out of a nearby residence with a lot of dirt and mud on his face. He spat some dirt out and said, Theyd probably give it their best shot! Are you sure they wont give up? Xia Yun had a conflicted look in her eyes as she looked straight at Gu Suihan. Every cultivator is someone with great mental resilience and someone whos extremely selfish. Theyre not far from death now. Chamu held his giant axe in hand as he came forward. His steps were like those of a dragon, sturdy and heavy. He made the streets shake when he walked. They are indeed not far from death. But Im looking forward to finding out how theyre going to die. Gu Suihan gave the ground a stomp, and the laws of nature spread out to become an invisible layer that concealed their presence. They stood side by side and looked into the distance as though they had spotted something very interesting out there. Are they going to kill each other? Or bankrupt themselves? Gu Suihan smiled, causing his eyebrows to curve like two crescent moons and his eyes to narrow, covering the frostiness that threatened to spew out from inside them. Im really looking forward to this! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 225 Do you want to know what betrayal feels like? While Rou Lingyuns attention was focused entirely on controlling the formation to break the barrier above, Li Yus soft voice suddenly resounded from behind her. His tone sounded empty, numb, and hoarse, like the sound of two pieces of wood rubbing against each other. It made ones hair stand on end. Wha Before she could react, a terrible pain shot through her body as something stabbed suddenly into her back. The excruciating pain made her slim body tremble slightly. Bright red patches of blood stained her dress like beautiful yet horrifying flowers. W-why? Rou Lingyun felt like her heart had been torn apart as she tried her best to turn and look at Li Yu, who stared back at her with a vicious and twisted smile. Her words were tragic, her voice filled with grief. Like a fish pulled out of the water, her lips trembled slightly, and her expression was one of utter confusion. WhyAHHH! Li Yu suddenly raised his head slightly to look right into the beautiful eyes that were no more than half a foot away from his own face. Fragments of memories flashed in his brain, and his consciousness became as muddled as glue. Pain overcame him like water bursting through a dam, which drowned his consciousness and made him pass out after letting out a scream. Who did this? Who did this terrible, sneaky thing?! These Nascent Change cultivators were no fools. They had seen how Rou Lingyun was wounded severely by Li Yu. The change in the situation made everyones expression darken, and the white-haired young man burst into a rage, unleashing an invincible aura as he scanned the crowd quickly with his bloodshot, demonic-looking eyes and spat out those words in a sinister voice. As far as he knew, the most powerful people in all of Fengyang who were still alive had gathered in this place. Anybody else left alive elsewhere wasnt powerful enough to prove to be a threat. If anybody had the chance to pull a sneaky stunt like that, it would definitely be one of the Nascent Change cultivators here. But he couldnt figure out why someone would do something so vicious at this point in time. Whodid this? Old man Lis expression was even nastier. He had watched how Li Yus expression suddenly changed drastically. The young mans gaze had been drained of any emotion as he drew a sword and stabbed it into Rou Lingyuns back without any warning. Everything had happened so quickly, he couldnt stop it in time. Save her first! Without her, were all going to die! Another cultivator glanced at the crowd, then commanded the qi around them to gather rapidly around Rou Lingyuns body, which was barely holding up. A bright glow and faint fragrance filled the place as the qi flowed into her wound in an attempt to mend the injury that went through her entire body. Unfortunately, that sword had been covered in something that refused to go away. Instead, it became more and more dense, spreading itself out like a leech on her bones. Its poison This time, everyone looked angry, as though they had swallowed a fly. They couldnt help but exude an aura that would make anybodys heart tremble in fear. Craack! The fates continued to be unkind to them. In just a few moments, the situation worsened significantly. The barrier in the sky became thicker and more solid, while the pillar of light from the altar became weaker and weaker. To make things worse, more cracks began to appear on the altar. Give it all youve got! Whether we make it or not depends on this! Rou Lingyun swallowed a pill for poison attacks and managed to stop the poison from spreading further. She gave a low shout, then sat cross-legged in the air to concentrate. Perspiration rained down from her body and quickly formed a puddle below her. Given the current circumstances, we have to throw everything in. If you hold back anything, well all end up dead! Duanmus face was all red from working so hard. He gritted his teeth and pulled out a bottle of pills, swallowing everything as he shut his eyes and ignored the throbbing pain in his heart. The internal energy in his body was surging and expanding at insane speeds, but he felt as though his heart was bleeding. Weve got to give it everything weve got!! Everyone yelled as they pulled out their best and most precious items. A majestic air filled the place as the pillar of light suddenly shone brightly once more and shot straight for the clouds again. Oho, theyre really going all out now, said the scholar with a snigger. He looked at Gu Suihan standing in front of him with his hands folded behind his back from the corner of his eye and became even more wary of the mysterious young man. He had finally understood exactly what Gu Suihan had done to the formation. Contrary to his initial guess that Gu Suihan would damage the formation, it turned out that Gu Suihan had strengthened and fortified the formation instead. If the other formation eyes contained a box and the energy it gave off was a pipe that was only as wide as a finger, then what Gu Suihan had done was to increase the width of that pipe by possibly up to ten times. That way, the energy that this fifth pillar supplied would seem like an explosion compared to the rest and throw the whole thing off balance. The altar would be unable to hold up as a result and start giving problems after some time. Itsreally a way to kill someone without leaving any traces Xia Yun was in a daze as she stared down at the formation of runes below the red pillar next to her. Her heart shuddered fearfully. The most brilliant of plans is to give the opponent a chance to get out of the fight alive besides killing you offthat way, they would focus on the other option and not fight to the death with you, said Chamu with a sigh. A grim look appeared in his eyes. Tang Xiaoyun seemed to have come to a realization as he sighed slowly. These cultivators are at Nascent Change, alright. Theyre actually willing to work together even under such dire circumstances. Thats why we always call them monsters! Now, the seeds of suspicion have been sown, so they just need some water and fertilizer! said Gu Suihan quietly as a creepy smile that would send anybody shuddering in fear spread across his face. He raised his right hand and pressed it gently on his saber. The rest watched in shock as the saber suddenly shot out from its sheath. It glowed dimly and was surrounded by a blackish layer of fiendish qi. It came down fiercely, the blade glinting through the wisps of black qi as it unleashed the power to affect the laws of nature. Just like slicing through tofu, the saber sliced the formation pattern in the ground to pieces. Youre the one who created this problem. Gu Suihan glanced in the direction of the white-haired young man, then flipped his large cloak. He and the rest of his group disappeared instantly. Damn it! Whats going on? The pillar of light suddenly darkened and was clearly a lot smaller in diameter than before. It even seemed a little exhausted and about to give up. This made everyones heart sink. What was going on? Did something go wrong again? One of the formation eyes has fallen apart. Rou Lingyun was in control of the whole situation, so she got the answer immediately by checking the altar. She fixed her darkened gaze on the white-haired young man. Its the formation eye that was filled up by the warring souls you released. Duanmu seized the chance. Were you also the one who did that just now? he asked as he deliberately pretended to look really angry and hateful. It was obvious that Duanmu was just taking this opportunity to protect himself from blame, like grabbing a pot randomly and using it as a helmet. At the same time, he was clearly making things difficult for the other party. But the white-haired young man quickly discovered that, given the situation, it was going to be hard for him to explain things. He was now like a man accused of pooping his pants, even though it was nothing but mud. To hell with you! Did you think I had nothing better to do? Why in the world would I do something that would only bring harm to myself? yelled the young man. You didnt have a good reason for contributing so many souls earlier either, piped up another cultivator. He threw the people around him a glance, and they moved to surround the white-haired young man. The young mans expression fell when he saw them surround him and snorted. Whether I was the one who did this or not, theres got to be a good reason why all of you are joining forces against me, right? Never mind whether this reason is reasonable or notseriously, all of you are trying to play dirty and pretend to be righteous at the same time. Thats exactly it, my fellow cultivator. The rest exchanged glances and grinned. They werent ashamed of being accused of this at all. Then again, all of them were seasoned cultivators who had lived for centuries now. Who cared about logic? They were just instinctively trying to save their own reputation now. Excellent. Since thats the case, fight and prove yourselves! The young man gave a low shout. A bright light flashed as a small flag appeared in his hand. He waved it gently, and a violent wind was stirred up and spewed fiendish qi everywhere. The entire place turned as dark as night while countless spirits of all kinds appeared, accompanied by cries and howls. The atmosphere was extremely sinister like they were in hell. A bunch of dead things are nothing! Duanmu smirked as he slammed a hand on his belt. A bead gave off a brilliant sparkle, and the sounds of Buddhist chants filled the air. It frightened the fiendish qi present and turned the shrieking spirits into mere ash. The dead aura around the cultivators shook, and the darkness that descended upon them earlier disappeared, leaving behind a few traces of the spirits yin qi. Ghosts shall become visible, dead armies shall rise. Thousands of soldiers will obey my command! The young man scoffed and waved his flag gently again. Runes gleamed brightly, and the surface of the ground was instantly covered in layers of a sinister and gloomy qi, thickening and spewing nonstop like a fountain. In the blink of an eye, countless ghost infantry soldiers holding halberds and shields and dressed in mottled heavy armor appeared. Roaring ghost generals riding the skeletons of horses appeared at the same time. Chants of Buddhist scriptures! Golden lotuses bloom from the ground! May all the Buddhas above save all living creatures below! Duanmu flung the jewel out, bit his tongue hard, and sprayed a mouthful of blood onto the bead. The illusion of a genial-looking bodhisattva with a kindly smile and a sympathetic aura slowly began to appear. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 226 Gu Suihan and his companions had quietly come close to the center of the city, hidden from sight by Gu Suihan. When they saw how the Nascent Change cultivators had really started fighting each other, Chamu couldnt help but comment, My, my, its really a party of ghouls! Not just that! That old man, Duanmu, actually turned out to be a scum sent here by those damned baldies. Tang Xiaoyun had a scowl on his face and a sinister look in his eyes as he said this. It was clear that he had a very poor impression of Buddhist monks. Or perhaps he had some feud with them. There are also demons and ghosts among them. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and pointed at the white-haired young man who was controlling the ghost army and giving them orders. That fellow is a ghost. And hes a high-level ghost whos on par with a Nascent Change human cultivator. That old man Li is actually a demon in a very good human disguise. My, my. Its worth speculating who Rou Lingyun really is. What do you mean? asked Xia Yun curiously. She was interested now. Shes a mix between a human and a demon. Her father is that old man Li, whos a fox thats cultivated for more than a thousand years. Gosh, this ancient thing really knows how to seduce a woman, said Gu Suihan with a mischievous chuckle. Oh? Thatsrather interesting, alright. Xia Yuns gaze flickered, and there was a strange glint in her eyes. While they were speaking, the illusion of a bodhisattva unleashed a brilliant light that caused most of the soldiers to disappear. Only a few dozen ghosts were still struggling to fight back. The white-haired young man had also transformed back into his original form. He was now a ghost standing at three meters in height, with nasty and twisted facial features and black, fiendish qi swirling around his body like a mist. He raised his hand to bring darkness down once more. Fiendish qi rose rapidly to form layer after layer without stopping, pressing down hard on the brilliance from the bead. It let out a long, bloodcurdling howl and rushed toward Duanmu at high speed, leaving behind nothing but afterimages. Explode! The young man sneered as he fought off the spell attacks from the other cultivators head-on without bothering to dodge them. He kept his gaze firmly on Duanmu. Since things have come to this, lets all die together! Get lost! Duanmu panicked and summoned the bead before flinging it at the young man. The illusion of the bodhisattva appeared again and gave off a holy, brilliant glow accompanied by the sounds of chanting. The young man reacted like he was facing his natural enemy. More than half the fiendish qi around his body disappeared in an instant. But a mere illusion of a bodhisattva was clearly insufficient to defeat the young man. Duanmu gritted his teeth as he thrust a seal out in order to cause the bead to explode and take the life of the young man along with it. Its too late! Whoever gets in the way shall die! The young man glared nastily at the other cultivators, and the murderous look in his eyes made their hearts pound with fear. They instinctively slowed down and actually started giving way to him. It was very clear what was happening. The young man was definitely going to die, but it was hard to say if he would bring anybody down with him. If they got in his way and he happened to grab hold of any of them, they would end up dying for nothing. At the same time, the young man was making it very clear that his target was Duanmu, so there was no reason for the other cultivators to join in the fight. It was best that both of them died, anyway. Come with me to die. The young man howled as he met with the attack of the exploding bead head-on, his white hair flapped in the wind formed by his sinister ghostly qi. He grabbed hold of the horrified Duanmu, and his qi turned into chains that chained them to each other and pushed them toward the fading pillar of light. Nooooo roared Duanmu in horror as he struggled with all his might to break free. Unfortunately, he was too severely injured to fight the white-haired young man who was determined to kill him. He could only keep screaming until he was absorbed by the pillar of light, and his voice could be heard no more. Once charged with the souls of two Nascent Change cultivators, the pillar of light instantly shone brilliantly once more. It shot into the sky with a burst of energy and crashed heavily into the barrier, causing several cracks to reappear in the freshly repaired barrier. Lets gooooo! The rest of the cultivators were finally convinced that they could make it out and began to pull out everything they had, including their most prized possessions. They did everything they could to unleash all the internal energy within their bodies. Rou Lingyun did her best to guide all of this toward the altar, which gave off a low hum. The cracks in the barrier widened a little more as a result. Now! Gu Suihans eyes flew open as he ran forward with his saber in hand. The laws of nature around him that were as vast as the ocean and as thunderous as a river turned into a boundless sea of blood. He stepped on the waves and flew up from the ground. He raised his saber, gathering qi and creating a rainbow of murderous qi as he flew over the head of one Nascent Change cultivator. He thrust a seal out with his left hand, smashing the cultivators head to mush before extending his nails into the head to grab hold of the cultivators nascent soul before the cultivator even realized what was happening. The spirit within Gu Suihans consciousness trembled as it unleashed a mighty power that swallowed the cultivators nascent soul without leaving any traces behind. After getting what he wanted with just one move, he moved on. The bloody waves sprayed high into the air and shook the entire place. The blood was like a leech that quickly filled the surrounding area and covered a 20-kilometer radius in the blink of an eye. Next one! said Gu Suihan calmly as he put his saber away and swallowed the powerless nascent soul he had taken from that cultivator. After he took a while to enjoy the refreshing and comforting feeling that came from his consciousness, his eyes shone like lightning as he targeted another person. He raised his saber and leaped up again as his left hand secretly prepared the seal required to kill his target inside his sleeve. The wind arises! The scholar waved his folding fan, and a nasty wind that felt like knives to the skin turned into a mighty storm in the blink of an eye and whooshed toward his target. At the same time, the temperature of their surroundings dropped dramatically, so large amounts of snow and ice came falling from the sky, freezing the cultivator immediately. The cultivator used his internal energy to force his nascent soul out of his body, but it got trapped in the freezing surroundings as well. The scholar chuckled quietly and raised his hand to trap the soul inside his folding fan. Qi moved through the fan, and soon enough, amidst the luscious mountains, rivers, lakes, and icy moon drawn on the fan, a small and realistic drawing of a baby with a terrified look on its face appeared as well. Bitch, Im not dead yet. Xia Yun scoffed as she gave the already badly injured Rou Lingyun a hard blow. As Rou Lingyun stared at her in disbelief, Xia Yun spat fiercely into her face. Finally, after the group had taken down several Nascent Change cultivators, the rest had finally noticed something amiss. Their expressions fell, and they quickly abandoned their efforts to break through the barrier to protect themselves instead. With just a thought, the laws of nature changed to become layers or barriers in front of themselves to prevent the corrosive sea of blood from getting to them. They gave a loud and angry shout as they launched a counterattack. Kill! Kill! Kill! Gu Suihan consumed the nascent soul of the fourth cultivator he had killed and sensed the joyfulness of the spirit within him. He did an internal scan and found that the deep cracks covering it had become a lot shallower now. It was obvious that these cultivators were of way higher quality than those undernourished fellows on Earth. Youre just at Origin Core? Pathetic little ant, prepare to die! yelled the old man in purple robes as he brandished his long sword. It shone brightly, and runes appeared on its sharp blade. The glow of the blade alone covered an area spanning several kilometers. Pathetic little ant? If you were in a better condition, you might be able to say that. But now, your capabilities have been greatly reduced, and youve already given away all your items. Yet, you still say such boastful and arrogant things? You really dont know whats good for you. Gu Suihan mocked the old man harshly and disappeared suddenly as he walked into the sea of blood, then reappeared behind the old man like a ghost. His spirit suddenly unleashed a light that covered tens of kilometers from his consciousness, making his vast spiritual sense crash down and incapacitate the opponent for a moment. He used that moment to bring his saber down on the old mans head, breaking it into two and causing brain juice to splatter and blood to spray out like a fountain. This works every time! Gu Suihan gobbled up the old mans nascent soul and licked the blood on his lips. A bloodthirsty look slowly filled his eyes. Kill! Tang Xiaoyun swung his halberd hard and slashed a cultivator in half horizontally, but the impact alone made his qi and blood go into turmoil, and his body felt numb all over. What despicable people you are! yelled another cultivator sorrowfully as Gu Suihans claws stabbed into his head. Does a cultivator have the right to call others despicable? Were all the same, arent we, muttered Gu Suihan as he wiped away the blood left on his lips. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 227 No cultivator could remain in their peak state all the time. And when they were in a weakened state, they were often worse off than even an ordinary human. Take Gu Suihan, for example. He was a powerful cultivator who had reached the Immortal stage, but when he first arrived in the Lower World, he had to conceal all of that and hide among ordinary humans for more than ten years. He had to house his severely injured spirit inside another persons body without exposing even the slightest aura. As for entering the Seven Kill Sect, that was just an opportunity that happened to come by. Even if he hadnt done that, he would still have been able to get rid of the physical body he had taken over after swallowing the spirit of Qingming and forming his own body. And now, these Nascent Change cultivators were in a much better state than how Gu Suihan was when he first arrived. The former was just exhausted of energy, while the latter had his vitals injured, so it was supposed to take him a few centuries to fully recover from that. Sowhy were they having trouble fighting back? Even though they were exhausted and drained of any internal energy in their bodies, qi was all around them. Furthermore, the qi around them was incredibly concentrated because of the altar. But they didnt dare to absorb any of the qi around them and could only rely on consuming pills to restore their internal energy levels. And they did that becausethe barrier looked like it might break anytime, so they really couldnt bear to give up their earlier efforts. Just when they were struggling to decide if they ought to give up and kill Gu Suihan and his companions first, Xia Yun suddenly spoke up, Everyone, Im also a saintess of the Equal Spirit Order. We were just getting rid of the traitors within the Order, and we will not kill the innocent. With that, she kicked Rou Lingyuns body aside and walked toward the altar. She started making hand seals, and the aura that the altar emanated became more than twice as powerful as before. What the hell Everyone cursed inwardly at her. The ones who had died were all cultivators who had been born and bred in Fengyang and had nothing to do with the Equal Spirit Order. How could they be traitors? But none of them said any of this out loud. They merely exchanged glances and remained silent. After all, they werent the ones who died. Besides, the ones with her had also stopped their attacks, so it showed that she was speaking the truth. Old man Li, youre the last one! Gu Suihan looked at the old man greedily as though there were fiery flames blazing in his eyes. A saber whooshed out from the sea of blood and flew toward old man Li in a brazen attempt to kill him. Why roared old man Li furiously. He howled loudly, and his actual body emerged. A bright flash filled the sky, and a beastly roar resonated as a demonic fox measuring nearly a hundred meters suddenly appeared before everyone. His five white tails wavered slightly, and the blood stripes on his body were like blazing flames that were too blinding for one to look directly at them. The thick amounts of demonic qi turned into an actual mist around his body, which made the internal energy within the humans pale in comparison. Youre a demon, alright! A powerful one too, a descendant of the nine-tailed heavenly foxes. Even though you dont hail from one of the main nine lines, your bloodline is still a fairly valuable one, said Gu Suihan with a frosty smile. He thrust the saber forward, and the black layer of fiendish and violent qi around the blade intensified, bringing it down on old man Li suddenly as the terrible stench of blood filled the air. Stop right there! a clear but angry feminine shout echoed just before he could bring the blade down. Gu Suihan heard her, but he merely chuckled and brought the saber down anyway. It left a silvery glow in its wake, the blade gleaming threateningly in the light. Just then, a curved sword reflected the blinding light like a clear spring, colliding with the saber with a loud clang. I said, stop right there! Xia Yuns angry voice echoed once more. Youre asking to get killed. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, but it wasnt enough to cover the bloodthirstiness that seemed to shoot out from them. To her horror, he thrust his saber toward her without hesitation. You Xia Yuns face paled and she instinctively held her curved sword in front of herself. Before she could say anything, Gu Suihan pointed a finger at the area between her brows. Anyone who gets in my way shall die. My fellow cultivator, I do think youve gone a little too far. Tang Xiaoyun covered a few hundred meters in a second and stood in between Xia Yun and Gu Suihan and uttered these words as he stared straight at Gu Suihan. His words seemed to be hinting at something else. He wasnt the only one who had rushed over. Even Chamu was slightly to Gu Suihans left and was also somewhat in the way. It was obvious whose side he was on. In that instant, the alliance between the group fell apart. Chamu and the other men didnt want Gu Suihan to kill old man Li because they were afraid that the Nascent Change cultivators would feel threatened and choose to fight back. Xia Yun, on the other hand, felt that old man Li was still useful to her. For example, she could blackmail him with Rou Lingyun. Thats right. Rou Lingyun wasnt actually dead yet. Xia Yun had a better plan in mind, so she had merely injured Rou Lingyuns physical body beyond saving, then extracted her soul and trapped it instead of letting it vanish. Excellent, excellent! cackled Gu Suihan. The fiendish qi around him grew thicker and more concentrated while huge waves leaped up from the sea of blood, slowly gathering around him and turning into a whirlpool that grew bigger and bigger. Just when Chamu and the rest thought that Gu Suihan would come to his senses and retreat. All of a sudden, an incredible pressure that seemed able to crush the earth and destroy the heavens burst forth from him. That was a pressure that was so great, it was as though it came from a being that was above all living creatures and looked down at them in disdain. Thatshis spiritual sense? One of the Nascent Change cultivators was as white as a sheet and he was shaking all over. Terror was written all over his face. What was spiritual sense? It had similar capabilities to what ones qi could sense after one became a cultivator, but the difference lay in the essence. The former was like someone who was a billionaire, while the latter was like someone who also had money in the bank, but was barely getting by. Bingo! Too bad you dont get any prizes! Gu Suihan let out a snort, and with one thought, the heads of a number of cultivators were shattered. Their nascent souls were all absorbed by Gu Suihan even as they shrieked in terror. Youyou Xia Yun kept a smug look on her face, but the terrified look in her eyes spoke volumes. Equal Spirit Order? Whats that even? said Gu Suihan disdainfully as his lips curled upward slightly. He could foresee what she wanted to say. Immediately after he uttered those words, the members who were once allied with him turned into nothing but minced meat with a loud bam before they could even react. Just ants, you said, said Gu Suihan with a sinister smile on his face as he looked at the rest around him. He brandished his saber, filling the air with fiendish qi. The bloody waves of the sea of blood churned and his qi attacked the cultivators like they were swords. Several more died in an instant. Damn it! Kill him! yelled one of them furiously. He raised a long sword that glinted brightly as he pounced at Gu Suihan with a crazed look on his face. Well die either way, so in comparison, weve got a better chance at killing this fellow. Hes probably a high-level cultivator whos had to restart his cultivation journey and hes now only at Origin Core, so thats nothing to us. We still stand a chance! The remaining dozen or so cultivators quickly realized the situation they were in and cut off their connection with the altar. Brilliant sparks flew as they started casting spells. Internal energy gathered and turned into frightening lines of runes for executing god-level techniques and flooded the area where Gu Suihan was. You guys shouldnt have let me gobble up so many nascent souls earlier, Gu Suihans menacing voice suddenly resounded. He became one with the sea of blood, making the waves rise by a thousand meters, which quickly swallowed all the remains of all who had died. It was like a ferocious beast that had opened its mouth full of sharp teeth and came aggressively toward the cultivators. Nascent Changeis very simple, actually. Gu Suihan chuckled to himself. All the qi around him seemed to have received the same command as they rushed into Gu Suihans body, including the pillar of light from the altar that had gotten dimmer over time. He had finally digested all the energies he had consumed. The deep cracks on his spirit had been healed and the tiny, densely packed runes on it flowed slowly around it. If his heart-soul wasnt so badly damaged, Gu Suihan would have reached the Immortal stage by now. Youve put a stone down, so its my turn now! The sea of blood dissipated and the altar shattered. The pillar of light was long gone and the barrier around Fengyang was silent once more. Gu Suihan looked up into the sky, slowly took out a stone from his coat and pressed his palm down. Qi gathered and the laws of nature altered such that a translucent Go board appeared in the air. One lonely white stone was right in the middle of the board. Gu Suihan slowly brought his black stone down and walked away. A maniacal smile spread across his lips. We will meet someday! Immediately after he said that, the barrier in the sky suddenly shattered like it was made of glass, sparkling brightly before disappearing altogether. I, the emperor, await! Gu Suihan felt he could hear a burst of joyous laughter ringing in the distance If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 228 Youre a descendant of the ancient demonic fox race, and youve managed to form your demonic core since you got through the shapeshifting tribulation. And so, youve definitely found out a lot more about the history of your bloodline and all that. If you do something for me, Ill let you off. Gu Suihan turned to look at the trembling old man Li, who was on the verge of collapsing. Please, tell me what you need me to do. The sudden offer to let him live did not make the old man feel happy inside and terrified him even more instead. This young man was secretly at least at Divine Soul. A man who knew a million spells and techniques, one whose physical body and internal energies had become one powerful combined force. This young man was clearly still recovering from severe injuries, but the old man wasnt much better off either. Take a look. Gu Suihan smiled faintly as he drew in the air. A moment later, thousands of strange, sparkling runes appeared and entered the old mans consciousness like a river. Thisthis is written in my races language. Whywhy do you know how to write it? Old man Li was really shocked. The demonic race passed on everything they knew only to their own kind, and it was impossible to be put in words by others. The whole point was to make it extremely mysterious and difficult to get any information. Yet now, a human was actually able to write in demonic script with such ease. His heart sank. Had the demonic race really fallen from grace? This is not just demonic script, but its ancient demonic script. I guess youre just an offshoot from the main line. Youve managed to cultivate enough to get five tails, but your bloodline is still a low-level one. Gu Suihan couldnt help but shake his head when he heard the old mans exclamation. A faint look of disappointment flashed in his eyes. And what would happen to old man Li if Gu Suihan was disappointed? Even his furry tails knew what would happen. He was going to go through hell. Never mind, stay alive C if he could keep his spirit, be reborn, and start his cultivation all over again, that would already be enough reason to celebrate. So, he quickly piped up, I cant read everything, but I can understand a little more than a hundred characters. Please, have mercy on me. Oh? Tell me what you know. Gu Suihans eyes lit up, and he made the demonic script appear once more. Old man Li hurriedly told Gu Suihan everything he understood, then looked pitifully at Gu Suihan, afraid that the young man might kill him with one slap. Even though he didnt manage to translate the entire text, he got the gist, and by combining it with what Gu Suihan knew before, Gu Suihan could reach a few conclusions. There were originally thousands of races. The strong survived, and the weak perished. The liches and demons fought each other, and the immortals and devils went to war. But as these living creatures became more powerful, they also became more ambitious. The leaders of the demons, immortals, and so on actually made a plan to usurp the universe and make their own Way of Heaven. They schemed to become an existence that was above the one who created the Way. And so, they decided to actually create a Way. Inside hell, the outer layer of the Devil Abyss was the river of the underworld. The elder of the river tried creating a living creature, and the demons started mixing their bloodlines. Everyone tried, but none of them were successful. The river elder created a creature named Shura, but unfortunately, while its physical body was powerful, it was void of a divine soul. It wasnt sentient, plus it was bloodthirsty and violent. This thingwasnt a Way. The demons mixed their blood and created a lot of different beings, but they were all either odd-shaped, poor in quality or full of weaknesses. So, in the endthey decided to join forces. The demonic race provided the body. The immortals provided the immortal root that immortals had. Inside the Devil Abyss, countless devils contributed their devil souls. The body shape of the liches were the standard. The leaders of the various races cast a spell and created a living creature that was the closest to the Way. We named the creaturehumans! Humansthe shape of liches, the demon bodies, devil souls, immortal roots, murmured Gu Suihan. A strange anger arose in his heart. The human race, or rather, the living creature called humans, were created jointly by the various races. Humans were merely an experiment. A flawed product was created because they wanted to get a peek at the Way of Heaven. If that was the casewhy did the races stop and disappear without a trace? How did the flawed human race end up taking over the world? What happened in between? Or rather, was this the plan of the various leaders of the races, orwas the mysterious Way of Heaven behind all of this? Also, were these leadersfrontrunners in going against the Way of Heaven or ambitious ones who wanted to usurp it? And most importantly, did theysucceed? Perhaps Im now on the same road that these powerful beings once passed through. The longer I walk, the further I get! murmured Gu Suihan to himself. He flicked a finger and caused old man Lis physical body to shatter, then swallowed his nascent soul. He pulled off the old mans soft, white furry coat and turned it into a luxurious shawl around his shoulders that moved ever so slightly as he walked. The bunch of you arent dead yet, so come out now. Gu Suihan turned to look at the pile of flesh and blood next to the altar with an annoyed look in his eyes. Oho, youre so fierce! Im so scared! Xia Yuns coquettish and charming voice suddenly resounded. The flesh and blood splattered on the ground immediately came back together to turn into a red dress, then a faintly smiling, pretty, fair, and flawless face slowly appeared from within the altar. The altar then collapsed into a pile of broken stones. She stepped out lightly on the air and floated toward him. One more. Gu Suihan calmly glanced at her, then turned to look toward where Tang Xiaoyun was. The halberd on the ground suddenly trembled violently before a translucent illusion appeared next to it and slowly solidified to reveal a young man in silver armor. He held his halberd and stood in a flippant stance as he said cheekily, Sheesh, I was trying not to interrupt your little romantic moment. Why did you have to expose my whereabouts? Lets strike a deal. Gu Suihan ignored him and turned back to look at the gorgeous Xia Yun. He opened his palms to reveal two souls. What deal are you hoping to strike? Are you asking me to marry you? Xia Yun took a few steps forward and stood shyly next to him. She twirled her hair to cover the flickering gaze on her face even as she looked down at the ground. I dont care for a dao weapon. I dont mind letting them off too. I can even give these two souls to you. I just want the books of the Equal Spirit Order. The records of ancient times. Gu Suihan chuckled, then used a finger to pull her chin up. They locked gazes, and their faces were only half an inch from each other. The former could clearly smell the faint fragrance of the woman. The latter clearly saw the void within his eyes that kept evolving, as well as that faint domineering aura that was willing to massacre all living creatures as long as they were in his way. Ill agree to this deal, said Xia Yun softly. Her eyes were a little unfocused, and her warm breath carried a sweet smell. Very good. Gu Suihan smiled as he stared deeply into her eyes, then threw the two souls into her hands without much thought. He activated a god-level technique that allowed him to cover hundreds of kilometers in a second, and he disappeared completely in just a few moments. A long, long time after Gu Suihan had left, Tang Xiaoyun said very solemnly, How did he know our relation to one another? Its a coincidence. Xia Yun sighed a little glumly and glanced at the scholar and Tang Xiaoyun. That action said everything. I dont think hes only at Divine Soul. Otherwise, how could he have discovered our Orders secret technique? said the scholar quietly in his gentle voice. He fanned himself with his folding fan in a leisurely manner, but there was a look of absolute reverence in his eyes. Xia Yun was still in a daze as she stared at the struggling souls in her hands. She thought of how close she was to Gu Suihan earlier, and her cheeks flushed pink. She then turned to look at the other two and said sternly, Heis the cause of this matter, and heis the only one who can fight that tyrant. We must not tell anybody what happened here. The consequences of doing sowill be worse than anything you imagine. What do we do about him? Tang Xiaoyun used his chin to point at the unconscious Li Yu, who was still lying on the ground. This ant is his pawn and a seed he planted. Do you dare to do anything to him The scholar raised an eyebrow at Tang Xiaoyun, then threw a few bottles of pills at Li Yu. Just pretend we didnt see him. Perhaps, he can be our pawn too. Xia Yun had a scheming smile on her face as she looked at Rou Lingyuns soul, then took out a jade slip to write some things on it. She put it together with the pills next to Li Yu, then left with her two companions. Xia Yun, the scholar, Tang Xiaoyun, Li Yu, andGu Suihan. Perhaps it was a coincidence, butjust like what the emperor of Qin had declared, there were exactly five of them left alive. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 229 You wanna play chess with me? Hohoyoure not qualified to do so yet! As though he had overheard the conversation between Xia Yun, the scholar, and Tang Xiaoyun, Gu Suihan suddenly chuckled from a distance of thousands of kilometers away, raising his head slightly to reveal his feminine facial features. Where am I? Li Yu finally regained consciousness after a long time. The excruciating pain from his body hit his brain again and again in waves. The wounds that had dried up and hardened while he lay unconscious broke open as he moved in agony, causing them to bleed all over again. Whywhy didnt they kill me? After a good hour or so, Li Yu slowly managed to sort out his messy memories. This was the first question that came to him. But he had no answer. Perhaps Im too weak. So weak that they didnt even bother to look at me, thought Li Yu with a sad smile. Esteemed One, what should I do now? Why did I suddenly lose consciousness? What happened in between? he murmured as he instinctively rubbed the ring on his finger with a confused look on his face. One of the Nascent Change cultivators cast a hypnotic spell on you, which made you lose your senses and stab that girl. After that, the cultivators began quarreling among themselves. The barrier broke once there were only four of them left, so they all left, said the Esteemed One in a slow voice as he explained what supposedly happened. In any case, Li Yu was only at Foundation Establishment, so he could exaggerate the abilities of a Nascent Change cultivator as much as he wanted, and Li Yu would believe him without question. The difference between these two stages was way too large. Nascent Change was a stage Li Yu dared not even dream of ever attaining. Wait, Iwhat? How is she now? asked Li Yu in a panicked voice as his face paled. She left you a letter, you can read it yourself, muttered the Esteemed One in an annoyed voice before falling back to silence. A letter? Li Yu looked down and found a small, fragrant jade slip alongside several bottles of pills right next to him. He hurriedly sent his spiritual sense into the jade slip to read the information inside. Fifteen minutes later, he put the jade slip down with a dejected look on his face as he murmured to himself, That woman didnt die? Instead, she teamed up with her subordinates to attack you and capture you? And to avoid implicating me, you forcibly cut the karma line between us so that I would have to hide our past? At the end of it all, Im the one whos too weak. If I werent so weak, Rouer wouldnt have died. If I werent so weak, I wouldnt have let them take you away. If I werent so weak Youre trapped in an evil cycle of thinking, the elderly voice of the Esteemed One suddenly rang inside Li Yus brain and pulled him out of his self-blaming thoughts. Since you think youre weak, then you ought to focus on cultivating. A big reason why youre still alive now is because that girl put in quite a lot of effort. Did you think you would have survived all that purely by luck? Youre right. Ive got to work hard and cultivate. Ill revive Rouer someday and save you from the clutches of your enemies. Li Yus previously dazed eyes lit up at once and shone with great determination. Youve been waiting especially for me? Gu Suihan accepted the white jade wine cup from the other person and fiddled with it as he smiled. Su Yuqing raised his cup as a friendly gesture even as he furrowed his brows and stared straight at the handsome yet gentle-looking young man in front of him. A little fear filled his heart, and he felt even less confident of getting what he wanted out of this visit. A moment later, he said solemnly, Youhave reached Nascent Change? Hoho, is that very surprising? asked Gu Suihan as he raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. Su Yuqings heart sank when he heard Gu Suihans reply. After a long time, he put aside his aloofness and got up to bow solemnly, and said in a respectful voice, Sir, please have mercy on me and save my daughter. He didnt dare to be impolite to this young man. Based on what he had read and his own experience, the fact that this man was able to recuperate this quickly meant he had some sort of trump card or plans set up well ahead of time. After all, no cultivator whos survived this long could have done so without approaching life like this. Before they did anything, they would have considered all possible consequences beforehand. But Gu Suihans face didnt even flinch. There were only two possibilities. One, Gu Suihan was now secretly capable of fighting him without losing. Two, Gu Suihan knew that he needed Gu Suihans help and would not attack. Either possibility dismayed him. Someone who had lived this long would be capable of so many insane things. If one wanted to fight such a person, one had to be mentally prepared to die as well. That little girl? Theres nobody among you who can settle the problem? Gu Suihan seemed to have suddenly realized what Su Yuqing was talking about. He went on in a somewhat insinuating tone, Actually, youre not very emotionally attached to Shuanger. Furthermore, Shuanger is a girl, so even if you decided to take over her body, it would clash greatly with your cultivation technique. Yet, for her sake, you were willing to give up your future. Clearly, the person backing her is someone youre wary of, or rather, someone youre afraid of. Su Yuqing couldnt hide the shocked look on his face and only calmed back down after a few moments. He said in a deep voice, Youare truly an expert at reading the hearts of others. Youre right C Im at Divine Soul, but I dont have any method to reach the next stage. Besides, I married into my wifes family, so I dont have sufficient standing over there either. If something bad happens to Shuanger, I will meet a pretty bad end. Actually, theres one more way. A strange glint flickered in Gu Suihans eyes, and his voice was as soft as a mosquitos as he said, If you stabilize your current stage or even hit Peak Divine Soul, the other party will not be able to do anything about you. Get toPeak Divine Soul! Su Yuqings mind trembled, and his heart began to race, but his expression quickly fell, and he sounded depressed as he said, Youre at a stage where you can see that Ive used an unorthodox method to get here. I found a high-grade spiritual weapon and sealed my physical energy, qi, mental energy, and even my three hun and seven po inside it to forcibly gather my spirit. Then during the fight in the Lower World, I had no choice but to undo the seal and turn it into a sword domain. Even though Im considered to be at the Divine Soul stage now, Im a lot weaker than cultivators at the same stage. Besides, this swordstill bears the seal of that family. In other words, they still have control over my life. Using an item to gather your spirit is a good idea, but its too bad that your heart is still a mortal one, so you cant control the brightness of a swords blade. Youare not suitable for a sword, said Gu Suihan slowly as he finally raised the wine cup and looked at the slow, rippling navy blue alcoholic drink inside. Imnot suitable? Su Yuqing looked lost. He still had trouble putting his roots aside. I can help you, and Ican also help your daughter. The price will be the same. Gu Suihans tone held heavy implications, and he drank the wine down as he stared at the older man. He smiled and patted the older mans shoulder, then disappeared without a trace as the wind blew past. From the start to the end, Gu Suihan had steered the entire conversation. And once he was done speaking, he left without giving Su Yuqing the chance to even respond. All that was left was two plates of side dishes on the well-worn table and chairs beneath a simple shelter at a small eatery. Su Yuqing sat quietly at the table and stared at the jade slip that Gu Suihan had left beneath his wine cup. A pained look seemed to fill his eyes. It was clear that he was struggling to decide between the choices Gu Suihan had given him. Gu Suihan said he could help him and help Shuanger. Su Yuqing did not think Gu Suihan was lying, since Gu Suihan had no reason to do so. The same price? What have you set your eyes on? In the evening sun, Su Yuqings long shadow looked especially sorrowful, lonely and tragic. Gu Suihan was a very simple man. He didnt have the ambition that most people had and had no desire to go after fame or status. Relationships and desires were all stupid. They were like a passing mist to him. Who cared if one succeeded or failed? Who cared about what was right and what was wrong? That had nothing to do with him. You could say that as long as you didnt stand in his way, he was a perfectly harmless cultivator. But that came with another caveat, which was that youd better not have something he wanted. Or rather, even if you did, dont be stupid and stand in his way. Otherwise, he was more than happy to kill you off, no matter who you were. He didnt understand why he should care about the opinions of ignorant, foolish, idiotic and pathetic ants. He was able to tolerate the existence of ants, but he would not tolerate these ants if they thought too highly of themselves and did something that would bring harm to himself. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 230 A family where even a Divine Soul cultivator has trouble even walking with his head up high has to be something thats around for at least 10,000 years. Probably the most powerful locally too. Im looking forward to this. Gu Suihan looked toward where Su Yuqing was sitting and smiled. The things his family had successfully attracted Gu Suihans attention. The 49th domain was the last small world that the great Qin Empire had absorbed. It had been around for only a few centuries, and it was still a mess. It couldnt be compared to the other 48 at all. Even those Divine Soul cultivators that were supposed to be overseeing the domain were from this domain itself. They had no loyalty to the Qin empire, which was how the Equal Spirit Order gained a foothold. The Hundred Schools of ThoughtI wonder if you guys exist yet. Ive been waiting with anticipation for a long time said Gu Suihan to himself as he flew into the skies and covered thousands of miles as if he were a giant bird. He flew like the wind toward the main city of the domain. Among the Hundred Schools, preferred the School of Diplomacy, the School of Legalism, and those like it. The schools of thought that promoted love, politeness between people, and other non-aggressive beliefs, like the schools of Confucianism and Mohism, were despised. You want to know why? The reason is simple. Its because as long as cultivators existed in this world, peace was always out of the question. The cake was only so big, and everyone wanted a bite. And so, they had to rob and kill others. Not even the great empire could stop that from happening. So, unless all the cultivators in the world died, otherwise there was no way the world could have peace. That was why the empire chose a more protective stance with regard to the ordinary people but left the cultivators mostly to their own devices. As long as you were not massacring cities and gobbling souls for no reason or killing ordinary people, you could fight all you liked. Of course, if you were capable of escaping detection from the state, you could go ahead and kill all you wanted. If you needed souls to refine your weapons or cultivate your spells and techniques, you could apply for some from the empire. The army spent most of the year conquering other territories, and nobody cared about how many casualties were incurred along the way. Sir, I have made up my mind. Just when Gu Suihan was wandering about aimlessly in a city, Su Yuqing suddenly appeared next to him like a ghost. He had a determined look on his face, and his gaze was resolute. So, what have you chosen to do? asked Gu Suihan with some interest as he passed Su Yuqing a bowl of roasted pig brains. Ihope that you can help me. But I dont know what the price is? Su Yuqing stared unblinkingly at Gu Suihan, hoping to find some clues from Gu Suihans expression. Unfortunately for him, Gu Suihan did not look surprised at all by his choice. This was clearly the response he predicted Su Yuqing would have. Humans were very selfish creatures in the first place. Cultivators, especially. Love and friendship were worthless compared to getting benefits for themselves. Only a small minority would choose others over themselves, and clearly, Su Yuqing wasnt part of that minority. The price is 30% of that familys resources. Gu Suihan took his time to eat his bowl of roasted pig brains slowly and savored the soft, sweet taste on his tongue. Su Yuqing was rather surprised by this. If he were to be completely honest, this was not a good deal for Gu Suihan. But since he was the one who stood to benefit from this deal, he wasnt going to turn it down. Sure, its a deal. Youve used an item to gather your spirit, so if you want to get out from being under their control, there are only two ways to do this. The first way is that you take your soul back and cut off your connection with this spiritual weapon, which will cause you to fall back to the Nascent Change stage. The second way is to refine this weapon and turn it fully into your spirit. But as you said before, the other party has a seal on this thing, so we obviously cant take the second option. The other party would find out if you do that, and the plan will definitely fail. In that case, we have no choice but to go with the first method. Those were Gu Suihans comments after pausing to take a good look at Su Yuqings sword. This sword was a reflection of the power accumulated by the family over many, many years. This was a family with extraordinary wealth. The formation runes and seal on it could almost affect the laws of nature. It wasnt as good as a dao weapon, but it was definitely a thousand times more powerful than an ordinary spiritual weapon. The saber that Gu Suihan used now would have been nowhere near the level of this sword if he hadnt used so much fiendish and violent qi to nourish it. After all, the essence of the two blades was terribly different. Firstly, youve got to fail in your mission to get my help and return with severe injuries, so they would get someone else to look for me. That way, you would have a reason to take back your soul, and you could even use their resources to fully gather your spirit. Su Yuqings gaze flickered, and sounded frustrated as he said, You said before that my heart is still a mortal one It isnt one anymore, said Gu Suihan thoughtfully. It changed when you made a decision. Thats it? Su Yuqing was in disbelief. Thats it. The heart of a human, the character of a human, the personality of a human. These are the hardest choices to make, yet they are also the easiest. Once you understand what you truly want and are, such obstacles will not exist anymore. Didnt that jade slip give you instructions on how to gather your spirit? said Gu Suihan with a smile. Thank you. Su Yuqing gave Gu Suihan one last look, then disappeared. A dark green jade slip was left beside his bowl of roasted pig brains. Su Yuqing had left it for Gu Suihan. There was information about that family in it. In that case, its time to make use of my pawn. Hes an MC, after all, so its high time he went to slap the faces of the people in that family. Gu Suihan looked into the empty bowl, and he could vaguely see Li Yus face. Esteemed One, what do I do now? I dont have spiritual stones at all, and Ive run out of pills. Li Yu was now in a dense forest, boiling meat in a pot with a vexed expression on his face. Having spiritual stones and pills is useless. The spiritual root you robbed the last time is too low in grade. Giving spiritual stones to cultivate would be such a waste, said the Esteemed One without holding back any of his contempt. A few moments later, he went on, Right now, if you want to increase your cultivation speed, you will have to get yourself another spiritual root to increase your giftedness. Thats the only way you can catch up with the geniuses of this generation. How do I go about doing that? Li Yu bit his lip hard with a look of indignation on his face. The 49th domain is the most barren of all domains within the empire. If you want to find an extraordinarily high-grade spiritual root, you will have to head to a different domain. Its hopeless remaining here, said the Esteemed One slowly after giving it some thought. Which domain should I go to? Li Yu narrowed his eyes, covering the bright glint in his eyes. Head to the city and gather some information before deciding, suggested the Esteemed One. Got it! said Li Yu while trying to chew his half-cooked piece of meat. Of course, he wasnt headed for the same city as Gu Suihan. After all, the two of them were too different in terms of capability. Gu Suihan could cover a thousand miles with one step and fly in the high skies. Li Yu could only cover 30 meters with one step and he could fly a few meters high, but couldnt stay that way for long. The 39th domain, the Dongfang family? Too bad for them! Gu Suihan crushed the jade slip and placed a few spiritual coins on the table. But just as he got up to leave, a shrill voice rang out from behind him, Young man, stop right there! Youre talking to me? Gu Suihan turned around calmly and looked at the one who yelled at him a little confusedly. The person who yelled at him turned out to be a small-sized fellow with reddish cheeks. After he got the green light from the man who was presumably the ringleader, he puffed his skinny chest out and started gesticulating as he said, Using spiritual coins to pay for even things sold by ordinary humans? Youre a very rich young man, huh. Gu Suihans lips twitched, and he couldnt help but shake his head when he noticed the greedy glint in the shrill-voiced man. He made a decision there and then, and everything within a hundred-mile radius turned to nothing. Every human and animal in the vicinity became a bloodied mist, and their remains were swallowed up silently by the saber hanging from his belt. Idiots, muttered Gu Suihan. He glanced at the dead and destroyed city. The human race, mankind, are really lowly creatures that make me puke. Theyre experiments that contain the souls of devils, alright. What a tragedy. As for what would happen to those who destroyed cities for no reason, Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by that and merely chuckled. Fengyang was a bigger city, and it had vanished completely, so destroying a tiny one like this one wouldnt hurt. Besides, unless an Immortal cultivator used a secret technique to deduce who was behind this, nobody would be able to trace it to him. Massacring was really the best way to vent ones frustrations. After he had gotten rid of all these ants, Gu Suihans mood became significantly better. He decided on which direction to take, took a step forward, then executed a god-level technique to cover a hundred miles in just one second. He was heading for the 39th domain and it was going to be a long way, so he had to take an inter-domain flying ship. And inter-domain flying ships were something that only the city of a commandery had. A city of a commandery, like Fengyang. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 231 Sir, heres your number. Please keep it carefully. A servant held out an oval purple piece of jade with an ingratiating smile. The number 8 was carved into the jade with bold strokes. Gu Suihan grunted in acknowledgment as he took the jade from the servant and held it in his hand. A light flickered in his eyes as he instantly broke through the thin formation in the way and stared at the three gigantic flying ships parked in the huge clearing. Each one is at least a hundred miles long. Thats practically a castle, mumbled Gu Suihan as he casually scanned the dizzying runes all over the flying ships and marveled at how tough this thing was. He couldnt be sure if a Nascent Change cultivator would be able to break through the defense formation of these flying ships. As long as you were a sentient living creature, you would put civilization into a very revolting yet indestructible pyramid structure of sorts. That is, the division of people into different levels. Cultivators divided themselves like that, and so did ordinary people. The demonic race and immortal race had even more divisions. Not only did this make low-level creatures fear the ones above them, but the ones above could oppress the ones below without having to worry. Even the Buddhists, who always talked about nonsense like all humans are equal, were no better. Why else would they split themselves into arhats, bodhisattvas, and buddhas? Words like equality, justice, and fairness were used to fool those bottom-feeding fish, thats all. The piece of jade in Gu Suihans hands was reserved for those at the highest level, like a VIP pass. The ones for a lower grade were red in color, and the cheapest one was white. Great Dao Master, this way, please, said the maid assigned to serve Gu Suihan. She cast her gaze downward and bowed slightly. She didnt dare to do anything that might seem rude in front of him. It was really because the invisible but concentrated fiendish qi emanating from Gu Suihan made her heart tremble. As a maid serving such guests, she was no ordinary person herself, so she knew what it meant when she felt afraid. This qi was an extremely domineering aura that guaranteed no mercy to anyone who stood in his way. In front of a person like that, it was best to behave yourself and not pull any stunts. Otherwise, nobody would pity you if you were suddenly struck dead. Lead the way. Gu Suihan nodded and retracted some of that murderous aura coming from himself, instantly releasing the pressure from the completely silent lobby. Oh my gosh, I nearly couldnt breathe! That gentleman is definitely a master at Nascent Change. The lobby became lively and noisy again right after Gu Suihan walked out. Everyone heaved huge sighs of relief, and their tense hearts slowly relaxed. The murderous intent Gu Suihan emanated was simply too frightening. It felt like a sword on their necks, and they didnt dare to let out even a squeak in case Gu Suihan killed them with just a thought. Hes not local, said a young man in the crowd who was surrounded by several bodyguards. He fiddled with a small dagger and had a strange little smile on his lips. The maid next to him heard what he said and couldnt help but ask out of curiosity, Young Master, how do you know that? The young man with handsome features and a gentle expression looked down and chuckled before whispering in reply, If he were local, he could have used the inter-domain teleportation formation in the Castellans manor. Itll be faster that way. Its very expensive, but a Nascent Change cultivator like him would have more than enough spiritual coins to spare. Young Master, youre such a clever and observant person, replied the maid in a polite voice as she smiled faintly. Get me a purple-class ticket. I have things to do, the young man instructed his maid after chuckling. After she had left, the young mans eyes started to cloud over. The sunny smile on his face faded, and he had a more sinister expression on his face now. Ha! Someday, I will return, Father! shouted the young man inside his mind as he hid away his true emotions. Great Dao Master the maid tried to speak, but Gu Suihan waved a hand to cut her off. He said emotionlessly, From now onwards, call me sir. Great Dao Master sounds terrible. Yes, sir. The maid was rather shocked, but she didnt let any of it show on her face. She bowed politely and asked, Sir, do you need anything? Get me some tea. I have a guest coming later, said Gu Suihan as he smiled faintly, leaned lazily against the soft chair, and shut his eyes. Yes, sir. The maid quietly left the room. Gu Suihan was a Nascent Change cultivator, so he wasnt going to drink low-grade tea. He didnt care, actually, but the maid certainly didnt think that way. Firstly, the fact that he was taking the flying ship that belonged to their company was already doing them a favor. Secondly, as a powerful Nascent Change cultivator, he acted as a very useful bodyguard for the flight. It was only right for them to make sure they took good care of this gentleman. After the maid reported Gu Suihans request, the other party paused to think for a while, then said in a melodious and clear voice, You dont have to go back. Ill serve him myself. According to Fathers divinations, some disasters will befall this flight. Well have to rely on this powerful man to help us when that happens. But Miss, youre The maids jaw fell open in horror as she hurriedly tried to dissuade the other party. But the female voice cut her off before she could finish her sentence, Enough. Nobody knows where this man has come from, but that aura of fiendish qi is not something that an ordinary Nascent Change cultivator would be capable of exuding. We must not become enemies with this man. Get me my Dao Understanding Soul Cleansing tea. Sir, how is the tea? The young lady had bright eyes, clean and straight teeth, and a charming smile. She wore a thin chiffon dress that revealed her fair and supple arms. Under the tea table, her pair of long and slim legs were vaguely visible beneath her chiffon skirt. She was very attractive. The teas not bad. Its a pity that its got karma. Gu Suihan smiled faintly as he looked down at the several vengeful souls struggling as they roamed inside the cup, letting out howls that were barely audible. He sniffed the light fragrance of the tea that was coming from those souls. Someone like yourself would be afraid of karma too? The young lady poured Gu Suihan more tea, allowing her silky hair to cascade past her shoulder and into the deep cleavage below her flawless neck. She looked like she was just making a casual comment, but her tone of voice was subtly trying to get a certain response out of him. Who isnt afraid of karma? Gu Suihan tapped a finger on the lip of the cup and chuckled slightly. Youre not afraid? Of course, I am afraid of it too. She laughed quietly, her laughter as ethereal yet crisp as bells. And it is precisely because Im afraid, so I chose to cultivate in an attempt to understand it. Her watery eyes seemed to sparkle. Do you agree? Or not? Gu Suihan took a sip of tea to moisten his lips, then said, Those with differing hearts and differing ways would naturally go down a different path. Sir Her expression shifted a little, and she was about to speak again when someone suddenly knocked on the door. Is the Great Dao Master inside? Could I come in and have a chat with you? Sir, your guest is here. The young lady calmed her heart down, and bit her luscious lips as she threw Gu Suihan a slightly annoyed glare before getting up to open the door. Its you? said both the young lady and the young man when she opened the door, and their eyes met. Very interesting Gu Suihans eyes were dark and looked as though comets were flying through them, which made them seem really eerie. The faint smile on his face and the white fox fur shawl on his large black cloak made him look even more feminine and mysterious. The two men looked at one another for a long time without saying anything. The young man finally snapped out of his daze, and looked intently at the young lady for a moment before walking into the room. He bowed politely and said, Im sorry for coming by without making any prior arrangements, I hope you dont mind. Here is compensation for my rude visit, please accept it. He retrieved an intricately packed small wooden box from his storage ring and placed it on the tea table. Whats your name? asked Gu Suihan a little curiously as he shifted his body to motion to the young man to sit. He glanced nonchalantly at the little box but did not take it. My surname is Ouyang, and my name is just one word, Duan, said Ouyang Duan politely. You know her? asked Gu Suihan flatly as he glanced at the young lady who had started making more tea. Weve met once or twice. Weve spoken a bit before. Ouyang Duan pursed his lips tightly. He felt rather nervous, and his face was tense, but he dared not hide anything from Gu Suihan and stammered a little as he responded with the truth. Before you arrived, she asked if Im afraid of karma. Let me ask you C are you afraid of karma? Gu Suihan flicked a finger and slid a cup of tea into Ouyang Duans hands. Am I afraid of karma? Karma is the concept of cause and effect, so theres an effect only as a result of a cause. But there arent really that many causes and effects in the world. Most of them have a start and no end. So, why should I be afraid? Ouyang Duan was a little caught by surprise by the random question but quickly gave a response that made the young ladys heart tremble in shock. What do you think of what he said, Miss Murong? Or rather, the first saintess of the Equal Spirit Order, Miss Murong Yun. Gu Suihan broke into a smile as he stared at the dazed young lady and slowly revealed her true identity. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 232 How did you know? Murong Yun calmed herself down even as fear rose in her heart. This man was simply too terrifying. A powerful person in the Order had cast a spell on her so that any information about her would be hidden from any cultivator below the Divine Soul stage. She didnt expect Gu Suihan to see through it just like that. Of course, I could tell by just looking, said Gu Suihan with a smile. He then glanced at Ouyang Duan. Ouyang Duan had a conflicted look on his face and a look of shock in his eyes. The two of you arent just mere acquaintances, thought Gu Suihan. Senior, I have a favor to ask of you, said Ouyang Duan and Murong Yun at the same time. Dont bother. I dont like trouble. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me. Gu Suihan raised a hand to stop them from speaking further before they could even raise their requests. The two of them could only open their mouths, only to shut it again as they sighed inwardly. The fate of the Equal Spirit Order crosses with mine C Xia Yun, Rou Lingyun, Murong Yun C Ive actually met with all three saintesses in such a short period of time. It looks likethe Order is scheming something big. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingers gently against his chair. The crushing pressure that threatened to kill everything under the sky suddenly burst forth from his body. It filled the room in an instant, like strong sea winds or like a flying dragon. The other two in the room were so shaken, their faces turned as white as a sheet, and they both collapsed onto the floor. He had his reasons for saying these words. When he first ran into the scholar, you could consider it a coincidence. But when Chamu, Tang Xiaoyun, and even Xia Yun made their appearance in quick succession after that, it became obvious that this was planned. If Gu Suihan hadnt realized that the Equal Spirit Order was of some use to him and it was better to remain on peaceful terms with them for the moment, he would have crushed Xia Yun and her companions in Fengyang. He could let them off for one or two attempts but not a third one. Yet, this idiotic Equal Spirit Order refused to learn their lesson and continued their attempts to drag him into the mud. This pushed his desire to smite the Order to its maximum. Senior, pleaseplease forgive us. Perhaps it is a misunderstanding. Murong Yun was pale and her dress was a mess as sweat poured down her face and drenched her dress. Her fine, long, silky hair was plastered to her little face, making her look even more pathetic. A misunderstanding? Its a misunderstanding, alright C you thought I wouldnt dare to fall out with the Order and kill all of you? Gu Suihan ignored her and raised his head instead. The murderous look in his eyes was intense, and a violent qi raged. His penetrating gaze focused in a particular direction as a spine-chilling smile spread across his lips. The laws of nature solidified to become runes in the air. They glimmered colorfully and gave off a creepy and sinister air. They tore through the air like a shooting stars, entering the void and crossing through spacetime to latch onto the spiritual sense that was hiding in the shadows and spying on Gu Suihan. How dare you a thunderous roar resounded inside Gu Suihans head. A gigantic illusion of a bodhisattva that gave off a brilliant golden glow appeared from nowhere. It looked furious and the dreamy glow behind its head continued to spread and melt the vast sea of blood in Gu Suihans subconscious. Tsk, the Equal Spirit Order sure has plenty of idiots. You actually have Buddhist cultivators, said Gu Suihan with a snort. The spirit residing in his subconscious immediately exploded with fiendish qi. The qi, accompanied by vicious and malicious runes, turned into a blood-red finger that stabbed into the area between the bodhisattvas eyes before it realized what was going on. Since youre here, then dont go anywhere else. The Equal Spirit Order is hoping to become a player, but youre not good enough. Gu Suihan struck the bodhisattva accurately with one hit. With one thought, his subconscious churned, and the vast sea of blood threw up enormous waves that measured thousands of meters in height. The waves were filled with countless vengeful souls and malicious ghosts. They chanted and howled furiously as they came toward the bodhisattva coming their way from a different dimension. The lines on his mottled and nearly shattering heart-soul weaved together as dao runes flowed and exchanged positions like a rushing river. Countless laws of nature bent to become an odd-shaped ancient beast, roaring fiercely as it pounced toward its opponent. Why, you! The bodhisattva let out an angry roar that shook the sky. The glow behind it trembled and darkened, but its eyes shone more and more brilliantly, shooting out two golden beams of light at Gu Suihan. You dont dare to attack because youre afraid that person would sense what youre doing and wipe you out with one thought, said Gu Suihan as he snorted at his opponents counterattack. He turned his beast into a bottomless whirlpool that pulled in all directions and shattered the bodhisattva even as it let out an indignant cry. The bodhisattva turned into golden sparkles, which rushed into Gu Suihans spirit and made it shine even more brightly. Tell your father that the Equal Spirit Ordercan be disbanded. Otherwise, when I massacre thousands of worlds and destroy all living creatures, I will wipe you out as well. After Gu Suihan was done with the illusion that had come at him from a different dimension, he turned his sinister and venomous gaze to the completely pale and barely breathing Murong Yun. Who is it? Who dares to behave so audaciously! An angry roar resounded throughout the entire flying ship. A domineering pressure covered all of Gu Suihan and turned into invisible knives and swords, ready to strike him. The Nascent Change cultivator guarding this flying ship? Gu Suihans expression froze for just a split second before he raised his right hand and began brandishing his saber, disregarding the fact that the flying ship was still moving through the void. He sliced through all the formations set up within the flying ship, tearing through the rooms toward the source of the pressure. Inside a secret room, a middle-aged man paled as his breath became as weak as a flickering flame. His body swayed from side to side as blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and he collapsed weakly onto the floor. Ive miscalculatedthatsthats an Immortal! An Immortal! said the middle-aged man in a dismayed voice. Tears ran down his face, and he had a look of despair. He thought that Gu Suihan was, at best, a Divine Soul cultivator. The Equal Spirit Order was powerful enough to use some underhanded means to threaten him and force him to do what they wanted. He didnt expect things to turn out like this. He suddenly wanted to know what really happened after Fengyang was sealed off. Before the flight, he had used some divination methods and found out that the Orders big plan would run into a problem, but the plan would still be completed successfully. Upon further calculation, the problem turned out to be one person. But he wasnt powerful enough to find out more. That was untilthe empire had broken through the god-level technique Gu Suihan had used to conceal himself. He was then able to confirm that Gu Suihan was his target. That was also how Su Yuqing calculated where Gu Suihan was. But the plan couldnt be put off for long. It hadnt been easy to trace Gu Suihan, but the plan had to continue. However, they didnt expect to end up attracting the attention of the emperor and his appearance at Fengyang. They definitely did not foresee that the three Divine Soul cultivators the Order supported would be killed in less than one second. It didnt occur to him that the non-threatening Origin Core cultivator they had discovered through their divination would turn out to be someone this powerful. And worse still, this same cultivator had hit Nascent Change in such a short time. Since thats the case, I will have no choice but toslay the immortal! The middle-aged man had not reached Divine Soul by sheer chance, after all. After he cast aside the initial panic and terror he felt, he quickly made a decision. He was going to make the first strike. Were tens of thousands of meters in the high skies. What do you want? the domineering voice was clearly less confident after Gu Suihan had slashed so fiercely through it, but was too proud to humble itself. Im not going to die anyway, right? Gu Suihan smiled evilly as he raised his saber. His qi shot out like a rain of arrows, turning many of the cultivators in the flying ship to minced meat. Youdo you know that the people youve just killed include members of prominent families? A man who survived the attack held up his long spear and squeezed these words out as he stared at Gu Suihan with a twisted expression on his face. So what? Gu Suihan smiled, making his eyes curve like two crescents. He looked rather gentle as his clothes and hair blew in a light breeze caused by all the fiendish qi in the air. But the murderous qi swirling around his saber was getting more and more concentrated, like a roaring dragon that created ripples in the air around it. Excellent, very good. May I know your name? shouted the man after letting out three angry laughs and pointing his spear at Gu Suihan. Make a wild guess! Gu Suihan stomped on the floor and flew through several obstacles, compressing himself into one line before appearing right next to the man like a ghost. His saber gleamed with mysterious and complex runes. Murderous qi formed shapes on it, and fiendish qi gathered, emanating a terrifying murderous intent. Clang! An ear-deafening blast rocked the ship and resounded loudly as though they had been hit by lightning. The surviving cultivators had pained looks on their faces, and those whose cultivation level was too low to hold up exploded into clouds of blood. My fellow cultivator, please have mercy, the man suddenly spoke. Youre trying to get to the 39th domain. Even someone at your level would need a few decades to get there without this ship. If you insist on fighting like this, we will only end up delaying whatever matter you need to attend to. That wouldnt be worth it, right? Is that so? Gu Suihan rested his saber on the mans neck and stared at him with an amused look on his face. Im just here to complete a mission and get my reward, so fighting with you for no good reason is a very bad deal for me. How about we call it quits here? The man could sense the bloodthirstiness of the blade on his shoulder and couldnt help but shudder while cursing inwardly. But he continued to keep an ingratiating smile on his face and spoke politely to Gu Suihan anyway. You make sense. My names Gu Suihan. Gu Suihan returned his saber to its sheath. He gave the command in his mind and the laws of nature appeared like a complex, woven net. As though they were moving back in time, all the damaged rooms and other structures were restored. He disappeared from there and reappeared inside the VIP room. As for the cultivators who had diedwell, that was too bad. They were just unlucky. The man was right C he could not delay Su Yuqings matter much longer. The Dongfang family was probably holding onto a lot of treasures. Gu Suihan had no reason to delay getting those treasures. He had already inflicted great injuries on that Nascent Change cultivator, so was good enough for him. There was no need to make life difficult for everyone else on board. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 233 Damn it, you nearly got me killed! Murong Yuns emotions were like a tumultuous sea, the waves exceptionally violent. She hated her father to the core. By this point, she had figured out what was going on. The old man had used her to sound Gu Suihan out. But regardless of whether she succeeded or failed, she wasnt going to meet a good end. Gu Suihan was a Nascent Change cultivator for crying out loud. Not just some random fellow on the street. He could quash her with just one finger if he wanted. Looks like you really dont know anything. Gu Suihan was a little surprised as he looked at Murong Yun, who had collapsed weakly onto the floor and looked out of sorts. But he didnt dwell too much on it. To him, these so-called saintesses and the like were just ants he could crush anytime he wanted. He wasnt afraid that others would seek revenge if he killed them. At most, he would just wipe out the Equal Spirit Order. As his internal injuries healed faster and faster, his indifferent, domineering, and cruel nature became more and more obvious. Once he got the 30% of the Dongfang family resources, he could stabilize his physical body and reach Divine Soul immediately. After that, he just needed to consume a large amount of resources, make a seal on the laws of nature, restore his heart-soul, and hed be back at the Immortal stage. And once that happened, he wouldnt need to worry about anything in the world. That would be the time he went to war for real with Ying Zheng. Senior, please forgive me. Murong Yun opened and closed her mouth several times before finally bowing her proud head and asking for forgiveness with a terrified look on her face. Before thisI struck a deal with another saintess of the order, Xia Yun. In exchange, she agreed to give me all the ancient records and books belonging to the Order. Would you be interested in striking a deal with me? Gu Suihan was like a little devil who played with the hearts of humans. His voice and words were so enticing, so tempting. Wh-what do you want from me? asked Murong Yun. Her heart instantly tensed up when she heard Xia Yuns name. Find a cultivator named You Hantian and tell him that Ill be looking him up. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes, and his lips curled into a murderous smile. He had been too weak to raise that matter back then. But now, he didnt have to worry about anything. Thats it? Murong Yun was a little stunned. She couldnt understand why Gu Suihan would want her to do something that didnt seem difficult at all. He was powerful enough to calculate where this person would be. Why did he need her to do this? Hes someone who works directly for the empire. You mean thats not difficult? said Gu Suihan with a faint smile. Murong Yuns heart skipped a beat in fear. The relaxed feeling she had felt for just a moment instantly disappeared and was replaced with disappointment. Since its a deal, it means Ill pay you for doing this. Sowhat would you like? Gu Suihan stared straight at her dark red eyes and chuckled. He then tapped his fingers on his chair, and Murong Yun felt her body moving slowly out of the room. Your turn. He took two leisurely sips of tea, then turned to look calmly at the young man who had remained silent all this time. I have been commanded to go to the 39th domain at my familys request. They need someone from the Ouyang family to enter into a marriage of convenience with the Dongfang family. Its not much, but its a good opportunity for a family like mine that doesnt belong to the main family line. So, my father got me to go, explained Ouyang Duan in a low voice after he had calmed himself down. This could be a chance for you as well, no? Why do you look so reluctant? The mention of the Dongfang family piqued Gu Suihans interest. I suppose you may not know C the Dongfang family cultivates in a yin-yang dual cultivation technique. A venomous look flashed in Ouyang Duans eyes, revealing his hatred for them. Interesting, interesting. Gu Suihan paused for a moment as he suddenly thought about Su Yuqings situation, and his lips curled into a smile. No wonder Su Yuqing had made this choice in the end. So, this was the real reason. He probably wasnt sure if Shuanger was really his own daughter or not either. Yin yang dual cultivation sounded fancy, but to put it simply, it was no different from how Gu Suihan absorbed the souls and essence of bodies to strengthen his own. The only difference was that Gu Suihans method was one that worked with any living creature and had a better payoff. Dual cultivation was a little better, but not that much better. Either way, these were methods that benefitted oneself at the expense of others. For dual cultivation, you had to find someone of the opposite sex with a high level of giftedness. During intercourse, you had to plant a dao seed in the other partys soul and slowly groom it. It was the same as rearing a pig C once it was fat enough, it would get slaughtered. In the same way, once the seed matured, it was time to harvest the fruit. And once the fruit was harvested, the cultivator that had been serving as the human cauldron would have their hun and po completely broken and scattered. They would not even be able to remain as an incapacitated person or a non-cultivator. Do you know how long the Dongfang family has been around? Gu Suihan asked suddenly. Apparently, the Dongfang family already existed before the empire went on a conquest. The family was allowed to remain because they were the first family in their world to surrender. They have been around for at least a few thousand years, I think, said Ouyang Duan as he frowned and thought hard. He wasnt too sure. Su Yuqing, no wonder you made this choice. Gu Suihan suddenly burst out laughing. It didnt him long to understand what a difficult situation Su Yuqing was in. The technique of using an item to gather his spirit was something he learned from the Dongfang family. The family was clearly using him as a dao weapon and refining him. Once his spirit was completely stable, it would be time for him to die. He was in such a hurry to look for Gu Suihan clearly because he was afraid that the fact that he broke his will and formed a domain would be discovered by the family. That was something that reduced the value of his life, so if they found out, he wouldnt have much longer to live. As for how he supposedly risked his future to save Shuangerwhen Gu Suihan thought about it in this context, he realized that that was bullshit. Su Yuqing probably wanted to do that a long time ago and had deliberately seized the opportunity to do so. Su Yuqing? Are you talking about the one at Divine Soul? said Ouyang Duan with some surprise. He had definitely heard a thing or two about Su Yuqing before. You know him? asked Gu Suihan. Ouyang Duans lips twitched as he said with some admiration, Hes one of the few men who married into the Dongfang family and has survived this long. Gu Suihan didnt know what to say to that. Who knew how long more Su Yuqing would live for? If something went wrong with Su Yuqing, thenhe would have to pin his hopes on Ouyang Duan. With that thought in mind, Gu Suihan decided that it was better not to put all his eggs in one basket. It was still very necessary to keep Ouyang Duan as a secret pawn. This will keep you alive. As for how to repay mewhen I need something, Ill look for you. Gu Suihan carved a cultivation technique into a jade slip and threw it to him. The tone of those words was more of a warning than anything else. Thank you, senior. Ouyang Duan was so grateful he could cry. He kept the jade slip and bowed profusely before scurrying out of the room. A strong background doesnt mean youre actually powerful. The Dongfang familyseems to have angered a lot of people. Gu Suihans pretty features flickered in the dim room, which made him look eerie and terrifying at the same time. It was only natural for a powerful family that had existed for thousands of years, like the Dongfang family to be filled with complex relationships and broken parts. Everyone had their own plans, so their hearts were definitely not united too. Just like the concepts of so-called justice and righteousness on Earth C those were just nice names commonly used by everybody to justify gloating at others misfortunes or kicking others when they were down. Su Yuqings family had chosen to sacrifice him in order to tie themselves to the more powerful Dongfang family. And now, the Ouyang family was doing the same thing. They were making Ouyang Duan, the chain that linked their family to the Dongfang family. Butnobody cared about Su Yuqing and Ouyang Duan themselves, even as they were put into a position destined for death. To the family, such people were doing this for the good of their family and sacrifices were inevitable. After all, they werent the ones who were going to die. But unfortunately for them, an anomaly named Gu Suihan had appeared. An ancient monster who had ill intentions and used malicious and sinister methods to get what he wanted. On top of that, the two men who were originally destined to die, Su Yuqing and Ouyang Duan, had been lucky enough to run into him. And the unluckiest of unluckiest was thatthe Dongfang was an ancient power that had been around for a really long time, so they had plenty of resources and enticing treasures. While Gu Suihan had reached the stage where he needed a huge amount of resources in order to quench his body and strengthen his meridians. He might find something in the Dongfang family It was a series of coincidences that were too many for anybody to trace. The ancient Dongfang family was like a huge fortress that now had a tiny, barely visible crack. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 234 Your Majesty, hehas already placed his stone, said the old man with white hair and beard suddenly as he sat in front of the Go board and looked on quietly. Across from him, the middle-aged man in black and purple robes that only the emperor could wear looked indifferently at the almost empty board that had only one black stone and one white stone. His lips slowly curled into a smile. Looks like hes accepted the gamble. As he put a stone down, the board began to transform. Wind and clouds suddenly blew, cities came up, and mountains and rivers appeared. The 49 domains floated above the board. In the spot right in the middle, a white stone stood proudly. Black ones were in the four corners. The old man looked at Ying Zhengs face and sounded like he was reminiscing as he said, Its been a long time since I saw Your Majesty smile. Im sure Prince Fusu would be happy to know that. Ying Zheng chuckled quietly and did not respond. He turned and said to the servant next to him, Send order to do everything according to plan. Do not create any trouble. After that, he looked up at the old man, who was aging more and more quickly, and said emotionlessly, It has been a long time since Ive run into another person with no heart. In this vast universe with tens of thousands of worlds in it, he is the only one who is qualified to play this game with me. Because our aims are different, there is no need to be hostile toward one another. He hadnt said much, but it contained a lot of implications. Gu Suihan wanted the truth. He wanted to know what existed above and beyond the Way. He didnt care about the process. He wanted answers even if he had to massacre the whole world and wipe out every living thing. Ying Zheng wanted to conquer all worlds and take over the universe. He wanted to rule over everyone with an iron fist. He wanted to stand in the high skies and look down on all living things. Gu Suihan wasnt interested in fighting the great Qin empire at all. On the contrary, he was only interested in the item that the emperor had. The emperor admired Gu Suihan for his persistence. Thats right, he admired Gu Suihan. At the same time, he was also interested in the hide that Gu Suihan possessed. The difference was that the former had become a cultivator for this purpose, while the latter was just a little curious. In this vast universe, all sorts of people with all sorts of desires existed. Cultivators were as many as the goldfish in the river. Some cultivated for immortality. Some did it to gain strength. Some were ambitious. Most people fell within these categories, but Gu Suihan was unique. He just wanted to know the truth of the essence that had been buried beneath history. Thats why the emperor admired someone like that. Becausehe could never do it. Ive placed the second stone. What choice would you make? murmured Gu Suihan as he knelt quietly on the soft cushion and looked up at the black and white stones above him. He slowly put the black stone in his hand down in the corner. A game of Go, playing the game, putting a stone down, a gamble. The game was one of the heart and the Way, the stones represented the universe, and the gamble was the future. Senior, who are you playing with? Murong Yun, tasked to serve Gu Suihan, looked curiously at this odd game of Go as she stood by his side. She couldnt help but turn her gaze to the handsome young man before her and ask about it. Who am I playing with? Gu Suihan glanced at her as he waved an arm and the board turned to dust. He turned to look at a different direction with an expression as calm as an abyss, a gaze as deep as the ocean, yet filled with a little anticipation as he murmured, Someone familiar. Im taking a gamble. Whats the bet? Murong Yun was even more curious now. She was excellent in the zither, chess, literature, art and all sorts of random things, yet she couldnt understand what was happening in that game of Go at all. The universe Gu Suihan looked intently at her and uttered two words that made Murong Yun look back in shock. The great Qin Empire ruled over the world. And who ruled the great Qin empire? Murong Yun wasnt stupid. She immediately thought of one person. But she felt some disdain in her heart. Who did Gu Suihan think he was? How could he think he was qualified to play a game with that person? But when she looked into Gu Suihans indifferent gaze, for some reason, her heart tensed up. The disdain and contempt she felt earlier instantly disappeared and were replaced with pure reverence. She had seen the void in his eyes. She had seenthe laws of nature. We are the same sort of person, said Gu Suihan quietly as he picked up his teacup. He sounded more like he was talking to himself and didnt seem to care that she was the one who asked the question. What sort of person? she blurted. A person with no heart. Gu Suihans genial features look angular now. His calm demeanor seemed somewhat coldhearted as well. A person with no heart Murong Yun did not speak anymore after that because she thought of what the leader of the Equal Spirit Order had said before. In this world, the only person who had no heart but remained alive was the emperor of Qin, Ying Zheng. Why was he described this way? The leader of the Order did not explain in detail to them. He just said with great despair, He has no weakness. He has no attachment to anything in the world. Before this, she didnt understand. But now, she did. When she saw the expression on Gu Suihans face, she understood. At the same time, she felt even sadder for her father. And a little despair. If you had to face someone who didnt draw any line between true and false or good and evil, who didnt care about any consequences and was no restricted in any way at all, you would feel the same sort of fear too. If you were faced with someone just stronger than you, you could work really hard and you stood a chance of catching up. But if you were faced with a madman who did things without any sort of pattern or followed any rules, you would have no choice but to retreat. The Qin emperorwas a madman. For the sake of himself, he was happy to massacre the entire world. Gu Suihan was a madman too. For the sake of his one desire, he was willing to kill anything in his way. The leader of your Order cant kill me. Heisnt qualified to do so. And hes not capable of doing so either, said Gu Suihan suddenly as he glanced calmly at the dazed Murong Yun. He didnt bother to conceal his indifference and sounded like a high and mighty god looking down at the ants below. Is that so? The leader of the Order is an Immortal cultivator, but you think someone like him cant kill you effortlessly? retorted Murong Yun indignantly when she heard what he said. Gu Suihan wasnt bothered by what she said. He went on quietly, And so what if hes at the Immortal stage? There are millions of cultivators in this universe. Each stage has some who are weak and some who are strong. If your leader was really at the Immortal stage, why would he not dare to look at his own heart straight in the face? I would say hes a fake Immortal at best. I The power of the Equal Spirit Order is beyond your comprehension. The Qin ruler has no morals to speak of. The people will rise up and attack him together one day, said Murong Yun fiercely as she glared at him. She was like a little kitten that had been provoked. The people will rise up and attack together? You think too highly of yourself and too lowly of that man. Gu Suihan poured the slightly cold tea in his cup away and poured himself another one as he said lazily, He will kill all who go against him. If the universe goes against him, he will kill everybody. The one thing this universe doesnt lack are living creatures. He will not soften his stance just because a lot of people are unhappy with him becausehe doesnt have a heart! II dont believe you, muttered Murong Yun with trembling lips and a pale face. She looked like she had recalled something terrible but was still trying to put up a strong front. Like I said earlier, you think too highly of yourself. Who cares whether you believe me or not? In the same way, if I didnt need the power of the Equal Spirit Order to find You Hantian, did you think you would still be alive to say these things to me right now? Gu Suihan placed the cup of warm tea in the slim hands of the woman staring at him in horror, then didnt say anymore. He leaned back lazily on the bed and shut his eyes to rest. Esteemed one, exactly where are we going? mumbled Li Yu in his mind as he waited frustratedly in the room. The 39th domain. This is the nearest city with a flying ship and thats where the ship is going. We have no time to waste, replied the Esteemed One calmly. Butbut we dont have any spiritual coins, so how could we get on that ship? Li Yus lips twitched as he touched his empty storage ring. Are you stupid? Dont you know how to rob? Or steal? The Esteemed One seemed to have gotten angry as he started shouting at Li Yu from inside Li Yus consciousness. But Li Yu wanted to argue back, but the Esteemed One shut him down quickly. Are you saying youd rather remain like this forever? Dont forget, that girl has been taken away by an evil organization Those words were enough for Li Yu to put aside any morals and worries he had. He stopped being hesitant and undecided. By the way, which level have you reached in your cultivation technique? asked the Esteemed One out of nowhere, as though he had suddenly recalled something. Li Yu quickly responded, The fifth level. Whats the matter? If you dont get yourself a new spiritual root, Im afraid youre going to be stuck at Foundation Establishment for the rest of your life, said the Esteemed One with a sigh after hesitating for a moment. No way! Im not letting that happen! If I remain at Foundation Establishment, I cant rescue her, and I cant revive Rouer either. Li Yu gnashed his teeth and cast his last shreds of integrity aside, turning to look out at the cultivators walking on the streets outside. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 235 Tsk. How much longer is this going to take? asked Gu Suihan a little grouchily as he suddenly raised an eyebrow. He had sensed that someone just tried to calculate his location again. This disgusted him. Seven more months, said Murong Yun without thinking. Her pretty eyes were bloodshot, and the exhausted look on her face would make anyone feel for her. For most people, two weeks wouldnt be considered a long time, but Murong Yun felt like they were the worst days of her life. The thoughts of the man in this room were impossible to read, and his mood changed incredibly quickly. He could have a faint smile as though a pleasant spring breeze was blowing, then just a second later, he would have a scowl that made him look as unfeeling as ice. Depending on his mood, the flying ship would produce either a relaxed aura or a tense aura. Strange things would occur in the rooms as well. Murong Yun had noticed it just now C the saber that Gu Suihan casually put aside had sculptures of ferocious bests attached to it. These beasts trembled slightly, and they triggered something in her heart that made her want to commit murder. The Dongfang family Gu Suihan took out a compass with a bagua on it. The spiritual bead in the middle glowed brilliantly like a gem. Formation runes swirled in all directions and gave off a mysterious air. Various images kept flashing within the compass, and it was almost impossible for the human eye to keep up. But a few moments later, a beautiful woman in a white chiffon dress with spiral patterns suddenly appeared. He could see her entire history from the moment he saw her. In that moment, they locked eyes silently despite being miles and miles apart. My fellow cultivator is very capable indeed. The illusion of the woman suddenly flickered. A thin veil covered her face, which was fair and flawless. As her red lips parted slightly, her tongue seemed to bloom like lotus flowers. The freezing atmosphere in the flying ship instantly disappeared the moment she opened her mouth, as though spring had returned to the land and vegetation was able to grow again. Energy spread throughout the ship. Su Yuqing has returned? asked Gu Suihan suddenly as he narrowed his venomous eyes and looked her curvaceous body up and down. The atmosphere in the ship changed again. The positive energy disappeared, and a murderous qi filled the whole place. The rolling fiendish qi was like a mighty force that engulfed the entire ship. Wisps of black smoke rose and seemed to flow like water around the ship, turning it into a sinister, ghostly scene from hell. Hes severely injured, said the woman with a quiet sigh after remaining silent for a while. You really didnt have to do that. The Dongfang family is able to provide a large amount of resources to heal him. We just want you to heal Shuanger. Why go on the offensive? Go ahead and list your conditions, and well fulfill all of them. Gu Suihan wasnt impressed and merely twitched his lips in disdain. The Dongfang family is the leader among the three most influential factions in the 39th domain, so I can see why youre so confident. Your elders are probably busy trying to calculate where Ive come from to see if they could gobble me up. Tell me C are the things Im worried aboutcorrect? Immediately after he said those words, Gu Suihan made a hand seal and activated a dao seal. He flicked his fingers, causing the laws of nature to transform into a strange series of runes. An evil smile spread across his lips as he thrust everything toward the illusion. You She didnt expect Gu Suihan to attack without any warning. The calm and collected expression on her face instantly disappeared and was replaced with anger and wariness. The only god-level technique that could work across dimensions was a curse. This sort of thing was usually a very malicious thing that clung onto a person like a leech. Getting rid of it was terribly troublesome. You must be tired of living! There was sudden turbulence in the void, and the entire ship couldnt stop shaking violently. Countless cultivators were affected, and the shaking turned them into a bloodied mush. That elderly voice filled with anger that had exploded from the compass made Gu Suihans heart tremble, and he started bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Im tired of living? Im not a piece of trash like you. Gu Suihan lay limply on the floor, but he didnt look the least panicky. Instead, he looked very confident. He had guessed correctly. This old fellow wasnt really at the Immortal stage. At most, you could consider him a fake Immortal. Real Immortal, fake Immortal. It was a difference of just one word, but that made a world of a difference. The former could walk through the void and create things from nothing. The latter could only stay in the void for a short time, and they couldnt create anything because their understanding of the laws of nature was too superficial. The five elements rotate, heaven and earth exchange places! yelled Gu Suihan suddenly. A mysterious force appeared within his hands as the laws of the five elements solidified and started rotating. In that instant, the sky wasnt the sky anymore, the ground wasnt the ground anymore. Water was like fire, wood was like knives. The laws of nature were turned upside down, the skies collapsed, and the ground gave way. He immediately threw the thought from the other party into the mess, and it was cut into countless fragments. Ahhh! A bloodcurdling cry suddenly rang out from afar as though it had been severely wounded. Trying to gobble me up? Youre not good enough! Ill wait till youve calmed down again, and we can talk then. Gu Suihan stared at the slowly crumbling illusion of the woman in the compass and snorted as he snapped his fingers. Ripples that exuded great anger and malice covered the illusion, and it crumbled in an instant. The angry cries of the other party disappeared as well. This Murong Yun was in utter shock, and she felt terribly cold all over. Cold sweat had drenched her clothes without her even realizing it. Nascent Change? Can this man really be only at Nascent Change? The other party was at Immortal! Thats the highest level a person can go within a domain. But they were defeated just like that? Next time, Im sure you will remember to bring your brains along, said Gu Suihan with a snort. His face suddenly turned red as he spewed a few mouthfuls of blood. He collapsed weakly onto his chair and panted heavily. Under his robe, his pale and tough skin started to show some cracks, and blood seeped out. It was clear that Gu Suihan had not gained the upper hand in the fight earlier. He had caused more damage to the other party but had suffered almost as much damage himself. Why did you attack the other side? Murong Yun was rather puzzled. The other party had been very generous, so why did he want to attack them like this and fall out with them? Becausethe hearts of people are unpredictable said Gu Suihan quietly after he had swallowed a few dozen pills and licked his lips. Before this, the Dongfang family had tried to calculate Gu Suihans location in secret, but Gu Suihan had noticed their actions, so they thought of attacking him secretly. On the surface, they pretended to be negotiating with him, but beneath the surface, they were doing everything they could to find out where Gu Suihan had come from. In this situation, Gu Suihan had no choice but to quash them. Since they were so focused on tracking him, he seized the chance to suddenly strike and fight until they were both injured. I need spiritual stones and pills. Bring me as many as you can, instructed Gu Suihan as he glanced at Murong Yun. Got it. Murong Yun immediately agreed to his demands. She didnt have any confidence left inside her. This person was a monster, a demon. He was definitely no human. Her life was in his hands, so she would agree to any demands he had, regardless of how unreasonable they were. Su Yuqingyou havent given up, huh. After Murong Yun left the room, Gu Suihan murmured to himself as he narrowed his eyes. He wasnt sure what Su Yuqing said or what he had implied when he returned to the family, which made the family immediately give up any possibility of negotiating and turn to violence to threaten him instead. But Gu Suihan wasnt angry that Su Yuqing had set a trap for him. Nobody said that he could manipulate others, and others couldnt manipulate him, after all. Manipulating each other was only to be expected. It was just a matter of who was better at it at the end. ShuangerI dont know if youd be an effective pawn at all murmured Gu Suihan. His eyes slowly looked like the boundless void, but there was one spark right at the back. As the pawns took their place on the chessboard, Gu Suihans heart also slowly began to feel nervous. He had a feeling that he had overlooked something that might cost him his life, but even after thinking through everything carefully, he couldnt find anything like that. But this feeling alone made him very insecure. That was why he was so anxious to recuperate. That way, he would have a higher chance of bouncing back. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 236 My heart is getting more and more restless, thought Gu Suihan as he quietly recuperated from his injuries. During the fight earlier, Gu Suihan seemed to have had the upper hand, but that wasnt actually true. He knew his own injuries better than anybody else. His meridians had shattered, and the innumerable cracks all over his bones were a terrifying sight to behold. He looked like a ceramic vase that was about to shatter. On top of that, even the refined blood he stored in his body was completely emptied. A breeze could break Gu Suihan right now. That was why he wanted Murong Yun to provide him with the resources she had to recover. During the fight earlier, he had thrust a cursed seal onto the woman in the compass and activated it, so it would probably take her several months of effort to get rid of it. But the elder who attacked him, the fake Immortal cultivator, would probably heal up after resting for two days. For now, Gu Suihan wasnt powerful enough to pose a threat to the elder. The elder was very wary of Gu Suihan only because Gu Suihan was capable of mysterious moves. If he ended up angering Gu Suihan and lose years of his years fighting the young man or pushing Gu Suihan so hard that he ended up cursing the entire clan, what was he going to do then? He couldnt bear the karma of doing that. Not everyone was like Gu Suihan, a man who wasnt afraid of retribution and didnt even believe in it in the first place. Thesethese are not dao runes! Gu Suihan took a look inside himself and quickly noticed that the strange and sparkly lines on his bones that were becoming more and more obvious were actually giving off a faint air of demonic qi. These.these are ancientancient demonic script! Gu Suihan took a closer look. A few moments later, he finally saw what those lines actually were and what they said. The meaning of those words was almost the same as the words on that hide. Damn, it!! I knew it! Theres no such thing in the world as an opportunity that was left behind by chance! This is actually a trap! Gu Suihans thoughts started turning quickly, and he turned to his spirit next, only to find that just as he had expected, his nascent soul and spirit that had fully recovered had tiny wisps of demonic script inscribed in between the dense dao runes on it. The difference was that these wisps were pretty tiny and almost unnoticeable. The truth of the matter was very clear now. He had walked into a trap. He had walked into the trap set up by the person who wrote those words on the hide. He had escaped from Earth and entered the void without a physical body, so he had no choice but to use the hide to cover his weak spirit that was on the verge of falling apart. He thought that the hide had been slowly weathered by the winds in the void and disappeared as a result. But what actually happened was that it had merely quietly abandoned the hide and seeped into his spirit instead. On top of that, after Gu Suihan first entered the Lower World and found a suitable body, he entered the Seven Kill sect. He cultivated in the Extreme Ra-Asu Breach technique, so he ended up covering himself in some fiendish yin qi that demons and devils had. After that, he also stayed inside the Devil Abyss for such a long time, which had given all these little things the chance to develop in any way they liked. And now, it had actually spread all over his bones and was ready to attack his heart-soul next. Even so, Gu Suihan only had a nasty look on his face but did not panic. He knew that the script wasnt taking over his body or anything like that. No matter how fucking amazing you were, or how legendary you once were, or how you were powerful enough to rule the world, after such a long time, its consciousness must have fallen apart, and its hun and po no longer existed. Immortality was a word that motivated countless cultivators to keep going. But if you looked at the basis for it, you would realize that this isnt possible at all. Whether youre an immortal, a demon, a god, a Buddha C its the same. Nobody can live forever. Longevity is attainable, immortality a mere dream. Those were the seven words that his own shifu had warned him with when he had first started cultivating. For example, the highly respected Buddha had to go through reincarnation and restart their cultivation journey. But once you take into account your understanding of karma and you go through your past, present and future lives, are you still the same person? The answer is obvious. It was the same for the immortal race. One might not have realized, but so many real immortals from ancient times reincarnated in the Lower World. After they spent a lot of effort cultivating and comprehending the laws of nature, their minds and personalities were no longer the same as before. They were like a different person. Of course, if you looked at it from a different way, you could somewhat consider it one way of gaining immortality. But this method came with a lot of after-effects and couldnt be used for long. The intention of the hide was very simple. It wanted to slowly but surely transform Gu Suihan into a demon. A perfect demon with the desires of humans, the body of a demon, and both the heart for the Way and a spiritual root. The demonic race had a body more powerful than any other. They were capable of capturing the sun, moon, and stars, or anything seemingly impossible like that. The heart for the Way was something that any cultivator of any race would have. It was an obsession they each had. Human desires, as the name suggested, refer to ones emotions and desires. Humans went through worldly desires and had to get through disaster and affliction. Spiritual roots were basically the weaker version of an immortal root. It was something that human cultivators had to possess before becoming a cultivator. But even so, Im still puzzled. How were you so sure thatthe person who would get hold of this thing would turn out to be a human? As Gu Suihans heart slowly settled again, there was a spark in his brain as he thought through everything once more and instantly found several loopholes. Perhapsmaybe it doesnt have to be a human. But even if a barbarian or a demon got ahold of it and somehow found a way to decode the message on it, they wouldnt be able to do anything. After all, not everyone meets the same fate as Gu Suihan has. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes and looked distractedly at the complex pattern of the carpet on the floor as he murmured to himself, Could it be thatyou calculated this in advance. You were sure that Id be the one who would get hold of this. This thought made him shudder. Every cultivator knew some divination technique or two. But he had never heard of anybody who could calculate thousands of years into the future. Or perhaps he was just worrying too much. He shook his head and rejected this explanation. He never believed in coincidence. Anything that looked like a coincidence was definitely secretly being planned and executed by a mastermind. If youve already schemed this ahead of time, thenyou would have gone through some changes or revealed a few details. Gu Suihan gave up this meaningless guessing game and put these thoughts away. He glanced out of the ship, his gaze seemingly crossing millions of miles to look at that supreme emperor with an authoritative expression who could rule over the world with an iron fist. Weve found You Hantian, said Murong Yun softly as she held up a storage ring with an exhausted look on her face. Where is he? Gu Suihan took the ring from her and waved it about, pouring out more than a hundred bottles of pills. He swallowed everything at once like a whale swallowing water and slowly digested the copious amounts of internal energy they contained. Hes in the 39th domain. Oh? Gu Suihan paused, and a mysterious little smile spread across his lips. Is thisa coincidence too? Apparently, they have received a mission from the empire and have gone to the 39th domain for work, added Murong Yun quickly as she stared unblinkingly at Gu Suihan, hoping to gather some clues from his expression. Thats going to be interesting. For work? Hoho, chuckled Gu Suihan. The saber nearby trembled almost unnoticeable. Ink-colored fiendish qi flashed across the blade for just a second, then the saber stopped moving again. This mission doesnt pay well at all. Wed be better off conquering new areas outside the empire, grumbled Zhan Wuchang as he took a few unhappy swigs from his pot of wine. Gu Suihanis coming, said You Hantian quietly as he put the jade slip he had been fiddling with onto the center of the table. Who? Zhou Lingfeng, who had been silent all this time, suddenly widened his eyes. A sword glow filled the air, and two beams of sword will illuminated the room. GuSuiHan! Great Elder Lu had a conflicted look on his face as his hand froze and suddenly and pulled out a couple of hairs from his long gray beard without him realizing. Whatdid he say? Zhan Wuchang stammered as he stared at the jade slip on the table but did not reach for it. He looked extremely wary of it. Hewants to do something that he wasnt able to get any results from the last time, replied You Hantian reluctantly. He didnt want to say it, but he had to. Why? Because he himself wasnt confident of facing the Gu Suihan of today. That young man was simply too mysterious and too wicked. Something he wasnt able to get any results from the last time murmured Great Elder Lu for a moment before a thought seemed to hit him. He had a look of horror before turning to stare sternly at You Hantian. Thats right, said You Hantian with a sad smile as he nodded back that the elder. That has nothing to do with us, said Zhan Wuchang as he heartlessly breathed a sigh of relief. He had reached Nascent Change, but the higher in level he went, the more wary he became of Gu Suihan. Were one unit now, clarified You Hantian as he glanced meaningfully at Zhan Wuchang and ignored the other mans angry expression. Yourethreatening me! Zhan Wuchang wasnt the only livid one. Even Great Elder Lus expression had shifted. Besides, he was only at Origin Core or so back then. Even if hes got a whole pile of trump cards, he cant possibly have recuperated so quickly and returned to his prime in such a short amount of time, said You Hantian quietly, disregarding the furious looks in the other two mens eyes. Are you saying.. Zhou Lingfengs eyes glinted as he stared straight at You Hantian. You want to attack him? We need to make detailed plans! said You Hantian without actually saying whether that was what he wanted to do or not. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 237 Ive finally amassed enough! Its been really tough, said Li Yu with a sigh of relief as he touched his storage ring, as though a heavy burden had been lifted off his back. Youve got to move faster. If you miss this flying ship, youll have to wait for another year, instructed the Esteemed One as though he hadnt noticed how hard it had been on Li Yu. Got it! Li Yu put away his emotions, then ran toward the flying ship with a tense expression. A few months slowly flew past, as ethereal as light passing through a mountain. These few months had felt like a living hell to Murong Yun. The bloodthirsty air that emanated from Gu Suihan from time to time had nearly suffocated her, and her speed of cultivation had decreased significantly. Even then, she dared not show any displeasure on her face. She just silently endured the entire time. The moment they hit land, Murong Yuns heart actually leaped for joy, and she felt a lot more relaxed. Her pale, exhausted face and those dim, lifeless, bloodshot eyes of hers also lit up immediately. She could finally get rid of this nightmarish atmosphere. But when her hands took the jade slip from Gu Suihan against her own will, conflicted emotions filled her heart, and she felt depressed all over again. Honestly, she really wanted to refuse that jade slip, but her hands didnt seem to listen to her at all. She ended up taking it from him as though she had been hypnotized or something. Perhapsits because the two of you have also made a deal with him, thought Murong Yun as she looked down at the shiny black jade slip that shone with a wicked glint. Perhaps I should be grateful? she asked herself. If what Rou Lingyun and Xia Yun wanted from Gu Suihan was to get rid of her so that they could safely take the position of saintess, thenafter Gu Suihan told her to spread the news that the Equal Spirit Order had to be destroyed, she was no longer confident that this Order could survive anymore. Itll be useful, wouldnt it? said Gu Suihan cryptically before he sauntered away like a rich mans son, leaving behind the terribly thick stench of blood inside the flying ship. After one unexpected incident after another had occurred inside the flying ship, fewer than ten had survived the journey. The rest had lost their lives long ago. Someone from the Dongfang family? Gu Suihan hadnt gotten far when he suddenly stopped in his footsteps. He looked indifferently at the woman with flawless facial features standing in front of him in a white shawl and chiffon dress. Thats right. A furious look flashed in her eyes for a moment, then disappeared altogether, replaced by a solemn and cautious look. What do you want? You know the answer. Why do you bother asking? I dont have time for you, said Gu Suihan curtly before walking around her and continuing on his way. The woman couldnt help but gnash her teeth as she looked at Gu Suihans straight and tall back. There was a conflicted look in her eyes for a while, but she eventually let out a long sigh, bowed her head slightly, and said softly, The last time, we were the ones who behaved inappropriately. Please forgive us for doing that. I hope youve brought your brains along this time. Gu Suihan had a mysterious little smile as he scanned her beautiful, fair face, then stared deeply into her charming, almond-shaped eyes. His little smile slowly widened into a creepy one. My fellow cultivator, this way, please. The woman was furious, and the veins along her forehead bulged when she heard Gu Suihans sarcastic remark, but she suppressed her desire to just smite him on the spot. She took a deep breath to suppress her anger and forced herself to smile as she said, The last time was just a misunderstanding. She raised her hand elegantly, causing her sleeve to roll back and reveal her bright, fair, supple arms. A spark appeared at the tip of her long and smooth finger. Qi gathered, and a breeze blew past as an extremely grand wooden carriage that looked like a standalone building appeared from nowhere. The carriage was covered in green chiffon, but one could still vaguely make out a little table in the middle of the carriage and the steam from a pot of freshly brewed tea. It was simple yet elegant. It seemed contradictory but also carried an indescribable harmony within. No thanks. I only have one life. Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the seemingly opulent pillars holding the carriage up. He clicked his tongue, and he had an indifferent look on his face as he turned and walked away again. Damn it. The way Gu Suihan had stared at her made her shudder all over. In that instant, she felt as though she was carrying an ancient ferocious beast on her back that clung on greedily to her neck and slowly exhaled wisps of cold air. The plan failed? An old man in ordinary clothes and a copper walking stick in the distance slowly turned around and walked toward the woman after noticing the twisted and conflicted look on her face. Elder, he saw through the formation, said the woman politely, even though her heart tensed up nervously when she saw him. This formation was set up by Third Elder, Sixth Elder and myself. I didnt expect him to see through it in an instant. Where in the world is this man from? murmured the old man almost inaudibly as he slowly narrowed his cloudy eyes and stared at the carriage. Shuangers condition cannot afford further delay, the woman gently reminded the old man when she saw that he was distracted. Thats not anything urgent. We cant do anything about it, but its nothing to him. The most important part ishow much he will ask for in return, said the old man in a grim voice. His words carried much wariness. They had tried to attack Gu Suihan twice in a row but failed to get what they wanted. Yet, Gu Suihan did not explode. The only explanation was thatGu Suihan was going to settle everything at one go. I hope he doesnt know how important Shuanger is to our family, said the woman bitterly with a dismayed look after some hesitation. Its too late. Nobodys a fool here. And nobody at a level like his would be stupid. Our repeated attacks have proved how important this matter is to us, and what Su Yuqing told us ignited a greed in us that we shouldnt have had. This timewe have angered him. If you still want to discuss and resolve this matter, he will definitely ask for a lot in return. Hes not going to let go until hes taken enough to hurt us. The old mans wrinkled hand touched his walking stick gently. He looked like a statue as he stood in the wind without moving an inch from his spot. What we need to do now is to prepare ourselves on two fronts. His background is very mysterious, but hes just a Nascent Change cultivator at the end of the day. No matter how many trump cards he has, as long as were willing to pay the price, well always be able to take him out. At the same time, you must go and talk to him. Talk nicely and stall him. Isnt thatisnt that the same thing we did the last time? What if said the woman hesitantly. No, it wont happen again. The last time, you made the first attack before Ninth Elder made his calculations. Thats how we ended up inevitably exposing some of our presence and he detected it. This timeNinth Elder and I will do this together. The old man suddenly opened his eyes wide. The cloudiness in his eyes disappeared and was replaced by a resolute, aggressive dominance that did not allow any room for negotiation. Either way, nothing must happen to Shuaner. We must treat her before that person arrives. The old mans voice was filled with worry, as well as a barely noticeable sense of reverence. That little girl is so important to the family? murmured Gu Suihan with an indifferent look on his face. He looked toward the flying ship that was tens of thousands of miles away as he fiddled with his teacup and a smile spread across his lips. After the multiple attempts to attack him, he had keenly sensed that the Dongfang family seemed a little overly anxious about Shuanger. It seemed rather excessive. The Dongfang family was an almost invincible giant who dominated this domain, so they definitely had tons of descendants and affiliated families. This little girl was just one of them, yet they were so worried about her. At the same time, they had a strong attitude toward this matter. They wanted Shuanger to recover no matter what. It was as thoughthey were afraid of something. Since thats the case, dont blame me for asking for a lot. Gu Suihan used his fingertip to draw a mysterious rune on the table. It was absorbed by the table immediately and disappeared without a trace. I wonder what a family with an Immortal cultivator right at the top would be afraid of. Im so curious. Gu Suihan finished his tea. A breeze blew and he disappeared from the restaurant, leaving just one spiritual coin gleaming brightly on the empty table. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 238 I was right. The 49 domains are all different in some way. Compared to the 39th domain, the 49th one felt like barren land. I cant even compare the two, thought Gu Suihan as he felt the thick layer of qi around him. The most obvious sign was the streets filled with humans, unlike Fengyang, which was filled with barbarians, demons, and other strange monsters of all shapes and sizes. After more than a thousand years of being mixed with humans, only a few creatures still had traces of what they used to be. Most of them at least had a human-shaped body and human features. Gu Suihan couldnt help but sigh and shake his head. Humans looked like a foolish and lowly race, but they were selfish and greedy. They were even scarier than the devils in the Devil Abyss, who represented carnal desires. That was because all other living creatures and races would find some similarities between themselves and humans. That was something terrifying to actually think about. Senior, judging from your appearance, its your first time here? Just then, a young and fresh-looking cultivator who looked like a servant approached Gu Suihan with an ingratiating smile. Thats right. Gu Suihans gentle gaze and the strange yet aggressive air around him worked well together. The combination didnt make people find him awful, but it made sure that nobody looked down on him too. My name is Wen Xinglong, and Im a local. If you have any questions, I could answer them for you. Just leave a few spiritual stones behind if you can, said the young man after a discreet scan of Gu Suihans clothing. His heart thumped nervously in fear, and he quickly bowed low. If his observations were correct, that shawl that was as white as jade was the hide of an Origin Core demon of sorts. The creature clinging onto the hilt of the saber was actually alive. Upon closer inspection, that creature was at Origin Core, but it was so obedient that it didnt move an inch. It was clear that this new person in town was someone more powerful than Origin Core cultivators. Such a person was definitely super-rich. A small fraction of this mans wealth was enough for him to cultivate for a long time. Youve got a keen eye, said Gu Suihan with a smile when he sensed what the young man was looking at. If the young man wasnt observant enough, he wouldnt have realized that the murderous black snake around his sabers hilt was alive and not just decoration. Youre too kind. I rely on such skills to survive, so its really not worthy of a compliment, said Wen Xinglong modestly as he scratched his head. Gu Suihan looked at the young man. He was polite and knew how far to go. He looked young and awkward, but he was certainly someone who had gone through tough times. That was Gu Suihans conclusion. He flicked his finger and threw a few dozen spiritual stones to the young man. I need a house, a couple of maids. I want a quiet location. Got it! Wen Xinglong hugged the spiritual stones and subconsciously swallowed some saliva to moisten his throat. He quickly kept the spiritual stones properly and said with a big smile, Theres a house in the west of the city near a temple thats anxious to sell. Its a triple courtyard estate, so there are nine rooms and six yards. Im sure you will be pleased with it. Except Oh? Bring me there, then. Whats wrong with it? Gu Suihan raised an eyebrow. He didnt expect Wen Xinglong to have an answer for him immediately but got him to lead him there anyway. Its all very strange, really. I have no idea what sort of karma that family has accumulated, but they seemed to be tormented by ghosts or something. The owner has paid cultivators to take a look, but for some reason, all of them refused to say anything. And now, the family is declining steadily. Its such a pity. The owners ancestors were powerful cultivators, but the current generation doesnt have anybody with much talent for it. Life is truly unpredictable, explained Wen Xinglong with a sad look on his face and a long sigh. Youre very bold, huh, said Gu Suihan suddenly. The young man was very bold indeed for daring to scheme against Gu Suihan. The owner of that house must have given some benefit, which made Wen Xinglong feel bad and so, he was hoping to use Gu Suihan to repay the favor and end the karmic connection between them. Alternativelyperhaps he was in cahoots with this owner to fool cultivators who were new in this place like Gu Suihan. Wh-what do you mean? Wen Xinglongs heart sank and his expression instantly turned to one of horror. The change in Gu Suihans attitude toward him was terrifying. Hoho Gu Suihan chuckled but did not respond. A red light swirled in his eyes and fiendish qi appeared, swallowing up Wen Xinglongs soul in an instant and leaving behind a lifeless shell. He hated being schemed against, regardless of whether it actually hurt him or not. The problems of other people had nothing to do with him. The owner of that house does have a karmic connection with you. When you were about to starve to death, a daughter from that family gave you a bun. What a cheap deal you are Gu Suihan flipped through Wen Xinglongs memories within a second and picked out the important parts. You have a younger sister, and both of you only have each other. You have a poor talent for cultivation, but your younger sister has a high rank of aptitude. In order to gain resources for your sister to cultivate, youve secretly hit the streets to find ways to earn money. What a good older brother! Gu Suihan didnt even look at the lifeless body and turned to walk toward the supposedly haunted house. Shortly after he left, a bright-looking girl in a simple white dress suddenly came running over. When she saw that Wen Xinglong was no longer breathing but still standing by the roadside, she immediately burst into tears. This is the place? Gu Suihan instinctively narrowed his eyes when he looked at the rather majestic estate in front of him. He could see the presence of a very vicious fiendish qi in the house. It was so malicious the qi almost looked like a solid object. Whoare you? The guard outside the house almost yelled at Gu Suihan when he saw Gu Suihan just standing in front of the gate, but took on a polite tone when he saw how Gu Suihan was dressed. In this world, those who werent observant enough would lose their lives very quickly. This didnt only apply to cultivators. It applied to ordinary people too. Gu Suihan looked carefully at the guard and had an idea of what was going on. Im here to buy the house, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle as he looked up at the fiendish qi in the air that ordinary people couldnt see. A moment later, a plump, middle-aged man came running out and bowed as he held an arm out. This way, please! I heard the house is haunted? Gu Suihan looked at how pale the maids, servants, concubines, and family members were and were even more confident of his judgment. Someone inside this house was refining fiendish qi. Or rather, they were gathering it. Fiendish qi did not only comprise murderous or violent qi. There was the spiritual type, the yin type, the yang type, and even a sword type. This house was clearly cultivating a yin type. Hohousing your own blood relatives to refine fiendish qithats quite vicious! said Gu Suihan with some interest as he sat down. Sir, what do you mean? asked the plump middle-aged man anxiously. Call your entire family out here, including the families of your second wives and all. Let me take a look. Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes. He was determined to get this house. Why, you might ask. It was purely because Wen Xinglong said it was near a temple. And what was inside a temple? What else? There wouldnt be anybody else besides one of those hypocritical deities. These things enjoyed the offerings of their believers and used them to wash their godly souls and solidify their godly crystals. The essence contained in these crystals was of a much higher quality than anything an ordinary cultivator could refine. Even though the gods here were definitely way more powerful than those in Fengyang, Gu Suihan had a way to kill them anyway. These lofty gods seemed powerful, commanding the wind and rain and enjoying the respect and sacrifices of the people. But unless you were powerful enough for your godly crystal to change shape, gather into a godly body and rise to the highest level of godhood, you were nothing more than a spirit. Besides, the speed at which one cultivated in the Way of Godhood cannot be controlled at all. Your level of cultivation was directly proportionate to the number of believers you had. If nobody offered anything to you, you were nothing. That was why those who had become a divine spirit made sure to carefully cultivate as much as they could and to get as many believers as they could. They were all afraid that some cultivator would slap them dead if they were too weak, just because the cultivator didnt like their face. That persons not here. Gu Suihan scanned the close to hundred people in front of him and became even more excited. In that casetheres only one possibility. Gu Suihan snorted, then turned to ask, Wheres your clans ancestral hall? If his guess was right, one of their ancestors was behind this. He was probably trying to use fiendish qi to gather his soul so that he could become a god. The saber hanging from Gu Suihans belt suddenly let out a howl. A cold wind began to blow and a murderous aura filled the whole place, instantly slicing through the almost solid fiendish qi in the house. If youve cultivated for a thousand years, then youre qualified to get attacked by me, said Gu Suihan in a mocking voice. He flew into the air to chase after the fiendish qi that had fallen apart and was escaping. Every step he took was bringing him nearer to the hiding place of the one who started this whole thing. Anyone who could gather fiendish qi so openly like this had to be someone pretty formidable. As he watched where the fiendish qi was escaping to, his heart became surer of what was going on. He held his saber up and brought it down hard. The wind and clouds shook, all the qi within a hundred-mile radius gathered to become a giant blade that contained violent qi. Thunder roared loudly as the blade of qi came hurtling down on the temple in the distance. Let me say hello first. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 239 The audacity! Which rude little imp dares to do such a thing! an ear-deafening roar that could be heard a hundred miles away resounded from within the temple. The roar was filled with tremendous rage and authoritativeness. A gold light filled the air as a sacred aura shot out. Beams of light poured out fiercely, driving away Gu Suihans blade of qi like prowling tigers and dragons. Even so, Gu Suihans attack had come too suddenly. That vast layer of qi that was filled with grace and mercy was unable to protect all the living creatures in the area. A lot of people were still affected by the explosion of fiendish qi in the air. Fiendish qi rushed into their bodies, causing their hun and po to shift unnaturally, so blood sprayed out from their bodies. The area surrounding the temple was filled with the sounds of tragic cries and howls. Rude little imp? Gu Suihan scoffed. His expression was indifferent as he kept his saber back in its sheath and stood where he was. You can run, but you cant hide. Your ancestral tablet is still here. I dont think you would bear to part with something thats so intricately tied to your own life. Immediately after he said that, his large cloak flapped, and his sleeve flew as he suddenly disappeared and reappeared in the living room of the house again. But this time, he had an ancestral tablet that measured about 30 centimeters long with black runes swirling around it. The words Ancestor of the Wei family, Wei Lingyun was carved into the tablet and painted gold. This was clearly the item that the spirit of the ancestor behind the problems the family was facing used as a shell for itself. Sir, has the problem been resolved? Is that person really the spirit of an ancestor of the Wei family? One of our ancestors? The plump middle-aged man was supported by his wives and concubines as he rushed over to Gu Suihan and wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he asked these questions cautiously. Its settled for the time being. Why you dont want to sell the house anymore? said Gu Suihan in a slow voice, as if he couldnt be bothered at all. The middle-aged man could sense the murderousness from Gu Suihans body, and he couldnt help but shudder. He looked around at the faces of all his family members and felt conflicted. After hesitating and struggling inside for a few moments, he took time to select his words carefully and started, Sir, I really hope you will forgive me, butI have been tasked with the responsibility of taking care of the family and passing down what we have In other words, he was hoping just to express his gratitude with some actions and money and chase Gu Suihan away. He wasnt going to sell the house anymore. Since youre going to be like this, thenwell, at least youve saved me some money, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. Before the middle-aged man could smile gleefully, Gu Suihan flicked his fingers, and every single member of the family turned into ash, gathering to form a bloodied sphere with red splotches. In just the blink of an eye, the entire estate had turned into a dead town. The voices of humans and the sounds of beasts could no longer be heard. As a cool breeze blew, it made the warm sunshine seem colder than before. Pathetic little ants. They received benefits and hoped to get away without having to pay the full price for it. How ignorant, said Gu Suihan emotionlessly as he played with the bloodied sphere that was only the size of his palm. He then sent a thought to a slave trader miles away, his voice resounding in an especially domineering manner in the mans mind, 20 of your best maids. Send them to the Wei family residence in the west of the city. This was a world where cultivators existed, after all. Even though the great Qin empire had a law stating that one could not harm ordinary people for no reason, just like the laws in a particular region on Earth, this law only applied to the lower rungs of society. The lower rungs of cultivators were basically those below Origin Core C the Foundation Establishment cultivators that numbered as many as dogs and the Qi Activation cultivators that filled the streets. This law didnt apply to cultivators like Gu Suihan, never mind those Divine Soul cultivators that watched over the cities. Those at the Immortal stage were too lazy to even care about the lives of ordinary folks. Ordinary people were like mere pigs and dogs to them. In this world, only the gods would agree to any request such ordinary people had, but only at the beginning. The other races, including human cultivators, didnt have the slightest pity for such people. The demonic race saw humans as food. The creatures in the Devil Abyss saw humans as an inexhaustible resource. After all, they survived on the desires of humans. Buddhas, ghosts, and the rest either used humans as a sharpening stone to train and quench their minds, or they used humans as a source of power fueled by their faith and fate. If you had to stack the different races into a pyramid, then the one right at the bottom would be the living creatures that werent sentient. The level higher than that would be these humans who mistakenly thought that they were at the top of the food chain. But then again, if humans were this pathetic, then how did they manage to dominate the ruling positions? It was because while humans had no real strengths, they shared a lot of similarities with other races. If you wanted to cultivate in the Way, humans had spiritual roots. If you wanted to cultivate the soul and abandon the physical body, humans could gather three hun and seven po to turn into a ghost cultivator. If you want to cultivate in Buddhism, just be immersed in filthy worldly desires from a young age, then use scriptures to make a breakthrough. The level of cultivation of your mind would increase leaps and bounds in an instant. To use gaming as an analogy, humans would be the class you started with, while the other races were hidden classes. If you got a few good opportunities and were pretty talented in the first place, you could switch to most hidden classes. Before long, several horse carriages swiftly arrived. A bright-looking young man led more than ten pretty and elegant ladies toward Gu Suihan. The young man looked at Gu Suihan and was puzzled, so his first reaction was to look around. Hmm? The Wei family sold their house? said the young man with some surprise. Thats right. They said that this house was haunted, so they sold it for a low price. But the place is too big, since theres nobody else besides me, so I need some servants to upkeep the house. Gu Suihan glanced at the ash that he had combined with the garden soil and gave the young man a warm smile. That makes sense. Even if you hadnt bought it, they wouldnt have the confidence to continue staying in this place without feeling embarrassed. The land in this city is very valuable, after all. If these ordinary ants didnt have powerful ancestors to rely on, they wouldnt have been able to take up such a huge piece of land, said the young man as he shook his head and smiled deferentially. At the same time, he observed Gu Suihans dressing secretly from the corner of his eye. He was shocked by what he saw, but his heart was filled with more joy than anything else. This man was a wealthy fellow. A senior who was definitely above Origin Core. Not too long ago, a cultivator who was supposedly the top Origin Core cultivator in the city had visited this house too, but he ended up leaving in embarrassment. Gu Suihan looked young, but it was hard to say if he was actually some powerful old fellow from another land. That fox hide around his shoulders definitely belonged to a mighty demon above Origin Core. A tiny fraction of his wealth would be enough to feed him for a couple of years. But Gu Suihan had to admit that this estate was simply too large. It covered more than a dozen square miles. It was split into six courtyards and the scenery in each one was pretty in its own way, including gardens, hot springs, rivers and more. It was like heaven on earth. Before this, there were at least a thousand servants in this house serving the Wei family. But the young man had only brought along more than ten maids. That wasnt enough. Take away the seventh, ninth and 17th girl from the left. The rest can stay. Gu Suihans eyes glinted as he pointed the three girls out in a seemingly lazy way. But immediately after he did that, the three girls stumbled backward and collapsed while vomiting blood. The Dongfang family is very influential indeed, said Gu Suihan with a chuckle. He looked at the three deathly pale girls in front of him and his lips curled into a smile as he spoke murderously to them, Since youre here, bring a message back to them for me. The effect of the finger I pointed at you cannot be erased so easily. Why, youUNGGHH! One of the girls was horrified and scanned her internal energy frantically. But before she could curse at Gu Suihan, she turned into sand and disappeared, leaving behind nothing but her green dress that trembled slightly where she once was. What about the two of you? Gu Suihan looked calmly at the other two, a smile still plastered on his face. But this smile looked as threatening and terrifying as the snarl of a wild beast. We will leave right now. Dont worry, we will bring the message back to them. One of them quickly helped the other to her feat. They stumbled a little as they did their best to bow politely, then endured the excruciating pain that felt like a thousand ghosts eating at their heart or blades slicing their bones as they sprinted away from the estate. Sir, I The young mans face was pale and covered in large drops of sweat. He fell to his knees with a loud thud and defended himself frantically, I didnt know about this! Please forgive me! Dont worry, this has nothing to do with you, Gu Suihan consoled the young man. He threw the young man a bag of spiritual stones, then told him to leave. Several minutes later, he finally got to his feet slowly. The maids were all still feeling terribly uneasy. He flicked his finger and internal energy shot out like water. Blue waves rippled one after another and shook the place. In the next moment, the entire estate changed completely. The grandeur and beauty it used to have turned into nothing but dust as walls collapsed. The trees and grass trembled and covered the stone pavements. The rivers shifted position but continued to flow. Several rooms that he didnt have any use for collapsed. Intricately carved statues rose in their place. These statues included roaring beasts, mighty demons staring at the sky, devils howling, and elegant immortals. Each one had a unique expression on their face. The maids watched on in astonishment as the entire estate turned into one beautiful, elegantly designed building that ran along the river and seemed out of this world. Clouds surrounded the building, so walking down the corridors felt like a tour of the sky itself. The flower patches and bamboo forests were a pretty sight to behold too. Koi fish swam in the river, and they bowed gratefully toward Gu Suihan like humans. Gu Suihan instructed the maids, Each person gets one room, you can decide which ones among yourself. You can do whatever you want if I didnt give any specific instructions for the day. Do not enter the study or the bedroom. After he said those words, he disappeared suddenly. This Enchanting Immortal Heavenly Divine Formation will give all of you a surprise. His storage ring flashed again and again as he buried spiritual weapon after spiritual weapon as though they hadnt cost him any money. He used a furnace to refine rare material after rare material to transform them into mysterious-looking talismans that were pasted all over the place. Once he thrust out the hand seal he had made, the entire estate shook a few times. Misty clouds hid the place and qi engulfed the estate. The place was now like in the depths of paradise, a place that was hidden from view. It could only be seen vaguely through the mist, like the heavenly palace of legends. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 239.5 (dark fiction refers to what we commonly call the evil MC genre) Someone asked me to recommend a few similar web novels. The longer the better. Actually, I think theres a limit to a book. What do I mean? What I mean is that each book comes with a certain amount of novelty. For example, back then there was Renegade Immortal. 7 million characters. That looked like a lot. But I read about 4 or 5 million and didnt continue. Theres also Reverend Insanity, a legend among dark fiction. But after I reached almost 3 million characters, I stopped following. Of course, part of it is because some of the content is very similar to one another, but I was mostly just tired. I feel that if you write more than 4 million characters, that book is basically dead. The reason is simple. There are too many loopholes, too many characters. The content becomes repetitive and tiring to read. Not only is the author tired, but the readers are tired too. Besides, the authors who can hit this sort of word count are likely to be those who are earning a living off this work. Take Reverend Insanity for example. For survival, the author had to give in to demands, he had to change his plot along the way, he had to adhere to the national writing standards. And so, he had no choice but to write more and more chapters that didnt have any substance in it. Im sure a lot of you could tell. The writing became more and more pointless. Diehard fans, please dont start railing at me C Im not mocking him and Im not despising him. I feel bad for him. Because writing a book is about writing what is in your heart. But once its directly correlated to your survival, thenyou will end up making compromises. We arent in the golden era of web novels right now. In fact, its the opposite. Were in a time where web novels are plentiful yet awful. After someone twisted Battle Through the Heavens, a huge number of novels about some young stupid guy starting as a bum weak-to-strong novels flooded the market. But Im sure anyone who read the starting of this book would know that Xiao Yan wasnt the good for nothing that most of such books start with. He had become one because of that dumbass ring. However, a lot of novels that wanted to ride on its popularity overlooked this point. They forcibly made the MC a useless bum with no redeeming factors, then added some ridiculous fairy-like beauty who never gave up on him or left his side despite having some fucking incredible background, usually an older sister, a younger sister, a sister-in-law or someone like that. Also, many people have labeled my book as a transmigration rebirth sort of book. Actually, if you look at the story itself, I would say it is one. But if youre referring to the characteristics according to the trends in the web novels now, I would say its completely different. The rebirth stories now refer to restarting life by pushing the timeline backward and giving the MC some golden finger of knowing all of history. The transmigration stories are usually about some system that doesnt have any originality, something that makes him the god of the world and other heaven defying shit like this. In short, its something that will follow the MC for the rest of his life. At the same time, how these things came to be, where they came from, why the good for nothing was chosen to be the MC etc. are never explained even after you finish reading the entire book. So, if you compare my book to such books, I dont think this book falls into the transmigration and rebirth genres. Because firstly, Gu Suihan doesnt have a gold finger that knows everything about history; secondly, he doesnt have some beautiful woman by his side from his childhood; and thirdly, there is no system or anything like that. At most, Gu Suihan is a cultivator who was lucky enough to stay alive, take over another body and restarted his cultivation journey. Also, there are a lot of people who have certain ideas on how a dark fiction MC should be like. Actually, do you know what in dark fiction turns readers off the most? Its when the MC has clearly done something wrong, or done something that is clearly immoral or inhumane. The MC is the one whos in the wrong, yet the author insists on blaming the other party. Let me give you a simple example. Lets say the MC has killed a loving husband and wife purely because theyve pissed him off. Some authors would push the reason for the wrongdoing to the husband and wife, saying things like its too bad, you pissed off the MC etc. The other problem is the matter of intelligence. Those saints, saintesses, elders, emperors, supremes, whatever C somehow they all become idiots when they meet the MC. This is over exaggerating things. Nobody is stupid. To put it bluntly, everybody has their own plans on how they want their lives to turn out. Take modern day society for example. When men go after women as an example. If the woman is average in most aspects and looks odd or ugly, then no man would go after her. But if you switch things a little, like if the woman is ugly and fat but her family is rich and powerful, then there would be some who would go after her. Then if you look at it from the other way, when women go after men. Its his looks or something about him that would benefit her that would make her go after him. For example, for some women are willing to sleep with directors in order to get a better role or become famous. Or some put in a lot of effort to hook a rich mans son so as to marry into a wealthy family. To put it in very realistic terms: if a person doesnt have any qualities or things that can help the other party to get where they want, then there will not be any relationship issues, conflict of interest and things like that. Novels are based on real life too. Theres no need to force anybody against the MC to be in the wrong, to be an antagonist, to be hypocritical or have other similar negative traits. And theres certainly no need to force this person to have a negative IQ. I believe Ive mentioned this before. For the sake of getting what he needs, Gu Suihan can be a hero, a noble, righteous, good man. In the same way, for the sake of getting what he needs, he can wipe out cities, annihilate clans and kill as many as he wants. A lot of people are always so perplexed, wondering how they could make the MC seem indifferent and cold-blooded without killing anyone or doing anything awful. But look at real life. When an old person falls, most people would just look but few would help the old person. Isnt that indifference? Being cold-blooded? You dont always need to brandish a weapon to show such traits. I hope that every character in the book will have intelligence. My standard of writing cant produce a pretty piece of work. After all, I dont have a lot of time and energy, and most of all, writing doesnt bring me any gain. But like I said in the beginning, if people are reading, then it means that this book is still able to give some people a little happiness and a little joy. That means this book is still worth something. Its not much, but its not zero either, right? Finally, I have emphasized this many times before. Ive edited the plot and adjusted several scenes. Ive deleted at least 40% of what I originally had. For example, typical scenes in other novels like auctions, leveling up in some secret realm, characters being snobbish and pretentious and then getting slapped in the face etc. If I wrote all of that out and threw in some useless words and stuff, I would be able to hit at least 300 or 400 chapters. But time and tide waits for no man. I will end classes by the end of the year, start my internship at the beginning of next year, then graduate in May. Thats why Im already very tired now that Ive hit more than 200 chapters. I estimate that at most, at most, the max Id give myself is 500 or 600 chapters. Then itll end. The ending is something I had conceptualized right from the start and Ive never changed that. Even though my standard of writing is limited, Ill never give in and join those contract writers. Even if something happens in my life and I cant continue writing, Ill still write out the final ending. At the very least, my readers wont be displeased or feel regret and things like that. Finally, let me recommend a few fairly decent books and throw in some of my thoughts, or should I say, review and opinions. Fanfiction (The Legend of Qin: Major Antagonist System) This one isnt too bad, it adds a few things to the original universe its based on and the character building is very well done. The events are getting a bit draggy now, but its still considered a pretty good book in general. Traffords Trading Club The author of this book writes pretty well. Hes like a higher being, looking down at humans and describing the various ways they behave. Horror Radio, Horror Web Novel In general, I prefer the second book. But theyre both not bad. The latter is completed while the former is still putting out new chapters. Strongest Boss System Predictable system lighthearted novel. The economy system and all that in the novel is a complete mess but the characterization of the MC is well done. But its getting more and more tropey now and the IQ levels of the antagonists have gone down. Reverend Insanity, Aspiring to the Immortal Path etc. I think everyone has read these books so I wont talk about them. Erpangzis books are not bad, but after reading I Shall Seal the Heavens I didnt read anymore. Comparing Renegade Immortal, Pursuit of the Truth to the more recent A Will Eternal and I Shall Seal the Heavens, the events, setting and general writing of the former titles are way better. I decided to write this long chapter mostly because I saw some reader comments on the book reading app and wanted to rant a little. Whether you guys read it or not doesnt matter to me. Id probably write a new chapter tomorrow. Probably. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 240 Several days went past. After witnessing how Gu Suihan had created this place that looked more like a part of heaven itself with just one thought, these young maids felt even more reverent toward him. They felt great fear. There were many cultivators in this world, and powerful ones at high levels of cultivation were too many to count. But these girls were merely ordinary maids. They were already very deferential when they saw cultivators at Foundation Establishment or even Qi Activation. They had never seen what a cultivator at Gu Suihans level could do. Such people could only be admired from afar since these maids would never get there. Their respect for powerful cultivators was immediately pushed to the maximum. So, even though Gu Suihan hardly went out and barely even walked the grounds, lazing around all day like a rich mans son, the maids were still afraid of him and careful around him. They were afraid that Gu Suihan would turn them to dust if he were to be the slightest bit unhappy. One day, Gu Suihan was lying in the yard, eating spiritual fruit while being attended to by his maids. All of a sudden, the clouds and mist around the house trembled. Qi billowed, and formation lines became clear. A howling wind suddenly started blowing violently in this pretty place that had enjoyed good weather all this time. The harsh, cold winds suddenly weighed heavily on the place, causing all the maids to tremble and lose consciousness immediately. Gu Suihan was the only one left chewing his fruit slowly. My fellow cultivator, youve gone against the rules, a majestic voice echoed within the house. A human-sized figure who looked like he was made from azurite and shone with a golden glow suddenly appeared within the yard. Thats YOUR rule. Gu Suihan smiled and suddenly brandished his saber with great force before the figure could react. Why, you The figure didnt expect Gu Suihan to suddenly launch an attack. This situation never even crossed his mind. To him, even if Gu Suihan were extremely powerful, he would have to behave himself because he was in someone elses territory. To his surprise, Gu Suihans line of logic wasnt normal. His very first attack was a killing move that carried enough power to make sure the opponent died in one move. So, the figure quickly retreated. He hadnt considered this possibility, which was his own fault, so he had no choice but to admit defeat for now. Retreating for the time being was the intelligent thing to do. Insisting on fighting with this guy for the sake of his own pride was definitely a dumb idea. Any living creature that had managed to cultivate to this level would prioritize their survival over their pride. What was pride anyway? If they ended up dead, then they would have nothing. You barged in here, and now you want to leave? Gu Suihan immediately realized that the other party was trying to retreat. He cackled and made a hand seal with one hand. A muffled humming noise suddenly resounded, and a ferocious wave of qi rose rapidly like the ocean as the formation that had been silent for a long time was instantly activated. Smoke and dust flew into the air, runes shook, dao lines rotated, and a murderous air shot into the sky. In the blink of an eye, the merciless blade of the saber was already within a meter of him. Black violent, and fiendish qi swirled around it, the howls of vengeful ghosts and the cries of wronged souls echoed in his ear like the wind, causing his mind to shake a little. He paused in his footsteps and felt a pain in his chest. He couldnt help but stumble backward. His golden glow weakened and swirled rapidly as he absorbed it back into his body in an instant. But the blackened, reddish 15-centimeter-long wound on his chest was like a leech, wriggling slowly and refusing to heal. You! Im second in line to the god in this domain! yelled the godly spirit when he saw Gu Suihan raise his saber to attack again. He let out a yelp and shot several spells at Gu Suihan to defend himself. Where is that fellow? asked Gu Suihan in a sinister voice as he pulled out the ancestral tablet. It was obvious what was really happening. The troublemaker didnt dare to come out, so he had asked the god of the temple to send someone out here to take the tablet back and press down on Gu Suihans arrogance at the same time. Hehes waiting inside the temple, the godly spirit finally admitted after some hesitation. Since he doesnt want to come, you will do. A thought came to Gu Suihans mind, so he put his saber back in its sheath and flung the tablet onto the table. The laws of nature flashed nonstop in his eyes, which got rid of every spell that the other party threw at him. He raised his finger in an exceptionally domineering manner and pointed at the seat in front of him. Sit down! My fellow cultivator, if you have something in mind, please go ahead and say it. The other party was relieved that Gu Suihan wasnt attacking him anymore, but he stared warily at Gu Suihan as he spoke cautiously, afraid this might be a trap. All cultivators were capable of changing their moods faster than one could flip through the pages of a book. He had suffered at the hands of a cultivator who had seemingly shown friendliness before, so he wasnt falling for the same trap. There were some really nasty cultivators who knew some frightening spells. They could carve the spells onto such normal-looking chairs, but anyone who sat down on the chair would lose control of their body and would become a sitting duck. For exampleGu Suihan did that to Mo Yuluo before too. He had carved a formation into a tea table. That was really nasty and completely impossible to foresee. Im fine if youd rather remain standing. A disappointed look flashed unnoticeably in Gu Suihans eyes, but his expression did not flinch. He continued to pour tea out with a steady hand. You should know that it wont take me a lot of effort to kill you. The other partys expression changed dramatically when he heard Gu Suihans insanely arrogant words. But his lips trembled as he eventually nodded slightly. The exchange earlier hadnt lasted for long, but he could clearly feel the great difference in level between himself and Gu Suihan. Origin Core cultivator, my ass! This young man is obviously a monster at Nascent Change! How dare you lay a trap like this for me! cursed the godly spirit inwardly. He was cursing at the Wei family ancestors spirit for convincing him to confront Gu Suihan. But I didnt do that. Do you know why? asked Gu Suihan in an indifferent voice, disregarding the changing expressions on the other partys face. Becauseyou want to strike a deal? asked the godly spirit cautiously after thinking about it for a moment. Not bad, youve got some brains. Gu Suihan gave him an approving look, then flicked his fingers to send a cup of tea flying toward the godly spirit. He said in a leisurely manner, I can give this thing to you. But based on my observations, youve clearly been set up by him and nearly died, so Im not sure if youd end up giving this back to him at all. I just want to know C have you ever thought aboutreplacing him? His voice was light and gentle, like a little trickling stream. His expression was void of emotion and warmth, like the ice and snow high up the mountains. These two aspects were completely different and contradictory, yet they seemed perfectly normal on Gu Suihan. His words hit the godly spirit like a bolt of lightning, turning his entire world upside down. He nearly lost control of his own mind. He wasnt an idiot nor a fool. Neither was he some clueless child with poor knowledge of the world. He understood what Gu Suihan was driving at immediately. And of course, his heart was inevitably tempted by the prospects! Are you sure Gu Suihan is here? Thousands of miles away, You Hantian and Su Yuqing stood side by side and looked into the distance. Im sure you know a thing or two about how much power the Dongfang family has, Su Yuqing responded to You Hantians doubts without much emotion. Why did you come looking for me? You Hantian switched the topic and turned to look at the other man. Su Yuqing had now fallen to Nascent Change stage. The sword hanging on his belt no longer moved intelligently like a living creature. It was now as quiet as a dead animal. It made no sound and gave off no energy. Su Yuqings expression shifted slightly and there was a hoarseness and tiredness in his voice, BecauseI understand the power of the Dongfang family all too well. Working with him is as good as teaming up with a tiger. The chances of success are too low. Hes an Immortal, for crying out loud. You Hantian wasnt buying it. He USED to be an Immortal. The Dongfang family has more than one Immortal. Su Yuqings almost wooden face reflected a tinge of despair. Those at the Immortal stage were people who could lord it over an entire domain. He couldnt fight someone at that level. Hes a very mysterious character sitting on a ton of trump cards. Hes the type who makes backup plans for backup plans. How are you so certain we can work together? You Hantian continued to question Su Yuqing. Becausehe used to be an Immortal! Su Yuqings voice contained a little passion as well as greed. Su Yuqing did have a pretty good plan in mind, actually. Instead of working with a crazy, not Immortal yet Gu Suihan to fight the Dongfang family, a family powerful enough to reign supreme in a domain, it was better to find someone else to work with and gobble Gu Suihan up instead. As for why he didnt choose to work with the Dongfang family, the reason was simple. He was only at Nascent Change, so his position in the family was too far down, and nothing he said carried any weight. Even thinking about asking someone from this family to work with him was ridiculous. It was safer and more reliable to work with You Hantian instead. Moreover, since You Hantian had interacted with Gu Suihan and found out who Gu Suihan really was because of that, Su Yuqing was pretty sure You Hantian would be tempted by the prospects of a not too difficult victory. Very well. What are your plans? You Hantian gave up trying to ask about Su Yuqings rationale and asked about something else instead. Pretend to play along, then bite them in the ass, replied Su Yuqing calmly, saying the words that hed wanted to say for a long time. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 241 The godly spirit left, taking the ancestral tablet belonging to the ancestor of the Wei family away with him. Because a formation had been set up while they spoke, nobody knew what he and Gu Suihan said to each other. But when the godly spirit left, his eyes were brimming with excitement, passion, and a little murderousness. Ive got to increase the strength of my cultivation. These spiritual stones are nowhere near enough. Ive got to find a way to get more resources. Gu Suihan didnt bother about the maids on the floor who had lost consciousness and sat at a table to think. He couldnt fight a giant like the Dongfang family at his current level of cultivation. Hed definitely die if he tried. Just the power they had revealed was enough to make Gu Suihan stay far away from them. Such powerful factions would definitely have much more hidden away. It didnt take a genius to know how complicated this situation could be. But compared to these things, Im even more curious about what all of you are so afraid of, murmured Gu Suihan with a curious look in his eyes. Several days went by. Gu Suihan continued to laze about in his residence and didnt look the slightest bit worried. The reason was simple. The ones who were worried were the Dongfang family and Su Yuqing. Not Gu Suihan. The former had something to worry about, a problem at hand. But Gu Suihan had nothing to worry about and had no attachment to anybody or anything. Wait, somethings not right. Why have you disappeared? One day, Gu Suihan sat in his study and was reading some random historical records when he suddenly felt something tug at his heart, and he instinctively began a divination process. His handsome face immediately tensed up as he uttered these words in disbelief. He had been unable to detect any signs of life from Marahu. In fact, he couldnt detect that little world either, as though it had disappeared into thin air. Youhave disappeared too. He focused his energies and went through the same process, only to find that he couldnt detect the Huangquan Evil Ghost either. He had a bad feeling about this. Marahu was a devil at a level of cultivation almost equivalent to Divine Soul, yet he had been wiped out for no reason. This didnt make sense at all. If something terrible happened, he could have just escaped into the Devil Abyss. It was impossible for him to be wiped out without any warning. Thanks to his scheme, the Huangquan Evil Ghost had replaced the will of that world and had become one with that world. Yet, he couldnt detect any signs of its existence now. Whatwhat in the world changed? Gu Suihan narrowed his eyes. They were like two long swords, sharp and terrifying. As he thought about all the possibilities, his mind quickly arrived at You Hantian and the rest. Whatwhat did all of you do? He didnt know what You Hantian, Marahu, and the rest had planned after he had left. Back then, given his level of cultivation, the fact that he managed to stay alive was already a miracle in itself. He didnt dare to stick around and find out more. But he didnt expect this to happen at all. It was as thougha big change had occurred. The empire found out? He thought hard about it but threw this possibility out quickly. If the empire had noticed what they had done, You Hantian and the rest would have been reduced to ashes by now. But he had just made some calculations and was sure that You Hantian was still alive and kicking. Ive given you the time, but you ignored it Gu Suihan chuckled as he slowly got to his feet and took down the saber hanging on the wall. The laws of nature spun inside his eyes, and runes appeared as he calculated You Hantians position immediately. He took a step forward as though he had entered into the void, disappearing in an instant from the study. He couldnt wait any longer. The sudden changes he had discovered made him feel very unsettled. At his level of cultivation, his heart should be as unmovable as a frozen lake, and he would not have flinched even if the sky came down. But the fact that he could sense an upheaval in his veins and his mind was no longer as steady meant that something major that could threaten his life had happened. I didnt think you would appear so quickly. I just got here, and Ive already run into you. You Hantian raised his head to look at Gu Suihan, who had appeared in front of him suddenly. His heart shuddered slightly, but he kept a straight face and poured the young man a cup of wine. You Hantian was dismayed. He had underestimated Gu Suihan, after all. It had only been a few years, but Gu Suihan had managed to get back to Nascent Change already. Damn it, he thought. Why didnt Su Yuqing tell me about that? We can talk about the other matter later. Right now, I want to know C what did all of you and Marahu do after I left? Gu Suihans face was tense and he looked murderous. His calm demeanor was filled with indifference, his long black robe swayed gently in the wind and gave off wisps of almost solid violent qi. The wisps were like dragons and snakes that darted in all directions. The sinister air he gave off seemed to weigh a ton, pressing down heavily on Zhan Wuchang, You Hantian and the rest, forcing them to remain where they were, unable to move. Why do you ask? asked You Hantian puzzledly. Deep down, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. He had initially thought that his partnership with Su Yuqing had been exposed and Gu Suihan was here to confront him about it. He didnt expect Gu Suihan to ask him about something that had never even crossed his mind. The Lower Worldis gone, said Gu Suihan quietly as he kept his eye on everyones expressions. What?! Zhan Wuchang, Zhou Lingfeng and the rest exclaimed in shock, with looks of disbelief written all over their faces. Their first instinct was to look at You Hantian. They wanted to hear what he had to say about that. But You Hantians expression shifted as well. He murmured to himself in a low voice, The empire found out? Had they been found out? They had no idea. But after giving it a little more thought, they reached the same conclusion as Gu Suihan and eliminated this possibility. Like what Gu Suihan had thought, if they had been found out, they would all be dead by now. They wouldnt be sitting here and drinking wine leisurely. Youre sure about that? asked You Hantian as he emphasized every word. He even leaned forward and stared straight into Gu Suihans eyes, as though he was trying to confirm something. Im very sure. Thats why Im here. Gu Suihans expression didnt change at all, as though he were some ancient mountain or a rock at the bottom of the ocean. They felt a chill down their spines. The Lower World had disappeared. Great Elder Lu paused to think for a while before finally glancing at Gu Suihan, then threw Zhan Wuchang a look. Let me go check, they both said at the same time before disappearing from the room. Damn it. It was You Hantians turn to feel irritated. These two pieces of trash had actually decided to be like two tortoises retracting their bodies into their shell and had chickened out. At the same time, he couldnt fault them for doing this. On the contrary, Gu Suihan seemed to have discovered something after keenly observing the slight change in You Hantians expression as well as the oddly wary actions of Great Elder Lu and Zhan Wuchang. Thatsvery interesting. Gu Suihan looked intently at You Hantian. He was now sure that You Hantian had no idea that this had happened. It was going to take a little more thinking and investigating to find out who was behind this. At the same time, it seemed like You Hantian was secretly plotting something. Very interesting? asked You Hantian without thinking. Im looking forward Gu Suihan didnt elaborate further. He chuckled as he evaporated the wine in his cup, turned the cup over and put it down on the table. An icy, haunting breeze blew through the room and he disappeared. Hes discovered it. You Hantians pupils constricted as the anger and hatred in his heart boiled over like a river flooding its banks. Playing such games with a monster who had lived for centuries was a very risky thing to do in the first place. One had to be extremely careful and make sure you didnt slip up. If the other party noticed even the slightest crack or had the slightest suspicion, then the already low chance of succeeding would become even lower than before. Could it be that you two You Hantian gripped his cup of wine tightly and glared furiously at where Zhan Wuchang and Great Elder Lu were seated earlier. A murderous intent filled his heart like a greedy demon. Youwere too ambitious, said Zhou Lingfeng in a low voice. He wanted to kill Gu Suihan too. That man was the one who wiped out his entire sect, so of course he hated Gu Suihan. But he respected and feared Gu Suihan much more than he hated him. Who was Gu Suihan? He was an Immortal who stood at the top of the path of cultivation. A powerful being who could trample the world and move freely in the void. Gu Suihan wasnt as powerful as he used to be right now, but the tactics and techniques he knew and used were not anything that a Nascent Change ant like himself could even dream of. They were like a small group of ants trying to challenge an injured python. They werent even at the same level in the first place. An old proverb described mans greed like the bashe snake eating an elephant. The phrase was used to describe those with unrealistic dreams. But unlike humans, the bashe snake was an ancient beast with mythical powers, so it could eat an elephant without any problems. It wasnt unrealistic at all. What was he? An ant! In fact, to Gu Suihan, he was probably worth less than an ant. Yet, this ant wanted to fight back! Too ambitious? Look, in this world, the bold ones get to eat and the timid ones starve. How can I just take this lying down? How?! You Hantian gnashed his teeth and his expression was twisted. His tone was sinister, and his low hissing contained a tinge of an indescribable loneliness. As the saying goes, a fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken, a dragon swimming in shallow waters get teased by the shrimps. Are you sureyoure like the nine-headed chicken of ancient times? Or the great demon from the past, the heavenly turtle-backed shrimp? Zhou Lingfengs tone was stern and it was clear what he was implying. After he said those words, he got up and left. But old sayings were just sayings. They should not be taken seriously. No matter how fallen a phoenix was, it was still a phoenix. No matter how frail a dragon was, it was still a dragon. The weak ants just focused on mocking and laughing at how those who were once strong and powerful had fallen to their level, not realizing that once the phoenix and dragon had strengthened themselves again, these antswere going to suffer a fate worse than death. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 242 The foolishness of ordinary people had resulted in the wrong interpretation of so many words, scriptures, cultivation techniques, and spells. Little did they realize that the original meaning of these things was actually the greatest proof of intelligence. The most obvious example were those cultivators of items who believed in the Way of the Sword, telling generation after generation bullshit like one sword cuts through a thousand spells and stuff like that. They have no idea how many cultivators theyve misled with such words. The original story was that there was a period in ancient history that just wasnt as prosperous as the era before that, so the cultivators then had no choice but to cultivate in such items. But their descendants boasted so much about it, as though it was an invincible technique of sorts. Just like what Gu Suihan had said before C what was a sword? What was the Way? What was the Way of the sword? It was nothing but bullshit. Regardless of whether you were talking about a saber, a sword, a magic weapon, a spiritual weapon, or even great treasures and dao weapons, all of these were nothing more than killing tools for cultivators. And killing someone was simply just that. Killing out of defense or manslaughter were just ways in which people tried to make it sound nicer. The Way of the Sword, to put it very simply, was really nothing more than a method to kill another person. But they were so proud of this that they would rather suffer for nothing or, worse, lose their lives over it. This was Gu Suihans opinion of these idiot cultivators who claimed to cultivate in the Way of the sword or the saber. He had killed so many of such people when he was on Earth. Killing them was as simple as slaughtering a chicken. To think that these people thought their one sword would make them invincible. They must have drunk too much bleach or something. Half of the Dao De Jing has been used to discipline all peoples, said Gu Suihan with a sigh after he had returned to the study and held up an old book. The Dao De Jing was an incomplete publication. That was what Gu Suihans shifu had told him. The front half that was left only taught people what manners were and how to have them. The back half was actually an all-powerful cultivation technique. As for why the back half disappeared altogether, nobody knew. Or rather, those who knew were all dead. Qingming had learned from the Mohists. His ability to lay those ancient traps were sincerely admirable. Gu Suihan looked up at his full bookshelves filled with all sorts of books. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he started thinking. The school of diplomacy, the school of agriculturalism, the school of yin-yang, Mohism, Confucianism, Daoism, the school of legalismthe hundred schools of thought. Only a few had been passed down the ages and developed well. And that was because those that werent obedient had been crushed to death by Ying Zheng a long time ago. All that talk about the right way to rule a country or the mentality a king should have was utter rubbish. Did Ying Zheng need a bunch of ants to teach him what to do? That was ridiculous! Everything Ying Zheng said was the law. Everything he did was a command. Everything was standardized and every message was consistent, like how a totalitarian regime was. Who would dare to disobey? Who could even disobey? Anybody who did was sure to die. There was no second option. As for those who chose to die defending their Way. Unless one were pushed into a corner with no hope of ever bouncing back, very few would choose to do this. Dying a martyr? Such people were just a bunch of self-pitying, selfish bums who were way better at whining than doing anything productive. They took the moral high ground and used their narrow-minded views to attack everything else while forcing their moral views on everybody. Such people were called petty Confucians C they were petty people. In todays terms, they were the social justice warriors. These people should be glad that they live in the current era, in a world that was considered relatively peaceful. Because there was something called the law that oppressed them yet protected them at the same time. But this world that Gu Suihan was now in was different. Anything you said could literally be your last. That was because there was no law here. Laws were just some shackles you could break because the possibilities for a cultivator were endless. They had more than enough time to wait, cultivate, and eventually break through these shackles compared to the mere mortals on Earth. This world was way more cruel, and the law of the jungle was much more evident here. Take Gu Suihan, for example. He killed Wen Xinglong in an instant because Wen Xinglong had tried to trick him, and he had wiped out the entire Wei family because they went back on their word. Why? Because he was powerful. He was so powerful he could ignore some of these worldly laws. Sir, someone asked me to pass this to you, said a maid timidly as she held up a thin name card. Youre here too? Thingsare really getting more and more interesting. Gu Suihan immediately chuckled when he saw the name on the card and kept the card. He gave the maid a few instructions, then disappeared into thin air. The person who had come was none other than the Equal Spirit Order saintess who had parted ways with him not too long ago C Murong Yun. Perhaps one of her backers was using her to find out more about Gu Suihan or something else. But she had actually sent him this message privately. Long time no see. Gu Suihan walked into the quaint but elegant room. He moved his fingers and set up several formations to prevent anybody else from listening in. Not too long, about six months, replied Murong Yun as she removed the thin veil over her face. Her pretty eyes were clear and bright as she stared unblinkingly at the lazy-looking young man leaning back in the chair reserved for the party with higher status. Her heart was restless and palpitated like crazy. Of course, this wasnt the result of pheromones or bullshit like that. Cultivators were creatures who didnt care about anybody unless you could offer them some benefit in return. Being in love was a joke to them. Anyone who dabbled in this area was definitely an idiot. Youve decided on what you want? Gu Suihan was referring to Murong Yun, helping him to contact You Hantian. The deed was done, but she hadnt asked for anything in return yet. No. I dont think its enough. Murong Yun pursed her lips, her red lips gleaming with an attractive shine. She stretched her arm out to offer Gu Suihan tea, getting up enough to show off her curvaceous figure in the process. Her chiffon dress moved a little at the same time, allowing him to see some of her fair cleavage. Thenwhat do you want? asked Gu Suihan with a little interest as he took the cup of tea she offered. Iwant to be a saintess. Saying these words seemed to have taken all the energy out of her. Gu Suihans smile looked more and more gentle and friendly, but this made Murong Yuns heart pound even more fearfully as she continued to observe him secretly. But youre already a saintess, he replied. I want to become the real saintess. Her pretty face was all tensed up even though her voice was more and more resolute. What can you give me in return? whispered Gu Suihan into her ear after suddenly leaning forward and holding her fair chin up. The Equal Spirit Order Murong Yun had clearly been caught off guard. Her fair neck turned red, and her youthful eyes lost focus, revealing a little panic inside. Very good. Your offeris better than Xia Yuns. Gu Suihan combed her slightly messy hair and pushed her hair behind her ears. He then put a communication jade slip into her hands, patted her small shoulders, and strolled out. Murong Yun had come today only to get a promise out of Gu Suihan. Or rather, she wanted to know what he thought. Compared to paying a high price to scatter the Equal Spirit Order out of a vengeful heart, it was better to use this order to its maximum first. All parties have gathered, but each has their own considerations and each has their own plan. The bigger fish will eat up the smaller fish, while the smaller fish will eat the shrimps. Who are the smaller fish? Who are the shrimps? Are all of you ready? Gu Suihan strolled through the streets and looked at the people around him. Some were just pedestrians, others were selling their wares. Some were large retailers, others were just small carts. As he uttered these words, his smile broadened, as though he was waiting for something exciting to happen. Whew! Were finally here! Li Yu panted heavily as he glanced fearfully at the flying ship behind him. He wiped the sweat on his forehead away, looked around with a slightly lost look on his face, then randomly picked one direction and started walking. The amount he had saved up had just been enough to take the flying ship. And now he had nothing left. While it was true that cultivators could go without food and water for a few months, Li Yu was only at Foundation Establishment and really couldnt hold out much longer than that. And so, thanks to the instruction of the Esteemed One, he accepted a very important job C dishwashing! That was how he was going to get food and accommodation for the time being. How am I going to get anything done without any money? Li Yu asked the Esteemed One after letting out a long sigh. Ever heard of robbery? Murder? Arson? Hmm? the Esteemed One taught him with grave words. I have to rob again? Li Yu immediately frowned. In order to get enough funds to buy a flying ship ticket, he had already committed so many crimes unwillingly. He didnt think he would have to go through this again! You dont have the money to set up your own business, do you? Look, you need time to cultivate. Do YOU have a lot of time? sneered the Esteemed One with some exasperation at Li Yus retort. IIll do it! replied Li Yu in a rather reluctant and saddened voice. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 243 Youre finally here, said Gu Suihan with a laugh as he shut the book in his hand and looked up at the woman who had suddenly appeared in his study. Im here to ask you one last time. What do you want? The woman who had appeared was the same woman from the Dongfang family. She was Shuangers mother, Dongfang Zhizhu. I wantresources, heavenly and earthly treasures, spiritual stones, rare fruit, ancient texts C a lot of it. Would you be able to afford that? said Gu Suihan quietly. Dongfang Zhizhu snorted. It was an angry and contemptuous snort. She stared disdainfully at Gu Suihan. Do you know the sort of standing the Dongfang family has in the 39th domain? Gu Suihan snorted just as contemptuously and said in a domineering voice, Im asking for these things precisely because I know your familys standing here. Why else would I bother wasting time speaking to you? His words were very clear, and he didnt even bother hiding his murderous intentions. In short, if the Dongfang family werent the most powerful family in this domain, he would have annihilated them by now. Youyou have a really tremendous appetite! Arent you afraid youd suffer from indigestion? Dongfang Zhizhu let out a laugh from how infuriated she was. Her huge and attractive eyes narrowed slightly, and her long and dense eyelashes covered her eyes as well, but it wasnt enough to block the murderous intent spewing out from them. Thats my problem. Its better to suffer from indigestion than to die of starvation. Besidesits not like you can refuse my requests. So, why make things so difficult for yourself? Gu Suihan got up slowly and strolled to where she was standing. The two of them were now no more than a meter apart, and their eyes seemed to be spewing fire as they stared at one another. The temperature in the room felt like it had hit subzero. The sound of light breathing could be heard echoing clearly in the room. One could literally see the pot of calligraphy ink turn into a piece of ice while the previously boiling water in the teapot was frosting over. Very well, very well. I see that you are very determined. Dongfang Zhizhu saw that Gu Suihan had no intention of backing off at all, and he had absolutely no respect for her family either. The only thing she saw in her eyes was a lofty disdain, incredible confidence, and an indescribable dominance. So, are you going to accede to my requests or not? Gu Suihan picked up the cup of tea that had turned into ice and blew on it gently. The tea instantly melted and gave off a faint fragrance again. Why you! Dongfang Zhizhus ample bosom heaved up and down in anger, causing the air to move wildly as well. She gritted her teeth as she hissed murderously at him, emphasizing every word, A number. Give me an exact number! Well, that Gu Suihan smiled as he lifted a finger, then leaned forward so that he was now no more than three inches away from her. His indifferent voice brimming with fiendish qi rang beside Dongfang Zhizhus ear, I want 10% of everything your family has! Thats not possible! This angry voice did not belong to Dongfang Zhizhu. This was the voice of a middle-aged man, a voice that was deep, authoritative, and threatened to crush the world beneath it. As the more powerful faction in the 39th domain, what did having 10% of their fortune mean? It meant that he would have enough resources to groom several Divine Soul cultivators and a few dozen Nascent Change cultivators. He would be able to instantly turn himself into a powerful force that could become the leading faction in a commandery. This was the difference between the factions that were actually at the top and ordinary well-to-do families. Comparing it to the difference between heaven and Earth wasnt sufficient to describe the huge gap between these two groups. It is highly possible. Gu Suihan turned his attention to the man who had suddenly appeared by the side and snorted. I think, compared to the possibility of your entire family getting wiped out, thisis not a very high price to pay. But that depends on whether you are qualified to even ask for something like this in the first place, said the middle-aged man with a scowl. His expression shifted slightly when he heard what Gu Suihan said. Im not qualified, but neither are you. Youre not any better. If the negotiation fails, I wont die, but your family is doomed. Gu Suihan placed his half-drunk tea back on the table, then removed a thin, light purple jade slip from his clothes and said with a knowing smile, Youre dealing with a marquis after all. News reaches your ears really quickly, huh, said the middle-aged man in a surly voice as he narrowed his eyes and stared straight at the jade slip in Gu Suihans hands. Oh no, no, its my first time here. How could I possibly have found out something thats been so well hidden? Gu Suihan sold Su Yuqing out immediately. Su Yuqing had not come to look for him even after such a long time and had tried to do him in the last time, so he was sure that Su Yuqing had his own plans. But after finding out that the Lower World had disappeared, Gu Suihan didnt have the time to slowly make plans in secret anymore. Looks likeyou have a very good informant, said Dongfang Zhizhu slowly and sinisterly as her expression changed dramatically. Nobody wants to die, am I right? Gu Suihan placed the jade slip in her hands and chuckled. And nobodynobody wants to live a life worse than death. Do you know exactly how much would 10% be? Im the head of the family, but I couldnt calculate that for you either. The middle-aged man, who turned out to be the head of the Dongfang family, softened his tone a little now. Then let me change my conditions. Gu Suihan looked eastward, and a sinister fiendish qi slowly appeared in his eyes. Help me toslay gods! And throw in 100,000 spiritual stones. The spiritual stones here werent the low or mid-grade spiritual stones that those Foundation Establishment and Origin Core cultivators used. These were high-grade spiritual stones he was talking about. One of these stones was worth more than tens of thousands of the low-grade ones. Deal! After pausing to think for a moment, the head of the Dongfang family nodded slightly and agreed to these conditions. 100,000 spiritual stones was not a small amount to even some well-to-do families, but this was peanuts to the Dongfang family. As for the other condition, they didnt mind working under Gu Suihan since this was a one-off occurrence. And as for those gods, who cared if they lived or died? If these deities hadnt behaved themselves, made sure they didnt threaten the interests of cultivators, and were useful in keeping the ordinary people in check, they probably wouldnt exist anymore. These stupid things would have been destroyed by cultivators ages ago. Time is running out, said Gu Suihan. He moved his fingers slightly to carve a forbidden technique and spell onto a jade slip and passed it to the middle-aged man. Ill send the spiritual stones over tomorrow. The head of the Dongfang family accepted the jade slip, and his expression was a lot more relaxed now. He even placed a palm over his other fist to greet Gu Suihan politely before leaving. Humph! Sorry for the trouble, said Dongfang Zhizhu with a tense face through gritted teeth. She proceeded to walk away elegantly without giving Gu Suihan any chance to respond. I said 10%, but you refused, murmured Gu Suihan after he was left all alone in the room. He leaned lazily against the large chair and continued, The next time, I wont only ask for 10%. Ill ask for 100%. Get me two side dishes and a bottle of wine, Li Yu instructed a waiter quietly as he walked into a restaurant. During this time, he had been busy ambushing others in the outskirts of the city and had finally gotten enough to be no longer considered dirt poor. So, the next step was to start finding a good candidate to rob a spiritual root from. This guys not bad. Hes actually a rank seven. Thats a high grade, muttered Li Yu to himself. He had used a secret technique that the Esteemed One had taught him to check out a young man seated nearby and was quite excited. Rank seven? Tsk. He can reach Origin Core with that, but theres no way hed hit Nascent Change. Besides, he doesnt match your true self, so getting it is a waste of effort, the Esteemed Ones voice rang in Li Yus head. True self? This was the first time Li Yu had heard of this term. What, did you think spiritual roots just came like that? This thing slowly changes according to ones spirit and will, the Esteemed One explained. When one is born, their spiritual root usually has all five elements in it. The rank of giftedness depends on your genetics. But if your will is a temperamental one, then your spiritual root will slowly move toward the element of fire or even turn into the element of lightning. But if your natural personality is peace-loving and calm, your spiritual root will most likely lean toward water or earth. Those who are brave will get a refined gold root, while those who hold up under harsh circumstances will get a geng gold one. Those who are gentle on the outside but resilient on the inside would get a wood one. I see. Why have I never heard of such a thing before? asked Li Yu puzzledly as he scratched his head. Fengyang was just a lousy commandery city. You were considered a piece of trash who couldnt cultivate too. These are secrets passed down from ancient times, so not everyone would be privy to them, said the Esteemed One disdainfully. Soexactly what level of cultivation are you at? Li Yu seized this chance to finally ask the question he had always wanted to ask. You call me the Esteemed One, a term with the word zun in it. You can ask anybody here which level of cultivation would require you to address them as zun and youll get your answer. The Esteemed One let out a depressed sigh, as though he was recalling something sad. He sounded a lot less energetic and fell silent again after that flippant reply. Zun? Li Yu repeated the word to himself with a very confused look on his face. This level of cultivation was really too far a goal for someone like Li Yu. It was like the rainbow in the sky, or the sun and moon. One could only look at it but never get there. Su Yuqing! Look at what youve done! Dongfang Zhizhu took a lower-ranked seat in the Dongfang residence and glowered at the completely confused Su Yuqing as he stood in the middle of the hall. What do you mean? Su Yuqing looked utterly confused, but his heart was uneasy. I dont think youve forgotten what this is. The head of the Dongfang family took that purple jade slip out from his pocket, waved it in front of Su Yuqing, then threw it casually onto the table. Damn it, how did that Su Yuqings expression changed drastically. Did the family launch an attack and kill him? Su Yuqings mind was a mess. But that doesnt make sense. If they did that, how are they going to cure Shuanger? They wouldnt take such a risk. Then again, thats hard to say. Maybemaybe they know some technique that could forcibly retrieve his memories and find a way to heal the girl Su Yuqing was really panicking now. He was really scared. Compared to Gu Suihan, he was even better aware of how powerful this family really was. But that was also why he was so afraid of them and so reverent toward them. Thats why he decided to scheme against Gu Suihan instead of teaming up with Gu Suihan to attack the Dongfang family. Butwhat the hell was going on now? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 244 Lets put aside Su Yuqings interrogation scene for a while. Li Yu was wolfing down the food that he had been deprived of for so long. The feeling of food actually landing inside his stomach made him so emotional he nearly burst into tears. Seriously, there was no other cultivator who would find themselves in such a pathetic predicamentthis man was having trouble even affording food Just then, a commotion broke out in the quiet restaurant. The sound of shouting and unpleasantries slowly rose in volume, making all the patrons frown and turn toward the main door with displeased looks on their faces. Whats the matter? Dont you know who I am? An arrogant young man seemed to sense that everyone was staring at him, so he snorted and spat hard before snapping at them. Who is he? thought Li Yu as he, too, raised his head and looked puzzledly at the entrance to the restaurant. Thats Dongfang Bubai, the 27th son in the main family line of the Dongfang family, the most powerful faction of the 39th domain, the Esteemed One suddenly spoke inside Li Yus head. So thats him. Hes extremely talented, and very arrogant but doesnt really go too far, so theres some redeeming grace there. Among his peers, hes known as one of the Four Great Young MastersYoung Master Bubai. Li Yu suddenly recalled what he had heard before coming. One of the reasons why he was in the 39th domain in the first place was because of these Four Great Young Masters. According to the Esteemed One, the descendants that such top factions chose to groom were all born with the best talent, so it would be best to get a spiritual root from one of them. As for whether it was suitable for Li Yu or not, that would depend on his luck. And with regard to dealing with the family coming back for revenge, the Esteemed One had a way of covering Li Yus tracks. Your lucks not bad, said the Esteemed One suddenly. He seemed a little pleasantly surprised. What? Li Yu was stunned before he realized what the Esteemed One was saying. He pointed at Dongfang Bubai and said, This fellow is so arrogant! Youre saying hes like me?! If he were merely arrogant, did you think hed be able to survive till today? While its true that the Dongfang family is really powerful, no cultivator is easy to read. There are so many forbidden techniques and secret spells among the cultivators its impossible to count them all. Nobody would dare to say that theyre definitely invincible. If he didnt have brains, he would have died in some random alley a long time ago, the Esteemed One analyzed the situation wisely. So, youre saying that this guy is only arrogant on the outside, but his mind is actually very detailed and malicious? Li Yu was beginning to get it now. Whats going on now? Us Four Great Young Masters are here for a gathering, and youre not allowing us to reserve the entire place? Dongfang Bubai slammed his folding fan against his palm loudly again and again. His arrogant voice sounded more and more sinister. It was as cold as the snow in winter, and it made the listener shudder in fear. The old man who owned the restaurant was trembling and pleaded with the young man, Sir, youve misunderstood what Im saying. Were a very small business, so we cant possibly be good enough to serve you and your companions. Please allow me to make some dishes personally and deliver them to your residence. Stop wasting my time. Ive heard that your dishes are famous in this area, so I invited them over especially so that you could make the city proud. And now? Because of these things that arent even worthy of being called ants, you refuse my request? Youre actually slapping me in the face? Dongfang Bubais expression was terse as snapped, Are you tired of living? Isir, it is my honor to have you here. I am really overjoyed that you have even heard of someone as insignificant as myself, and Im really happy that youve come to patronize my shop. But youre asking me to chase out all the customers, which isa little The old man became more and more terrified as he spoke. His heart was beating wildly in fear and he was on the verge of a break down. He knew who this young man was and under normal circumstances, he wouldnt have dared to refuse him. But the person seated in the restaurant right nowwas also someone of high status. Oh? I would like to see how Mr. Dongfang settles this, said a deep and authoritative voice. A handsome young man in a green robe and a long beard strolled out with his hands folded behind his back. Oh my, thats Qingyuan zhenjun, Hunming zuns disciple. This man is a really big shot. Everyone watching immediately felt their faces tremble and their hearts grow cold when they saw the young man. Their gossiping voices instantly fell silent and the entire street became so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. The Dongfang family was really powerful and enjoyed a high standing in the domain, butHunming zun was sent by the empire to oversee the 39th domain. That was a man who was given the license to kill, unlike how a faction like the Dongfang family had to find a reason for everything they did. Hunming zun could slap you dead if he didnt like your face, then claim that you were plotting against the country, was disrespectful of the empire or something along those lines. Any faction supporting you wouldnt be able to get away either. They could only apologize and cut ties with you in order to survive. Otherwise, the entire faction would be wiped out. That couldnt be helped, really. He was sent by the empire and was paid by the empire, so there was no reason why he would allow anyone to negotiate with him or persuade him against doing anything. Ordinary people already groveled at the feet of court officials, what more cultivators who did everything for the sake of their own benefit? Why is it you Dongfang Bubais face froze, and was a little annoyed as he muttered these words. He was qualified to speak like this to the other young man, since the Dongfang family had an elder at Immortal as well. The elder was just missing an extra qualification from the empire, thats all. In any case, Hunming Zun wasnt going to take the risk and fight his family for no good reason. It was best that each of them stayed in their own lanes. Why attack each other over nothing? Why not? said Qingyuan zhenjun with a shrug and a chuckle. Do me a favor? asked Dongfang Bubai quietly, as though he was just testing the waters. I dont mind, but I dont think you would make me do you a favor for nothing in return, right? Qingyuan zhenjun surprisingly agreed to leave, but only on certain conditions. He didnt mind leaving, but he needed to get something in return. So many patrons were watching, so he didnt want to look bad. Or rather, he didnt mind looking bad, but his shifu worked for the empire, so he couldnt afford to let his shifu look bad. It would be terrible if everyone started thinking that the empire was afraid of the Dongfang family. That thing is almost mature, right? Why dont you give me one to stave off my hunger? said Qingyuan zhenjun with a smile. You Dongfang Bubais face twitched, and he nearly cursed out loud. Fuck! This was extortion! But when he thought about why he was here, he had no choice but to pause and think first. He had a scowl as he nodded and said, Ill send it over soon. Its a deal then. Qingyuan zhenjun patted the owners skinny and frail shoulder, then disappeared into thin air. Once Qingyuan zhenjun had left, nobody else dared to turn Dongfang Bubai away anymore. The owner knew what Qingyuan zhenjun meant, so he quickly stepped aside and said, Sir, this way, please. The rest of the patrons had mostly run off by now. Nobody was hanging around and waiting to die. Dongfang Bubai couldnt fight Qingyuan zhenjun, but he could get absolutely anybody else killed. Why is there still someone here? Dongfang Bubai looked around once he entered the restaurant and frowned immediately as he turned his attention to the last person who had left. It was Li Yu, who still had his face buried in his food. But of course, Li Yu wasnt leaving. It had been a long time since he had eaten a proper meal. He wasnt going to let himself get chased out after only enjoying a few bites. That would be terrible. Li Yu was a young man, after all. He had gone through quite a bit over the past few years, but he still carried the pride and boldness of youth. Youd rather die? said Dongfang Bubai in a sinister voice as he narrowed his eyes. He was known as one of the Four Great Young Masters of his generation, but his actual level of cultivation was only Advanced Foundation Establishment. Thanks to the cultivation technique his family used, the cauldron he had chosen wasnt mature yet, so it was best to use a slower but steady method and advance with firm steps. That way, he would be able to go further in the future. Is it very fun to rely on your familys status and bully the weak? Unexpectedly, Li Yu actually rejected the Esteemed Ones suggestion to take things slow and wait for a good chance. Instead, he chose to remain in the restaurant to fight the young man. Dongfang Bubai raised an eyebrow and had a mocking look on his young face as he said, Of course its fun. Ive got a good family backing me after all. Is that my fault? Li Yus lips twitched as he stared in shock at Dongfang Bubai. A few moments later, he finally yelled angrily, You bully the weak but youre afraid of the powerful! Youre a nasty little rat! Only the strong are qualified to make criticisms. The weak cant even decide on when they die. Dongfang Bubai waved his folding fan gently and the illusion of mountains appeared from nowhere. Mountains overlapped each other to for a range and a rushing river flowed through, pulling Li Yu into the illusion within the fan. Humph! Without your family, youre not even considered one of the weak! yelled Li Yu furiously. He threw several punches along with layers and layers of spells, which turned into the illusion of a ferocious beast. The beams of light from his punches were like bolts of lightning that smashed the mountains and river water coming toward him. His clothes clung to his body tightly, revealing his steel-like muscles. Its too bad, your cries are merely the shouts of the weak. How pitiful Dongfang Bubais voice echoed all around Li Yu. It was filled with contempt and disdain. In the blink of an eye, the shattered rocks came together to form rocks again and the water droplets gathered into a river once more. They loomed over Li Yu and came crashing toward him yet again. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.