Options
Bookmark

Chapter 208: The Condensed Dragon Pill

Upon seeing this scene, Long Xuan's mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Just moments ago, this individual had appeared in an imposing manner, exuding overwhelming dominance, holding a famous blade, full of an aura of power and control.

Long Xuan had thought this person was a master, highly skilled in swordsmanship. He was genuinely worried for the Blade Gu, thinking that facing this person might bring real danger.

But the result?

They were taken down in a single strike—what a joke!

However, what Long Xuan didn’t know was that someone wielding a named blade, yet not being robbed of it, was no ordinary person.

But the Blade Gu had just tested the full power of the Ten Absolute Sword Technique, releasing all ten forms at once. How could any normal person withstand that?

It seems this so-called Blade master died rather unjustly.

At that moment, the ten people who had fled earlier looked back and saw the scene, their faces instantly darkening.

They had thought he was a great master, but the result? Just this? Are you kidding me? If you don’t have the skills, why act so arrogantly? Now we're in big trouble.

“What do we do now? He got taken down in one strike. That mantis is now unchecked.”

“How should I know what to do? Whoever wants to fight that monster can go ahead, but I’m not fighting it. That ten-blade-style monster isn’t something a human can contend with.”

“Run! It’s coming this way!”

After finishing off this opponent, the Blade Gu charged into the crowd again. With each swing of its blade, more bodies fell to the ground.

No matter what weapons the body cultivators were using, under the Blade Gu's Ten Absolute Sword Technique, everything was shattered in one strike. Incredibly, no body cultivator on the battlefield could take even a single hit from it.

With no one to restrain the Blade Gu, it tore through the crowd as if no one was there, cutting down enemies in and out seven times over. The once formidable group of body cultivators began to crumble in small pockets, all because of a single mantis.

Seeing the Blade Gu's battle prowess with his own eyes, Long Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

From this battle, he could conclude that Little moon was a perfect counter to body Refiners armed with all kinds of weapons. Anyone who faced it was sure to die.

It seemed that only supernatural abilities, those that weren’t based on physical attacks, could harm it.

In a battlefield filled with body cultivators, Little moon was an invincible war god, undefeatable.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield of the Spiritual Sea Stage Gu cultivators, the two supervisors each engaged two Spiritual Sea Stage Gu cultivators, while Long Gang headed straight for the elderly formation master at the back of the enemy crowd.

Seeing someone charge toward him, the elderly formation master looked on with disdain. Calmly, he took out four formation flags from his storage bag and planted them in the ground.

In no time, four barriers rose up, securely protecting him within.

After completing this, he looked at the approaching enemy with a mocking smile. However, when he saw a humanoid creature with bone spikes and a tail appear before him, his expression froze in shock.

“What is that thing?”

Just as his words fell, the creature’s sharp claws shattered the barrier he had just set up.

The claws didn’t stop there; with a single swipe, it crushed his skull.

He had been careless, distracted for a moment, and didn’t have time to dodge.

Moreover, he had trapped himself within his own barrier. Where could he have escaped to?

After dispatching the formation master in one strike, Long Gang was slightly stunned. It was that easy? The mission was so simple that he found it hard to believe.

He couldn’t help but inwardly praise the power of the Dragon Blood Battle Gu. The formation set up by the formation was weak, but it wasn’t something that could be easily shattered by someone of the same level.

He was certain that without the Dragon Blood Battle Gu, even if he wore himself out, he wouldn’t have been able to break the barrier and kill the formation master hiding inside.

If that were the case, they would have been forced to flee back to their own formation in disgrace, and the Geng Metal ore vein would likely have been lost because the formation master would have destroyed the array.

It could be said that this victory was entirely due to the Dragon Blood Battle Gu.

He couldn't help but grow even more fond of this Dragon Blood Battle Gu, though it had been acquired on loan during wartime. The thought of how many contributions were needed to exchange for a Dragon Blood Battle Gu made his heart ache—he would likely be working off the debt for the next ten years.

But defending this Geng Metal ore vein was undoubtedly a significant contribution, enough to clear a large part of his debt.

Feeling exhilarated, Long Gang waved his hand and shouted loudly, "The formation master is dead! Everyone retreat to the formation!"

His mission was to kill the formation master, not to wipe out all the invaders outside.

Even if he could manage to kill them, it would result in heavy casualties for the Long Clan's Gu cultivators. And since they were an isolated force, every person lost would be irreplaceable, while the enemy could send more reinforcements.

Thus, he decided to preserve his forces and defend the ore vein. Even though their morale was high, he refused to let them engage in further skirmishes.

Due to the death of their formation master, the body cultivators and Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty lost their morale. Coupled with the small-scale collapse caused by the mantis on the Spiritual Sea battlefield, the four Spiritual Sea Stage Gu cultivators could only order a retreat. Both sides, understanding the situation, withdrew.

Long Xuan hurriedly picked up the named blade and storage bag from the ground. Without taking a moment to admire them, he quickly ran back to the formation.

At this moment, his heart was overflowing with joy. Having attended the Blackstone City auction, he was well aware of how valuable a named blade could be.

He hadn't expected to gain such a reward in this battle. No wonder everyone enjoys looting after a kill—large-scale battlefields truly provide a legitimate opportunity to kill and loot.

Upon returning to the formation, the Long Clan Gu cultivators were cheering loudly. Many had gained substantial rewards from the battle. After checking their spoils, they laid out anything they didn’t need to trade in a makeshift market.

Thus, a small treasure exchange event spontaneously formed, and the various stalls were buzzing with activity. The sound of haggling filled the air.

“How many materials did you use to refine this blade Gu?” Long Ruoxue walked over with a serious expression, casting a surprised glance at Little moon, who stood beside Long Xuan.

This Ten-Armed Mantis was something she had traded away, completely uninterested in it at the time. But seeing its strength today, far surpassing her own blade Gu, left her shocked.

She felt like she had been slapped in the face at light speed, now doubting whether she had misjudged the mantis and accidentally given away a treasure defying the heavens.

Was the deformity of the Ten-Armed Mantis actually not a flaw, but an advantage? She was no longer sure.

Upon hearing Long Ruoxue’s question, Long Xuan casually replied, “Not much, just over ten thousand materials.”

In his heart, he added a private thought: Fifty thousand is also over ten thousand, so technically I'm not wrong.

Had it not seemed too absurd, he might have claimed it required a hundred thousand materials, but that would feel like an insult to her intelligence.

Even so, Long Ruoxue still gasped in shock.

“A blade Gu requiring ten thousand materials? That’s already on par with the Dragon Blood Battle Gu. Its strength must be equivalent as well.”

What shocked her the most was that Long Xuan had succeeded in refining it on his first attempt. He had only refined a Gu once and managed to produce a ten-thousand-material-grade blade Gu.

Long Ruoxue couldn’t remain calm any longer. Was his luck purchased with years of his lifespan? It seemed even Long Ziyan had also successfully refined a ten-thousand-grade blade Gu, and now, Long Ruoxue was truly envious.

Eager to admire his blade, Long Xuan said no more and hurriedly made his way to the small wooden house.

Watching his retreating figure, Long Ruoxue turned to Long Dan, who had just arrived, and furrowed her brow. “I don’t think that mantis’s strength lies in its many arms making it impossible to defend against. Its true power is in the blade technique that allows it to perfectly leverage the advantage of having so many arms.”

“That blade technique is no simple matter. The Ten-Blade Style has never been seen in this world before. It's possible he created it himself. Did you notice any way to counter it?”

Long Dan took a deep breath, remaining silent for a long time. His gaze grew serious as he said, “The only way to counter it that I can see is: don't engage it in blade combat. Don’t challenge it in any kind of weapon-based duel. Otherwise, you’re as good as dead.”

“If he really did invent this blade technique, then he’s truly a once-in-a-generation genius!”

Long Ruoxue gave him a sidelong glance. She had asked how to counter the technique, and though he answered, it felt like he hadn’t said anything at all.

...

In the following days, the body refiners outside the formation remained persistent, launching continual assaults on the Geng Metal ore vein, even attacking day and night without rest.

Though the formation master had died, the formation could still be broken by brute force. Unfortunately, the body cultivators outside were unusually strong, wielding massive hammers and relentlessly pounding the barrier, causing it to flash with intense light.

It wasn't just a matter of whether the barrier could withstand the constant attacks of the body cultivators. Even if it could, the cost of the spirit stones consumed by the formation each day was astronomical.

Thus, whenever the barrier was on the verge of being shattered by the body cultivators, Long Gang had no choice but to organize a team to rush out of the formation and prioritize killing the hammer-wielding body cultivators. Once the barrier was repaired, they would retreat again.

However, while the barrier was being restored, Long Clan Gu cultivators were left dead on the battlefield outside every time. If this kept up, their manpower would gradually dwindle, and it would only be a matter of time before the Geng Metal ore vein was lost.

The faces of all the Long Clan Gu cultivators within the formation darkened with worry. They now regretted killing all the Bai Clan Gu cultivators here.

If they had left a large number of Bai Clan Gu cultivators to share the burden, this battle would have been much easier.

Meanwhile, the relentless battles had allowed the Ten-Armed Blade Gu to establish a fearsome reputation.

In every skirmish, the Ten-Armed Blade Gu slaughtered enemies indiscriminately, striking fear into the body refining cultivators outside. Just the mention of it caused them to pale.

The Ten-Armed Blade Gu had become infamous among the enemy forces. In every battle, dealing with this Ten-Armed Blade Gu became their most difficult challenge.

So many famous experts had already fallen to its ten blades in an attempt to subdue it.

This was largely because the attackers were almost all body cultivators, and those who specialized in using metal-based tools needed Geng Metal the most. That’s why almost all the attackers were body cultivators, and they were no match for the Ten-Armed Blade Gu.

Had the attackers been Gu cultivators instead, the Ten-Armed Blade Gu wouldn’t have been able to kill so easily.

As its owner, Long Xuan had mostly stayed out of the action. His main body remained inside the wooden house cultivating, while he sent out his clone to participate in battles.

Although he was confident in his invincibility among his peers, he still feared that some unscrupulous Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivator might suddenly sneak attack him without honor.

Who could guarantee such a thing wouldn’t happen? So, being cautious by nature, he chose to avoid battles and hide in the wooden house, shamelessly becoming a deserter.

But this day, the peace inside the wooden house was suddenly broken as the door was kicked open.

“Long Xuan, quickly use the Sou Gu House to escape! We can’t hold this place any longer!”

Long Ruoxue shouted this into the house before anxiously running off.

“What?” Long Xuan was shocked and hurriedly stood up.

They couldn’t hold the Geng Metal ore vein? What had happened? How could it have fallen so suddenly?

Wait a minute! How did Long Ruoxue know his main body was here? Did that mean she knew he had been hiding like a deserter all this time?

How embarrassing...

........................................................................

Read extra chapters on >>> patreon.com/SpiritStonetranslation

Comments 43

  1. Online Offline
    Immortal_Dragon_God
    + 20 -
    Quick question is spirit stone translation the one posting these chapters on Ranobes?
    Read more
    1. Offline
      panic
      + 20 -
      Thanks for the chapters! doge

      Read more
      --------------------
      only we
      1. Online Offline
        Immortal_Dragon_God
        + 30 -
        Ok thank you. But now I wonder how he knew to block me Yolks17

        Also your welcome
        Read more
  2. Online Offline
    Immortal_Dragon_God
    + 00 -
    I don't call myself a hero. I just let others do it for me.

    Chapter 209: The New Plan of the Great Yin Dynasty

    Long Xuan hurriedly ran out of the small wooden hut, only to see that there were actually ten Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivators fiercely attacking the formation from outside.

    There were also at least three times more people outside than usual, all staring viciously at the people inside the formation, grinning menacingly.

    Seeing this, Long Xuan was startled. So many people suddenly appeared, with just the ten Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivators alone. It would be a miracle if they could defend against this.

    Escaping was their only option now; the Geng Metal ore vein was no longer worth keeping.



    At this moment, the surviving Gu cultivators inside the formation were hurriedly running towards the direction of the Suo Gu huts, their expressions anxious and tense, but they were still retreating in an orderly fashion, without any chaos.

    There were at least dozens of Suo Gu huts on the field, seemingly sent as reinforcements from the Long Clan. The ordinary Suo Gu of the Long Clan Gu cultivators didn’t have the ability to teleport living people for now.

    With these dozens of Suo Gu huts, it probably wouldn’t take long to transfer all the people here. The Gu cultivators from the Great Yin Dynasty outside were destined to come up empty-handed.

    However, Long Gang was still frowning. Even though they would survive this calamity, he was still deeply worried.

    Long Gang sighed and said in a troubled tone, “What a pity. Once we leave, the fact that Suo Gu huts can teleport living beings is bound to be exposed.”

    “Although we’ll survive, once it's revealed that our clan possesses the technology to teleport living beings, who knows how many people will covet it? We’re completely unprepared for that.”

    “Although the people here will be saved, this decision will leave a hidden danger for our clan. I don’t know if it was the right or wrong decision.”

    Long Xunhuan smiled bitterly and said, “In the end, we’re benefiting from Long Dan and Long Xuan. These two geniuses must not be lost. The clan will protect them at all costs.”

    “If these two weren’t here today, the clan would probably have abandoned this place. Everyone here would be dead, and we couldn’t count on the clan to rescue us.”

    “The clan’s upper echelons are not saints. In the grand scheme of things, we would just be sacrificed, so what?”

    “Haha! I guess we should thank them.” Long Zhan sighed. “Whether it’s worth it or not doesn’t matter. This was definitely a decision made collectively by the clan’s upper echelons after fully weighing the pros and cons. Since they decided this, it must be worth it.”

    “They’ve almost all left. Let’s go quickly too.”

    The two nodded together, and Long Gang said, “You go first. I’ll be the last to leave.”

    “Someone still needs to collect those small huts. These huts are quite expensive, and leaving them behind would be a waste.”

    This was one of the drawbacks of the Suo Gu; after teleporting, it couldn’t bring the Suo Gu hut with it and had to leave it in its original location.

    This was also why Long Qian had to leave one of the Suo Gu huts next to Long Xuan’s cubic formation.

    Long Xuan had fully considered this and didn’t want to leave his own Suo Gu hut for the enemy, so he chose to teleport using one of the dozens of other Suo Gu huts, instead of his own.

    As soon as he was teleported to the other side of the Suo Gu hut, he heard a deafening explosion, making his ears buzz.

    He instinctively covered his ears and looked up at the sky. When he saw the fire from the explosions filling the barrier in the sky, he was stunned.

    How many artillery battalions were there? Why did he feel like he had just escaped the wolf’s den, only to enter the tiger’s mouth? This place seemed even more dangerous than the Geng Metal ore vein.

    Damn, that was careless. He should have used his own Suo Gu hut. Where had he teleported to now?

    Fortunately, his worries didn’t last long, as the explosions soon stopped.

    The sky was filled with the smoke of war, but no more shells were falling. It was finally quiet.

    “The shelling stopped? What’s going on? Did they run out of ammunition?” Long Qian muttered in surprise.

    Long Yuanshan smiled bitterly and said helplessly, “When you know that a fortress has a small door through which countless reinforcements and resources like spirit stones and war supplies can instantly arrive, would you still attack it?”

    Hearing this, Long Qian was stunned, then overjoyed. “The Patriarch means that they won’t attack Blackstone City anymore? They might even retreat?”

    Long Yuanshan looked in the direction outside the city. There was a clear disturbance in the Great Yin Dynasty’s camp, and the Gu cultivators there were loudly discussing something, their emotions running high.

    Long Yuanshan’s bitter smile deepened as he sighed, “Blackstone City can now instantly teleport a large number of reinforcements, even hundreds of Gu Kings. Under such circumstances, it’s impossible to take Blackstone City no matter what.”

    “If that’s the case, why would they continue attacking Blackstone City? Retreating is their only option. As long as they’re not stupid, they’ll withdraw today. Staying here any longer would be meaningless.”

    “Of course, when I say retreat, I don’t mean they’ll withdraw from the Western Lands; they just won’t target Blackstone City anymore.”

    “The appearance of the Suo Gu has disrupted their plans. They’ll have to come up with a new battle strategy. Their original plan to quickly destroy Blackstone City is definitely scrapped.”

    “Now, we should focus on how to deal with the various families in the city. Hiding this ability during wartime is bound to leave some people resentful.” Long Yuanshan smiled wryly.

    “There’s nothing to explain. Just say that the technology to teleport living people was only developed in the last few days. They can’t do anything to us.” Long Qian said dismissively.

    As expected by Long Yuanshan, after the sound of artillery fire ceased, the army of the Great Yin Dynasty quickly retreated, leaving the entire city in a state of bewilderment.

    Upon hearing this news, Long Xuan felt relieved. With the main force of the Great Yin Dynasty withdrawn, Blackstone City had now become the safest place in the Western Lands. He no longer intended to run around elsewhere.

    Under the arrangements of the Long Clan, he casually found a house to settle in and continued focusing on cultivating his soul refinement technique.

    As for the upcoming war, he had no intention of participating. Any future combat missions, he would leave to his clone.

    He safely hid himself away, shamelessly becoming a deserter once again.

    ---

    Not far from Blackstone City, a giant teleportation formation stood conspicuously.

    It was a towering silver gate with streams of silver light flowing across it, emitting dazzling radiance. At the center of the gate was a black curtain of light. Although there was no one visible behind it, people occasionally emerged from the black curtain. The area around the teleportation array had long been crowded with people.

    “General Yang, what should we do? The Long Clan has developed technology even cheaper than teleportation formation, allowing them to set up teleportation formation in various cities.”

    “You should understand what this kind of technology means in warfare. If Blackstone City has a teleportation gate to the outside world, we won’t be able to capture it, no matter how many troops we send—even if we deploy four times as many soldiers.”

    An elderly man, at the peak of Gu King cultivation, looked at a burly man in silver armor with a worried expression.

    “It’s come to this. What else can we do? The blitzkrieg strategy is certainly out the window now.”

    The silver-armored man gave him a serious look and said gravely, “There’s no choice; we’ll have to change our battle plans.”

    “The Great Yin Dynasty’s advantage is its overwhelming number of troops, far more than the Western Lands. Given that, we need to maximize our numerical superiority.”

    “My suggestion is to break the army into smaller units and spread them out, sweeping across the surrounding cities and resource points.”

    “As long as we open enough battlefronts at once, their teleportation gates won’t be of any use.”

    “If every city is overwhelmed by its own problems, who will be able to send reinforcements anywhere else?”

    “Before attacking a city, we’ll first attempt to make them surrender. If they refuse, we’ll then proceed to wipe out all the powers in the city.”

    “Our goal is to eliminate as much of the Western Lands’ fighting force as possible and plunder their resources to the greatest extent.”

    “We’ll leave Blackstone City, the hardest nut to crack, for last. By then, all the forces in the Western Lands will have been wiped out.”

    “No matter how many teleportation gates they have, they won’t be able to summon any reinforcements. I’d like to see who could help them then.”

    The silver-armored man’s lips curled into a confident smile, his eyes gleaming with intelligence.

    However, the elder’s face remained troubled as he sighed, “But if we do this, the blitzkrieg will turn into a prolonged war. The Western Lands are vast, and just the marching alone will take a long time. By then, this war could drag on.”

    “And His Majesty’s lifespan is running out. I fear he won’t last much longer. The Living Wood is most likely in the hands of one of the ten clans in the Western Lands. If we don’t destroy them first, His Majesty might not survive until the end of this war.”

    The silver-armored man cast a cold glance at him and replied expressionlessly, “Inspector Wang, are you suggesting we continue to assault Blackstone City?”

    “If you have a brilliant plan to destroy Blackstone City, I will fully support you. But if you don’t, and only suggest sending men to their deaths in a relentless attack, then let me be frank: the Great Yin Dynasty’s army will be dragged to its death here.”

    “If the Great Yin Dynasty suffers heavy losses here, do you think the Xuan Yue Empire won’t seize the opportunity to invade our country? The Great Yin Dynasty would be in grave danger then.”

    “I now leave the choice to you. Whatever you decide, we’ll do. But all the consequences will rest on your shoulders.”

    “This...” Inspector Wang fell silent. This was not a decision he could make on his own.

    After a long time, he let out a heavy sigh and suddenly became furious. “Damn it, how did the Long Clan suddenly develop such an overpowered Gu insect? Ha! Long-distance teleportation of living beings, perfectly replacing teleportation formation—how absurd.”

    “We invested so much in building this large teleportation formation, and they solved the problem with just one Gu insect? Isn’t that too ridiculous?”

    “What’s even more absurd is that it’s a living creature, portable and far more flexible than a fixed teleportation formation. Doesn’t this mean that whenever they encounter danger, they can teleport away instantly? No Long Clan Gu cultivator will ever be killed again! This is completely unfair.”

    The silver-armored man shook his head seriously and replied, “It’s not that exaggerated. After all, it’s not even a peak-grade Gu insect, so it’s not invincible.”

    “Reports from the other side indicate that the teleportation of living beings isn’t instant. If a Long Clan Gu cultivator tries to escape using it in the midst of battle, they’d essentially be courting death.”

    “Unless the enemy reacts too slowly, a Long Clan Gu cultivator won’t be able to teleport away during combat.”

    “Besides, every Gu insect has a countermeasure, especially one that’s not even peak-grade. There must be many ways to neutralize it.”

    “There are plenty of ways to render teleportation formation ineffective, so there must be even more methods to neutralize this thing.”

    “However, it will take time to research ways to counter it. In the meantime, we must kill more Long Clan Gu cultivators and study methods to suppress this new Gu insect.”

    “Once we can neutralize Blackstone City’s teleportation gates, we’ll be able to attack the city, and we’ll find the Living Wood before His Majesty’s lifespan ends.”

    “But until then, we can’t waste time here. We must eliminate as much of the Western Lands’ fighting force as possible and plunder their resources to support the war.”

    “This is the plan, whether it’s a blitzkrieg or a prolonged war!”

    The silver-armored man’s tiger-like eyes glared in the direction of Blackstone City, filled with a fierce, murderous intent.
    Read more
    1. Online Offline
      Immortal_Dragon_God
      + 00 -
      Heroes aren't born. They're made. Except for me. I was born this way.
      Chapter 210: The Success of the Medicinal Gu

      Due to the emergence of the Suo Gu, this war started shifting into a prolonged conflict. The lightning assault of the Great Yin Dynasty on Blackstone City also transitioned into multi-front warfare, with battles flaring up everywhere in the Western Lands. The entire region was in complete chaos.

      And this was all caused by the appearance of a single Gu insect.

      The result of a prolonged war was an increasing demand for war supplies, such as Blood-Stopping Pills, Healing Pills, Spirit-Recovering Pills, Exploding Talismans, and various life-saving spiritual artifacts. The demand skyrocketed, and so did their prices.

      One particular merchant guild made a fortune from the war. Qian Jinjin had stockpiled a massive amount of war supplies at low prices years ago and was now selling them at exorbitant rates on both sides of the conflict, making an enormous profit.

      Gu cultivators from both sides cursed them as a profiteer.

      As the war dragged on and the number of battlefronts increased, the cities of the Western Lands struggled to cope. They couldn’t unite their forces, and Blackstone City’s various clans were stretched thin, constantly scrambling to reclaim lost mines, only to lose them again the next day in endless, bloody battles over the same resources.

      Almost all major resource points and cities were engulfed in conflict. Every day, clan leaders had piles of letters on their tables, issuing countless tasks to their Gu cultivators.

      These cultivators were constantly rushing between locations, defending or attacking mines, or providing support. There was no rest—every day brought more tasks.

      The only exception was Long Xuan, who remained remarkably idle. He took on no tasks himself, delegating any unavoidable missions to his clones, while he secluded himself in a chamber, focusing on cultivating his techniques, refusing to be disturbed.

      A year passed in this manner. During this year, Long Xuan completed the first layer of his Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art, which was fairly straightforward, taking just a year.

      He also mastered the soul technique "Soul Library", which accelerated his thinking. Once you grasped the key, it wasn’t too difficult to realize this method.

      However, the second soul technique, Heavenly Demon God-Devouring Divine Technique, was far more challenging. While he knew how to execute it, it would take a vast amount of time—far more than just a year.

      This soul technique was incredibly powerful. A technique like this couldn’t be perfected in a short time, and Long Xuan had prepared himself for the long haul.

      Still, he had already mastered the core aspects of the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Technique, enough to cultivate during the Spirit Gathering stage. He was now ready to attempt his first soul split and officially begin practicing the technique.

      However, he considered the technique too dangerous to risk himself, so he tasked his Fire Clone with cultivating it instead.

      He sent the clone to the far west, near the Soul-Nourishing Tree, to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Technique.

      This soul-splitting technique was risky. Without strong innate soul power and the support of a Soul-Nourishing Tree, anyone attempting it would surely die.

      Moreover, splitting the soul was excruciatingly painful, a torment worse than death.

      And the cultivation process required splitting the soul multiple times, each split bringing more agony.

      Practicing the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Technique was an act of self-torture, a brutal, relentless suffering.

      So, Long Xuan wasn’t about to practice it himself; he preferred to have his clone endure the torment while he reaped the rewards.

      In that year, the Medicinal Gu was also successfully cultivated. It appeared as a cute, green caterpillar, capable of secreting a green spirit liquid that could rapidly mature spiritual herbs.

      Long Xuan named this liquid Heavenly Creation Liquid. Just a single drop could increase the age of any spiritual herb by a hundred years.

      However, the Medicinal Gu had a cooldown period after producing a drop of the elixir.

      The length of this cooldown was hard to predict, as it depended on how well the Medicinal Gu was fed.

      Being a caterpillar, the Medicinal Gu ate leaves—the higher the quality of the leaves, the faster it could produce the Heavenly Creation Liquid.

      It was quite the spectacle, as this Medicinal Gu now had to compete with the Heavenly Dream Dragon Silkworm for food. Their diets and evolution materials were exactly the same, which would surely lead to conflict over resources in the future.

      Long Xuan had his Fire Clone take the Medicinal Gu to the herb garden, so that while cultivating the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art, it could also use the Medicinal Gu to accelerate the growth of the Divine Dragon Trees.

      Many other significant events occurred during this year, the most notable being the emergence of many genius warriors through the war.

      These individuals possessed combat power that defied their peers, slaughtering countless fellow Gu cultivators of the same level, and became famous across both camps. They became so feared that just mentioning their names struck terror into the hearts of their enemies.

      These individuals were hailed as the "Ten Demonic Prodigies" of the Western Lands and the " Ten Heavenly Talents" of the Great Yin Dynasty.

      Ranked first among the Ten Demonic Prodigies was Long Dan. His Evil Dragon Emperor Eye, empowered by his Limit-Breaking Gu, could break through all laws of the world.

      Under his gaze, no one of the same level could withstand a single blow. The geniuses of the Great Yin Dynasty, particularly those at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing stage, were slain by him in droves, with more than a dozen already falling to his hand.

      Long Xuan ranked seventh among the Ten Demonic Prodigies of the Western Lands. Despite his lethargic attitude, sending clones to handle battles for him, he still earned the title.

      Even though he was lazy in combat, his clones alone were enough to dominate his peers.

      His clones practiced the highest-level techniques, body arts, and spiritual arts. Combined with his Ten Absolute Body and bizarre mutated spiritual power, they were nearly unbeatable for anyone of the same rank.

      Even without giving his clones his best Gu insects, their sheer combat power allowed them to crush their peers.

      Thus, Long Xuan gained immense fame by doing very little. His reputation soared in his camp, and countless young talents worshipped him, constantly seeking his friendship.

      Long Xuan found this quite bothersome. He preferred to keep a low profile, as being too conspicuous could bring unnecessary trouble.

      Currently, on both sides of the battlefield, these twenty individuals were at the peak of their fame. They had killed countless enemies, achieved numerous merits, and became red-hot, star-level figures whose names were known far and wide.

      That day, after all tasks had been completed, Long Xuan was contemplating whether he should research a particularly long-lasting Gu technique to try in the Soul Library when the Suo Gu came running out from its little house, holding a letter in its mouth.

      Long Xuan had been deeply absorbed in cultivating his techniques, always fearing that Blackstone City might face some sudden upheaval and be breached. So, out of caution, he always kept the Suo Gu’s small house nearby, ready for a quick escape if needed.

      As soon as the Suo Gu emerged, Long Xuan instinctively took the letter and, upon seeing that it was from Wood clone, quickly opened the envelope and began to read.

      Regarding the external war situation, Long Xuan had always let his various clones take turns going into battle, rotating them so they could rest. Today was wood clone on duty, and it seemed the clan had assigned another task.

      The Long Clan had long since established something called the "Long Clan Alliance," so over the past year, the tasks he had been executing were not assigned by the Long Clan of the Western Lands nor by the Long Clan of the Far West. All the tasks he received came from the Long Clan Alliance.

      After opening the envelope, Long Xuan found, as expected, that the letter contained a task assigned by the Long Clan Alliance.

      Tasks issued during wartime were mandatory and left no room for refusal.

      Though wartime tasks were highly dangerous, the rewards were also quite generous. Completing them granted a great amount of contribution points.

      Long Xuan was no longer interested in contribution points, but the task itself piqued his curiosity.

      The gist of the task was that the Bai Clan’s Mithril mine had been occupied by Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty. As an ally, the Long Clan was obligated to send troops to help the Bai Clan reclaim the Mithril mine.

      Upon reading this, Long Xuan’s lips curled into a smile. Anyone with common sense could see that once the Long Clan occupied the Mithril mine, it would never be returned to the Bai Clan. Who would give up such a profitable opportunity?

      “A Mithril mine, huh!” Long Xuan’s eyes lit up, his interest clearly piqued.

      Mithril was second only to Geng Metal in value.

      If Geng Metal was considered the hardest material in the Gu world, then Mithril ranked second. Mithril was equally priceless and extremely rare to come across in the outside world.

      The thought of Mithril was enough to stir greed in Long Xuan's heart.

      As soon as he learned of the Mithril mine, three words immediately flashed through his mind—Mithril Essence. This was a perfect opportunity to seize the Mithril Essence. If he didn’t act now, when would he?

      Excitement flashed in Long Xuan’s eyes, and he immediately decided that his true self would personally undertake this task.

      The clone would not be able to find the Mithril Essence’s location, so the matter required his original self to take action.

      Once the Long Clan captured the Mithril mine, they would undoubtedly need to reorganize the defensive formations and hold it for a while.

      During this time, he could leave his clone outside while his original self sneaked into the mine to excavate the Mithril Essence.

      In this period, he would be able to collect enough Mithril Essence.

      After packing his things, Long Xuan immediately stepped out of his door.

      It had been a year since he last left this small house. It wasn’t easy.

      ...

      Late at night.

      Following the directions in the letter, Long Xuan arrived at a massive underground chamber within the Long Clan’s estate to meet with the others. Since this mission was not to be made public, it was best to keep a low profile and avoid letting other clans know about it.

      As soon as Long Xuan entered the room, all the Long Clan Gu cultivators inside turned their gaze toward him in unison. Many of them had expressions of admiration. His reputation as one of the top ten prodigies of the Western Lands had certainly earned him a lot of admirers.

      Long Xuan nodded in acknowledgment before walking inside.

      He swept his gaze across the room and noted that there were quite a few people present—nearly a thousand, if not more. Despite the size of the underground chamber, it was starting to feel a bit crowded.

      Long Xuan was slightly shocked. The fact that so many people were being mobilized meant that the Long Clan was determined to take control of this Mithril mine.

      With this many people being sent out, it was clear that the Long Clan intended to capture the mine and hold it indefinitely. There was no way they were going to return it to the Bai Clan.

      Not only had the Long Clan deployed close to a thousand Gu cultivators, but among them were one hundred Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators, and four Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivators, led by none other than Long Qian himself.

      The Long Clan was clearly going all out; they would not stop until the Mithril mine was theirs.

      As Long Xuan walked in, Long Qian immediately turned his head toward him and said, “Long Xuan, among the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty guarding the Mithril mine, there is one named Ye Xiu. He ranks fifth among the top ten prodigies of Great Yin.”

      “I’m leaving him to you. You are only allowed to win this battle, not lose.”

      “The Great Yin Dynasty has an abundance of Body Refiners, so their numbers will surpass ours at the mine.”

      “But our clan is fighting on multiple fronts, and this is the most manpower we can spare.”

      “You must kill him quickly to crush their morale and boost ours. Only then will we have a chance to capture the Mithril mine in one fell swoop. Understand?”
      Read more
      1. Online Offline
        Immortal_Dragon_God
        + 00 -
        Call me big brother and maybe I'll keep this up.
        Chapter 211: Innate Spiritual Treasure

        What else could Long Xuan say? He could only nod in agreement.

        At this moment, his heart was filled with frustration. He had planned to take things easy, but unexpectedly, he was assigned the most troublesome task right away, along with a mandatory order—he had no choice but to fight.

        It's worth noting that in large-scale wars within the Gu world, there exists an unspoken rule: high-realm cultivators cannot attack lower-realm cultivators unless it's in self-defense or for a justified reason.

        In other words, a Gu King or a cultivator at the Spiritual Sea stage cannot lower themselves to slaughter the enemy's geniuses. However, the gap between the Marrow Cleansing stage and the Spirit Gathering stage is not insurmountable, so they are not subject to this restriction.

        This is an unwritten rule that has existed since ancient times, and no one dares to break it. Otherwise, it would open Pandora's box, and the side that breaks the rule would inevitably suffer a severe backlash.

        If a Gu King were to attack and kill a genius, there would be no reason for failure. Once this precedent is set, no genius from any clan would survive. In the end, it would lead to mutual destruction, as the death of a generation's genius could cause a clan to decline, possibly never to rise again.

        No one can bear the consequences of such actions. Thus, in the Gu world, every war is fought between generals against generals, kings against kings, and cannon fodder against cannon fodder.

        While there have been those who broke the rules, their outcomes were always tragic. Not only were their geniuses killed, but all their clan members, including mortals with even the faintest blood ties, were massacred by the Gu King, leaving only a shell of their former clan.

        Therefore, Long Qian could not personally fight Ye Xiu, who was the target. He could only send Long Xuan, a genius of equal rank, to counterbalance him. That was the reason Long Xuan was brought along for this mission.

        However, unless absolutely necessary, Long Xuan was reluctant to reveal himself. Even though the rules prevented Gu Kings from attacking geniuses, throughout history, there had always been exceptions, albeit rare.

        Some Gu Kings had secretly assassinated geniuses without anyone knowing, and since they left no trace, it remained undetected.

        Such incidents were not impossible. Long Xuan, being naturally cautious, was always on guard against such possibilities.

        That’s why, in every battle, he sent a clone to keep a low profile, never daring to fully reveal himself. But this time, he had no choice; he had been specifically named.

        Afterward, Long Qian briefly explained the mission plan to everyone, emphasizing how to break the protective formation around the Mithril Mine. He then took out a Suo Gu Hut and announced their departure.

        At this point, the method by which the Suo Gu could evolve to transport living beings had long been spread throughout the clan. Since outsiders already knew this secret, the Long Clan saw no reason to hide it any longer.

        Now, any Long Clan Gu cultivator carried a Suo Gu capable of teleporting living beings.

        Moreover, the Long Clan had already hidden a hundred Suo Gu Houses in a concealed location near the Mithril Mine. As long as they knew the coordinates of these houses, the entire group could be teleported directly.

        It was like a surprise army descending from the sky. With this method, they could launch surprise attacks anywhere, making it nearly impossible for the enemy to defend against.

        The Long Clan had been using this tactic all year, continuously harassing the Great Yin Dynasty’s weaker forces. Each time they attacked unexpectedly and fled using the Suo Gu Houses when reinforcements arrived, enraging the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty to no end.

        The Great Yin Dynasty was powerless to defend against an enemy that could appear anywhere at any time, and for the moment, they were stuck in an exhausting stalemate.

        This had also sped up the Great Yin Dynasty's research into methods to counter the Suo Gu.

        Before long, a hundred peculiar small houses in a concealed cave near the Mithril Mine began to shake, and one by one, black-clad Long Clan Gu cultivators emerged from them.

        In no time, the cave was packed with Long Clan Gu cultivators.

        A massive force of Gu cultivators had thus suddenly appeared next to the Mithril Mine, but the Gu cultivators guarding the mine for the Great Yin Dynasty remained completely unaware. Who wouldn’t have a headache facing such a sneaky opponent?

        The Great Yin Dynasty had already suffered countless losses at the hands of the Long Clan. Until they discovered a way to counter the Suo Gu, this tactic seemed unbeatable.

        Inside the cave, all the Long Clan Gu cultivators wore solemn expressions. No one dared to speak, and the silence was almost suffocating, with only the sound of rapid breathing hinting at their nervousness.

        When everyone had assembled, Long Qian finally broke the tense atmosphere in the cave. He shouted, "Alright! Follow me and kill! Let's do this!"

        With that, Long Qian roared, tearing through his clothes as he transformed into a half-dragon humanoid form. With one powerful kick, he smashed through the rock blocking the cave entrance and led the charge.

        The Long Clan Gu cultivators immediately felt their morale surge. With a collective shout, they rushed out of the cave, heading straight for the Mithril Mine not far away.

        "Charge with me!"

        "Kill!"

        "Forward!"



        With each battle cry, the protective formation around the mine collapsed almost instantly, and a large wave of Long Clan Gu cultivators flooded the Mithril Mine, killing everyone they encountered.

        This Mithril Mine had been held by the Bai Clan for a year. Despite their efforts, after suffering heavy losses, the Bai Clan’s forces had been overtaken by the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty just a few days ago.

        The Great Yin Dynasty hadn't had time to set up a strong formation, and with Long Qian, a master of formations, on the Long Clan's side, the protective formation was as fragile as paper.

        Under Long Qian's guidance, the Long Clan Gu cultivators relentlessly attacked the weak points of the formation, causing it to collapse almost instantly.

        The speed of the formation’s destruction was shocking, and the sudden appearance of the Long Clan cultivators left the Great Yin Dynasty’s forces completely unprepared.

        Many of them were still asleep when they were torn apart by the invading Long Clan Gu cultivators, dying in utter frustration.

        In the blink of an eye, the forces guarding the mine suffered heavy losses.

        "You seek death!"

        Soon, an enraged voice echoed from the camp, followed by the explosive release of Spiritual Sea-stage Gu cultivators’ auras. Figures from the Spiritual Sea stage quickly emerged from the depths of the camp.

        They didn’t even have time to dress properly, grabbing their insect rearing bags and storage bags as they rushed out.

        There was no time for talk. The Spiritual Sea-stage Gu cultivators of both sides immediately clashed, engaging in a fierce battle.

        The chaos generated by the Spiritual Sea-stage Gu cultivators was immense. Both sides fought with everything they had, unleashing their full power. The aftershocks of their battle collapsed many buildings.

        Lower-realm Gu cultivators nearby paled in fear, quickly retreating to a safe distance.

        On the outskirts of the Spiritual Sea-stage battlefield, Marrow Cleansing-stage Gu cultivators were also locked in combat. Some were fighting one-on-two, others three-on-one, creating a scene of utter chaos.

        Further out, the largest battlefield was among the Spirit Gathering-stage Gu cultivators. Their numbers were overwhelming, and the fight was a chaotic melee, resembling chickens pecking at each other.

        The Spirit Gathering-stage battlefield surrounded the Marrow Cleansing-stage and Spiritual Sea-stage battlefields, with battle cries echoing from all directions.

        For a moment, the battle was locked in a stalemate, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

        Although the Long Clan had the advantage of a surprise attack, catching the Great Yin Dynasty off guard and inflicting heavy losses before the battle had even started, the fight quickly turned into a fierce struggle.

        However, the number of body refiners in the Great Yin Dynasty was simply too vast, and the dynasty was planning to use a large number of these body refiners for mining.

        Thus, including the miners who were going to extract Mithril, the Great Yin Dynasty had more than two thousand people stationed at this mine.

        If it weren't for the fact that body refiners had low combat strength, if all these people were Gu cultivators, even if the Long Clan had the courage of 800 warriors, they wouldn’t dare attack this mine.

        "Damn it! Which bunch of bastards dared to disturb my beautiful dream! I see you’ve all grown tired of living!"

        At that moment, a fat man with bloodshot eyes stormed out of a house, angrily glaring with murderous eyes at the Gu cultivators fighting near his residence.

        "All of you, go to hell!"

        He took out a green bead from his storage ring, and immediately, a cloud of toxic mist was released. The poison was extremely potent, killing anyone it touched instantly. Those affected fell to the ground in the blink of an eye, not even having time to scream in pain.

        In an instant, swathes of Gu cultivators from the Long Clan dropped dead. However, the poison mist was an area attack, and since the Long Clan's Gu cultivators were entangled with people from the Great Yin Dynasty, it also caused collateral damage, killing many from the Great Yin Dynasty as well.

        "Die! All of you, just die!"

        The fat man, clearly having a bad temper after being woken up, began a killing spree, madly slaughtering even his own people.

        Under his rampage, both Spirit Gathering stage and Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators were killed in large numbers, leaving everyone in shock and terror. They quickly distanced themselves from the battlefield.

        "It's Ye Xiu! Run!"

        "He's going on another killing spree! Get away from him!"

        "Shit! Is he insane? The forces are in a mixed battle, and he still dares to use the Ten Thousand Poison Bead!"

        ...

        Hearing the chaotic shouts, Long Xuan's ears twitched. So, this was Ye Xiu? And the bead in his hand was the legendary Ten Thousand Poison Bead. Long Xuan showed a look of surprise.

        His clone had read extensively and indeed came across records about the Ten Thousand Poison Bead.

        In this world, artifact refiners could use various materials to craft powerful spiritual artifacts, with the most powerful being peak-grade spiritual artifacts.

        However, some spiritual artifacts in this world weren’t crafted by artifact refiners; they were naturally born from the heavens and earth, extremely rare and impossible to replicate.

        These naturally born spiritual artifacts are called Innate Spiritual Treasures. They are extraordinarily powerful, far surpassing even the strongest peak-grade spiritual artifacts.

        Each Innate Spiritual Treasure has a heaven-defying ability, and obtaining one makes one invincible within the same realm.

        The most powerful Innate Spiritual Treasures even possess the power to destroy the heavens and the earth, unique in the world, capable of conquering entire realms.

        Although the Ten Thousand Poison Bead wasn’t the strongest of the Innate Spiritual Treasures, it was still ranked in the middle among them.

        The ability of the Ten Thousand Poison Bead is to absorb and release all kinds of poison.

        No matter what kind of poison a Gu cultivator is afflicted with, the Ten Thousand Poison Bead can absorb it, while it can also collect countless other types of poison and release them in battle.

        The toxic mist that the Ten Thousand Poison Bead just released was a fusion of countless poisons, making it extremely lethal.

        The fat man’s Ten Thousand Poison Bead had likely absorbed at least ten thousand types of poisons. The toxicity produced by the fusion of so many poisons was unimaginable. Anyone who touched it was doomed to die, with no cure.

        That’s why the Ten Thousand Poison Bead was a devastating weapon on the battlefield. A single sweep of its poison mist could decimate an entire army.

        It was said that whenever this fat man appeared on the battlefield, the forces of the Western Land suffered massive losses. It was thanks to the Ten Thousand Poison Bead that he gained such a formidable reputation during this war, striking fear into the hearts of the Western Land's Gu cultivators.

        But if anyone thought that all his combat strength came from the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, they would be gravely mistaken.

        His personal combat power was equally terrifying. Otherwise, the Ten Thousand Poison Bead would have long been taken by others, and he wouldn't have earned the title of one of the Great Yin Dynasty’s Ten Heavenly Talents.

        Ye Xiu had cultivated a powerful poison technique. This technique was extremely overbearing, requiring him to devour various toxins for cultivation, making it extremely dangerous.

        His poison cultivation technique and the Ten Thousand Poison Bead were a perfect match, complementing each other. By absorbing the heaven-defying poisons within the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.

        He had become a "poisoned person." Even without the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, he could release poison on his own, wiping out swathes of enemies. Once on the battlefield, he was a one-man army annihilator, capable of destroying entire armies by himself.

        However, it was precisely because the poison within the Ten Thousand Poison Bead was so strong that it caused a backlash. Ye Xiu seemed to have damaged his mind from absorbing too much poison, which made his mental state extremely unstable.

        He acted like a madman, violent and bloodthirsty, prone to launching mass killings at the slightest provocation. Once he lost control, he would even kill his own people.

        Long Xuan’s expression grew serious as he watched the fat man’s cruel demeanor. Seeing him about to release the poison mist for another massacre, Long Xuan finally rushed forward.

        He couldn't allow him to continue the slaughter. He had to find a way to get him away from the battlefield. Otherwise, the Long Clan would surely lose this battle.

        Long Xuan’s mission this time was to counterbalance this person named Ye Xiu. Now wasn’t the time to hold back. Even though he came for the Mithril inside, he decided to go all out and use all his strength in this fight.

        (End of Chapter)
        Read more
        1. Online Offline
          Immortal_Dragon_God
          + 00 -
          Call me Master and I might take you in as a disciple.

          Chapter 212: The Eccentric Long Xuan

          "Die! All of you, just die already!"

          The fat man was still arrogantly roaring when suddenly, his hand felt empty. He quickly looked down, only to find that the Ten Thousand Poison Bead in his hand had disappeared into thin air. He was stunned, and when he tried to grasp it again, his prized pearl was nowhere to be found.

          Upon seeing a small four-legged snake flying away, clutching his Ten Thousand Poison Bead, his face instantly twisted with rage.

          "Dammit! You dare touch my stuff? You're courting death!"

          Ye Xiu (Fatty Ye) cursed the four-legged snake angrily and chased after it.

          As he stormed through the battlefield, everyone in the midst of combat turned pale with fear and quickly stopped fighting, moving as far away from him as possible.

          In no time, Ye Xiu was lured away from the battlefield, running farther and farther from the crowd. Long Xuan followed closely behind, pursuing at a quick pace.

          Once both of them had left, the path they had taken closed up, and the two warring sides resumed their fierce battle.

          With the seventh-ranked genius now holding off that guy, the Long Clan's Gu Masters breathed a sigh of relief. Without needing to constantly guard against the fatty, their combat power suddenly increased by thirty percent.

          Despite Ye Xiu round, nearly ball-like figure, his speed was surprisingly fast. Several times, he almost managed to catch up to the Dragon Gu.

          However, the Dragon Gu had the ability to teleport, and it seemed to be deliberately teasing him. It would only teleport at the last moment, right when Ye Xiu was about to grab it, disappearing into thin air with a mischievous smile, driving him into a fit of rage.

          "You little pest! How dare you toy with me? I'll skin you alive!"

          "So, you can teleport, huh? Let's see you teleport when I fill the entire area with poison! Let's see where you go then!"

          Ye Xiu, thoroughly provoked, unleashed a cloud of toxic gas. Centered around him, the plants and trees in the vicinity quickly withered.

          Within just a few breaths, the entire space was filled with poisonous fumes.

          The range of the poison was vast.

          All the surrounding plants, insects, birds, and beasts were killed instantly. The vegetation turned yellow and wilted, and the ground was littered with the corpses of various creatures. The area became a death zone, eerily silent, devoid of all life.

          The Dragon Gu's teleportation domain was now completely filled with the toxic fumes. No matter where it teleported, it would land directly into the poisonous gas. With no space to escape, it could only give up and was instantly engulfed by the poison.

          "Hmph! Run! Keep running! Let’s see where you run off to this time!" Ye Xiu grinned wickedly. But as he watched the Dragon Gu continue to bounce around despite his poison, completely unaffected, his grin froze, leaving him stunned.

          It wasn't until the Dragon Gu suddenly teleported onto a person's shoulder, and that person casually retrieved the Ten Thousand Poison Bead from its grasp, playing with it in his hand, that Ye Xiu narrowed his eyes, a serious expression appearing on his face.

          That person had actually walked straight into his poisonous gas and was completely unaffected. Ye Xiu was shocked.

          How could this be? The poison from the Ten Thousand Poison Bead was identical to the one in the gas. No one should be able to withstand the venom from the pearl. Yet this person was resisting it, walking freely through the poison. How was that possible?

          He saw the blue smoke rising from both the four-legged snake and the person's body, with faint black light swirling on their skin under the corrosive effect of the poison. A suspicion began to form in his mind.

          "You freak! Wearing a transparent silkworm armor is one thing, but you even went and tailored one for your Gu insect. You're an absolute weirdo!"

          Ye Xiu's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Customizing a silkworm armor for a Gu insect was unheard of, a bizarre tale that would go down in history. This guy was an absolute oddball, as if he had some serious mental illness.

          Long Xuan paused for a moment, surprised that this guy, who didn’t seem that bright, could see through his poison resistance strategy so quickly.

          Indeed, Long Xuan had equipped the Dragon Gu with a Soul Armor. In fact, except for the Earth Master Gu, which was too large and would waste too much fabric, he had outfitted all his Gu insects with Soul Armor. Each had their own set—it was absolutely insane. Anyone who saw it would be dumbfounded.

          The Soul Armor naturally had poison resistance abilities. It didn’t interfere with vision, breathing, or hearing and provided complete protection with no weak points anywhere on the body.

          Not only was Long Xuan's Soul Armor resistant to poison, but his Water Bear Gu was also highly resistant to toxins. With both internal and external defenses, it wasn’t easy for Ye Xiu to poison him.

          "You led me here because you were worried that my poison gas would kill all the Long Clan’s Gu Masters, right? If I unleash my poison, hardly anyone on the battlefield would survive."

          "But let me tell you something—only in a place like this, where no one else is around, am I at my strongest. Here, I can freely use my trump cards, ones I can’t afford to reveal in front of others."

          "You, on the other hand, brought me to this desolate place—you’re just asking to die. You may be clever, but you’re only dooming yourself. Instead of worrying about others, you should worry about your own life first!"

          Ye Xiu sneered coldly and pulled out three top-grade Gu insects from his Insect Pouch—a snake, a centipede, and a mantis. All three were completely immune to the poison and swiftly charged at Long Xuan.

          "So, this is your hidden trump card? Just three peak-grade Gu insects?"

          Long Xuan smirked. Ye Xiu, unable to reveal his cards in front of others, could only unleash his full power here in this desolate place. But wasn't that also the same for Long Xuan?

          He too had a horde of peak-grade Gu insects, which he couldn’t casually reveal on the battlefield in front of so many people. Like Ye Xiu, Long Xuan was also at his strongest only in a place like this.

          Little White, the Water Bear Gu, Eye Of Heavenly Secret, and Heavenly Dream Dragon Silkworm—none of these peak-grade Gu insects had ever been revealed in front of anyone.

          Year after year, he intentionally hid his true strength, never participating in any clan competitions. For any tasks, he would send his clones to handle them. His peak-grade Gu insects had long rusted from disuse. Now, with no one around, it seemed like a good opportunity to let them out and stretch their muscles a bit.

          After all, you raise Gu for a thousand days to use them in a critical moment. They couldn’t continue freeloading without earning their keep, especially Little white (wine Gu)—lazy, cunning, and greedy. It was about time it did some work.

          Long Xuan smiled as he reached into his insect nurturing bag, pulling out Little white and the Blade Gu. He tossed Little white, the Blade Gu, and the Dragon Gu on his shoulder toward the three incoming peak-grade Gu insects.

          The six peak-grade Gu insects immediately clashed fiercely. The Dragon Gu faced off against the centipede, Xiao Bai wrestled with the serpent, and the mantis squared off against its counterpart.

          For a moment, the battle between the six peak-grade Gu insects was evenly matched.

          Long Xuan was taken aback. He hadn’t expected the opponent’s peak-grade Gu insects to be so strong, not falling instantly to his own.

          Now he understood why Ye Xiu was hesitant to reveal those three peak-grade Gu insects in front of others—these three Gu were simply too powerful.

          However, he quickly made sense of it. Every time Ye Xiu entered the battlefield, people fell in droves. He collected storage bags until his hands were numb, amassing mountains of resources. It was no surprise he had refined some heaven-defying Gu insects. If his Gu weren’t powerful, "that" would be the strange thing.

          Seeing that his opponent’s Gu could contend with his own three peak-grade Gu and that his own Gu were starting to lose ground, Ye Xiu was momentarily stunned.

          Noticing that none of his opponent’s Gu feared his poisonous aura, Ye Xiu’s lips twitched in disbelief. Well now, it seemed his opponent had dressed all their Gu insects in silk armor—what a bizarre person.

          Recognizing the unmistakable ten-armed mantis, Ye Xiu immediately guessed his opponent’s identity and laughed, “So, it’s Long Xuan, ranked seventh on the Western Demonic Prodigy Rankings. A pleasure to meet you.”

          “I didn’t expect you to have more than just a ten-armed Blade Gu. Your ranking is too low.”

          “But my rank shouldn’t be only fifth either. As a Gu cultivator, your strength shouldn’t rely solely on your Gu. In my presence, Gu strength is useless. Let me experience the skills of the seventh-ranked Demonic Prodigy!”

          Ye Xiu sneered disdainfully, then charged toward Long Xuan.

          Since his Gu weren’t enough to win, he would go after the source—defeat the master, and no matter how powerful the Gu were, they would die instantly.

          Ye Xiu had full confidence in his poison arts. He didn’t need to heavily injure his opponent; just a scratch would do. He believed his poison was potent enough to kill upon contact with blood.

          No one could engage in close combat with him, a poison master.

          “Oh, really?”

          As Ye Xiu rushed toward him, Long Xuan smirked and aimed the Ten Thousand Poison Bead at him.

          In an instant, the surrounding poisonous gas was frantically absorbed by the Ten Thousand Poison Bead. In mere moments, the poison in the air was completely devoured.

          It was well known that the Ten Thousand Poison Bead could absorb all poisons. Since Ye Xiu’s entire body was filled with poison, including his mutated spiritual power—poison spirit power—it was naturally drawn into the Bead's range of absorption.

          The Ten Thousand Poison Bead, while useful in helping Ye Xiu cultivate his poison arts, was also his greatest nemesis. In the hands of another, it could absorb him into nothingness.

          Long Xuan, having observed Ye Xiu’s residual restrictions in the Bead through the Heaven’s Eye, swiftly removed them and easily took control of the Ten Thousand Poison Bead. At this moment, Ye Xiu’s fate was sealed.

          Under the Bead's devouring force, Ye Xiu let out a horrifying scream as his poison and spirit power were absorbed.

          Countless green specks and black mist flowed out from Ye Xiu’s body, traveling through the air into the Ten Thousand Poison Bead.

          Even his refined Gu insects, all poisonous creatures, were similarly drawn into the Bead's absorption range.

          The three peak-grade Gu insects shrieked in agony as their poison was quickly drained by the Bead.

          Disrupted by the Bead, the three Gu were easily killed by Long Xuan’s own Gu insects.

          As a Gu cultivator still in the Marrow Cleansing stage, Ye Xiu didn’t have much poison spirit power to begin with. Within just a few breaths, the black mist around him disappeared, leaving him utterly powerless. He collapsed to his knees, seemingly drained of all strength, his face filled with terror and despair.

          “You… you can control my Ten Thousand Poison Bead! How is this possible? How did you do it?” Ye Xiu cried out in desperation.

          Long Xuan didn’t bother with any explanations. Since Ye Xiu had uncovered his secret, there was no way he could be allowed to live.

          Now a complete cripple with all his Gu destroyed, Ye Xiu posed no threat. With ease, the Blade Gu decapitated him with a single slash.

          Long Xuan collected his storage bag and grabbed Ye Xiu’s head, walking toward the battlefield.

          This battle had been unexpectedly smooth. He hadn’t anticipated gaining control of the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, and with it, he was able to kill Ye Xiu effortlessly.

          Had it not been for the Bead, dealing with Ye Xiu would have required more effort—his terrifying poison arts were indeed something to be feared.
          Read more
          1. Online Offline
            Immortal_Dragon_God
            + 00 -
            I'm a Big Dog, Big Bear, Nlgga I'm a Lion. I'm the predator of all the prey that is hiding.
            Yes, I am black. Not just black African American Black. So, it's my birthright. Don't report me.

            Chapter 213: Cement Walls

            "Ye Xiu is dead, why don't you surrender immediately?!"

            Returning to the battlefield, Long Xuan shouted in a booming voice, throwing Ye Xiu's head high into the sky. He then manipulated the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, releasing poisonous gas to slaughter the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty surrounding him.

            The Ten Thousand Poison Bead, once it has no means of restraint, is truly unstoppable in killing. Any Gu cultivator or body refiner who comes into contact with the released poison mist will surely die.

            However, the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty and the Long Clan's Gu cultivators were mixed together, so Long Xuan had to proceed with caution. His killing speed was ultimately much slower than Ye Xiu’s had been.

            Still, it was enough to serve as a deterrent.

            Seeing Ye Xiu’s head fly high into the sky, the faces of the Great Yin Dynasty’s Gu cultivators changed drastically, revealing expressions of disbelief.

            They never expected one of the Great Yin Dynasty’s top ten prodigies, Ye Xiu, to be killed so quickly.

            With Ye Xiu dead, there was no one left to balance the monster ranked seventh in the Western Lands, who now held the Ten Thousand Poison Bead. The battle was bound to turn in their favor.

            Ye Xiu's death quickly caused morale on the Great Yin Dynasty’s side to plummet.

            On the other hand, the Long Clan’s side was energized.

            “Haha… That monster died so easily, I must have overestimated him!”

            “Our Long Clan’s prodigies are truly strong. They easily killed one of the Great Yin Dynasty’s top ten prodigies, Ye Xiu. Their so-called geniuses aren’t much after all!”

            “Well done! As expected of the strongest talent of our clan! The geniuses of the Great Yin Dynasty are nothing compared to him!”

            Cheers erupted from the crowd, and with their morale soaring, their combat strength suddenly surged by thirty percent.

            Seeing this, the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty at the Spiritual Sea stage looked grim.

            Ye Xiu had died too quickly, and his death was a critical blow.

            With him gone, there was no one left to restrain the enemy’s prodigy, one of the top ten evildoers. With the Ten Thousand Poison Bead in hand, the enemy could kill one of their Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators in just a few breaths.

            How many Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators could withstand such killing? If this continued, defeat was inevitable.

            The Spiritual Sea peak Gu cultivator leading the Great Yin Dynasty forces cast a murderous glance at Long Xuan, barely suppressing the urge to rush over and kill him on the spot.

            He knew that if Long Xuan died, they would still have a chance in this battle.

            But he didn’t dare break the rules and start a battle where the strong prey on the weak. Otherwise, if the opposing Gu King made a move, none of their top ten prodigies would survive.

            He took a deep breath, gathered his energy in his dantian, and shouted loudly to the entire battlefield: “We can’t continue this fight. Preserve our remaining forces, retreat! Let them have the Mithril Vein!”

            As his voice fell, the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty breathed a collective sigh of relief and quickly fled, none daring to linger for fear of being left behind.

            “Heh heh! Don’t run away! Let’s continue this for three hundred more rounds!”

            Long Qian, who had already half-dragonized, smirked and taunted them as he held them in check.

            Having won this battle, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.

            He was the leader of this mission, and with this victory, he would be able to gain massive contributions.

            Additionally, the Long Clan would permanently gain control of another Mithril Vein. How could he not be excited?

            Seeing Long Qian’s smug expression, the Spiritual Sea peak Gu cultivator from the Great Yin Dynasty, who had been entangled with him, was livid.

            “Get lost! If it weren’t for that damned Sou Gu, do you really think your Long Clan could have taken this place?”

            “Once the Great Yin Dynasty finds a way to counter the Sou Gu, it will be the day Blackstone City falls. Your arrogance won’t last long!”

            He shook off Long Qian, the stubborn pursuer, and quickly fled into the distance, not even bothering to look back at Long Qian's taunts.

            In a battle between equals, it was indeed difficult to prevent someone from fleeing if they truly intended to escape.

            Long Qian could only watch as the enemy’s figure grew smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing from sight. Reluctantly, he gave up the pursuit.

            “Oh well, gaining a Mithril Vein for nothing… I suppose I should be satisfied!”

            “Now that the Mithril Vein is in the hands of our Long Clan, the Bai Clan can forget about taking it back. Haha.”

            “Now, I will set up a fierce formation here, turning this place into an impenetrable fortress!”

            Long Qian's excitement didn’t fade; he immediately began preparing to set up the formation.

            This matter could not be delayed—no one knew when the forces of the Great Yin Dynasty would return, and no one could predict when the Gu cultivators of the Bai Clan would arrive.

            He had no choice but to pull a few all-nighters and set up the grand formation as quickly as possible.

            "Everyone, stop pursuing! Follow my orders and start building the defense structures right away!"

            "Construct the cement walls as fast as you can. While it may not stop a Gu King, after inscribing formations, it will be more than enough to block Spiritual Sea-stage Gu cultivators. A Gu King won’t easily participate in attacking a mine..."

            Following Long Qian’s orders, just as Long Xuan had predicted, none of the Long Clan’s Gu cultivators returned immediately. Instead, they quickly began constructing defensive fortifications here, knowing they needed to hold out for some time.

            Due to the time crunch, Long Qian decided to use cement to speed up the process.

            Once the cement walls were inscribed with formations, he would take his time setting up a formation capable of defending against a Gu King.

            For now, neither side's Gu King had entered the battlefield. This was a mutual understanding between both sides—Gu Kings were incredibly destructive. Once they started damaging things or even perished, the resulting losses would be immeasurable.

            In the absence of Gu Kings, the so-called "trash" material, cement, was proving to be a powerful weapon in this war.

            Using it to defend a position wouldn’t make it completely impregnable, but it could be quickly formed, giving them a significant advantage in this conflict.

            The Long Clan had leveraged this cement technology to capture countless areas.

            In this war, many forces in the Western Lands had already been eradicated by the Great Yin Dynasty. The dynasty seized their resource points, and when the Long Clan recaptured these areas, they naturally became part of the Long Clan’s land.

            Though this war would cost the Long Clan greatly, it was also an opportunity for their rise.

            This battle had been a decisive victory, and all the Long Clan’s Gu cultivators were beaming with joy as they eagerly participated in the construction of defense works.

            The air was filled with laughter. The clan had seized a mithril vein, a reason for everyone to celebrate.

            As the greatest hero of this battle, Long Xuan naturally became the center of attention. Compliments and praise surrounded him, with the other Long Clan’s Gu cultivators boasting about how he killed Ye Xiu, exaggerating the story to the skies.

            No doubt, this event would be sensationalized and become the biggest news in the Western Lands, with everyone discussing it. He was about to become famous.

            However, what they didn’t know was that the person they were celebrating wasn’t Long Xuan at all—it was merely a clone he had left behind.

            Long Xuan, cunning as ever, wasn’t laboring on the surface. While everyone else was building fortifications, he snuck into the mithril vein to mine the mithril essence himself. Could anyone be craftier than him?

            After killing Ye Xiu, he had immediately gone to the mithril mine. The Long Xuan on the surface had always been his clone.

            He was bold enough to enter the mine at this time because he believed the Great Yin Dynasty’s chances of launching a counterattack were slim.

            First, once the cement walls were constructed, this place would be easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a tough battle for any invader.

            Second, the Long Clan possessed Sou Gu, a mysterious and unpredictable presence. With it, the Long Clan’s reinforcements could appear here instantly at any moment.

            How could the Great Yin Dynasty even begin to attack? They were too frustrated by the Long Clan and had no solution.

            Facing this group of enemies who could teleport across the map, the Great Yin Dynasty was at its wit's end. They were tired, afraid, and had already decided to give up.

            Thus, Long Xuan believed the odds of the Great Yin Dynasty counterattacking this mithril vein were very low, giving him peace of mind to mine the vein without worry.

            ...

            Ten days quickly passed, and the Long Clan had used this time to fortify the area into an impenetrable fortress. Tall cement walls rose from the ground like a massive beast entrenched in the land.

            It was hard to imagine that this giant fortress had been built in just ten days, or even less.

            Now, the Long Clan’s Gu cultivators sat atop the towering walls, enjoying the view from the heights, talking and laughing. The immense walls gave them a deep sense of security.

            At this point, they were actually hoping the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty would attack, just to test the fortress’s defenses.

            But despite the passage of many days, scouts reported no signs that the Great Yin Dynasty had any intentions of attacking the mithril vein, leaving them a little disappointed.

            However, the scouts did bring back another piece of news: the Bai Clan was furious.

            Upon learning that the Long Clan had seized the mithril vein, they were livid and immediately rushed over to negotiate.

            However, once the mithril vein fell into the Long Clan's hands, there was no chance of getting it back. How could they return it?

            The city lord’s previous orders had been to compensate the Long Clan with the mithril vein, so the Long Clan had every reason to stand their ground, unafraid of the Bai Clan’s demands.

            In the end, the Long Clan simply stopped meeting with the Bai Clan’s Gu cultivators. They shut their gates and let them cause trouble elsewhere, confident in their right to keep the mine.

            The Bai Clan’s leaders were so enraged they cursed at the Long Clan’s gates, but there was nothing they could do against the shameless Long Clan.

            This news had the Long Clan’s Gu cultivators laughing uncontrollably atop the walls...

            Meanwhile, in the past ten days, Long Xuan had scoured the mine for all the easily accessible mithril essence.

            He also mined a large amount of regular mithril to leave for Sou Gu to build houses.

            Long Xuan had developed a habit of house-building, enjoying leaving behind a Sou Gu hut in every place he visited, as a way to leave himself more routes for the future.

            It wasn’t just for a quick escape—it was also for convenient resource gathering. In well-known marketplaces, famous cities, and the critically important Blackstone City, he had all left behind a Sou Gu hut.

            Near the Geng Metal vein and the mithril vein, he had also secretly left a Sou Gu hut, ensuring that once the veins were depleted, it would be easy to return and mine more.

            Thus, his demand for Sou Gu huts was immense. Sou Gu, his little worker, had been tirelessly building houses, endlessly excited by the task.

            It didn’t even know who it was building all these houses for or whether it even had ownership rights.
            Read more
            1. Online Offline
              Immortal_Dragon_God
              + 10 -
              F THE BIG THREE ITS JUST BIG ME

              Chapter 214: Long Ziyan’s Killing Spree

              After Long Xuan had excavated most of the Mithril Essence, he retreated into a small wooden house. Sitting at the table, he finally resumed his previous plan—contemplating the creation of an extensive Gu recipe, aiming to test the capabilities of the Soul Library.

              The power that the Soul Library could exert was entirely dependent on soul strength. Currently, his soul was relatively weak, only allowing him to slow time by a factor of three.

              This meant that reading three days' worth of books in the Soul Library would be equivalent to just one day in the outside world.

              This was akin to saving three times the time cost. With that in mind, Long Xuan decided to aim high and attempt to create a Gu recipe that would require over ten thousand materials.

              He had to put his creativity to good use. What kind of idea would require over ten thousand materials? This wasn’t an easy concept to come up with and required careful thought.

              But Long Xuan enjoyed this kind of brainstorming. It was his specialty, and he had no shortage of wild ideas.

              With excitement, he began to design a Gu recipe with an enormous number of materials.

              Actually, it wasn’t that difficult. All he needed to do was attribute an exaggerated ability to the fictional Gu insect, and the material count would naturally surpass ten thousand.

              The real limitation was the availability of materials. If the ability was too exaggerated, the materials required would certainly be beyond his reach.

              It would be ideal if he could use materials that he already possessed, focusing the Gu recipe around them to avoid the tragedy of spending decades searching for the primary materials and still not finding them.

              What did he have on hand that could serve as the core material for a heaven-defying Gu recipe? Long Xuan fell into silence.

              After a long contemplation, he finally pulled out the Ten Thousand Poison Bead he had recently acquired, with a thoughtful expression on his face.

              This thing was potent. If he used it as a material to create something, it would definitely be heaven-defying.

              But the primary material for a Gu recipe was usually a living insect. Could he push the boundaries and use an inanimate object instead? This would be a bold experiment.

              A glimmer of excitement flashed in Long Xuan’s eyes. Once this bold idea surfaced, he couldn’t hold back. He was eager to give it a try.

              After all, he didn’t need to consume any actual materials to research a Gu recipe. So why not give it a shot? If it failed, he’d lose nothing but a tiny bit of time.

              With that thought, he sprang into action, grabbing a pen and paper. He quickly wrote:

              Gu Recipe

              Primary Material: "Ten Thousand Poison Bead"

              As soon as he finished writing these words, a long string of progress indicators appeared on the paper.

              Long Xuan’s eyes lit up immediately. It worked! Inanimate objects could indeed be used as the primary material in a Gu recipe. He was shocked.

              Could the innate spiritual treasures of this world really be used to refine Gu and become the core materials of a recipe? If word got out, no one would believe it!

              His breathing became slightly erratic, and the inspiration for the next Gu insect began to form in his mind. He was sure that the Gu insect refined from the Ten Thousand Poison Bead would definitely be heaven-defying, perhaps even more terrifying than the bead itself.

              The Ten Thousand Poison Bead had easily killed a genius from the Great Yin Dynasty. How powerful would the Gu insect refined from it be?

              Long Xuan’s heart surged with excitement. He couldn’t wait to give this Gu recipe a name and unleash his creativity.

              Naming the Gu recipe didn’t advance the progress, no matter how many words he wrote. Even writing a million words wouldn’t change the progress.

              However, if the content of the name couldn’t be realized by the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, the progress would vanish.

              Therefore, Long Xuan could judge the feasibility of his idea based on the progress indicators.

              Since the primary material of the recipe was the

              Ten Thousand Poison Bead, the abilities of the resulting Gu insect should resemble or relate to those of the Bead. He just needed to expand on this idea creatively.

              So, what abilities could a Gu insect refined from the Ten Thousand Poison Bead possess? Long Xuan let his imagination run wild, thinking rapidly.

              Soon, his eyes gleamed with an idea. He continued writing on the paper:

              Disaster Poison Gu Recipe

              Primary Material: "Ten Thousand Poison Bead"

              Description: A powerful Gu that thrives on devouring poisons. It can directly convert the consumed poisons into domineering toxic spiritual energy. Each poison it consumes grants it the unique traits of that poison. The more poisons it devours, the stronger the toxic spiritual energy becomes.

              The "Disaster Poison Gu" grows by consuming various poisons. To fully evolve, it must devour the most toxic poisons in the world. Raising the Disaster Poison Gu requires gathering poisons from across the land. When it has consumed every type of poison under heaven, it will reach perfection.

              A fully evolved Disaster Poison Gu can simulate any kind of poison in the world. Its toxic spiritual energy will encompass the characteristics of every poison.

              A perfected Disaster Poison Gu is invincible. It can release a lethal poison that fuses all poisons under heaven. Anything it touches will die without remedy. Where its poisonous mist passes, life within a thousand miles will perish, and no grass will grow.

              As Long Xuan finished writing, his eyes sparkled with excitement. He was amazed by his own creativity and felt like giving himself a pat on the back.

              He was extremely satisfied with this idea. The concept of the Disaster Poison Gu was absurdly powerful.

              Long Xuan was sure that if such a Gu insect could be realized, the material requirement would definitely surpass ten thousand, perhaps by far.

              The ability of the Disaster Poison Gu was to devour and collect all the poisons in the world. If it truly could gather every type of poison and fuse them together, the resulting venom would be the most lethal toxin under heaven, unrivaled by any other.

              After all, it would already encompass the traits of every known poison. What poison could possibly surpass a concoction that contained its own essence?

              What kind of poison could be the most terrifying in the world? The mere thought of its toxicity is daunting. The upper limit of a single poison is already enough to kill any living creature, including gods.

              In other words, the upper limit of the Disaster Poison Gu could slay gods. It’s unbelievably powerful. How could a simple thought of mine create such a terrifying Gu insect? This is simply beyond measure.

              Long Xuan took a deep, excited breath, noticing that the progress on the paper had already reached 0.0008%.

              This meant that the Gu insect he had imagined could indeed be realized, as long as he was willing to put in the effort.

              Long Xuan carefully examined the digits of the progress, feeling even more excited.

              Introductory text was not counted towards progress, and so far, the only material listed in the Gu recipe was the Ten Thousand Poison Bead. Using this progress, he could estimate that the number of materials required for the Gu formula would exceed 100,000.

              A Gu recipe with over 100,000 materials! Long Xuan’s heart raced uncontrollably.

              What kind of concept was a Gu recipe with over 100,000 materials? It was almost certain that no one in the world could refine a Gu insect requiring such a vast amount of materials. It would mean that, once this Gu insect was refined, it would be invincible across the entire world.

              This was truly a Gu recipe of 100,000 levels! The Gu recipe for the Blade Gu was just casually written and couldn’t be taken seriously.

              If he could truly research and develop a Gu recipe with more than 100,000 materials, it would be akin to becoming a god.

              Long Xuan couldn’t wait any longer. He quickly lay down on his bed, closed his eyes, and let his spiritual body enter a library.

              This library was vast, with bookshelves everywhere, filled with all kinds of books.

              All of these books were ones he had read before, meaning that every book he had ever read would manifest here in physical form. This place stored all of his knowledge and wisdom.

              Even textbooks from his previous life, like physics and chemistry, could be found here, with every word clearly legible.

              This ability essentially allowed him to have a photographic memory. Once a soul book was formed, any knowledge he had almost forgotten would become crystal clear again, and he could recite the text word for word, even backward.

              This was a skill he had discovered unintentionally.

              Using this ability, he could skim through books quickly and store a massive amount of knowledge in his soul library, all of which he could recite without error.

              This ability was terrifying—who on earth had designed such an extraordinary skill?

              Of course, if he wanted to read new books here, he would need to borrow the power of the Origin Realm.

              When the time came, this space would expand, with many new bookshelves and new books appearing.

              But using this power would greatly increase the energy consumption, and for now, he didn’t need to rely on that.

              His purpose for coming here wasn’t to read—it was to grind through the Gu recipe.

              He wanted to see just how long it would take to complete a Gu recipe with over 100,000 materials in his soul library.

              Long Xuan’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Full of motivation, he immediately found the table in the center of the library and sat down...



              Time passed slowly, and in a blink, half a year had gone by.

              During this half-year, without any surprises, the incident of Long Xuan defeating Ye Xiu had spread, making him even more famous. His ranking had risen by two more places, placing him fifth on the Western lands’ list of prodigies.

              The first place was still Long Dan, and Long Ziyan wasn’t even ranked. She had long since become a Gu cultivator at the Spiritual Sea level and had entered the ranks of seniors. Her battlefield was now entirely composed of Spiritual Sea-level Gu cultivators.

              She had comprehended an unknown number of sword intents, and by fusing all of them together, the power she unleashed was beyond imagination.

              Whenever she appeared on the battlefield, she slaughtered everyone in her path, whether gods or Buddhas, defeating the Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty at the Spiritual Sea level with ease. No one could stop her. The number of Spiritual Sea-level Gu cultivators who had fallen by her hand had already exceeded double digits.

              Faced with this killing star, the Spiritual Sea-level Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty were utterly terrified. Her mere presence would send them fleeing in fear; just one glance at her, and they would run.

              Her fame was now unmatched, and being both beautiful and powerful, she was even more admired.

              This was the true definition of a monster. Long Xuan hadn’t expected that he would inadvertently create such a terrifying existence, causing such chaos.

              He knew the "Immortal-Slaying Formation" could aid Long Ziyan in comprehending sword intent, but he had never imagined she could comprehend so much.

              Comprehending sword intent wasn’t something easily achieved. His clone had been going into the formation every day to comprehend blade intent, yet hadn’t grasped a single thing.

              He had always thought his perception was high enough, but it seemed that perception alone wasn’t enough to comprehend sword or blade intent.

              If even a genius like him found it so difficult to comprehend blade intent, there was no need to mention others.

              In other words, for anyone else entering the Immortal-Slaying Formation, it would be impossible to comprehend hundreds of sword intents like Long Ziyan did. Such an outrageous feat wasn’t something a normal person could achieve.

              Sword intent that didn’t match one’s own attributes and willpower couldn’t be comprehended, no matter how many times you died from it.

              Only someone like Long Ziyan could create such miracles.

              Who knew how she managed to comprehend any sword intent she encountered?
              Read more
              1. Online Offline
                Immortal_Dragon_God
                + 10 -
                PRAISE JESUS! JESUS IS LIFE AND THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE IS THROGUH THE PRODIGAL SON!!!!!!!

                Chapter 215: The Hidden Moves of the Long Clan

                After half a year of effort, Long Xuan finally completed the recipe for the Disaster Poison Gu.

                Currently, with the strength of his soul, he can only slow time by a factor of three. However, don't think that this means his speed of crafting Gu recipe only increases by three times.

                On one hand, as he creates more Gu recipe, his accumulated knowledge and experience allow him to reduce the time needed for future creations.

                On the other hand, in the Soul Library, the paper on the table is illusory. Since the paper can be conjured, so too can the writing on it.

                With just a thought, words instantly appear on the paper, eliminating the need for manual writing. This greatly saves time, allowing him to craft Gu recipe much faster.

                So, even though it took half a year to complete this Gu recipe, that is considered slow. If he hadn't been frequently interrupted, breaking his concentration, he could have worked even faster.

                At this point, he was no longer stationed at the Mithril Vein. He had returned to Blackstone City. After all, sending someone ranked fifth in talent to guard a mere mining vein was somewhat beneath his capabilities, so he was quickly recalled.

                After returning to Blackstone City, Long Xuan simultaneously worked on the Gu recipe while sending his clones to collect the necessary materials for the Gu recipe.

                The materials he lists in the Gu recipe must be present in this world, though many of them are rare and difficult to obtain.

                Fortunately, the Long Clan’s network of Suo Gu houses has spread everywhere over the years, thanks to the clan’s extensive development across various regions.

                Now, even rare species of Gu from other regions, which were once hard to find, are easily collected. All it takes is a trivial amount of contribution points.

                After opening up these resource channels, Long Xuan had access to ten times more Gu species, providing him with an enormous variety of choices, enough to support his research into a ten-thousand-level Gu recipe.

                However, the number of Gu insects required for a ten-thousand-level Gu recipe is not only vast, but their overall quality is also extremely high. Some even require peak-grade Gu Insect, which left Long Xuan feeling overwhelmed.

                The 200 million contribution points he earned last time were far from enough. As a result, he had no choice but to submit the recipe for the "Longevity Gu" that could extend human lifespan.

                As soon as this happened, the upper echelon of the Long Clan went wild. It’s important to note that three Long Clan patriarchs in the Western Lands were on the verge of death. Their attempt to use Living Wood to extend their lives had failed, and they had been hanging on for a while, but were close to dying.

                However, with the sudden appearance of the Longevity Gu, they became lively once more. Their backs no longer ached, their legs no longer hurt, and they were laughing happily every day.

                With these patriarchs' lives extended, the Long Clan effectively gained a few more Gu Kings. The arrival of the Longevity Gu was a massive boon for the clan, especially for those near-death patriarchs, like rain in a drought.

                Moreover, with the emergence of the Longevity Gu, the number of Gu Kings in the Long Clan would far exceed that of the past.

                The increased longevity of all the Gu Kings means that, for a certain period, more Gu Kings will coexist, which greatly enhances the clan’s fortune and strength.

                In gratitude, the upper echelon of the Long Clan rewarded Long Xuan with 200 million contribution points and tattooed a fierce, majestic black dragon on his back.

                When Long Lao (Elder Long) learned that Long Xuan had finally developed the Longevity Gu formula, he couldn't hold back his tears. That night, he drank several jars of wine and sat at Long Hongyu's grave for a long time.

                It’s worth mentioning that under the scheming of Long Yuanshan, the three Gu King patriarchs who had consumed the Longevity Gu pretended to die of old age and were secretly buried.

                Long Yuanshan intended to have these patriarchs fake their deaths, hiding them as a secret force for future use.

                In this uncertain war, concealing three Gu Kings would surely prove invaluable and might even save the Long Clan from a potential extinction crisis.

                Thus, by submitting the Longevity Gu formula, Long Xuan gained a massive amount of contribution points. With the Long Clan’s resource network across various regions, he used those points to exchange for a vast number of rare spiritual Gu insects.

                He had hoarded so many experimental materials from the Western Lands’ Long Clan that he still hadn't used them all. Combining these, he finally managed to gather the necessary materials to refine the Disaster Poison Gu, allowing him to breathe a long sigh of relief.

                However, what now troubled him was that his body was already covered in dragon tattoos—there was hardly any space left for more.

                The Earth Master, Suo Gu, Cement, Dragon Blood Battle Gu, and two types of Longevity Gu had each added another dragon tattoo on his body. With six ferocious dragons now covering him from head to toe, there was no room left.

                Who tattoos like this? He was quite distressed.

                After receiving the final batch of materials delivered by his Fire Clone, Long Xuan immediately began refining the Gu.

                First, he used the Suo Gu hut to transport himself to a valley filled with toxic gases. The valley had a natural basin-like shape, making it an ideal location for refining Gu.

                It wasn’t that he didn’t want to refine the Gu at home, but the sheer number of Gu insect required for the formula was too vast for his home to contain.

                To refine such high-level Gu insect, one must use a valley as the container, with the land itself as the vessel, and even a city could serve as a suitable vessel. Cities with walls, being concave, are also ideal containers for Gu refinement and are often the favorite places for demonic cultivators to craft Gu.

                Since the best environment for refining the Disaster Poison Gu is one filled with poisonous miasma, Long Xuan had carefully chosen this valley after much deliberation.

                Although it was far from Blackstone City, it was a natural toxic zone, forbidden to humans, so hardly anyone ventured there. Thus, Long Xuan boldly decided to refine his Gu there.

                In this remote area, after setting up formations and placing a clone to guard it, everything was in place for the process to proceed without any risk of failure.

                Long Xuan was not afraid of the toxins from the Ten Thousand Poison Bead, so how could he fear the poison in this place? Boldly, he walked in and placed the Ten Thousand Poison Bead at the center of the valley.

                Then, along with several of his clones, he opened insect cultivation bags one by one, releasing all the poisonous insects into the valley.

                Indeed, without exception, the spirit insects in the cultivation bags were all poisonous, and each was more venomous than the last. Some species were so toxic they could corrode a hole in the ground.

                It was precisely because this Gu recipe only used poisonous insects that Long Xuan discarded more than half of the spirit insects. This was one of the reasons why the Disaster Poison Gu recipe was developed so quickly.

                To be honest, he didn't understand the refining principles of the Disaster Poison Gu or the role of the Ten Thousand Poison Bead in the process. He was entirely clueless.

                He had guessed the recipe and had no idea what the Ten Thousand Poison Bead's function was during the Gu refining process.

                He only needed to follow instructions, throwing the Ten Thousand Poison Bead into the Gu refining site. As for the process, he didn’t need to know; the result was all that mattered.

                His only task was to wait patiently.

                Following the steps from the last time he refined the Blade Gu, he immobilized all the poisonous insects. After about thirty attempts, he finally saw significant progress at the refining site.

                He smiled, snapped his fingers lightly, and all the poisonous insects instantly regained consciousness. They immediately turned their fierce gazes on each other, and a brutal fight ensued. The battle was intense and thrilling.

                One particularly ferocious poisonous toad, its body bulging with veins, devoured its opponents one by one. It turned the battlefield into its personal feast. Neither high-grade nor peak-grade Gu insects could withstand even one attack.

                But the strong always meet stronger opponents. The poisonous toad was quickly swallowed in one bite by a larger, more venomous toad. This toad, in turn, soon encountered a formidable opponent—a giant poisonous snake with a flickering tongue that bit down viciously.

                The scene was complete chaos.

                This was Gu refining—you eat me, I eat you—until only the strongest remained.

                The last survivor, having consumed so many poisonous insects, concentrated all the toxins within itself. It would evolve into an even more terrifying existence, becoming the king of insects, also known as a Gu.

                After watching with great interest for a while, Long Xuan finally turned and left.

                Judging by the progress, it seemed the Disaster Poison Gu would take a long time to complete, at least over a year. He dared not stay here waiting.

                Knowing the wait would be lengthy, he decided to spend this time studying the second level of the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art.

                The second level of the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art was much harder and more complex than the first, requiring significantly more time.

                At the same time, the second accompanying soul technique, Heavenly Demon Devouring God Technique, was also a major time consumer, demanding vast amounts of time to research.

                However, with the Soul Library, a time-cheating tool, he believed he could master both the second level of the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art and the time-consuming Heavenly Demon Devouring God Technique within two years.

                Time always passed quickly while focusing on cultivation. In the blink of an eye, a year and a half had passed.

                During this long period, the war still had not ended. The Western Lands had become a complete meat grinder, with countless Gu cultivators dying in battle. All the factions suffered heavy casualties and were severely weakened.

                Before the war, the Western Lands had been cleansed by Shi Haojun, and both low- and high-level Gu cultivators had died in great numbers. It would take a long time for their strength to recover.

                When the Great Yin Dynasty launched their attack, the forces of the Western Lands naturally found themselves at a disadvantage.

                At the start of the war, only the Long Clan managed to gain an advantage. On the other battlefields, the Western Lands forces were clearly at a disadvantage. After all, the physical cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty were too numerous, and their Gu cultivators were not fewer than those of the Western Lands. How could the Western Lands possibly compete?

                In the end, no one knew what method the City Lord Yan Pojun used, but he managed to draw the forces from the barren lands like the Far West and the West Sea into the war. Through the Sou Gu Hut, the Gu cultivators from these distant lands could instantly appear on the Western Lands battlefield.

                With the support of so many allies, the Western Lands barely managed to halt their decline and began to hold their own against the Great Yin Dynasty.

                Despite the chaos of the war outside, Long Xuan remained indifferent, focusing entirely on his cultivation, ignoring all outside events.

                Whenever a battle arose and the clan assigned him tasks, he would pass them off to his clones. He, meanwhile, avoided the war and secretly focused on his cultivation.

                Fortunately, his clones were strong enough, never failing any mission, and earning him massive contributions.

                He had faced extremely dangerous tasks before. Once, one of his Fire Clones had to confront Yu Chao, ranked third on the Great Yin Dynasty’s Prodigy List.

                Without any peak-grade Gu insects, the battle was incredibly difficult for him. Under the fierce assault of Yu Chao’s peak-grade Gu insects, he narrowly escaped death several times.

                In the end, he had to flee in haste, with Yu Chao laughing wildly as he pursued him relentlessly.

                “Never chase a desperate enemy,” they say. After chasing for a while, Yu Chao ran into a trap set by Long Xuan's other four clones. Outnumbered five to one, Yu Chao was beaten to death by the combined attacks of the five clones.

                Yu Chao’s death boosted Long Xuan's reputation once again, and his rank soared to third on the Western Lands’ Top Demonic Prodigy List. For a time, his fame was unmatched, and his influence reached new heights.
                Read more
                1. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 00 -
                  Anyone willing to do the same for "I Can See Through Everything"?

                  Chapter 216: Disaster Poison Gu

                  Recently, a major event occurred in the Western Lands: after such a long time, the Great Yin Dynasty finally found a method to counter the Suo Gu.

                  With the Long Clan losing the advantage of Suo Gu, this war has once again become unpredictable.

                  In fact, there are many ways to counter Suo Gu. Any method that can restrict teleportation formations can be used to restrict Suo Gu.

                  For example, the Long Clan used a space-forbidding formation in the Geng Metal vein, which prevented Suo Gu from teleporting. Other forces must also possess similar formations.

                  However, Suo Gu used by the Long Clan could teleport across the entire battlefield, while the array formations only affected a limited area. Suo Gu could simply teleport to the edge of the formation and escape.

                  Thus, in this war, space-forbidding formation had little effect on the Long Clan, who moved freely across the map.

                  There are also numerous Gu insects that can kill Suo Gu, but Suo Gu is a particularly slippery type of Gu insect that avoids confrontation with other Gu insects.

                  If things turn bad, Suo Gu would escape into the Void Realm, making it impossible to catch. So even though there are many methods to counter it, the Great Yin Dynasty had no way to effectively deal with it.

                  The Great Yin Dynasty invested years of nationwide effort into researching ways to restrain Suo Gu, but they never found an effective method. Instead, they suffered heavy losses from the ambushes of the Suo Gu army, losing supplies, and nearly having their teleportation formations destroyed.

                  Finally, the emperor of the Great Yin Dynasty lost his patience. Against the advice of his entire court, he chose to sacrifice a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of his own, recklessly throwing a Realm Pearl into the spatial rift in this region.

                  The Realm Pearl is a powerful innate spiritual treasure, and it’s a rare treasure with space attributes.

                  Once the Realm Pearl explodes in a spatial rift, it triggers spatial turbulence, creating a massive spatial storm and chaotic currents that make the space highly unstable, preventing any further teleportation.

                  This method is used to restrict teleportation formations, and it’s equally effective against Suo Gu.

                  Now, neither teleportation formations nor Suo Gu huts can be used in the Western Lands. It's not that they can't be used at all, but anyone who tries to teleport now risks mysterious disappearance.

                  Yes, this method also restricted the Great Yin Dynasty itself, making their large teleportation formation that could transport over a hundred people unusable as well.

                  Moreover, spatial turbulence doesn't conveniently stay confined to just one region. Once it occurs, the affected area is vast and the effects last for a long time.

                  Not only the Western Lands and the Great Yin Dynasty were affected, but surrounding regions were also impacted to varying degrees. This was why the Great Yin Dynasty had hesitated to use this method for so long.

                  Otherwise, they would have provoked a large number of forces that rely on teleportation formations. Unless they were willing to spend vast amounts of resources to pacify these forces, the consequences would be unthinkable.

                  Using such a method would either turn the Great Yin Dynasty into an enemy of all sides, or leave their treasury depleted. It’s truly a strategy of sacrificing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred allies—a last resort.

                  It seems the emperor of the Great Yin Dynasty was truly pushed to his limit by the Long Clan's Suo Gu, forcing him to take this drastic step.

                  Both the factions involved in the war and the surrounding forces watching from the sidelines were shocked by the emperor's madness.

                  Perhaps it’s because his lifespan is nearing its end, and he's running out of time. It’s no surprise for an old emperor, desperate for more years of life, to go to any lengths—even if it means dragging the entire empire to its grave.

                  The inability to use Suo Gu during this time is indeed a significant matter, especially for the Long Clan, as it is a fatal blow.

                  As a result, the Long Clan has been quiet recently, and Long Xuan’s missions have lessened.

                  With more free time, Long Xuan’s inspiration flowed, and he quickly mastered the second layer of the "Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art" and the "Heavenly Demon Soul Devouring Technique". He immediately had his clones begin cultivating these new techniques.

                  Although his clones had only been cultivating the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art for a few years, a person's soul aptitude depends entirely on the strength of their innate soul.

                  Long Xuan, having lived two lives and possessing a double three-soul-seven-spirit, had soul aptitude far beyond the highest human limit.

                  This meant his soul cultivation speed far outpaced his body and spirit cultivation.

                  If Long Xuan’s Spiritual cultivation could be considered weak, then his soul cultivation was that of a genius—an unparalleled genius with soul aptitude surpassing even peak-grade.

                  Moreover, with five clones cultivating the Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art simultaneously, it was like multiplying the cultivation speed of an already monstrous talent by five.

                  So, his soul cultivation speed was frighteningly fast. In just a few years, he had fully mastered the first layer of the "Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art" , and now it was time to cultivate the second layer.

                  As soon as he developed the second layer, his clones could take over.

                  As for the Heavenly Demon Soul Devouring Technique, his clones could cultivate it concurrently. The 'Heavenly Demon Soul Devouring Technique' allowed him to split his soul into countless fragments and take possession of people around him. However, dividing the soul into so many pieces naturally weakened each fragment’s soul power.

                  Therefore, cultivating the Heavenly Demon Soul Devouring Technique is unlikely to be effective against opponents of similar strength or those specializing in soul cultivation.

                  Although this move is defiant against the heavens, it mainly serves as a powerful ability for clearing weaker enemies, allowing him to ignore the encirclement of countless low-level cultivators, remain unafraid of mass combat tactics, and even charge in and out of the Ten Great Armies seven times over.

                  So, despite the fact that the strength of this move didn't surpass expectations, Long Xuan still planned to focus on cultivating it.

                  One day, the Fire Clone rushed over anxiously. Just as Long Xuan was about to ask what had happened, the clone threw a Insect Bag over to him.

                  Long Xuan was momentarily stunned. When he opened the Gu Insect Bag and looked inside, he was immediately shocked and hurriedly stood up.

                  "This is the Disaster Poison Gu? You finally refined it?"

                  Long Xuan was overjoyed and quickly took out a large, green-skinned toad that was sound asleep inside, hugging it with excitement.

                  The toad was quite large and heavy in his arms, but Long Xuan was smiling broadly, as if he were holding a treasure.

                  "By the way! What happened to the Ten Thousand Poison Bead?"

                  Suddenly remembering something, Long Xuan quickly raised his head and asked the Fire Clone.

                  "It ate it in one gulp. It’s now lodged in its throat, seemingly having transformed into its 'inner core'. All of its tyrannical poisonous spiritual power is stored within this core."

                  "The inner core can absorb toxins, release toxins, or even be spat out to attack enemies from a distance."

                  "However, the inner core and the Disaster Poison Gu are completely one entity—it’s a part of its body and must not be separated by too much distance. Otherwise, it will lose its vitality and spirit. Whether the inner core is damaged or lost, the Disaster Poison Gu's strength will be greatly diminished."

                  "The Ten Thousand Poison Bead has completely fused into its inner core. While this significantly enhances the Disaster Poison Gu's combat power, it also introduces a major weakness."

                  "If the inner core is destroyed by an enemy, the Disaster Poison Gu will essentially be crippled. The inner core created from the Ten Thousand Poison Bead cannot regenerate unless you find another Ten Thousand Poison Bead."

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan nodded, finally understanding the role that the Ten Thousand Poison Bead played in the refinement process of the Disaster Poison Gu.

                  He hadn’t expected that the Ten Thousand Poison Bead would exist in the form of an inner core within the Gu insect. It was indeed a peculiar refinement process.

                  After transforming into the inner core, the strength of the Ten Thousand Poison Pearl would only increase, and its power could never be worse than before.

                  However, the inner core's weakness was truly fatal. While it granted the Disaster Poison Gu tremendous combat power, it also became a vulnerability. It could be lost or targeted. Ye Xiu died precisely because of this weakness.

                  At this point, Long Xuan had made up his mind: he would ensure that, under no circumstances, would the Disaster Poison Gu ever spit out its inner core. As long as it didn’t expel the inner core, it would be invincible.

                  Overall, he was very satisfied with the Disaster Poison Gu and couldn’t resist stroking its smooth back. He had to admit, it was rather slippery.

                  As he petted the smooth back of the Disaster Poison Gu, Long Xuan pondered the issue of its evolution.

                  He had already known the Disaster Poison Gu’s evolution method from the time he wrote the Gu refinement recipe.

                  The Disaster Poison Gu increases its maturity by devouring various poisons, and it undergoes transformations by consuming the most lethal poisons.

                  This concept had been included in the formula's description, and since the progress of its refinement hadn’t stalled, it meant his approach was feasible.

                  Now, all he needed to do was find the Disaster Poison Gu the deadliest poison, and it would immediately undergo evolution.

                  The Disaster Poison Gu's evolution process required a different type of poison for each stage, and it had to be the most toxic available.

                  This meant he would need to continually search for heaven-defying toxic substances, which was starting to give him a headache.

                  He had already been holed up in a secret chamber for years, constantly working himself to the bone, and he really didn’t want to keep doing this. Was there no shortcut to directly finding a poison that met the Disaster Poison Gu's evolution requirements?

                  Long Xuan’s expression turned contemplative. After a long pause, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and a plan came to mind.

                  The Western Land had no such heaven-defying poisons capable of meeting the Disaster Poison Gu’s evolution requirements.

                  The materials required for a heavenly-defying Gu insect like the Disaster Poison Gu weren’t easy to find, so the first thing he thought of was creating his own poison recipe. But time was of the essence.

                  Thus, he came up with a shortcut. This idea would allow him to create an extremely toxic substance without wasting too much time.

                  His plan was to utilize the magnification ability of the Eye Of Heavenly Secret’s and his powerful soul force to extract metallic elements.

                  In his previous life, 'polonium' was 100 billion times more toxic than cyanide—just 0.1 grams could kill 100 billion people.

                  'Plutonium' was 486 million times more toxic than arsenic, and five grams of it could wipe out the half of the entire human race.

                  The more Long Xuan thought about it, the brighter his eyes gleamed. These metallic elements from his previous life were invincible when it came to poison. How could this world's strongest poisons compare?

                  Even if they weren’t a perfect match, such toxic substances would be more than sufficient for the Disaster Poison Gu to undergo a evolution.

                  Why not let the Disaster Poison Gu devour these elemental toxins and complete its evolution?

                  The only question was whether he had the ability to synthesize these metallic elements. But it was certainly worth a try.

                  The synthesis principles for polonium and plutonium were publicly available online in his previous life, and he had come across them by chance. It’s just that in this world, without advanced technology, he wasn’t sure if using the abilities of various Gu insects could assist in synthesizing these two elements.

                  If he could succeed, the Disaster Poison Gu would truly become invincible.

                  Danger often comes from the unknown. The terrifying poisons from his previous life would be completely foreign to the people of this world—how could they know how to detoxify them? If anyone was hit by these poisons, their chances of survival would be incredibly slim.

                  A crazed smile appeared on Long Xuan's face, and he immediately decided to start researching these elemental toxins.

                  It seemed that the 'Soul Armor and the 'Water Bear Gu' could defend against those radioactive elements, so he didn’t even need to worry about the dangers of conducting such experiments. At worst, he could just let one of his clones handle it.

                  Polonium was more lethal than plutonium, so the evolution process should progress from easy to difficult. Thus, Long Xuan decided to research plutonium first.

                  At this moment, he was once again courting death, forgetting the last time when he insisted on distilling the Wine Gu's brew and nearly killed the Wine Gu in the process.

                  Excess leads to disaster. The Wine Gu, despite being immune to alcohol, almost died from overindulgence. The Disaster Poison Gu, while immune to poison, could it really avoid being poisoned to death?

                  He was truly pushing it to the limit, as if he didn’t fear accidentally poisoning the Disaster Poison Gu to death.

                  These elemental toxins weren’t ordinary poisons. They surpassed the realm of regular toxins, and no ordinary living creature could withstand them easily. He really was treating the Disaster Poison Gu like an omnipotent deity.

                  Read more
                2. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  This guy. sigh

                  Chapter 217: Encountering a Familiar Face Again

                  A month later...

                  "What's happening? Wake up! Wake up! Quickly, wake up!"

                  "How could this happen?"

                  Long Xuan lifted the Disaster Poison Gu into the air, shaking it back and forth.

                  However, the Disaster Poison Gu was as lifeless as a corpse, swaying in the air without any reaction.

                  Long Xuan was utterly confused.

                  He never expected things to turn out this way. After receiving the assistance of the Eye of Heaven's Secrets and borrowing the abilities of various unique Gu insects, he had finally managed to research and produce plutonium. Eagerly, he fed it to the Disaster Poison Gu.

                  Being naturally cautious, he only fed the Disaster Poison Gu one gram.

                  Who would have thought that after consuming it, the Gu would immediately fall into a deep coma, unable to be awakened no matter what he did?

                  Pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, Long Xuan's face was full of worry.

                  A Poison Gu, afraid of poison? And poisoned into unconsciousness? You've got to be kidding! Are you messing with me? Long Xuan was completely at a loss.

                  He checked under the Disaster Poison Gu’s nose and found that it was still breathing, which allowed him to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

                  Thankfully, it was still alive.

                  Recalling that his Wine Gu had experienced a similar situation before but eventually pulled through, Long Xuan felt a glimmer of hope.

                  Carefully placing it back into the insect-rearing bag he allowed it to rest and recover.

                  What a mess.

                  Long Xuan couldn't think of any way to wake it up. All the detoxification pills in this world were useless against elemental toxins, so all he could do was leave the Disaster Poison Gu in the pouch and wait for it to recover on its own.

                  Whether it lived or died was up to its fate now. He had done everything he could.

                  A month later, when Long Xuan took out the Disaster Poison Gu again, he saw that it was still in a deep coma. His expression turned bitter, and he finally walked out the door, deciding to go for a walk to clear his mind.



                  Blackstone City, Marketplace.

                  Following several consecutive battles, many had died, and some had killed to seize treasures, becoming wealthy overnight.

                  Those who had taken others' storage bags often needed to sell off the items they couldn’t use, so in this world, war always made the street markets boom.

                  Every day, countless Gu Masters brought the loot from the battlefield to the marketplace to sell.

                  Some stall owners became rich overnight, while others, lacking knowledge of the items they were selling, unknowingly sold off priceless treasures, becoming the laughingstock of the marketplace.

                  These kinds of stories spread like wildfire, attracting many who came hoping to find hidden treasures, making the Blackstone City marketplace bustling with people every day.

                  Long Xuan, hearing too many of these stories, also developed a desire to try his luck, frequently visiting the marketplace.

                  Thanks to his golden finger, he often left with great rewards, though he never flaunted his findings. As a result, no rumors ever spread about him picking up any treasures.

                  When he arrived at the marketplace, many eyes followed him, filled with respect and even a hint of fear.

                  As one of the top three prodigies of the Western Lands, Long Xuan’s fame had grown too big to go unnoticed.

                  In the past, many had tried to befriend him, but they were met with cold indifference. Deliberately displaying an aloof and unapproachable demeanor, Long Xuan had now successfully deterred people from approaching him.

                  He didn’t want to waste time on meaningless socializing. Unless someone was worth befriending and could help him in the future, making random friends was a complete waste of time.

                  Long Xuan wandered through the stalls, his discerning eyes scanning everything. Few treasures now caught his attention.

                  As a result, he quickly glanced at most stalls and kept moving.

                  Most of the items for sale were weapons used by body refiners, completely useless for Gu cultivator. Not just weapons, but most things used by body cultivators were of no use to Gu cultivator.

                  It was obvious that the Great Yin Dynasty was using cheap body refiners to deplete the Gu cultivators of the Western Lands, so most of the items for sale in the marketplace were related to body refiners.

                  Long Xuan wandered for half a day without finding anything worth his attention.

                  Just as he was about to lose patience and head back, his insect-rearing bag suddenly moved. The rabbit inside began to frantically thrash around.

                  Long Xuan’s eyes lit up instantly.

                  Whenever his clones weren’t in the herb garden, he would always bring the rabbit with him.

                  Otherwise, if left unsupervised, the rabbit would wreak havoc, doing whatever it pleased.

                  He was especially worried that the rabbit would ruin his herb garden while he was away, pulling out the rarest and most precious spiritual herbs for alchemy. When he returned, the garden might have already been destroyed.

                  This rabbit was obsessed with alchemy, so he had to be extra cautious. He even brought the Heavenly Dream Dragon Silkworm with him, not daring to leave it alone in the garden.

                  Having learned his lesson once, he wasn’t going to let it happen again.

                  Unexpectedly, bringing the rabbit along this time turned out to be a good idea, as it seemed to have made an important discovery.

                  This rabbit was a treasure-hunting rabbit, with an incredibly keen sense for spiritual herbs.

                  No method of concealing the scent of spiritual herbs could escape its nose.

                  It also had very high standards—anything less than a fourth-grade spiritual herb wouldn't interest it.

                  And since fifth-grade to tenth-grade spiritual herbs didn't grow in this world, one could only imagine the grade of the spiritual herb that had excited the rabbit this time.

                  Long Xuan’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

                  He couldn’t possibly take out the rabbit in front of everyone, but understanding its message wasn’t a problem.

                  Guided by the rabbit, Long Xuan walked straight in a particular direction. Before long, he arrived at a stall.

                  The stall owner was an old acquaintance, and the jars and bottles in front of the stall were so familiar that it reminded him of the time when he first crossed into this world.

                  "Li Laodao, it’s you? How did you end up here?"

                  Long Xuan blurted out in surprise.

                  Yes, the stall owner was none other than his first friend in this world, Li Laodao.

                  Long Xuan thought they wouldn’t cross paths again, but to his surprise, they met here. He couldn't help but marvel at how small this world seemed.

                  At this point, Li Laodao had already reached the Marrow Cleansing stage, and not just the early stage but the later stage, making him on par with Long Xuan. Clearly, this Child of Destiny had stumbled upon another great opportunity somewhere.

                  Moreover, the treasure that the rabbit guided him toward was in Li Laodao's storage bag. There’s no way a poor rogue cultivator could possess such a heaven-defying treasure—he must have had another incredible opportunity.

                  Long Xuan couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that this Child of Destiny truly lived up to the title, as fate seemed to favor him frequently.

                  Seeing the familiar face, Li Laodao was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered and smiled wryly, "I didn’t expect you to recognize me."

                  "It’s been years, and your reputation now is quite impressive—ranked third among the Ten Demonic Prodigies of the Western Lands. I can hardly believe you're my old friend."

                  "When I first met you, I could tell you were no ordinary person. I knew you would achieve great things, which is why I stuck around you every day, trying to befriend you."

                  "Looks like my judgment was spot on. Seems like I’ll be hitting it big soon!" Li Laodao joked, showing no signs of discomfort despite the huge difference in their statuses.

                  "You haven’t told me why you're here. Is Di Xin and Little Medicine Boy here as well?"

                  Long Xuan squatted down, curious.

                  Seeing someone so familiar with one of the Ten Demonic Prodigies, many people nearby started to focus on them, taking note of Li Laodao’s appearance.

                  Some were already considering how to get close to him. Anyone who knew important figures was bound to rise, especially if those figures remembered their past friendships.

                  "I’m here for obvious reasons. The City Lord Yan, in order to resist the Great Yin Dynasty, has been selling off land left and right, pulling in many forces from impoverished areas into the fight against the dynasty."

                  "Under the bloodshed from the Great Yin Dynasty and Shi Haojun, a large part of the Western Lands has indeed been vacated. The forces from barren lands dream of expanding to more prosperous regions, so when the opportunity to settle in the Western Lands presented itself, how could they not be tempted?"

                  "So, they were all tricked into joining the alliance by City Lord Yan. I had previously joined a faction called the Rogue Cultivator Alliance and was forced into this war as well."

                  "As for Little Medicine Boy, thanks to the Spirit Gathering Pill you refined, he had already broken through long before me."

                  "Moreover, because he cultivated a technique he found in a certain cave mansion, his progress has been incredibly fast. He reached the peak of the Marrow Cleansing stage quite a while ago."

                  "But ever since arriving in the Western Lands, he’s been telling me that he feels like something in the far east is calling to him."

                  "He’s been troubled by this feeling, restless, and eventually couldn’t resist the urge to go find the source of that call."

                  "No matter how much I tried to stop him, I couldn’t. I have a bad feeling that seeking out that voice won't lead to anything good."

                  "As for Di Xin, she’s been looting the treasure vaults of various clans, to the point where she even dared to target the Seven Great Clans, eventually provoking their wrath. She was already being hunted by the combined forces of the Western Lands before I left."

                  "When I arrived in the Western Lands, I inquired about her, and it turns out she still wasn’t quiet. She continued to plunder the treasure vaults of various major forces."

                  "She ended up offending all the factions of the Western Lands and is being chased by their combined forces."

                  "She couldn't survive in the Western Lands any longer, so she fled east, continuing her mischief in the eastern regions."

                  "At the rate she's going, wherever she goes, she’ll provoke all the local forces and get hunted by them."

                  "She keeps changing regions, fleeing east, and she’ll keep running until she reaches the center of this world."

                  "I have a feeling that if she doesn’t die, she will become a devil in the future, and not just any devil, but a rare, heaven-defying one."

                  Li Laodao's expression became solemn, his brows furrowed as he sighed, "Her actions are too wild and too dangerous. Based on what I know of her, she’s not the type to risk her life just for treasure."

                  "There must be something in her heart, something driving her to recklessly increase her strength at any cost."

                  "With her ordinary mortal body, if she cultivated step by step, she wouldn’t even dream of reaching the Marrow Cleansing stage, even if she trained herself to death."

                  "She could only have become a genius cultivator by relying on such thievery and using vast resources to forcefully elevate herself."

                  "Where she is now, I have no idea. But she’s definitely not in the Western Lands anymore."

                  Hearing this, Long Xuan’s mouth twitched. He was genuinely curious—how was Di Xin able to survive constant pursuits by major forces without dying?

                  It’s a miracle she’s still alive.

                  After all, she’s only at the Marrow Cleansing stage, yet she managed to offend every major force in an entire region and still live. How did she pull it off?

                  Well, there’s no doubt about it—she must also be the Child of Destiny. Only someone destined to be a protagonist could be this resilient, and only the protagonist's aura could keep her alive this long.
                  Read more
                3. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 00 -
                  Some people are just too awesome

                  Chapter 218: Dragon Skinning

                  "Alright, enough about that. Since you've managed to break through the Marrow Cleansing stage and swiftly reach your current realm, I can tell you've had some serious opportunities. You must have found quite a few treasures, right?"

                  "Hurry up and show me. Let me help you assess them."

                  Seeing the rabbit constantly struggling inside the Insect Rearing Bag, Long Xuan finally got to the point.

                  "I trust your character, so follow me."

                  Li Laodao stood up and packed up his stall. Naturally, it wasn’t safe to reveal the treasures here; they needed to find a secluded spot where no one would disturb them.

                  Long Xuan agreed, and under Li Laodao’s lead, they walked into a private room in a Qian Clan teahouse. After ordering the cheapest pot of tea, Li Laodao placed four formation flags in the room, isolating them from any external detection. Only then did he look seriously at Long Xuan and take out one treasure after another from his storage bag.

                  When he took out three seeds, the rabbit inside the Insect Rearing Bag became even more agitated, almost kicking a hole through it. Long Xuan immediately realized that these seeds were what had excited the rabbit.

                  As expected, these three seeds must be the most valuable items Li Laodao had obtained from his previous encounter.

                  “What are these…” Long Xuan asked, pretending to be casual as he looked at the three seeds.

                  He wasn’t really pretending. He genuinely didn’t know what these seeds were.

                  However, two of the seeds showed infinite potential in his eyes, making him secretly thrilled. He knew he had struck gold this time.

                  These two seeds were undoubtedly heaven-defying treasures.

                  No, to be precise, 'two' of the seeds were; the third one, which didn’t show any potential, was probably dead.

                  Li Laodao smiled bitterly. “Even you don’t recognize them? Honestly, I don’t know what kind of spiritual medicine these three seeds came from either.”

                  “Even after consulting countless ancient texts, I couldn’t find any mention of them.”

                  “But the more I don’t recognize something, the less I dare to sell it, for fear it might be some heaven-defying treasure that someone else might snatch up at a bargain.”

                  “I’m only showing these to you because I trust you won’t cheat me. Otherwise, I would never have revealed them.”

                  “Even though I don’t recognize them, don’t think you can get a bargain. I’m pricing these three seeds as the most valuable of all my treasures.”

                  “If you don’t offer something equally heaven-defying, there’s no way you’ll get them. And no matter what treasures you offer, I must keep one of these seeds.”

                  “That way, if I’ve set the price too low, I won’t regret it later. Keeping one seed won’t make my loss too big.”

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan secretly admired Li Laodao’s shrewdness. He didn’t even know what the seeds were but had the nerve to set such a high price.

                  The treasures on the table weren’t cheap either. Just the five peak-grade Spirit Stones were worth a fortune, with each one worth millions in lower-grade Spirit Stones.

                  He dared to price these three seeds higher than five peak-grade Spirit Stones—truly asking for the moon.

                  Looking at the five peak-grade Spirit Stones on the table, Long Xuan sighed inwardly.

                  The five stones represented the five elements—gold, wood, water, earth, and fire—except that there was no fire stone, and two of the stones were wood.

                  If he could exchange the wood-attributed peak-grade Spirit Stone for a fire-attributed one, he could complete a Five Elements Reversal Formation.

                  He had been collecting materials for this formation for years, and now he was just five peak-grade Spirit Stones short, one for each element.

                  No matter what, he had to acquire these five peak-grade Spirit Stones today.

                  The prices for these stones outside weren’t an issue; it was the three seeds that were the real challenge. Li Laodao clearly didn’t want to be taken advantage of and was sitting on the price. It wouldn’t be easy to get those seeds.

                  To get them, he would have to offer something Li Laodao truly needed.

                  After thinking for a while, Long Xuan reached into his Insect Bag, pulled out a small bottle, and placed it on the table with a smile.

                  “Even though you’ve broken through the Marrow Cleansing stage, doubling your lifespan, your speed in breaking through was too slow, costing you too much life force.”

                  “That’s why, even though you’ve succeeded, you still look so old.”

                  “With your aptitude, I doubt your remaining lifespan will be enough for you to break through the Spiritual Sea stage. So, you need a treasure that can extend your lifespan.”

                  “This is a "Longevity Gu" I found in an ancient tomb. Eating one can increase your lifespan by 800 years, allowing you to regain your youth and vitality.”

                  “Just think of the value of extending your life by 800 years. Remember the auction in Blackstone City where the Living Wood that extended life by only 500 years was sold for 40 billion?”

                  “So, asking 100 billion for this Longevity Gu isn’t too much, is it?”

                  “But because we have a good relationship, I’ll give you a 10% discount.”

                  “I want everything on this table!”

                  Indeed, Long Xuan was planning to trade his Longevity Gu, which he had developed himself, for Li Laodao’s treasures.

                  He had refined a bunch of Longevity Gu when creating one that could extend life by 1,000 years for Long Ziyan.

                  These Gu were incredibly valuable, but he had no way to sell them.

                  After the disaster over the auction of the Living Wood, he knew even a treasure that extended life by 500 years could lead to bloody battles between Gu Kings. There was no way he could publicly sell his Lifespan Gu—it would be suicide.

                  And handing them over to the Long Clan in exchange for contributions wasn’t an option either, as it would reveal that he had embezzled resources while researching Dragon Blood Battle Gu.

                  Thus, these Longevity Gu were effectively stuck in his hands.

                  He had already given the 1,000-year Longevity Gu to Long Ziyan, and the highest of the remaining ones could extend life by 800 years. He had three of them, and he was offering one now to tempt Li Laodao.

                  Li Laodao was someone Long Xuan could completely trust, so he confidently took out the '800-Year Longevity Gu'.

                  At this moment, when Li Laodao heard what Long Xuan said, he felt an overwhelming urge to cough up blood.

                  Good grief, he thought he was already asking for a lot, but this Long Xuan was even more outrageous.

                  It wasn't just that Li Laodao was opening his mouth wide, it was like he opened a giant gaping maw.

                  He dared to ask for a direct 100 billion! He must be crazy. Who asks for such a price?

                  Why didn’t he just rob him? He might as well kill him with a knife—because even if he sold everything he had, he couldn’t scrape together 100 billion!

                  Li Laodao's face alternated between black and white.

                  "So, have you thought it over? Either give me '100 billion, or hand over everything on the table."

                  "If you don't agree, I'll leave now. Our deal may fail, but at least we’ll still part on good terms," Long Xuan urged.

                  Li Laodao's old face twitched uncontrollably. Good terms? What nonsense. How could Long Xuan dare talk to him about good terms!

                  But Long Xuan had truly hit him where it hurt this time.

                  It wasn't just that his 'lifespan' was running out; the bottleneck between the Marrow Cleansing stage and the Spiritual Sea stage was like a heavenly chasm. Crossing it was like thousands of soldiers trying to cross a narrow bridge—it was exceedingly difficult.

                  He needed plenty of time to gather vast amounts of resources to have any chance of crossing that threshold.

                  What’s more, the thing about lifespan is that even if he wasn’t desperately lacking it, he would still fight tooth and nail to obtain more, at any cost.

                  Who wouldn’t want to live an extra 800 years? Even if it meant selling everything, it would be worth it.

                  Li Laodao took a deep breath, staring intently at the Longevity Gu on the table. His breathing grew rapid, as he couldn't remain calm in front of such a precious treasure.

                  But Long Xuan’s price was simply too ruthless. He wanted all of his treasures, or a straight-up demand for 100 billion. This was practically driving him to ruin.

                  These items were Li Laodao’s most valuable possessions! This wasn’t asking for his money; it was asking for his lifeblood!

                  "So, have you thought it over? If you don't agree, I'll be on my way," Long Xuan urged again.

                  As he spoke, he reached out for the small bottle containing the Longevity Gu, ready to take it back.

                  Li Laodao's face changed drastically, and in a panic, he hurriedly reached out to block the bottle.

                  "Wait! Wait! Fine, I'll exchange them! I’ll trade! You can have all the junk on the table! I don’t care about them!"

                  As he said this, Li Laodao felt like his heart was bleeding. It felt as if all his precious treasures were slipping away, and he was about to return to square one.

                  He quickly picked up the small bottle and held it tightly against his chest, as if only this bottle could soothe his wounded spirit.

                  "Hahaha… I'll take a little loss and help you by taking away all these worthless things. No need to thank me!" Long Xuan laughed heartily, excitedly sweeping everything on the table into his storage bag.

                  Especially those "three seeds"—he absolutely wouldn’t miss out on them!

                  "Wait, we agreed earlier that no matter what treasures you brought out, I must keep one of the three seeds."

                  "I, Li Laodao, stand by my word. Once spoken, I never go back on it."

                  "So, you can only take two of the seeds; no matter what, you must leave me one," Li Laodao quickly stopped Long Xuan as he was about to sweep the three seeds into his storage bag, hastily shouting.

                  "Fine, fine! Seeing how pitiful you are, I'll take another loss. Who can blame me for being so kind-hearted?"

                  As he spoke, Long Xuan threw the " dead seed"—the one without any progress—towards Li Laodao, pretending to be generous.

                  Li Laodao hurriedly caught it, treating the seed like a treasure, and put it back into his storage bag.

                  At this moment, regret filled his heart. If he had known earlier, why did he bring out so many treasures?

                  Why didn’t he just take out one seed? It was his own fault for being too eager, and now all his treasures had been taken in one go.

                  Li Laodao glanced at him with resentment, puffing his beard and glaring, "You rascal, you’re ruthless!"

                  "This time, you've cleaned out my entire storage bag. Looks like I'll have to find another opportunity to refill it."

                  "Originally, I was hesitant to go for the next opportunity because of the danger, but now I have no choice but to go and recover some of my losses."

                  "Tomorrow, there’s a great opportunity. Are you coming with me?"

                  As soon as Li Laodao finished speaking, Long Xuan was startled and shivered. Not again?

                  This time, he hoped it wouldn’t be another "100% guaranteed safe" adventure. He was genuinely scared. Could Li Laodao please stop dragging him into trouble and go harm someone else for a change?

                  This Li Laodao was cursed with bad luck. Everywhere he went, something always went wrong. Following him never led to anything good.
                  Read more
                4. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 00 -
                  This reminds me of old adventures

                  Chapter 219: Li Laodao's Golden Finger

                  "May I ask, how many people died for you to obtain these three seeds this time? What about your teammates?"

                  Long Xuan stared intently at him.

                  Faced with this soul-piercing question, Li Laodao's expression became uneasy. Finally, he forced a laugh and said, "There was a small... mishap."

                  "It was originally a sure thing, 100% safe, but then something unexpected happened, and everyone who teamed up with me died."

                  "Only I survived, relying on the undying ability of the Little Strong Gu. I managed to stay alive, collected all the storage bags of my teammates, and took all the opportunities they found in the cave mansion, making a profit through tears."

                  Hearing this, Long Xuan couldn't stop his mouth from twitching, and his legs started trembling. He knew it! He knew it! Following this Li Laodao would never end well. Anyone who sticks with him is bound to have bad luck.

                  It's truly a miracle that he hadn’t been killed during the several times he teamed up with Li Laodao. He must have a tough life.

                  "So, are you going to tell me again that this treasure hunt is 100% safe? Money lying all over the ground, just pick it up?" Long Xuan said with a half-smiling, half-serious expression.

                  Li Laodao glanced at him and smiled bitterly, "I understand what you mean, but this time you’ve got it wrong."

                  "This time, I didn’t organize the operation. The people participating in this mission are the top geniuses of the Western Lands. Among them, I am the weakest. How could I dare to stir up this mess?"

                  "Not only do I not think this mission is 100% safe, but I also think it’s extremely dangerous."

                  "Every time I consider participating in this mission, I get this ominous feeling, and my right eyelid keeps twitching, as if something bad is going to happen."

                  "So, I originally didn’t plan to participate, but ever since I met you, the ominous feeling disappeared, and my eyelid stopped twitching. Maybe it’s just psychological."

                  "But I have this gut feeling that with you, this mission will be 100% safe. Without you, everyone going tomorrow will surely die."

                  "I have a lot of faith in my intuition. To tell you the truth, during that trip to the cave mansion in the far west, it was my terrifying intuition that led me to step on the correct stone pillars. Do you really think anyone could be that lucky?"

                  "I have been relying on this terrifying intuition to survive up until now."

                  "Every time I told you that something was 100% safe, it was because my intuition told me so. I’ve never been wrong."

                  "Although there were always unexpected events, we never actually died, right?"

                  "As long as we’re not dead, it’s 100% safe. My predictions were never wrong."

                  "So this time, I’m telling you again, it will be 100% safe, but only if you come. Otherwise, I’m absolutely not going!"

                  "Let me clarify in advance: by '100% safe,' I mean you won’t die. But like before, there will be all kinds of unexpected incidents, and you might even get seriously injured. Be prepared for that."

                  Hearing this, Long Xuan was stunned. He looked at Li Laodao with a surprised expression.

                  He secretly sighed, 'Is this the golden finger of a child of destiny? Precise premonitions of death and fortune—if used well, such an ability would be truly invincible.'

                  Being able to precisely predict death means that this person can never be killed, essentially making him immortal.

                  And someone who can laugh until the end is destined to be a force to reckon with in the future, someone who will undoubtedly become one of the strongest in this world.

                  Combined with the ability to predict where treasures are located, this person is bound to possess countless heaven-defying artifacts. It would be strange if he didn’t grow powerful.

                  Long Xuan’s gaze grew more serious. If what Li Laodao said was true, and his premonitions were 100% accurate, then Long Xuan really needed to consider his next steps carefully.

                  Li Laodao's words had some truth to them. Although crises had arisen every time they teamed up, in the end, none of them had died, just as he said—100% safe. His intuition was remarkably accurate.

                  However, Li Laodao's "100% safe" only meant no one would die, not that there wouldn’t be any unexpected incidents.

                  If that’s truly the case, then this mission might really be worth considering.

                  Li Laodao had already predicted it would be 100% safe. If his premonitions were as accurate as they seemed, then while danger was inevitable, death was not.

                  And as long as there was no death, the risk wasn’t too great.

                  Long Xuan's eyes showed a thoughtful expression.

                  Just as he was about to inquire about the details of the mission and what treasures might be obtained, his storage bag suddenly stirred.

                  He reached into his storage bag and quickly pulled out a communication talisman.

                  Since the use of Sou Gu had been prohibited in the small hut, the Long Clan had reverted to using primitive communication tools like consumable communication talismans. It was highly inconvenient.

                  He didn’t have many people with whom he exchanged communication talismans, and Long Dan was one of the few.

                  This communication talisman was indeed from Long Dan.

                  Long Xuan, curious about what it could be, quickly picked up the communication talisman and looked at it.

                  The general message was that Long Dan had accidentally discovered a heaven-defying treasure. He planned to invite all the city’s top geniuses for a treasure hunt tomorrow, and today, everyone would gather at Qian’s Restaurant to discuss the matter. This communication talisman was an invitation to Long Xuan.

                  However, Long Dan didn’t explain exactly what treasure they were hunting, remaining vague and unclear.

                  Long Xuan froze for a moment. Could the place Li Laodao was talking about be the same as Long Dan’s?

                  Could Long Dan be the one organizing this?

                  What kind of deadly situation was he getting into this time, and he still wanted to drag Long Xuan into it?

                  Based on Li Laodao’s words, if Long Xuan didn’t go, then everyone going tomorrow would be doomed.

                  Long Xuan’s eyes flickered, and he decided to go to the tavern first to figure out exactly what this mission entailed.

                  ...

                  Not long after, Long Xuan and Li Laodao entered the Qian Clan Restaurant and headed towards Room No. 1.

                  As soon as they opened the door, the eyes of everyone inside immediately focused on them. When Long Xuan recognized the owners of these gazes, he was shocked.

                  Among these people were not only Long Dan, ranked first on the Ten Demonic Prodigies list, but also Shi Kun, ranked fourth, Lei Shun, ranked sixth, and Bai Youran, ranked seventh.

                  Including himself, ranked third, five of the Ten Demonic Prodigies from the Western Land had already gathered.

                  What exactly was Long Dan planning, to gather such a large group?

                  At this moment, half of the Ten Demonic Prodigies of the Western Land were gathered here, and the rest were all well-known masters from various parts of the Western Land.

                  There were not only geniuses from various clans of Blackstone City, but also those from outside the city, including many well-known rogue cultivators.

                  Around thirty people had gathered here, all renowned experts from the Western Land. A significant number of them were considered invincible at their respective levels.

                  The overall quality of this group was extremely high, truly the elites among elites on the battlefield. With such power gathered together, there was no task they couldn't accomplish.

                  When they saw that the newcomer was Long Xuan, ranked third on the Prodigy List, many people's pupils shrank, and a look of apprehension appeared on their faces.

                  "Damn, even the third-ranked powerhouse from the Prodigy List is here. Now, five of the top ten are present. What exactly are you planning, that you need so many experts?" Lei Shun looked at Long Dan, who was seated in the main position, and asked anxiously.

                  Everyone else also looked at Long Dan with a serious expression.

                  They had all been summoned by Long Dan through a communication talisman. As the number one genius on the Prodigy List, they couldn't refuse his invitation. So, no matter how busy they were, they had made time to attend this gathering.

                  However, upon seeing so many renowned geniuses at this gathering, everyone was shocked.

                  No one could believe that Long Dan would need so many renowned geniuses unless it was for something extremely dangerous.

                  Thus, everyone was now on high alert, already thinking of excuses to refuse.

                  When Long Dan saw Long Xuan enter the room, he was a bit surprised. This guy usually avoided battles and never participated in any missions. He had thought Long Xuan wouldn't come, but he was unexpectedly here. Was the sun rising in the west today?

                  Long Xuan was the last to arrive, and after entering with Li Laodao, they found a seat.

                  After seeing that everyone had arrived, Long Dan glanced around the room and finally spoke, "I originally wanted to gather all of the Ten Demonic Prodigies."

                  "Unfortunately, everyone has their own missions to complete, and getting everyone together at the same time is impossible."

                  "I could only gather five of us. The others here are top-tier experts, second only to the Ten Demonic Prodigies. Their combat strength is not far behind."

                  "Some are from Blackstone City, some from outside the city, and others from different regions, including rogue cultivators. But without exception, those I've chosen all possess invincible strength at their level."

                  "With such powerful forces concentrated here, I believe you don’t need to worry much about safety."

                  "Now, let's get to the main point. You've probably heard about me taking down Qin Tian, right?" Long Dan's voice suddenly paused.

                  Shi Kun smirked and said, "Didn't you just kill the top genius from the Great Yin Prodigy List?"

                  "For the number one genius on the Prodigy List to take him down, isn't that just a normal occurrence?"

                  "You don’t need to show off with this. We've heard about it so many times that our ears are getting calluses."

                  After Shi Kun spoke, a burst of laughter erupted.

                  "I'm not bringing this up to boast about anything. I’m not that bored."

                  Long Dan lightly sipped the wine in his cup, a gleam of excitement and a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. He finally sighed and said, "Before Qin Tian died, he revealed a secret about a heaven-defying treasure, trying to use it to exchange for his life."

                  "You all know my nature. When I do something, I leave no loose ends, so after he revealed the secret, I killed him without hesitation, going against my word."

                  "Before his death, he told me that there was a divine tree in the Imperial Garden of the Black Wind Kingdom’s royal city, and it bore thirty-six fruits."

                  "However, he didn’t know the name of this divine tree. Even after searching through all the records, he couldn’t find any mention of it."

                  At this moment, Bai Youran suddenly interrupted, "Since you’ve gone to such lengths to summon so many geniuses, I’m sure you already know the origins of this divine tree. Just tell us directly!"
                  Read more
                5. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 00 -
                  YUM YUM

                  Chapter 220: The Mortal Nation

                  When the Divine Tree was mentioned, Long Dan's eyes lit up more and more, showing an excited expression. He finally said, "Do you know of the three Divine Trees of heaven and earth, the four Divine Bamboos, the five Spirit Ginsengs, the six Divine Mushrooms, the seven Divine Lotuses, the eight Divine Flowers, the nine Divine Grasses, and the ten Divine Trees?"

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan was the first to be taken aback, showing a thoughtful expression.

                  The three Divine Trees of heaven and earth, four Divine Bamboos, five Spirit Ginsengs, six Divine Mushrooms, seven Divine Lotuses, eight Divine Flowers, nine Divine Grasses, and ten Divine Trees—of course he knew what they were and had even seen them. In fact, he possessed one in his hand right now.

                  These divine objects all surpassed even peak-grade spiritual herbs, possessing almost rule-defying powers.

                  Each of them was unique in the world. Only one would exist at any time. If destroyed, it would randomly reappear somewhere in the world with an eternal lifespan.

                  The Soul Nourishing Tree was one of the three Divine Trees, and Long Xuan was very familiar with it.

                  So, when Long Dan mentioned it, Long Xuan immediately realized that the Divine Tree in the Black Wind Nation was likely one of the ten Divine Trees.

                  His heart surged with excitement. He had a particular fondness for tree-based spiritual herbs, and not only him—Heavenly Dream Dragon Silkworm, the Medicinal Gu, and the Rabbit all loved them too.

                  An elixir that surpassed peak-grade spiritual herb would cause anyone to lose their composure in front of such a treasure.

                  Seeing the blank expressions on everyone's faces, Long Dan sighed, "Too few people have seen such unique items of heaven and earth, and there are even fewer records of them in books."

                  "It's no wonder you wouldn't recognize it. Even the Gu cultivators of Black Wind Nation couldn’t identify it. Otherwise, we wouldn't even have this opportunity."

                  "I won’t keep you guessing. The Divine Tree in Black Wind Nation is none other than the Tenth Divine Tree in the world—the Heaven-Mending Tree."

                  "The Heaven-Mending Tree is extremely rare. Only one exists in the entire world at any given time, so very few people can study its alchemy formulas."

                  "However, even eating the Heaven-Mending Tree's fruit raw can unconditionally improve a person's aptitude by one grade without altering their attributes. This applies even to peak-grade geniuses."

                  As soon as Long Dan said this, the whole room was filled with the sound of heavy breathing. Everyone's eyes turned red with excitement, and some even stood up, their expressions crazed, showing extreme greed.

                  An item capable of improving one's aptitude was something none of them had even heard of before.

                  At this moment, everyone present had gone mad. No one could remain calm in front of such a treasure.

                  Even Long Xuan's mood was not calm. After all, he was by no means a natural genius. His aptitude was quite ordinary, to the point where he could be considered a waste. He was the one who needed a treasure to improve his aptitude the most.

                  Especially since the improvement in aptitude would occur without changing his Five Elements attributes, making the temptation even greater for him.

                  If eating the Heaven-Mending Fruit raw could unconditionally raise one's aptitude by a full grade, then what if someone could develop an alchemy formula using the Heaven-Mending Fruit? How much aptitude could such a pill improve?

                  This thought flashed through Long Xuan’s mind, and he could no longer stay calm.

                  The temptation was far too great for him; how could he possibly resist such allure?

                  Bai Youran’s eyes turned red for a moment before she was the first to regain her composure. She hurriedly shouted, "Wait a minute! If there is such a heaven-defying treasure, why are you sharing it with us? Are you sure you’re not hiding something from us?"

                  As soon as she said this, everyone instantly regained their rationality and looked at Long Dan with calm eyes, waiting for his explanation.

                  Indeed, this kind of heaven-defying treasure—was Long Dan really generous enough to share it with outsiders? Why wouldn't he give it all to the members of his own Long Clan? Something didn't seem right.

                  Long Dan chuckled at himself and said helplessly, "I already told you the reason. It was information revealed to me by Qin Tian before I killed him."

                  "Haven't you considered the possibility that this might be a trap he set for me before his death?"

                  Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, showing thoughtful expressions. Indeed, Long Dan’s concern was not unfounded.

                  It was quite normal for someone to set a trap for their enemy right before dying, attempting to take them down.

                  In such a case, who could guarantee that the information Qin Tian provided was completely true? No one could be sure.

                  Now, everyone understood what Long Dan meant.

                  The truth of the information was uncertain, and recklessly going to seize the Heaven-Mending Tree was indeed risky.

                  If Long Dan brought only the members of the Long Clan and it turned out to be a trap, many powerful cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing stage could die, which would severely weaken the Long Clan.

                  So Long Dan intended to spread the risk, letting the geniuses of all the clans of the Western Lands contribute. If there was a reward, everyone could share it. If there was danger, everyone would bear it together.

                  The geniuses in the room exchanged glances, all showing conflicted expressions, their emotions shifting repeatedly.

                  It was truly a difficult decision. Choose right, and their aptitude would improve by one grade. Choose wrong, and their lives would be forfeit.

                  Humans die for wealth, as birds do for food. Greed is often the cause of death. Everyone understood this, but they couldn’t suppress the temptation in their hearts.

                  After a long silence, with only the sound of their heavy breathing filling the room, Lei Shun’s face twisted into a grim expression as he said, "I need more detailed information."

                  "For example, what kind of country is Black Wind Nation, and where exactly is it? Why have I never heard of it?"

                  "And what is the defensive strength of that place? What are our chances of success? You should clarify all this, right?"

                  "And, are you certain that the Heaven-Mending Tree is really there? You’d better make sure of this information!"

                  Long Dan quickly responded, "This is a matter of my own life. How could I not investigate thoroughly and make all the necessary preparations?"

                  "I've already done my research. The Black Wind Nation is a mortal kingdom controlled by the Great Yin Dynasty. It's rather inconspicuous, but it's extremely far from our current location."

                  "To be honest, if we were to walk there, it would take several years to reach that place."

                  "However, my Limit-breaking Gu recently gained an additional slot to break the limit, and I’ve already given this slot to my Sou Gu."

                  A smile appeared at the corner of Long Dan's lips, gradually showing his pride.

                  "Under the influence of the chaotic spatial turbulence, a normal Sou Gu can no longer use its teleportation abilities. Only my Limit-breaking Sou Gu is an exception."

                  "However, considering that my Sou Gu has only evolved once, it can only teleport Gu cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing stage."

                  "Before the Great Yin Dynasty detonated the Realm Pearl in the Great Yin Dynasty, I had already placed one of my Sou Gu huts in the royal city of the Black Wind Nation. We can teleport there at any time."

                  "Once we kill off all the defending forces in the royal city and snatch the Heaven-Mending Tree, we can teleport back the same day, completely undetected."

                  A flash of sharpness appeared in Long Dan's eyes.

                  At this moment, Long Xuan interjected and asked, "I’ve never heard much about mortal kingdoms. Could you explain to me what they are? Do they have any forces that could threaten a peak Marrow Cleansing Gu cultivator?"

                  Long Dan glanced at him and patiently explained, "As we all know, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is unevenly distributed in this world."

                  "The places with the sparsest spiritual energy are completely unsuitable for cultivation."

                  "As a result, those barren lands have no Gu cultivators or spirit beasts. Without spirit beasts, there's naturally no body cultivation either."

                  "So, in regions where spiritual energy is almost nonexistent, one mortal kingdom after another is formed. In these mortal kingdoms, cultivation is impossible, so they are mostly filled with mortals."

                  "Remember, I said 'mostly.' Gu cultivation is impossible there, but that doesn't mean there are no cultivators at all."

                  "There are many Gu cultivators who couldn't make it in the Gu world and have completely given up on the path of strength. They enter the mortal world, seeking pleasure, and become servants to mortal nobles."

                  "These Gu cultivators who couldn’t survive in the Gu world are the weakest of the weak, at the very bottom of the Gu world hierarchy, constantly bullied."

                  "In the Gu world, they are trash, but in the mortal world, they are like gods. They become addicted to the wealth and luxury of the mortal world, completely turning into the dogs of mortal rulers, losing all their dignity as cultivators."

                  Long Dan showed a disdainful expression and continued, "So, when I said 'few,' it was a matter of proportion. There are plenty of Gu and body cultivators in the royal city of the Black Wind Nation."

                  "After all, it's the royal city. You could throw a brick and hit a noble. Every noble keeps a few guards, and when you add them all together, the number of Gu and body cultivators in the royal city is staggering."

                  "The number is easily a hundred times greater than ours."

                  "Don't be impatient. Let me finish." Long Dan stopped the few geniuses who were about to speak and continued, "I visited the royal city today through my Sou Gu hut."

                  "Due to the ongoing war, the Great Yin Dynasty’s vassal states have sent troops to assist, leaving the Black Wind Nation in a state of military emptiness, with weak defenses in the royal palace."

                  "No matter the level of Gu cultivator, none can escape my detection."

                  "From my investigation, there’s only one late-stage Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator in the entire royal city. However, his aura is quite extraordinary and doesn’t resemble the Gu cultivators of a mortal nation. He’s currently staying in an inn with a young man, quite far from the royal palace. He’s probably just passing through."

                  "According to the rules, higher-level cultivators cannot attack lower-level cultivators. This rule binds us, but it also binds them."

                  "Not to mention, this Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator is probably not connected to the royal family. Even if he has past ties, he would likely stand aside and watch, as the rules of war dictate. So, we can mostly ignore him."

                  "As for the royal palace, there are about one hundred Gu and body cultivators. But as I said, the Gu cultivators who have become dogs of mortals are worthless trash with terrible combat strength. The few dozen of us can easily sweep through them."

                  "However, there’s one National Master and four Vajra Guards in the Imperial Garden who are at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing stage. These five have pure spiritual power and require our extra attention."

                  "Outside the palace, there are also two hundred thousand imperial guards and nearly ten thousand body refiners and Gu cultivators raised by the nobles."

                  "This force is massive enough to surround and kill us."

                  "That's why I’ve prepared the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation disk. This formation was acquired by our clan during a siege against a powerful female thief. It’s terrifyingly powerful and can completely shroud the royal palace, isolating all the sounds of battle inside so that no one will notice."

                  "Even if we’re somehow discovered, it doesn't matter. The defensive power of this formation is terrifying, and the more people die within it, the stronger the defense becomes."

                  "To put it bluntly, this formation can withstand the attacks of ten thousand Gu cultivators, including that late-stage Spiritual Sea cultivator."

                  "However, this formation is evil because it draws its energy from human souls. Even if we slaughter everyone in the royal palace, the formation will only protect us for half an hour at most."

                  "So, our operation time is limited to half an hour. We must kill all the defending forces in the palace within that time, find the Heaven-Mending Tree in the Imperial Garden, divide the Heaven-Mending Fruits, and retreat through the Sou Gu hut."

                  "That’s my plan. If anyone has concerns or suggestions, now is the time to speak up."

                  Long Dan finished in one breath, took a sip of wine to wet his throat, and looked expectantly at the group of geniuses below him.
                  Read more
                6. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  Sometimes I be tweaking
                  [quote]
                  Chapter 221: Li Laodao’s Plan

                  The group of geniuses exchanged confused glances, unsure of how to respond. Shi Kun was the first to speak: “This plan doesn’t match my expectations—it’s way too easy and safe.”

                  “You’re saying that your Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation is enough to block everyone outside the palace, including the late-stage Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator, who might be an unpredictable factor. And inside the palace, there are only about a hundred Gu cultivators and body cultivators left.”

                  “These Gu cultivators and body cultivators are just weaklings who couldn’t survive in the Gu world. We could easily slaughter them.”

                  “This is an incredibly simple mission. Where’s the danger? Why the need for such a big operation?”

                  “Not only did you call so many geniuses, but you even summoned five of the top ten talents from the Demonic List.”

                  “Aren’t you making a big deal out of nothing? To kill those weaklings, you don’t need any of the Demonic List Prodigy. With just yourself and a few dozen ordinary Gu cultivators, it’s more than enough. You didn’t need to summon any of us.”

                  “You’re overestimating those Gu world outcasts. Using a cannon to kill ants—totally unnecessary.”

                  The others nodded in agreement, casting strange looks at him.

                  At first, when they saw Long Dan had summoned so many renowned geniuses, including five from the Demonic List, they instinctively thought this would be an extremely dangerous mission.

                  For a moment, they were all terrified, even thinking of excuses to refuse.

                  But now? It felt like a waste of their concern.

                  To take down a group of Gu world outcasts didn’t require Demonic list geniuses. Were they joking?

                  Long Dan took a deep breath, ignoring the group’s mockery. He sighed, “No matter what you all think, I believe this could very well be a trap.”

                  “Although I haven’t detected any immediate threats, when it comes to my life, I can’t afford to be reckless.”

                  “In my investigation, the only real wildcard, aside from that late-stage Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator, is the peak-grade Marrow Cleansing national master.”

                  “That’s why I plan to prepare for the worst, using five geniuses to take him down together.”

                  “I refuse to believe that even if he’s deeply hidden, he can withstand the combined power of five geniuses.”

                  “If anyone thinks this mission is too easy and lacks challenge, you can quit now. This is your last chance to back out.”

                  As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent. Not a single person dared to leave.

                  It would be a joke—sure, the mission seemed simple, but who would pass up the chance to claim the Heaven-Mending Tree?

                  Anyone quitting now would be a fool.

                  Just moments ago, they were worried about the mission’s dangers, considering backing out.

                  But now, their determination to join had only strengthened. Whoever tried to stop them now would have to face their wrath.

                  From the looks of it, the mission had no real danger. The Heaven-Mending Tree was practically falling into their laps. Only an idiot would pass up this opportunity.

                  It was like a pie falling from the sky, and everyone was smiling in anticipation.

                  Long Xuan carefully analyzed the information Long Dan had shared but still couldn’t find any potential threats.

                  He frowned deeply. Li Laodao had predicted this mission to be extremely dangerous, claiming that without him, everyone would die.

                  Where exactly was the danger coming from? He was confused.

                  Could Long Dan’s intelligence be wrong? Long Xuan considered this possibility but quickly dismissed it.

                  The fully activated Evil Dragon Emperor Eyes were terrifyingly accurate. He couldn’t believe that any danger in the city could escape its detection.

                  The possibility that the peak-grade Marrow Cleansing national master was hiding his true cultivation level was also ruled out. No one could hide their true strength from the fully activated Evil Dragon Emperor Eyes.

                  Even if he was deeply concealed, there was no way he could withstand the combined assault of the five geniuses.

                  Could the danger come from the late-stage Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator? But that Gu cultivator didn’t belong to the royal family, and the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation was enough to hold back any Spiritual Sea cultivator for a short time. What threat could he pose?

                  Long Xuan was perplexed.

                  Just as his head was about to explode from overthinking, Long Dan sent a soul message to him: “Long Xuan, anything can happen, no matter how perfect the plan. Unexpected changes can always arise—like disputes over the division of treasures.”

                  “That’s why I need assistance from a fellow clansman. Don’t you dare use a clone this time—someone will die if you do.”

                  “You might be able to fool the incomplete Evil Dragon Emperor Eyes with your clones, but you can’t fool me.”

                  “I need you to go all out this time. Trust me, this mission won’t be as easy as you think!”

                  Hearing this, Long Xuan looked at him and their gazes met.

                  He finally understood why Long Ruoxue knew about his attempt to flee during the Geng Metal mine mission.

                  It turned out the Long clan had always had an eye that could detect his clones. He had underestimated the fully activated Evil Dragon Emperor Eyes.

                  Long Xuan nodded silently.

                  Even without Long Dan’s request, he had already planned to use his real body for this mission.

                  Li Laodao had said that as long as he participated, he would be 100% safe. Clearly, Li Laodao wasn’t referring to a clone.

                  His clone wasn’t a match for Long Dan, let alone any crisis capable of killing Long Dan.

                  Using a clone for this mission might just cost him that clone.

                  Refining an external clone required restarting the entire cultivation process, which was too costly for him to afford.

                  Since there would undoubtedly be unexpected challenges, but no risk of death, he decided to go with his real body.

                  Seeing Long Xuan agree, Long Dan felt relieved. He was confident that with Long Xuan by his side, he could essentially ignore any risks. He had a deep understanding of Long Xuan’s true combat power, even feeling a certain fear.

                  “Alright! Since no one’s backing out, let’s finalize this. We’ll need some time to prepare, so the mission will begin tomorrow morning.”

                  “Everyone gather here in this room tomorrow morning. I’ll place the Sou Gu Hut in this room.”

                  “However, the matter of the Heaven-Mending Tree is of great importance. It’s a treasure that can enhance one’s aptitude—something so heaven-defying it would arouse any Gu King’s greed. If word gets out, the consequences would be disastrous. I don’t need to explain further.”

                  “So, whatever I’ve said today must not leave this room. I assume no one here is a blabbermouth?”

                  Long Dan’s aura suddenly shifted, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.

                  “Heh! Regardless of whether anyone here is loose-lipped, we’ll establish a rule: if anyone leaks information about the Heaven-Mending Tree, all the geniuses here will execute them together!”

                  Shi Kun also scanned the room with a smile, but his smile sent a chill down everyone's spine.

                  "Alright, since Brother Kun has suggested it, this rule is now established. It's not difficult to watch your mouth, and I think none of you here are fools."

                  "As for now, let's eat and drink. Today, it's my treat!"

                  Long Dan raised his wine glass, and the group of geniuses smiled, raising their glasses together before drinking it all in one go.

                  Long Xuan used his Heavenly Eye to scan the wine and found nothing unusual, so he finished his drink in one gulp.

                  He couldn't help but frown. "What is this? It tastes awful, like horse urine."

                  Of course, it was because the recipe he created for wine was too exquisite, spoiling his taste buds. Ever since drinking his own wine, he could never drink anything else.

                  The meal didn’t last long. After all, there were important matters to attend to the next morning, and no one wanted to delay them.

                  Thus, the geniuses didn’t indulge in the drinks. Once they were full, they quickly dispersed, eager to prepare the supplies they might need for tomorrow.

                  Everyone was filled with anticipation for what was to come.

                  ---

                  The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.

                  After a restful night's sleep, Long Xuan, feeling refreshed, quickly completed his morning routine. After a simple breakfast, he headed to the agreed meeting point.

                  As soon as he stepped out of the Long Clan’s residence, he saw the elderly Li Laodao, who had been waiting at the door for quite some time, which made Long Xuan pause.

                  "You still haven’t taken the Longevity Gu?" Long Xuan couldn’t help but ask through spiritual voice transmission.

                  At this moment, Li Daode still looked old, with no sign of youth returning. His cultivation progress also showed no changes, so Long Xuan concluded that he had not taken the Longevity Gu.

                  Li Laodao smiled and replied, "I’ve always been cautious. If I suddenly use the Longevity Gu and become young, how could people around me not become suspicious?"

                  "Anything that can extend life easily stirs greed in others."

                  "So, there's no rush to take the Longevity Gu. I plan to wait until after this mission, then hide away for a while. At that time, if my appearance changes, it won’t seem abrupt."

                  "But to be safe, it’s better to leave this region entirely and head to the eastern territories. That way, no one will notice that my lifespan has increased."

                  Long Xuan nodded and said, "You’ve thought this through. I hadn’t considered it fully."

                  "Let’s go together. We shouldn’t keep them waiting."

                  ---

                  When Long Xuan and Li Laodao entered the room, they found that everyone else had already arrived. They were the last two to show up.

                  However, it wasn’t that they were late; it was just that everyone else had arrived too early.

                  The treasure that could enhance their aptitude had excited everyone, making them all arrive earlier than expected.

                  Only Long Xuan remained calm. No matter what heaven-defying treasures he encountered, he never panicked.

                  Seeing that the last two had arrived, Long Dan wasted no words and stood up, saying, "Since everyone is here, let’s set off."

                  "I’ll go first. You all line up and follow."

                  With that, Long Dan took out the Sou Gu House and placed it in the center of the room, then immediately stepped inside.

                  The Sou Gu House was a bit small, requiring Gu Masters to bend over to enter. But it was much better than having to crawl into a tiny Sou Gu hut.

                  Everyone stared curiously at the Sou Gu hut, with some even unable to resist reaching out to touch it.

                  The fame of the Sou Gu had spread far and wide across the western lands, and they had heard of it countless times. In their minds, the Sou Gu hut was already shrouded in mystery.

                  Now, having the chance to see it up close, everyone’s curiosity surged, and they couldn’t resist wanting to study it further.

                  This Gu insect, which could build houses to achieve long-distance teleportation, was truly heaven-defying, and all clans envied it.

                  The Great Yin Dynasty had suffered countless losses in the face of this terrifying Gu insect.

                  "So this is the small house built by the Sou Gu? It really is fascinating. I wonder which genius came up with such an absurd Gu insect."

                  "With a Gu insect like this, the Long Clan will soar to new heights, unstoppable!" Lei Shun said enviously as he gazed at the Sou Gu hut.

                  "Alright! Now's not the time to study this thing. We have important matters to attend to. First, let’s teleport. Nothing is more important than the Heaven-Mending Fruit."

                  With that, Shi Kun was the second to enter the Sou Gu Hut.

                  Hearing the words "Heaven-Mending Fruit," the others’ eyes lit up. They quickly stopped examining the Sou Gu House and entered one after another…[quote]
                  Read more
                7. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 20 -
                  I want money

                  Chapter 222: Invading the Empress’s Chambers

                  Long Xuan and Li Laodao were the last two to crawl in.

                  When Long Xuan emerged again, he found himself on a rooftop.

                  The Sou Gu hut was situated right on top of a building’s roof.

                  There were four formation flags on the rooftop, forming a barrier that tightly protected the Sou Gu hut.

                  This formation also seemed to have an illusion effect, as the patrolling guards below appeared completely oblivious, unable to see the dozens of people standing clearly on the rooftop.

                  At this moment, all thirty-six individuals had arrived, but no one made any immediate moves. Long Dan stood at the highest point, using the Evil Dragon Emperor Eye to survey the palace, observing the positions of all the Gu cultivators.

                  At that moment, Lei Shun leaped onto the roof and said, “I’ve placed the formation flags at the four corners of the walls. As expected, now that the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation has isolated this area, no one inside or outside the palace has noticed anything unusual.”

                  “But the key is that no one can enter or leave the palace during this time. Although it’s the morning court session, when few people enter the palace, it’s still best to act swiftly.”

                  “Aren’t the Four Kings of the Imperial Garden and the National Advisor in court the strongest? Let’s rush in, kill them, and leave the rest of the mortals. Once we’ve divided the Heaven-Mending Fruit, we can leave immediately,” Lei Shun said eagerly, itching to act.

                  He was the fastest among them. In the brief time the others were arriving, he had already circled the palace and set up the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation.

                  “No!” Long Dan’s expression turned serious, and he immediately stopped him, saying, “We can’t be reckless. The National Advisor attending the court is just a clone he left behind.”

                  “Oh? Then where is his real body?” Lei Shun asked, confused.

                  Long Dan’s face twisted strangely, and after some hesitation, he finally said, “His real body is in the Empress’s chambers.”

                  Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions turned odd. They exchanged knowing smiles, with lustful looks in their eyes.

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan immediately activated his 'Heavenly Eye' to peer into the Empress’s chambers.

                  Sure enough, a lecherous young man was sprawled on the Empress’s bed. Around him were not only the Empress but also dozens of concubines and princesses, all unclothed.

                  Their eyes were vacant, as if they were hypnotized, entirely at his mercy.

                  What a carefree life he was living.

                  For a powerful Gu cultivator, controlling a group of mortals was a simple task. The old emperor had made a mistake by appointing such a powerful Gu cultivator as his National Advisor.

                  His honor was already in shambles.

                  For a mortal to try and control powerful Gu cultivator was inherently unreliable. If one with ill intentions was recruited, it was akin to inviting a wolf into the house, ultimately playing with fire and facing destruction. Attempting to wield such powerful forces would inevitably lead to being consumed by them.

                  The old emperor was already facing light consequences. If this were an evil demon cultivator, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had been replaced altogether.

                  Even a low-tier Gu cultivator who couldn't survive in the Gu world would cause massive disasters if they entered the mortal realm. The incredible powers of Gu cultivator were far beyond what mortals could resist.

                  “Hahaha… That National Advisor sure knows how to enjoy life. I’m almost envious!” Shi Kun laughed heartily, looking in the direction of the harem.

                  The others joined in the laughter, except for Long Dan, who remained serious. He sternly said, “Alright, get serious. Since he’s busy with that, it makes it easier for us to launch a sneak attack.”

                  “Now, listen to my orders. We’ll split into two groups of eighteen.”

                  “The strongest will follow me to the Empress’s chambers to deal with the National Advisor and the dozen Gu Masters guarding the place.”

                  “The rest will attack the Imperial Garden and swiftly eliminate the Four Kings.”

                  “Don’t worry about the other areas. Once chaos erupts in these two places, the remaining Gu cultivators and Body Refiners will come running to their deaths.”

                  “Once we’ve neutralized the palace’s forces, we’ll quickly divide the fruits, and then we’ll leave through the Sou Gu hut as fast as possible.”

                  “And don’t even think about stealing all the Heaven-Devouring Fruits for yourself and running. Let me warn you, while outsiders can’t enter the Five Ghosts Mountains Shifting Formation, neither can anyone inside leave without my command. No one can return through the Sou Gu hut without my permission.”

                  “If you all follow the rules, each of us will get one Heaven-Mending Fruit.”

                  Long Dan cast a sharp glance at the group and then waved his hand. “Now, follow me and attack.”

                  With that, he was the first to leap off the roof, heading straight for the Empress’s chambers.

                  The others shouted in excitement and followed, splitting into two groups and charging in different directions.

                  Long Dan, Long Xuan, Lei Shun, Shi Kun, Bai Youran, and thirteen other geniuses from various clans targeted the Empress’s chambers.

                  This route was evidently the strongest, as the five geniuses from the Demon Prodigy List were all here.

                  Long Dan believed that the National Master was the strongest among them, possibly pretending to be weak to lure him into a trap set by Qin Tian.

                  Therefore, he planned for the worst and simply gathered the five geniuses from the Demon Prodigy List to gang up on the National Master. Long Dan thought that no matter how much the National Master pretended to be weak, he could never defeat the combined strength of five geniuses.

                  However, everyone thought he was making a fuss over nothing, taking the National Master too seriously. Still, since Long Dan was the one who initiated the mission, they had no choice but to go along with it.

                  Not long after they jumped down, they were discovered by the Imperial Guards stationed there. The sound of rapid footsteps immediately rang out, as a large number of armored soldiers charged towards them. Along with them came several Gu cultivators who rushed to the scene. Soon, both sides were entangled in a fierce battle.

                  Long Dan let out a loud roar and immediately began to transform, ripping through his clothes as he morphed into a half-dragon humanoid form. With his claws, he tore a late-stage Marrow Cleansing Gu cultivator in front of him in half.

                  He then charged into the crowd of mortal Imperial Guards, unleashing a massacre. Wherever he passed, bodies of Imperial Guards fell in heaps, their armor, which they wore for protection, was torn to shreds by his claws as though it were made of paper.

                  Seeing Long Dan transform into his half-dragon form, the geniuses behind him all displayed expressions of wariness.

                  During the war with the Great Yin Dynasty, the Long Clan's Dragon Blood Battle Gu had made a terrifying name for itself. The fame was so widespread that anyone who encountered a Long Clan Gu cultivator in battle feared for their lives.

                  Once a Long Clan Gu cultivator transformed, they became unstoppable, killing anyone in their way—no one could withstand their power. Their feats of slaughter left Gu cultivators of the Great Yin Dynasty trembling at the mere mention of them.

                  Now, in the Western Lands, the Dragon Blood Battle Gu was notorious, discussed by many. The geniuses behind Long Dan were shocked to see that he also possessed a Dragon Blood Battle Gu.

                  That he would reveal such a powerful trump card in this battle, and use his full strength right from the start, without holding back, surprised everyone.

                  They were all slightly stunned. Could the National Master really be such a threat that Long Dan felt the need to go to such lengths?

                  Seeing Long Dan act so cautiously, the other geniuses finally got serious and started using more of their power as they made their way toward the Empress's sleeping quarters.

                  Mortals in a battle of Gu cultivators were nothing more than cannon fodder.

                  With Long Dan's claws carving the path, any Imperial Guard in front of him either lay scattered on the ground or was flung high into the air by his brute strength, only to land and crush more soldiers beneath them. There was no one who could withstand a single strike.

                  Shi Kun, covered in stone armor by his Stone Transformation Gu, completely ignored the attacks of the mortal soldiers’ iron weapons. He violently charged into the crowd, sending any Imperial Guard in his way flying through the air. Some flew several meters high, only to crash back down into the crowd, causing more chaos and screams of agony.

                  Every time he swung his fist, an Imperial Guard's head would be smashed, their iron helmets offering no protection whatsoever.

                  Lei Shun, on the other hand, was covered in lightning. Any iron weapon that struck him was immediately shattered by the lightning. Despite being slashed dozens of times by swords and knives, none could break through his defense.

                  He, too, rampaged through the crowd, and anyone he crashed into was instantly reduced to a mist of blood.

                  Compared to the others, Bai Youran was much gentler. After cutting through the mortals' weapons with his spirit sword, he swiftly slit their throats. At least, those who died by his sword had their bodies left intact.

                  The rest of the Gu cultivators also charged into the mortal army and started slaughtering them. Each one of them seemed like a one-man army, possessing the strength to fight thousands.

                  The elite Imperial Guards, handpicked from the nation’s finest, were completely no match for them. They were quickly slaughtered and driven into retreat.

                  Before long, the ground was littered with corpses, and the road leading to the Empress's quarters was flowing with blood.

                  No matter how many Imperial Guards there were, they couldn’t withstand such slaughter. In no time, the area was emptied of both Imperial Guards and Gu cultivators, all of them wiped out by this small group of eighteen.

                  It was a bloodbath from start to finish. None of the eighteen were killed or even injured, and none were out of breath. The vast gap between mortals and Gu cultivators was starkly apparent.

                  Hearing the fierce sounds of battle outside, the National Master was so frightened he nearly lost his nerve, but his fear quickly turned into anger as he rushed outside.

                  “Damn it! Who dares to disturb my important matters? I’ll rip your souls apart!”

                  He kicked the door open and, seeing the dozen or so people already nearing the entrance, let out a vicious grin and charged straight at them.

                  Seeing the National Master charging towards them, Long Dan's heart sank.

                  They had already cleared out all the Gu cultivators and body cultivators guarding the area.

                  If the National Master still dared to charge at them now, that meant he was either incredibly foolish or supremely confident—he must have a powerful trump card that made him fear none of the eighteen of them.

                  Long Dan narrowed his eyes, realizing that there was indeed something strange about this National Master. He couldn’t possibly be some random rogue cultivator who had no place in the Gu world—he must have an extraordinary background.

                  “Everyone, be careful! This National Master is no ordinary person!”

                  However, just as he finished speaking, a series of screams echoed from the crowd.

                  Five Gu cultivators suddenly collapsed into pools of blood, their limbs torn apart as if something had ripped them to shreds, or even devoured them, leaving their corpses in horrific states.

                  Even the five strongest prodigies suddenly found themselves under attack. Shi Kun was thrown backward, crashing into a pillar and skidding across the ground for a long distance. He crawled up, vomiting blood, though luckily, his stone armor’s defense was formidable. This injury barely counted as anything.

                  Long Dan quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding some kind of attack.

                  Long Xuan gave Li Laodao a heavy kick, sending him flying face-first into the ground. At the same time, Long Xuan rolled to the side.
                  Read more
                8. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  Like if Long Xuan is the Ultimate Child of Heaven

                  Chapter 223: Void-type Spirit Insects

                  Long Xuan's eyes revealed a serious expression. Just moments ago, he suddenly saw a group rapidly flying towards them.

                  Their speed was incredibly fast, and he didn't even have time to warn the others. He could only kick Li Laodao, allowing him to dodge a fatal blow.

                  He was able to see the traces of those ghostly creatures, but the others weren't so lucky. Under the sneak attack from those things, a large number of them were killed or injured in an instant.

                  The event happened so suddenly that not only did five Gu cultivators die immediately, but even Bai Youran had a chunk of flesh bitten off. He clutched his abdomen and fell to the ground, screaming in agony.

                  Seeing the spot, Long Xuan’s heart tightened—it was the position of the dantian. With a large piece of flesh gouged out from that area, Bai Youran was completely crippled.

                  In an instant, their side had lost six people, including a prodigy. In just one round of attack, they lost one-third of their manpower.

                  Long Xuan felt a chill down his spine. This national master was proving to be such a formidable foe. Weren’t Gu cultivators from the mortal nation usually rogue cultivators who couldn’t survive in the Gu world? How could they possess such combat strength?!

                  Long Dan roared, "These are Void Gu refined from Void-type Spirit Insects! Long Xuan, only you can see them. You must hold them off while the rest of us attack the national master together! We must kill him as quickly as possible!"

                  With a fierce expression, Long Dan swiftly charged toward the national master.

                  After a brief hesitation, the others gritted their teeth and charged toward the national master as well.

                  The situation had reached a point of no return. The Sou Gu could only be controlled by Long Dan. If he didn’t act, no one would be able to leave, so they had no choice but to follow his order and launch an all-out attack on the national teacher.

                  "These things are Void Gu?" Long Xuan was shocked, his face slightly changing.

                  He had read about Void-type Spirit Insects before. According to records, Void-type Spirit Insects were born in a distant era. These insects had no physical form, existing entirely as void entities and were invisible to the naked eye.

                  Only those with a Gu of the Eye or Spiritual Eyes could detect traces of Void Insects, but even then, they could only see a portion of them.

                  Void Insects hide in different layers of space—the stronger the Void Insect, the deeper its hiding layer.

                  Similarly, the stronger the Eye Gu, the more Void Insects one could see. Only the most powerful Eye Gu could see those hiding in the deepest layers.

                  However, how many people in the world possessed an Eye Gu? And most Eye Gu could only detect the Void Insects hidden in the shallowest layers.

                  Therefore, these invisible creatures were almost impossible to defend against when they attacked.

                  It was said that in the era when Void Insects were most rampant, they nearly drove humanity to extinction. That era was nothing short of the apocalypse for humans.

                  It wasn’t until a figure named Feng Jie from the Feng Clan appeared that things changed. He created the Eye of Apocalypse, which required tens of millions of materials to craft.

                  When the Eye of Apocalypse was fully cultivated to its peak, it could control all Void Insects unconditionally, becoming a natural counter to them.

                  Using the Eye of Apocalypse, Feng Jie controlled all the Void Insects in the world and sealed them within ninety-nine Spirit Sealing Towers, single-handedly ending the chaos and preventing the extinction of humanity.

                  However, due to the overuse of his Eye Gu, Feng Jie died shortly after sealing all the Void Insects.

                  Since then, ninety-nine Spirit Sealing Towers have been scattered across the three realms, each guarded by members of the Feng Clan.

                  Through the Void Insects in the Spirit Sealing Towers, the Feng Clan continued to study and develop ever more powerful Void Gu.

                  Void Gu were completely invisible to the naked eye, and only powerful Eye Gu could detect them. Most Eye Gu could only detect a small portion in the shallowest layers.

                  Given how few natural counters there were to Void Gu, it was no wonder the Feng Clan grew to be one of the most powerful clans in the world.

                  In the Gu world, there was only one Spirit Sealing Tower, located at the very center of the Central Region in Zhongchuan. The Feng Clan that guarded it was also one of the most powerful clans in the Central Region.

                  Therefore, it was easy to deduce the identity of the young man they were fighting—he was from the Feng Clan, one of the most powerful clans in the Central Region, a genius of the Feng family.

                  However, it was highly likely that he was an outcast or traitor. Otherwise, there was no way such a genius from the Feng Clan would be hiding in a mere mortal nation.

                  Long Xuan’s pupils suddenly shrank. Could it be that this person stole the Feng Clan's Heaven-Mending Tree and fled here?

                  After all, the Feng Clan was one of the most powerful clans in the world. There’s no way they wouldn’t recognize the Heaven Mending Tree.

                  That Heaven Mending Tree in the Imperial Garden was most likely brought here by this person.

                  Long Xuan's heart sank. This was a super genius from the world’s strongest clan—it would not be easy to deal with him.

                  However, recalling Li Laodao’s words that this mission would certainly encounter unexpected challenges but guaranteed no one would die, he gritted his teeth and decided to go all out.

                  He quickly split into five clones, and the six of them intercepted all the Void Gu, allowing the other geniuses to focus all their efforts on dealing with the Feng Clan traitor.



                  Meanwhile, the commotion in the palace had already attracted the attention of the outside world. Outside the palace, 200,000 Imperial Guards had fully mobilized and were about to storm in to rescue the emperor, but they were firmly blocked by the barrier raised by the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation.

                  The 200,000 Imperial Guards attacked the barrier relentlessly. Under their fierce assault, the formation’s light flickered, and it was uncertain how long it could hold.

                  Gu cultivators and body refiners sponsored by the nobles also rushed to the palace, gathering at the edges to watch the chaos unfold.

                  This group was enormous. Within moments, thousands of Gu and body cultivators had arrived.

                  These were just the ones closest to the palace. Many more had yet to arrive or chose not to get involved.

                  Since they had not received orders to attack or assist in the rescue, they watched the scene unfold with great interest, not taking any action.

                  A late-stage Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator with a black beard suddenly jumped onto a rooftop and looked toward the palace with an intrigued expression.

                  "Interesting, interesting! A group of immature brats dares to blood-wash the palace. Do they really think the palace of a mortal nation is something a group of mere Marrow Cleansing Gu cultivators can easily take down?"

                  "Once the great formation outside the palace breaks, the 200,000 Imperial Guards will rush in, along with 10,000 Gu and body refiners from the royal city. No matter how skilled these brats are, they’re sure to die…"



                  "Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!"

                  At this moment, the palace was in chaos, with palace maids and young eunuchs running back and forth, and various items scattered on the ground.

                  There was no way to continue the morning court session. Upon hearing that a group of Marrow Cleansing Stage Gu cultivators had attacked the palace, the officials and the old emperor, who were attending the morning session, turned pale and rushed out.

                  "Your Majesty, those assassins are not here to attack you. They’ve split into two groups—one group stormed into the Empress’s chambers, while the other rushed into the Imperial Garden, where they are currently battling the Four Great Vajras who guard the garden."

                  "We just need to wait for reinforcements; there is no threat to Your Majesty’s life," an elder minister respectfully said to the elderly emperor.

                  Unexpectedly, the emperor’s face changed drastically upon hearing this. He exclaimed in shock, "They're in the Empress’s chambers?"

                  "Not good! My beloved consort!"

                  With a glare, the old emperor dashed anxiously toward the Empress’s chambers.

                  "Your Majesty, it’s dangerous there! Please reconsider!"

                  A group of elderly ministers hurriedly chased after him, their old faces filled with worry.

                  Before long, the old emperor arrived at the Empress’s chambers, where the battle was already at a fever pitch.

                  Long Xuan had created a group of clones and summoned several Gu insects, keeping all the void Gu tied up.

                  Meanwhile, the others had encircled the national master, launching an intense assault.

                  However, the national master’s combat strength exceeded everyone’s expectations. Despite Long Xuan suppressing all his void Gu, he still managed to hold his own against more than ten Western land geniuses, even killing one of them outright.

                  But no matter how talented he was, he was still human, not a god. Without his void Gu, he could only maintain a stalemate for a short time. To defeat renowned geniuses like Long Dan with sheer force was impossible.

                  He was now gradually falling into a disadvantage under the combined attacks of the geniuses, and his defeat seemed inevitable—it was only a matter of time.

                  At the same time, the strength of these Western land geniuses was also beyond his expectations. He hadn't anticipated that such a backwater place would suddenly produce a group of geniuses capable of threatening him, including one who could hold off all his void Gu alone.

                  His expression darkened as he realized that if he didn’t find a way to turn the tide soon, he might meet his end here today.

                  In a desperate bid, he began moving toward the direction of the Imperial Garden while fighting the Western land geniuses.

                  He understood that the sudden appearance of these geniuses was most likely due to the Heaven-Mending Tree, which had attracted this disaster.

                  His only hope now was to reach the Heaven-Mending Tree and use it as leverage, threatening to destroy it to force them to stop. That was the only plan he could think of.

                  As the battlefield shifted away, the old emperor and his ministers finally arrived.

                  The old emperor, filled with anxiety, rushed into the Empress’s chambers, only to freeze in shock at the sight of the scene inside, where bodies lay sprawled.

                  "This… this…"

                  The old emperor's hand trembled as he pointed forward.

                  "Poof!"

                  Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground unconscious.

                  "Your Majesty!"

                  "Your Majesty!"

                  "Call the imperial physician!"

                  The group of elderly ministers rushed in frantically…

                  Meanwhile, the National Master’s plan was sound—if he could reach the Heaven-Mending Tree in time, the Westland geniuses would likely stop their assault out of fear of its destruction.

                  This would give him the bargaining power to save his life.

                  However, the problem was that there were also Western land geniuses on the other side, and quite a few of them—eighteen in total.

                  No matter how strong the Four Great Vajras guarding the Imperial Garden were, could they withstand the combined assault of eighteen geniuses?

                  In no time, the Four Great Vajras were slain by the combined forces of the eighteen geniuses.

                  As the national master fled in that direction, he ran headlong into the group of eighteen geniuses.

                  If he had fled in any other direction, he might have had a chance at survival, but running toward them sealed his fate.

                  Just as he approached the Heaven-Mending Tree, his face lit up with joy, only to be immediately surrounded by more than ten geniuses joining the fray to finish him off.

                  The national master was shocked, despair filling his eyes. He had no strength left to deal with this new group of geniuses.

                  With their arrival, he could no longer defend himself. Long Dan seized an opening and struck, his dragon claw grabbing the back of the national master’s neck and twisting it, snapping it instantly.

                  Long Dan released his grip, and the national master’s body fell heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

                  At the same time, all of the National Master's Gu insects died instantly, including all the void Gu fighting with Long Xuan. Not a single one survived; they were all wiped out.
                  Read more
                9. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 20 -
                  I got accepted in South Carolina State University with a $10,430 scholarship

                  Chapter 224: Dividing the Treasures

                  "Damn it! Why is this so troublesome? We had so many people attack together, and it still took this long to deal with him."

                  "He’s definitely not some wandering cultivator who couldn’t survive in the Gu world. He must have a significant background," said Shi Kun with a gloomy face. His body, covered in stone armor, now had cracks from which blood seeped. It was clear he had sustained some injuries during the battle.

                  Lei Shun, with a grim expression, added, "Long Dan, your foresight was spot on. Thankfully, you planned for the worst and brought five geniuses from the Demonic Talent List. Otherwise, we would’ve been in big trouble."

                  "If it wasn’t for us, especially Long Xuan, it wouldn’t have mattered how many Gu cultivators we brought at the Marrow Cleansing stage. They’d all be dead. That guy’s abilities are truly bizarre."

                  Finally, Long Dan let out a long sigh of relief. He knew that Qin Tian's last words before dying were most likely a trap, meant to lure him in with the temptation of the Heaven-Mending Fruit, which could enhance one’s potential. No one could resist such an offer.

                  Luckily, he had anticipated that the trap would be laid by this mysterious national master. By preparing ten times more than necessary, he had finally broken through Qin Tian's contingency plans with overwhelming force.

                  Otherwise, even if he had brought just a few fewer people, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable.

                  However, as he looked around at the number of people left with a smile, his heart quickly sank.

                  They had started with thirty-six people, but now only twenty-four remained. Attacking the palace of a mere mortal nation had resulted in such heavy losses. It was important to remember that everyone he brought was a renowned genius from the Western Lands, each invincible in their respective stages and capable of fighting multiple opponents.

                  "Why are there so few of you? Where are the others? You lost so many people just attacking the Imperial Garden?" Long Dan asked, his face darkening as he looked toward the group that had come from the Imperial Garden.

                  "Sigh! Don’t mention it! Those Four Vajra Guards weren’t some wandering cultivators who couldn’t survive in the Gu world. Their strength wasn’t weak; it was outrageously strong."

                  "Each of them took at least one of our people with them when they made their last stand," one person in the group said with a bitter smile.

                  Despite their heavy losses, everyone was not mourning. In fact, they were smiling with excitement.

                  That’s because the most thrilling part, dividing the treasures, was about to begin.

                  The deaths of others didn’t concern them. In fact, the more people died, the better. Fewer people meant more treasures to divide. They secretly hoped more had died.

                  Only Long Xuan frowned slightly, his expression troubled.

                  Li Laodao had predicted that if it hadn’t been for him, everyone who participated in this mission would have died.

                  What exactly was the danger that could wipe out everyone?

                  Was it really that powerful National Master?

                  Long Xuan fell into deep thought, feeling that this matter wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

                  Although the National Master was indeed strong, could he really kill everyone?

                  Long Dan, after all, had the complete version of the Evil Dragon Emperor's Eye, which could see through void Gu. Could this National Master really take Long Dan’s life?

                  In Li Laodao’s premonition, the crisis that would kill everyone certainly included Long Dan.

                  What kind of danger could there have been that even Long Dan would die?

                  Although the National Master was powerful, he absolutely didn’t have the ability to kill Long Dan.

                  Long Xuan’s heart sank, and his nerves tightened.

                  At that moment, the Gu cultivators had already rushed into the Imperial Garden to divide the treasures, leaving him no time to think. He had no choice but to follow them.

                  Unable to figure it out, he decided not to think about it for now. He needed to get the treasures first. After all, Li Laodao had predicted that he wouldn’t die, so no matter what danger lay ahead, he would face it as it came.

                  ---

                  Unbeknownst to the group, at that very moment, on the roof of the small hut where the Sou Gu was stored, Bai Youran was clutching his bleeding abdomen, his face pale as a sheet, his eyes dull and lifeless.

                  "Heh... My dantian has been dug out. I’m now a cripple. What’s the point of living?" Bai Youran let out a bitter laugh, his eyes filled with despair.

                  Suddenly, his gaze turned fierce as he looked toward the direction of the Imperial Garden, and he snarled, "I’m already completely crippled, yet you all get to divide the Heaven-Mending Fruits and soar to new heights? I can’t stand it!"

                  "Why is my luck so bad while yours is so good? Heaven is unfair!"

                  "If I’m miserable, then no one else will have it easy! You’ll all stay here and die with me! Hahaha…"

                  "Hahahaha…"

                  A madman's laughter echoed from the rooftop as he covered his body with talisman explosives. With one final maniacal laugh, he dove toward the Sou Gu hut…

                  ---

                  Meanwhile, around a massive Spiritual Tree, which was shimmering with blue light, a group of geniuses was laughing heartily.

                  Long Dan laughed, "Arriving early is nothing compared to arriving at the right moment. The Heaven-Mending Fruits have ripened. There are twenty-four of us left, so everyone gets one, with twelve left over."

                  "And only the first fruit you eat has any effect. You can’t take more than one."

                  "So, there’s no need to fight over those twelve extra fruits."

                  "I didn’t expect we’d lose so many people, leaving twelve Heaven-Mending Fruits unclaimed."

                  "Now’s not the time to discuss how to divide these twelve fruits. The Five Ghosts Mountain-Shifting Formation won’t hold for long."

                  "For now, let’s divide these twelve fruits among the four of us on the Demonic Talent List. We’ll discuss the details of dividing them when we return."

                  Shi Kun, now in possession of three Heaven-Mending Fruits, grinned and nodded in agreement. "I agree. There’s no time to waste. Let’s divide them among the strongest four for now. We can sort it out later."

                  Lei Shun, being one of the strongest four, also nodded with a laugh, "I agree too. There’s no chance of losing them with us."

                  "Not only the Heaven-Mending Fruits, but we should also divide the Spiritual Tree and the high-grade Spirit Soil under it. We can figure out the details when we get back."

                  The recent battle had caused quite a disturbance, and the Spiritual Tree had already been affected by the residual energy, dying as a result. The Four Vajras had been responsible, and it wasn’t impossible they did it on purpose.

                  However, even a dead Spiritual Tree was full of treasures. Its trunk and leaves were incredibly valuable, and it could be sold for an astronomical price outside.

                  Not to mention its other uses, the Sou Gu is already incredibly valuable to the Long Clan.

                  A Sou Gu house built with branches from the Heaven Mending Tree can surely teleport directly from Black Stone City to any location within the Gu world without any issues.

                  The branches of the Heaven Mending Tree are a fatal temptation not only to the Sou Gu, but also to the Long Clan.

                  However, the value of the Heaven Mending Tree is so immense that it is impossible for one person to claim it entirely. Thus, Lei Shun proposed dividing it equally among the four of them.

                  After all, this Heaven Mending Tree is already dead. It can't be revived, and no matter how many pieces it’s divided into, its value won’t diminish.

                  At this moment, the rabbit inside Long Xuan’s insect bag had already gone wild. When it sensed the aura of the Heaven Mending Tree, it completely lost its mind. Since it had been transported here, it had been thrashing around in the insect bag non-stop.

                  The Heaven Mending Tree is a higher-level existence than the Living Wood. After all, the Heaven Mending Tree is unique in the world, while the Living Wood is not.

                  This is the highest-grade spiritual medicine the rabbit has seen so far. How could it not go crazy?

                  So, when Long Xuan, as one of the beneficiaries, heard that the tree was going to be divided equally among the four, he immediately agreed and decisively shouted, "I agree as well. There’s no time to waste; let’s divide it right now."

                  Long Xuan was completely exhilarated at this moment. This was the one and only Heaven Mending Tree in existence! If it were still alive, there would be no way he could claim it for himself.

                  But now that it was dead, could he perhaps use its branches and grafting techniques to successfully grow a new Heaven Mending Tree?

                  Since it is unique to the world, maybe it could also become unique to his herb garden!

                  Long Xuan was delighted at the thought.

                  Thus, he had every reason to agree to the proposal. He absolutely had to obtain a portion of the Heaven Mending Tree.

                  The four strongest prodigies of the group had agreed, so who would dare raise an objection?

                  Besides, the arrangement was reasonable and appropriate. It wasn’t the time to waste on unnecessary disputes, so everyone else nodded in agreement as well.

                  Without further delay, they divided the Heaven Mending Tree as quickly as possible.

                  Each person received one Heaven-Mending Fruit on the spot, and everyone was beaming with joy.

                  The rest of the tree was also divided into four parts, which were then placed into the storage bags of the four prodigies.

                  Even the high-grade spirit soil in which the Heaven Mending Tree was planted was divided equally into four portions and quickly distributed.

                  However, just as everyone was smiling from ear to ear, an unexpected event occurred. A deafening explosion suddenly rang out from the distance, followed by a burst of flames in a familiar location.

                  Everyone was stunned.

                  "Huh? What just happened?"

                  "Where did that explosion come from? It was so loud!"

                  "That direction… looks a bit familiar?"

                  Everyone was confused.

                  Long Dan’s face suddenly turned pale as he looked toward the explosion, mouth agape, and cried out, "Damn it! That’s my Sou Gu hut! I've lost connection with the Sou Gu!"

                  "That place was protected by a formation! Who could have the power to break through it?"

                  Shi Kun’s expression froze, and then he suddenly flew into a rage, his face contorting as he roared, "It’s Bai Youran! Only our people can enter that place, and he’s the only one who isn’t here right now."

                  "What the hell did he do!" His face turned dark.

                  "Not good!" Li Laodao, while stroking his beard, pulled out a clump of it in frustration.

                  "This Bai Youran, did he really blow up the Sou Gu hut? Damn him!" Lei Shun cursed furiously and rushed towards the explosion like a madman.

                  The others went berserk too, and they all charged in the same direction.

                  They had every reason to panic. Ever since the Great Yin Dynasty crazily detonated a Realm Pearl, all teleportation formation and Sou Gu houses across the Western Lands and its neighboring areas had been deactivated.

                  Only Long Dan’s Sou Gu, which had broken past its limits, could still function normally.

                  If anything happened to that Sou Gu, they would be stranded, unable to return, trapped in this distant land.

                  They would have to face 200,000 Imperial Guards and 10,000 Gu cultivators and body refiners outside.

                  The terrifying thought of what could happen next drained the color from everyone’s faces, and despair began to fill their eyes.

                  When they arrived at the scene, they saw nothing left of the roof—the entire house had been blown to pieces, and the Sou Gu hut had vanished without a trace.

                  Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot, and they were utterly crazed with rage.

                  “Pfft!” Long Dan spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered several steps backward.

                  As he gazed at the 200,000 Imperial Guards relentlessly attacking the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation in the distance, despair filled his eyes.

                  He understood what awaited them.

                  A dead end. They were now staring at a dead end.

                  Things had reached the worst possible outcome, and unless a miracle occurred, most of them wouldn’t survive the day.

                  “Bai Youran! Even if you die, you’ve dragged us all down to hell with you. You’re ruthless!”

                  Long Dan clenched his fists and cursed at the sky.
                  Read more
                10. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  Some nlggas are traitorous

                  Chapter 225: The Tyrannical Jun Clan

                  "Damn it! This self-serving bastard is only making things worse for everyone! Now we're in serious trouble!"

                  Lei Shun's face turned grim as he suddenly shouted, "I'll go grab that old emperor right now. We'll take him hostage and escape the city. Maybe there's still a slim chance for us!"

                  With that, he turned to leave in search of the old emperor.

                  Long Dan shook his head and let out a bitter laugh. "It's no use. The old emperor is already dead. I don't even know how he died."

                  "What terrible luck! It seems like the heavens are determined to wipe us out!"

                  Lei Shun stopped in his tracks, his face darkening even more.

                  Suddenly, Long Dan's expression hardened as he yelled, "All the cities nearby are already mobilizing their forces to support the royal capital. If we stay here, more troops will keep coming, and our only fate will be death."

                  "The only path left to us now is to fight our way through the sea of people and break out of the encirclement of the 200,000-strong army. The longer we wait, the worse it gets for us."

                  "Let's split up and escape now. If even one of us can make it out, that's something. There's no other choice."

                  Upon hearing this, everyone’s mood turned heavy.

                  Fighting through 200,000 soldiers to escape? Easier said than done.

                  After all, there are still 10,000 Gu cultivators and body refiners outside.

                  Not to mention, the royal city is protected by a formation barrier. No matter how fast you are, you can’t break out without taking the time to destroy the barrier.

                  If you don’t create a mountain of corpses here, don’t even think about getting out.

                  No matter how strong they were, they were still just human. Even if they could fight, they'd eventually be worn down and killed. Even if some of them did manage to break through, only a few would survive.

                  Despair began to show on the faces of the crowd, fear of death flooding their hearts.

                  Bai Youran's destruction of the Sou Gu’s hut had driven them to a dead end. They had no way out now.

                  Just as everyone stood there dazed, the Five Ghosts Mountain Shifting Formation could no longer withstand the attacks of the 200,000-strong army and shattered with a deafening crash.

                  With the barrier broken, the 200,000 imperial guards surged into the palace like a flood, their dense footsteps echoing everywhere.

                  The sound of their footsteps grew louder and louder, hammering the hearts of everyone present.

                  “Hahaha… Losing your head is just a scar the size of a bowl! What’s there to fear? Brothers, follow me into battle!”

                  Suddenly, Shi Kun let out a mad laugh and charged at the approaching army.

                  “Damn it! We’ll fight! Even if I die, I’ll take ten thousand of them with me! Anyone who wants to die, come at me! Even if I die, I’ll kill as many as I can!”

                  Lei Shun laughed bitterly, lightning erupting from his body as he frantically rushed towards the massive army of 200,000!

                  “Brothers! In our next lives, we’ll be brothers again! Follow me into battle!”

                  With a furious roar, Long Dan transformed into a half-dragon humanoid, crashing heavily into the army. People were thrown into the air, their screams filling the sky. Wherever the monstrous figure passed, the ground turned into a hellish battlefield.

                  The others, inspired by their comrades, roared and charged towards the army coming from all directions.

                  In an instant, chaos erupted within the army. The ferocity of over 20 geniuses turned the tide of battle.

                  The mortal army was slaughtered like wheat before a scythe, with corpses piling up in the blink of an eye.

                  Despite the overwhelming numbers of the 200,000-strong army, the group of geniuses carved out several long paths through the soldiers, rapidly closing in on the city's protective formation.

                  “Kill! Keep killing!”

                  Under the orders of various mortal nobles, the recruited Gu cultivators and body refiners joined the battle, mingling with the army and launching an attack against the twenty or so geniuses.

                  These cultivators were far superior to the mortal imperial guards. As they joined the fray, the pressure on the geniuses multiplied.

                  Long Xuan threw a punch at a peak-grade Marrow Cleansing body cultivator, the dark force within him instantly shattering the cultivator's heart. The body was sent flying, knocking over dozens of imperial guards and clearing a path in front of him.

                  At that moment, a long sword struck his shoulder from behind. However, protected by his Soul Armor, the attack couldn’t penetrate his defense. Instead, Long Xuan turned and snapped the attacker's neck, sending him crashing to the ground.

                  The Gu cultivators and body refiners mingling among the mortals were simply too weak. Not a single one could withstand even one of Long Xuan’s strikes.

                  In just a few breaths, Long Xuan had easily killed over ten Gu and body cultivators, their corpses scattered across the ground.

                  “Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Technique! Die, all of you!”

                  Long Xuan roared as his split souls flew out of his body, instantly seizing control of the souls of several early-stage Marrow Cleansing Gu cultivators, forcing them to charge into the crowd and self-destruct. With more than ten deafening explosions, most of the Gu cultivator and body refiners attacking him were killed.

                  The few survivors turned pale with fear and froze in their tracks, too terrified to continue attacking.

                  They had never seen someone as ruthless as Long Xuan, who killed those of the same rank as easily as slicing vegetables. Panic-stricken, they turned and fled.

                  Long Xuan, eager to break out of the encirclement, decided to reveal his true strength. He planned to intimidate the Gu cultivators and body refiners with overwhelming force, then break through the imperial guard’s encirclement and destroy the city’s protective formation to escape.

                  This was not difficult for him. Breaking out of the encirclement was easy, and under the guidance of his 'Eye Of Heavenly Secret', destroying the city's protective formation was also simple. This situation posed no real threat to him.

                  However, his expression remained tense. What was easy for him, might not be for Long Dan.

                  In his half-dragon form, Long Dan could withstand all damage and forcibly break through the encirclement. With the Evil Dragon Emperor’s Eye, he could also easily find the formation’s weak points and break it.

                  If not for him, this could have become Long Dan’s death trap.

                  Long Xuan’s face grew serious. He didn’t dare underestimate the combat prowess of this genius from the Western Lands. This twist of fate wouldn’t become Long Dan’s death sentence.

                  So, the great crisis foreseen by Li Laodao was likely not caused by this twist. Worse dangers were yet to come. The events that followed would be the truly life-threatening ones.

                  Long Xuan’s tension grew as he kept his eyes peeled for any looming threats.

                  Just as he was about to break through the encirclement, the unexpected happened.

                  An exceptionally handsome young man suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his path. The young man smiled, completely unfazed by Long Xuan’s fearsome power, and instead, he exuded an intense battle aura.

                  "Hehe! Impressive! Impressive! Is this the third-ranked genius on the Demonic List of the Western Lands? Truly lives up to the reputation."

                  "Your move is strong, but it can only scare those Gu practitioners in the mortal world."

                  "Your Soul Division Technique can only take over the bodies of people whose soul power is much weaker than yours, and your clone's strength is at best at the mid-stage of Marrow Cleansing. Even taking over someone at the same stage would be difficult."

                  "The Gu cultivators in the mortal world, however, have the weakest willpower. Their soul power is much weaker than Gu cultivators of the same level, so you can rampage through this world, killing as many as you want without resistance."

                  "Your Soul Division Technique is completely ineffective against me. If this is your strongest technique, then today will be your last."

                  Long Xuan squinted slightly, looking at the person blocking his way, and asked, "Who are you? You don’t seem like a Gu cultivator from this country."

                  "If you are unrelated to this country, then please step aside."

                  Judging from the person’s luxurious attire and ethereal aura, Long Xuan already guessed that this individual was not some common Gu cultivator being driven by mortal nobles. His combat strength was entirely different from the Gu cultivator Long Xuan had just fought, and he would probably be difficult to deal with.

                  "I am Jun Zaitian, from Zhongchuan in the Central Region. I am traveling to defeat the top geniuses of the thirty-six territories in the Western Regions."

                  "My current record is thirty-five wins and zero losses. The Western Lands will be my final battle."

                  "It’s just that the major teleportation formation around here suddenly stopped functioning, so I had to walk through this area."

                  "But since the top geniuses of the Western Lands are all gathered here, I don’t need to go further."

                  "My original goal was to find Long Dan, the top genius of the Western Lands, but judging by your level, you seem stronger than him. So, I’ll deal with you first."

                  After scanning the surroundings, he arrogantly laughed and said, "It seems there’s no need for a life-and-death contract. You can attack first! Otherwise, you might not get a chance."

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan’s face darkened. What bad luck. Could such a thing really happen to him? And at this critical moment, was he really taking the fall for Long Dan?

                  This guy had traveled across all regions and defeated the top geniuses. Just how strong was he? Was Long Xuan destined to encounter such a terrifying opponent out of nowhere?

                  At this moment, Long Dan snapped the neck of a peak-stage Marrow Cleansing Gu cultivator, turned, and shouted anxiously, "Be careful! This guy is ruthless in battle. Most of the geniuses who fought him ended up crippled."

                  "Do not hold back against him. Use your strongest trump card and kill him. Don’t worry about his clan seeking revenge!"

                  "The Jun Clan’s rule is that every genius, after reaching adulthood, must travel and challenge the top geniuses of various regions. The one with the most victories will become the core talent of the family. If they die, they die! It’s their own fault for being weak! Many of their geniuses die in these challenges every year."

                  "If you hesitate against this fierce opponent, you will definitely die! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!"

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan couldn’t help but curse in his heart. This guy wanted to challenge him just for the sake of sparring? He sure knew how to pick his moments.

                  Right now, Long Xuan was in a life-or-death crisis. Where was the time for sparring?

                  But could this guy really be the threat to Long Dan's life? Could he really overpower the complete version of the Evil Dragon Emperor’s Eye? After all, Long Dan possessed Limit-Breaking Gu, and there was no telling how many Gu's had already broken through their limits.

                  Could this be another false alarm, with an even greater threat lurking behind?

                  Long Xuan took a deep breath. There were too many variables, and it seemed endless.

                  "You’ve seen my current situation. I don’t have time for a duel. How about we find a quiet place to fight properly once I get out of this mess?" Long Xuan tentatively suggested.

                  Jun Zaitian’s face showed impatience as he replied, "There’s no need for that. Whether you leave or not, you’re dead today. There’s no point in wasting time."

                  "If you want to get out of here, you’ll have to kill me first."

                  "I gave you the chance to attack first, but you’re useless. If I strike first, you won’t get the chance! Kneel!"

                  Suddenly, a black eye appeared at Jun Zaitian's brow, radiating an eerie light. Under its gaze, Long Xuan felt as though a mountain was pressing down on him. His knees buckled, almost forcing him to kneel.

                  It was only because of his Purgatory True Demon Art, which involved jumping into lava and nearly killing himself, that his physical body had grown so strong. He barely managed to resist the sudden increase in gravity with his sheer physical strength. Otherwise, he would have been utterly humiliated today.

                  Long Xuan was now truly enraged. He immediately activated the divine power of his Purgatory True Demon Art. As the power erupted, two giant manifestations, a Divine Dragon and a Golden Crow, appeared in the sky.

                  The Divine Dragon exuded endless pressure, and the Golden Crow shone with dazzling golden light.

                  The Golden Crow spread its wings and soared into the sky, causing the temperature to rise rapidly. The surrounding Imperial Guards immediately shielded their eyes and retreated in panic under the scorching heat.

                  The area around Long Xuan instantly cleared.

                  With the two manifestations empowering him, Long Xuan felt two enormous forces surge into his body, making his strength rise continuously.

                  The overwhelming gravity that had been suffocating him moments ago suddenly felt like nothing. It now seemed like a mere drizzle, having no effect on him at all.

                  Looking at the Divine Dragon and Golden Crow dharma forms in the sky, exuding boundless might, Long Dan was visibly shocked.

                  Wasn’t the Long Clan's ultimate technique, the Dragon Inverse Art, only capable of summoning one manifestation? How could Long Xuan have two? How did he manage it?

                  Jun Zaitian was also slightly surprised. The range of his Gravity Eye would alter the gravity of everything in its sight, with the force intensifying the closer someone was to him.

                  Long Xuan had been so close to him that the fact he could resist the gravity with just his physical strength had already been impressive. But to now summon two dharma forms and render the gravity meaningless was beyond belief.

                  "Interesting! Interesting! Whenever I open the Gravity Eye, most geniuses are crushed under the pressure."

                  "Even those few who focus on body cultivation can barely move under the gravity, left at my mercy."

                  "But you’re the first genius to completely ignore the effects of my Gravity Eye!"

                  "In terms of physical strength, among all Gu cultivators at our level, no one can match you. I acknowledge you as the strongest!"

                  "Now, let’s see how many moves you can withstand!"

                  Jun Zaitian’s expression grew increasingly excited, his gaze turning more frenzied. With a wild laugh, he charged at Long Xuan…
                  Read more
                11. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  Who is the mysterious women I wonder?

                  Chapter 226: The Mysterious Woman

                  At this moment, in the distance, within a small city, the streets were littered with corpses. The entire city was eerily silent, with a strong smell of blood permeating the air, as if this tragic scene had just occurred.

                  A woman in a golden robe, her face veiled, flew into the sky above the city. She looked down at the horrific scene with a slight frown.

                  "Another city slaughtered?" A clear and ethereal voice echoed from the sky.

                  Suddenly, she turned her head towards the distance, where a massive golden crow appeared, radiating a dazzling light.

                  She murmured in surprise and, in an instant, her body transformed into a streak of light. In a flash, she appeared inside the Imperial City of the Black Wind Nation. The city's protective formation outside did nothing to stop her.

                  By this time, the Imperial City had descended into chaos, with battles raging everywhere. The sound of clashing and fighting filled the air, and countless corpses already covered the ground.

                  Her gaze landed on one particular figure within the chaotic battle, and she showed a look of interest. With another flash of golden light, she appeared in a nearby tavern.

                  The war was raging outside, but the tavern had already been abandoned, with no one remaining inside.

                  She sat by the window, took out a wine jug and a cup from her storage ring, and filled the cup with wine. Then, she looked outside with great interest at the two geniuses locked in combat.

                  Long Xuan was locked in a close battle with Jun Zaitian, only now understanding just how terrifying the gravity was in the area closest to him.

                  Engaging in close combat with him meant that one's speed would be greatly reduced, and one's stamina would be drained at an accelerated rate.

                  Under these circumstances, how much of one's full combat strength could be utilized?

                  It was only due to Long Xuan's incredibly strong physical body that, although the gravity affected him, it wasn't enough to stop him in his tracks.

                  Had it been anyone else, they would struggle to even move a finger under such terrifying gravity, and they'd be defeated by Jun Zaitian within just a few moves.

                  Jun Zaitian clearly understood that the closer someone was to him, the more terrifying the gravity became. Thus, he stayed close to Long Xuan to maximize his gravitational advantage.

                  Suddenly, the two clashed with heavy fists. Long Xuan's layered internal energy bypassed Jun Zaitian’s external defenses, surging into his body like a massive wave.

                  Facing such a strange attack, Jun Zaitian’s expression changed. He slammed his right palm heavily against a nearby wall.

                  The force that had entered his body was diverted away, all of it pouring into the wall, causing the building to explode into rubble with a loud bang. Dust filled the air as the structure collapsed.

                  Long Xuan was taken aback. After attempting a few more attacks, he realized that each time his power was transferred elsewhere, demolishing one building after another. It appeared that this person had an ability to transfer his opponent's attacks.

                  "Heh! It’s useless! I have the Transference Gu. I can redirect any attack, whether it's physical or non-physical."

                  "There is no power in this world that can hurt me. You could say that I’m an immortal, an opponent who can never be attacked, and therefore, undefeatable!"

                  "This is how I’ve become invincible in the Western Lands. No one of the same level can defeat me!" Jun Zaitian sneered at his opponent.

                  At this point, Long Xuan truly felt how troublesome it was to fight the number one genius of the 36 Lands.

                  This was the most difficult opponent he had ever encountered. Of all the enemies he had faced, this one was undoubtedly the strongest. He had never come across such a thorny foe before, and his expression grew serious.

                  "Is that so? Every ability has its limits. Even your Transference Gu can't move mountains, can it?"

                  "If a mountain were to fly towards you, could you still transfer it away?"

                  As Long Xuan finished speaking, all the power within his body—his internal organs, his blood, his muscles, every part of his being—madly surged towards his right fist.

                  He soared into the air and threw a ferocious punch aimed directly at Jun Zaitian's head.

                  It should be noted that Long Xuan still had two great Dharma forms empowering him. How powerful was this punch? It carried the force of a thousand tons!

                  Jun Zaitian crossed his arms to block the blow. At that moment, it felt as though a mountain was crashing down on him, and the overwhelming force surged into his body.

                  “Pfft!”

                  Jun Zaitian spat out a mouthful of blood. Under the pressure of this mountain-like force, he fell to one knee. The ground beneath him cracked rapidly, spreading outwards with him at the center, forming a web of fissures.

                  Seizing the moment, Long Xuan kicked him in the chest with a force of a thousand tons.

                  Jun Zaitian was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through three buildings before landing in a heap of rubble. Dust billowed up, hiding his form.

                  The late-stage Spiritual Sea expert with the black beard, who had been watching from a distance, immediately stood up, his face full of disbelief.

                  "What kind of body refinement technique is this kid cultivating to possess such terrifying strength!"

                  "Even a Spiritual Sea-level Gu cultivator would struggle to have such immense power. Anyone of the same level facing him is doomed. If they touch him, they die. Jun Zaitian has finally met his match today."

                  "I thought the weakest of the Western Lands would be the easiest to defeat. I was sure we’d win this last battle, but who would’ve thought that the geniuses here would be the hardest to fight? It looks like Jun Zaitian’s winning streak is about to end," Jun Mochen said with a serious expression, his brows tightly furrowed as he watched the battle.

                  Inside the tavern, the woman in the golden robe smirked. She took a light sip of wine and murmured, "Interesting! Very interesting!"

                  From the rubble, Jun Zaitian's furious roar echoed, "You brat! You've made me angry!"

                  As soon as the words fell, large stones flew out from the dust cloud, and a disheveled figure burst forth, charging towards Long Xuan again.

                  After shattering all the incoming stones, Long Xuan suddenly felt a powerful repulsive force pushing against him. Under this force, his body was uncontrollably flung backwards, crashing through two walls.

                  Stomping heavily on the ground, he created a deep pit to stop his momentum.

                  "Is this... horizontal gravity?" Long Xuan’s heart sank.

                  After a failed strike, Long Xuan suddenly felt two enormous forces tearing at him. A powerful gravity was pulling at his feet, while a strong anti-gravity force was tugging at his head. These two opposing forces acted on him simultaneously, as if they intended to rip him in half.

                  However, Long Xuan's body was incredibly durable, and he didn't get torn apart by the clash of gravity and anti-gravity.

                  He was unharmed, but the rest of the people in the city weren't so lucky.

                  One must know that the range of the gravity extended as far as the Gravity Eye could see. The further away, the weaker the gravitational pull. But just how far can human vision reach?

                  Masses of people in the city were ripped apart, with half of their bodies left on the ground and the other half flying into the sky, leaving a mist of blood in the air.

                  Even buildings were torn in two, with half remaining on the ground and the other half ascending into the sky.

                  The sky was densely packed with debris, and half the city was practically split in two, resembling a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

                  With this devastating move, large swaths of the city's population were wiped out, and half of the densely packed 200,000-strong army was massacred by this attack.

                  Only the people behind him, who were out of his sight, managed to survive.

                  The remaining survivors were all terrified, their eyes vacant as they stared at this apocalyptic scene, as though they had lost their souls.

                  Long Dan suddenly felt a hollow around him; all the people who had been surrounding him were now dead. He couldn't help but swallow hard. "Is this monster something humans can even contend with?"

                  Long Xuan could actually stand toe-to-toe with this monster! Is this his true power?

                  After another failed strike, the direction of gravity shifted again, turning into a warped gravity. Long Xuan felt forces twisting him from all directions, trying to crush him into a ball.

                  Under this immense twisting force, Long Xuan's body spun uncontrollably, and he felt his internal organs churning.

                  Suddenly, he pressed his hands to the ground and leapt into the distance, using Star Stepping technique, and in the blink of an eye, he had fled far away.

                  The further from the Gravity Eye, the less the gravitational impact. Long Xuan could only try to run further away to reduce the effect of the gravity on him.

                  "Run? Where are you going to run? I can move too!"

                  Jun Zaitian charged at him again, and the two engaged in battle once more. Before long, both released their Gu insects, and the two sides' Gu insects began fighting each other.

                  Jun Zaitian's external Gu consisted of a snake, a toad, a centipede, and a scorpion.

                  Long Xuan's 'Wine Gu' faced off against his snake, his 'Dragon Gu' against the centipede, and his 'Blade Gu' against the scorpion.

                  Then, Long Xuan’s 'Disaster Poison Gu' was suddenly awakened by the loud battle and ultimately completed its evolution by devouring the plutonium element.

                  Once it woke up, Long Xuan immediately hurled it toward the toad.

                  On both sides, four peak-grade Gu were engaged in one-on-one duels, colliding with each other.

                  'Little White' could slow down its opponent and speed itself up, making it nearly impossible for the enemy to strike it.

                  The 'Dragon Gu' could teleport all around, occasionally launching sneak attacks on the centipede. Whenever the centipede was about to hit it, the Dragon Gu would teleport away. How could you hit something that could teleport?

                  The 'Disaster Poison Gu' and 'Blade Gu' were in a league of their own.

                  One was of the 100,000 material-grade, the other of the 500,000 material-grade. How could ordinary Gu insects possibly defeat them?

                  As soon as these two towering forces appeared, they immediately overwhelmed the opposing toad and scorpion. It was only a matter of time before the enemy fell.

                  Jun Mochen, who had been observing the battle, widened his eyes in disbelief as he watched this unfold.

                  "Jun Zaitian’s four peak-grade Gu are all falling behind. How is this possible?"

                  "Where did this Western genius' four peak-grade Gu come from? Why have I never heard of them? Just how much material was used to make them so powerful?"

                  "Where did this guy even come from? This is bad!"

                  He was shocked, and suddenly turned his gaze back to where the two were fighting.

                  Despite the Gu battlefield being unfavorable for Jun Zaitian, in the battlefield of Gu Masters, the two were evenly matched.

                  Long Xuan was constantly disrupted by gravity from various directions, causing his attacks to frequently miss their mark, leaving him unable to effectively deal with Jun Zaitian.

                  Finally pushed to the limit, he simply cheated by releasing all his "Clones".

                  In an instant, five phantom dragons and five phantom golden crows appeared in the sky.

                  Now there were six golden crows, and the combined heat they emitted caused the temperature on the ground to rise sharply. Under the scorching heat of the six golden crows, the ground became like a giant furnace, hot enough to roast people alive. The people below all showed signs of extreme discomfort, drenched in sweat within moments.

                  As soon as the five clones appeared, they each unleashed two Dharma Forms, and at this moment, the physical strength of each clone was identical to that of the main body.

                  Each clone’s full-force punch was something that 'Transference Gu' couldn’t defend against.

                  Jun Zaitian was already struggling to deal with just one Long Xuan, let alone five at the same time!

                  He barely dodged one attack, and then had to block the punches of two more clones with his left and right hands. Unable to defend himself, two feet slammed into him heavily.

                  He spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying, crashing through countless buildings.

                  The five clones clenched their fists and grinned cruelly before charging forward again. Within a few moves, Jun Zaitian was once again sent flying, smashing through even more buildings.

                  “This is bad!” Jun Mochen’s expression changed when he saw Jun Zaitian struggling against not just one, but five clones with strength equal to the original. The six of them ganged up on Jun Zaitian, relentlessly beating him down.

                  Inside the roofless tavern, the woman in a golden robe looked up at the six golden crows in the sky, her smile growing wider.
                  Read more
                12. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  Long Xuan be hacking

                  Chapter 227: Unexpected Rebirth

                  “Jun Zaitian, if you admit defeat now, you can still live,” Jun Mochen finally spoke.

                  “No! I’m just one battle away from an undefeated record. How could I admit defeat?” Jun Zaitian stubbornly shouted.

                  As soon as he finished speaking, he was once again sent flying by the fire clone.

                  Jun Mochen watched calmly, his expression indifferent and his gaze devoid of any emotion.

                  Even though the family genius was on the verge of being killed, he had no intention of intervening.

                  The Jun Clan was the most rule-bound of families, and interfering in battles between the younger generation would break those rules. How could he intervene?

                  According to the clan's rules, many geniuses of the Jun Clan went out to challenge others, and countless had already been killed for losing.

                  The Jun Clan had never made a big fuss over the death of a genius, and today was no exception. They could afford to lose, and they didn't lack for geniuses. Besides, Jun Zaitian had already been given a chance to survive.

                  Seeing that Jun Zaitian was determined to court death, Jun Mochen stopped trying to persuade him. Cold-hearted, he shifted his gaze, suddenly pausing as he noticed something among the corpses scattered on the battlefield.

                  Not everyone could kill their way in and out of an army of 200,000 soldiers, especially when there were 10,000 Gu cultivators aiding them.

                  The geniuses of the Western Lands had already suffered losses. One genius had even had his storage bag shattered, scattering treasures everywhere, including a Heaven-Mending Fruit.

                  As a Gu cultivator from a great clan, how could Jun Mochen not recognize such a treasure?

                  Seeing the fruit, his breathing quickened, and a greedy look appeared in his eyes. Even as a powerful cultivator in the Spiritual Sea stage, he couldn't stay calm in the presence of this treasure.

                  A person's natural talent was determined at birth, and improving one's aptitude was akin to defying the heavens. There were very few ways in the world to enhance one's talent.

                  This item was too rare—it was something that any strong cultivator would go to any lengths to obtain.

                  Unable to contain his greed, Jun Mochen rushed toward the Heaven-Mending Fruit at top speed.

                  At that moment, Long Xuan's battle with Jun Zaitian finally ended. Looking down at the lifeless, blood-covered body of Jun Zaitian, Long Xuan sighed helplessly.

                  He had originally hesitated to deliver the fatal blow because there was a Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator nearby.

                  But Jun Zaitian had insisted on rushing to his death. Even though he no longer had the strength to fight, he still came charging in. In a moment of carelessness, Long Xuan’s punch had killed him.

                  After Jun Zaitian's death, Long Xuan felt a chill and quickly looked toward the Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator.

                  Unfortunately, the Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator was also looking at him. Their gazes met.

                  Noticing that the Gu cultivator now held several storage bags from Western Lands’ geniuses, Long Xuan’s heart sank—he realized the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

                  “Young man, you’re quite impressive. There are very few in the Gu world who can kill Jun Zaitian at the same level. You can definitely be called a world-class genius,” the Gu practitioner said.

                  “Jun Zaitian died in a fair and just duel. The Jun Clan has always followed the rules, and we can afford to lose. I won’t kill you to avenge him.”

                  Just as Long Xuan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Jun Mochen suddenly changed his tone and shouted sternly, “But! Treasures belong to the strong. You’ve taken something you shouldn’t have, so it’s only right that I deal with you. It’s within the rules.”

                  As soon as he finished speaking, a third eye suddenly appeared on Jun Mochen’s forehead. Under the gaze of this eye, Long Xuan felt as if a mountain was pressing down on his shoulders, nearly forcing him to his knees.

                  The weight was much stronger than before. Even with his two Dharma forms powers combined, he found it extremely difficult to move.

                  He felt as if he were trapped in a cage, barely able to move. If he couldn’t move, he would be killed in a single strike by the advancing opponent.

                  Long Xuan was horrified, cold sweat running down his back.

                  He remembered what Li Laodao had told him before they came here: an accident was bound to happen, and it might leave him gravely injured, but he was guaranteed not to die. Moreover, if he hadn’t come on this mission, everyone else would have died.

                  Since arriving, Long Xuan had been trying to figure out what Li Laodao had foreseen.

                  Now, he realized the accident wasn’t the mysterious 'National master', nor Bai Youran’s self-destructive sabotage of the 'Sou Gu Hut', nor even the overwhelmingly powerful Jun Zaitian.

                  The real accident was this Spiritual Sea Gu cultivator is from the Central Region. Once he made his move, everyone would die, including Long Dan.

                  Long Dan’s seemingly flawless plan had encountered four unexpected incidents, and the one that could cost him his life was this final accident.

                  But Li Laodao had said that with Long Xuan present, they would all survive. What did he mean by that? Did it mean Long Xuan could kill a Spiritual Sea Gu practitioner?

                  What kind of joke was that? That was a 'Spiritual Sea' stage powerhouse! How could he, Long Xuan, possibly defeat such a being? Was Li Laodao overestimating him? Was his foresight really that accurate?

                  This was supposed to be a mission where he was “guaranteed not to die”? Was Li Laodao crazy?

                  This time, it seemed like Li Laodao’s prediction had gotten him killed! If it weren’t for Li Laodao constantly assuring him there would be accidents but that he’d survive, Long Xuan would never have come in the first place!

                  Long Xuan’s face grew darker as his opponent drew closer, sweat dripping from his forehead.

                  Then, in the nick of time, a flash of inspiration struck Long Xuan. A long-forgotten memory resurfaced, and he finally remembered how to break out of this situation.

                  A glimmer of hope appeared in Long Xuan’s eyes. No, he still had a chance—there was still a sliver of hope.

                  Without wasting any more time, he activated a power he had never used before—the

                  "Gate of Life and Death".

                  “Profound Gate, open!”

                  “Martial Gate, open!”

                  “Spirit Gate, open!”

                  “Divine Gate, open!”

                  “Star Gate, open!”

                  “Heavenly Gate, open!”

                  In an instant, Long Xuan's blood, qi, spiritual power, mental strength, life force, and lifespan all ignited.

                  A powerful force suddenly surged into his limbs, and his aura began to skyrocket.

                  The immense energy pouring into his body made Long Xuan feel like he was about to explode, and his entire body was in excruciating pain.

                  He showed a pained expression. If it weren't for the Water Bear Gu granting him pseudo immortality, his current physical strength wouldn't have been able to withstand the injuries caused by opening six gates.

                  The strain of bearing power far beyond his current realm was causing severe damage to his body. Long Xuan let out a roar, and the sudden surge of power allowed him to break free from the constraints of gravity in an instant.

                  At this moment, Jun Mochen had just approached him. Sensing Long Xuan's rising aura, he was astonished but quickly became serious.

                  “A powerful forbidden technique to enhance strength in a short time? But isn’t the strength increase a bit too exaggerated?”

                  His expression was one of surprise, but there was no time to think further. Long Xuan’s heavy fist was already coming his way. Instinctively, Jun Mochen met the blow with his own fist.

                  “Boom!”

                  The collision of their fists produced a deafening thud.

                  Jun Mochen felt a sharp force seep into his skin, directly attacking his internal organs.

                  His face changed dramatically, and he quickly used his Transference Gu to redirect the sharp force into the ground beneath him.

                  “Boom!”

                  The ground beneath him shattered instantly from the redirected force, sending dust flying into the air.

                  “You’re courting death! Boosting your power by this much! I don’t believe you’ll survive this!”

                  Jun Mochen was enraged and charged at him again.

                  In a flash, the two exchanged countless blows. Long Xuan’s momentum continued to rise. Despite the heavy gravity, he was clashing head-on with a Spiritual Sea Realm expert, holding his own in the short term.

                  Fists clashed with fists, legs with legs, each attack direct and brutal.

                  Jun Mochen, facing an opponent of lower cultivation, didn’t bother dodging Long Xuan's strikes. Every time Long Xuan threw a punch, he met it head-on, never backing down.

                  The sheer force of their battle was terrifying. Buildings around them collapsed one after another from the shockwaves, and the sound of their fists clashing echoed loudly, shaking the air.

                  Everyone watching the fight was stunned.

                  “A Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator can fight evenly with a Spiritual Sea Realm expert? Am I seeing things? Is this Long Xuan’s true combat strength?” Long Dan stared in disbelief, utterly shocked by the scene.

                  “Crossing such a large gap in realms to fight a Spiritual Sea Realm cultivator, and not falling behind—this has never happened in history!” Li Laodao exclaimed, deeply moved as he watched the fight unfold.

                  The woman in the golden robe no longer had her usual smile; her expression had turned extremely serious.

                  Seeing that he hadn’t yet subdued this Spiritual Sea Realm Gu cultivator, Long Xuan grew anxious.

                  He knew he couldn’t maintain this state for long, especially after opening the third gate—the Spirit Gate. Keeping it open for too long could cause his cultivation to drop.

                  He couldn’t afford to drag this out. He had to finish it quickly, or the consequences would be disastrous.

                  Gritting his teeth, Long Xuan’s expression turned wild as he decided to stop worrying about the consequences and opened the two most dangerous gates.

                  “Seventh Gate, Dragon Gate, open!”

                  “Eighth Gate, Ghost Gate, open!”

                  Long Xuan roared, his eyes turning blood-red as immense power flooded into his limbs again.

                  He let out a pained howl as terrifying energy surged out of him. His entire body was engulfed in red flames, and a shockwave of energy exploded outward, spreading rapidly.

                  The red flames burning on his body weren’t ordinary fire but energy so powerful that it overflowed from his body.

                  When mental power, soul power, life force, vitality, blood energy, vital energy, spiritual power, and potential all ignite together, the eight forces combine to form the power of Ghost and God.

                  This fusion of power was far more than just the sum of its parts.

                  Its energy level far surpassed spiritual power—by as much as a hundred times.

                  The power was terrifying beyond belief.

                  Long Xuan vividly remembered the description of Ghost and God power in the introduction to the "Gate of Life and Death".

                  Ghost and God power could merge with a dharma form, and a dharma form infused with Ghost and God power could attack enemies directly.

                  Even someone one whole realm higher than the caster would die if struck by such an attack.

                  This was the description of Ghost and God power in the "Gate of Life and Death", and its ultimate move. Anyone without the Water Bear Gu would perish upon using it.

                  Without hesitation, Long Xuan condensed the Divine Dragon Dharma above his head, channeling the Ghost and God power into it.

                  In an instant, the Divine Dragon Dharma was enveloped in red energy, and it seemed to come to life, becoming lifelike.

                  Suddenly, the dragon's eyes opened, emitting a soul-stirring gaze filled with endless dragon might.

                  The Divine Dragon roared, its eyes sweeping across the battlefield with supreme arrogance, looking down on all.

                  At that moment, it was as though the dragon had been given life.

                  The overwhelming aura caused Jun Mochen’s hair to blow wildly in the wind, and he raised his arm to shield himself from the terrifying shockwave.

                  “This is…”

                  His expression was filled with shock.

                  “This power…”

                  The woman in the golden robe immediately stood up, horrified…
                  Read more
                13. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  All his secrets have probably been released by now

                  Chapter 228: Creating a New Pill Recipe

                  “Die!”

                  Long Xuan roared, dragging the dragon’s head as he charged forward with great speed.

                  Under the impact of the Dragon Form, the ground rumbled loudly. Wherever the Dragon Form passed, a deep trench was carved into the earth, and the entire ground trembled slightly.

                  “What is this?”

                  Jun Mochen’s face changed drastically, revealing a look of shock.

                  “This speed… it's bad…”

                  The dragon’s head smashed heavily into his chest.

                  “Pfft!”

                  He spat out a mouthful of blood as a cracking sound came from his chest.

                  Immediately afterward, his entire body was dragged by the dragon, flying backward at a high speed, smashing through wall after wall. After crashing through countless buildings, his back slammed hard against the barrier of the city-protection formation.

                  “Crack!”

                  The barrier shattered with a loud crash. He had actually broken through the barrier, sliding across the ground for an unknown distance, until he finally stopped after crashing into a mountain wall. Behind him was a straight trench, filled with thick smoke.

                  Everyone was stunned, standing frozen like wooden statues, unable to react for a long time.

                  Sensing that the aura of the Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivator had completely disappeared, Long Dan’s wide-open mouth remained agape.

                  A Marrow Cleansing Stage cultivator killing a Spiritual Sea Stage master—this was unheard of. He was truly shocked.

                  Li Laodao's mouth twitched uncontrollably, and his hand hidden in his sleeve trembled. He was completely frightened by Long Xuan’s heaven-defying combat prowess.

                  At this moment, he finally understood why it was that without Long Xuan, everyone would die, but with him, everyone would live.

                  No one but this monstrous genius could handle that Spiritual Sea Stage Gu Cultivator. To be able to kill a Spiritual Sea Stage expert while being an entire realm lower in cultivation was something likely only Long Xuan could achieve in the entire Gu world.

                  His intuition had proven correct once again. As long as Long Xuan was here, this trip would be 100% safe.

                  After briefly freezing in shock, he quickly broke through the encirclement and fled. The city-protection formation had already been destroyed by Long Xuan’s ultimate move, and the elite guards besieging him had long since suffered heavy casualties at the hands of Jun Zaitian. They had completely lost their will to fight, and the previously hopeless situation now allowed him to escape easily.

                  The remaining ten or so geniuses from the Western Land finally came to their senses, showing joy as they split into different directions, madly fleeing toward the outskirts of the city.

                  The barrier had disappeared, and this ruined imperial city could no longer trap them.

                  As long as they successfully escaped the city, they would be like fish in the ocean, and the Gu Cultivators of Black Wind Nation would never be able to catch them again.

                  All of them wore smiles of relief as they survived the disaster…



                  In a distant cave, Long Xuan threw Jun Mochen’s storage bag onto the ground before sitting down, gasping for breath.

                  At this moment, his entire body felt bloated and painful, his head was about to explode, and pain coursed through every part of his body, causing him to let out a pained groan.

                  The side effects of opening all eight gates were immense. He finally realized just how much pain the Gate of Life and Death could cause—it was so excruciating that he wished for death.

                  He couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Was this really 100% safe? The fact that he hadn’t died meant it was technically safe—no doubt about it. He just wanted to say that if he ever teamed up with that cursed Li Laodao again, he would be nothing but a fool!

                  After swallowing a handful of healing pills, he checked his injuries and immediately felt a sinking sensation in his heart.

                  Burning spiritual power, blood, qi, and vitality—those were all things that could regenerate, so they weren’t much of a concern.

                  However, burning the things that couldn't regenerate was a different matter.

                  The external injuries caused by opening the eight gates could be healed with the Water Bear Gu, and the lifespan consumed could be restored by the Eternal Life Sutra.

                  The Water Bear Gu could restore both life force and a small amount of mental energy, but at its current recovery speed, it would probably take years to fully recover.

                  The damage to his mental energy, however, was a different story. It affected the very core of his being. Without the Water Bear Gu, an ordinary person’s mental energy would never recover if it was damaged at the source.

                  Life force was even more mysterious. After losing a large portion of it, he felt that his body’s ability to heal had slowed down. His muscles and cells seemed to have lost vitality, like withering plants, devoid of life.

                  Moreover, his heart, liver, and kidneys all began to deteriorate as if his organs were aging, their efficiency dropping significantly.

                  At the same time, his digestion, blood production, and detoxification abilities were all declining, and every bodily function was plummeting dramatically.

                  It felt as if all the parts of his body were failing. If not for the Water Bear Gu barely holding things together, his body would have collapsed instantly.

                  Although life force was mysterious, the Water Bear Gu could restore it slowly.

                  However, the damage to his innate potential and soul essence was something that the Water Bear Gu couldn’t restore at all.

                  His potential talent and soul essence were severely damaged, and these injuries were considered irreversible in the outside world, extremely difficult to recover from. Relying on time to heal them was simply impossible.

                  Losing potential was akin to having one’s dantian destroyed—nothing could fix that. If dantians could be repaired, those geniuses from the Bai Clan wouldn't still be crippled.

                  A chill ran down Long Xuan’s spine. Was he going to be crippled forever? For the first time, he panicked, quickly pulling out paper and a brush.

                  He recalled the Heaven-Mending Tree he had just obtained. The tree’s medicinal properties were clearly related to aptitude. Could he use the Heaven-Mending Fruit as the main ingredient to create a pill that could restore aptitude?

                  And the Soul-Nourishing Tree he had accidentally acquired—its medicinal properties were obviously connected to the soul. Could he use its leaves as the main ingredient to create a pill to repair the soul?

                  Although the world had no known method for repairing potential or soul damage, that didn’t mean such methods didn’t exist in theory. Perhaps people hadn’t found them yet, or they had been lost to time.

                  It was also possible that these methods already existed, but those who knew kept it a secret.

                  Thinking this, hope arose in Long Xuan’s heart. What might be a dead-end for others could potentially have a solution for him.

                  He quickly scribbled on the paper:

                  “Heaven-Mending Pill Recipes”

                  Effect: Restores aptitude, repairs the dantian.

                  Main Ingredient: Heaven-Mending Fruit.

                  As soon as he stopped writing, a progress bar appeared on the paper, and Long Xuan's heart leaped with joy.

                  As long as there was progress, it meant that the effects he designed for the pill could be achieved.

                  Indeed, using the Heaven-Mending Fruit as the main ingredient could yield a pill that restored potential!

                  Long Xuan was overjoyed. He couldn’t wait any longer and hurriedly pulled out a second sheet of paper. He quickly wrote on the second sheet:

                  "Soul Restoring Pill Recipe"

                  Effect: Repairs the soul.

                  Main Ingredient: Soul-Nourishing Tree Leaf.

                  As his brush fell on the paper, progress appeared once again. As expected, a pill that repairs the soul could theoretically be developed using the Soul-Nourishing Tree, which is related to the soul's power.

                  Long Xuan was ecstatic once again and couldn’t help but laugh out loud, “Haha! Heaven never seals off all paths! Heaven never seals off all paths! It’s not my time to die!”

                  The two issues threatening his life were now completely resolved. He only needed to rest for a period of time, and once he had completed the development of these two pill recipes, his body would recover as if nothing had ever happened.

                  It was also due to his good fortune that pills for repairing one’s aptitude and soul were theoretically possible. However, to refine such heaven-defying pills would certainly require equally heaven-defying materials—materials that most people would never find in their entire lifetime.

                  Once again, Long Xuan's good fortune shone through. He just so happened to have both a Heaven-Mending Tree and a Soul-Nourishing Tree.

                  Without these two divine trees, he wouldn’t have been able to figure out how to develop pills that could repair aptitude and the soul, no matter how hard he worked.

                  With these two matters settled, Long Xuan finally sighed in relief, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He no longer had any worries.

                  Although his injuries were quite severe this time, in a way, it could be considered a blessing in disguise. He had just discovered that his Water Bear Gu had suddenly completed its evolution, transforming into a powerful Spirit Gu.

                  He couldn't help but smile bitterly. He finally understood what the conditions were for the Water Bear Gu to evolve.

                  The Water Bear Gu's evolution condition turned out to be to "break down before rising again." Every time he was on the verge of death, the Water Bear Gu would complete another transformation.

                  He despised this method of evolution. He wasn’t some sort of masochist and had no desire to go courting death and then barely survive to evolve.

                  Being on the brink of death meant his life hung by a thread, and if the "breaking down" process didn't go well, it would lead to true death. Why would he want to gamble with his life?

                  He let out a bitter smile, then took out the Ice and Fire Hut from his insect bag and placed it on the ground. Soon, the Sou Gu that had been sleeping inside walked out and shook its head at him.

                  “Still can’t teleport, huh?”

                  Long Xuan frowned and took a deep breath.

                  His body was in terrible shape—problems everywhere. He desperately needed to return home to recuperate.

                  Right now, he felt most vulnerable. Staying out in the open, where dangers lurked everywhere, gave him no sense of security.

                  But since the Sou Gu’s small hut couldn’t teleport in this area, it was truly a life-threatening situation.

                  After a brief rest, Long Xuan instructed the Fire Clone to carry him and continue running eastward.

                  He didn’t dare to linger here for long. The appearance of the Heaven-Mending Fruit was bound to be exposed soon.

                  When that happened, countless Gu cultivators would swarm to this area. The Heaven-Mending Fruit was enough to attract hordes of powerful experts.

                  The Black Wind Nation would soon be engulfed in a storm, with innumerable greedy individuals pouring in.

                  If he stayed here any longer, it would be courting death. He had to leave Black Wind Nation as quickly as possible.

                  Moreover, heading west was not an option. Anyone with a brain would know that the geniuses of the Western Lands would be returning home, and would intercept them along the way.

                  He had to go in the opposite direction, moving away from the Western Lands.

                  The farther he moved away from the Western Lands, the more likely he would be to escape the influence of the Realm Pearl.

                  The Far Western Region was unaffected by the Realm Pearl, and the Sou Gu would be usable there.

                  Once he reached a place where the Sou Gu could teleport, he could instantly return home and comfortably recover.

                  If he tried to head west and walk all the way back, even if he managed to avoid being hunted down, it would take years to make it home.

                  Long Xuan’s only plan now was to run as far as possible, until he could use the Sou Gu’s hut and return to his comfort zone.

                  For the next three months, his five clones took turns carrying him non-stop, with no rest, running who knows how far.

                  He didn’t dare fly on his spirit boat because the sky was wide open, making him a large and vulnerable target. To be safe, he only flew at high speed through areas with trees.

                  In fact, his caution was a bit excessive. The mortal nations were isolated from the world, and there was no way the news would spread so quickly to external Gu cultivator forces.

                  Moreover, space teleportation in this area had long been restricted, so even if outside forces were desperate, they wouldn’t be able to learn about the situation here immediately. Long Xuan had plenty of time to escape.

                  During these three months, Long Xuan hadn’t been idle either. His consciousness was constantly immersed in the Soul Library, working on developing the pill recipes.

                  The first recipe he researched was for the Heaven-Mending Pill. His dantian had cracked, and energy was leaking out, putting him at constant risk of losing his cultivation level. Repairing his aptitude was the most urgent problem to address.

                  Although the soul was equally important, it could be dealt with later.

                  Despite his soul’s origin being damaged, which prevented him from refining pills or using soul techniques, he had clones. Whether it was the Soul Library or pill refining, he could borrow the power of his clones.

                  Thus, the issue of damage to the origin of his soul’s could wait. It wasn’t immediately life-threatening.
                  Read more
                14. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -
                  Like Drake and Josh

                  Chapter 229: The Function of the Two Seeds

                  Right now, Long Xuan has quite a number of Heaven Mending Fruits. He originally had four of them, and in the storage bag of that Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivator, there were another six.

                  That Spiritual Sea stage Gu cultivator had gone mad after seeing the Heaven Mending Fruits, slaughtering the Western Lands' geniuses recklessly.

                  If he hadn't encountered Long Xuan early on, and if he had faced Long Xuan last, all the geniuses of the Western Lands would have been massacred by him.

                  So now, Long Xuan has a total of ten Heaven Mending Fruits, more than enough for him to use liberally.

                  By borrowing the power of his clone, he stayed in the Soul Library for three months, which is equivalent to spending nine months outside.

                  Since he didn’t need to physically write in the Soul Library—writing there only required a single thought—the actual time he spent refining the Gu recipes outside amounted to over a year.

                  After such a long time, he finally managed to craft the 'Heaven Mending Pill Recipe.'

                  Through his research, he discovered that by using the Heaven Mending Fruit as the primary ingredient, and mixing it with different grades of auxiliary ingredients, the quality of the resulting pills could vary.

                  In other words, if all the auxiliary ingredients for the Heaven Mending Pill were second-grade spiritual herbs, the Heaven Mending Fruit’s potency would be wasted on those low-quality materials, resulting in a downgraded second-grade pill.

                  A second-grade Heaven Mending Pill can only restore the aptitude of Gu cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing stage, but is ineffective for cultivators above that stage.

                  If the auxiliary ingredients were all peak-grade, tenth-grade spirit herbs, the Heaven Mending Fruit would release most of its potency, producing a tenth-grade pill.

                  However, tenth-grade spirit herbs do not grow in this world, and even if they did, with Long Xuan’s current cultivation, he wouldn’t be able to refine a tenth-grade pill.

                  So, he had no choice but to wastefully use large amounts of lower-grade materials, thus reducing the Heaven Mending Fruit’s efficacy.

                  Now that the second-grade Heaven Mending Pill recipe is complete, his next task is to find the necessary ingredients and quickly refine the Heaven Mending Pills.

                  However, there’s a major issue: he currently cannot return to his Great Herb Garden, and he didn’t bring many spirit herbs with him on this journey, which means he only has the primary ingredient for the pill recipe.

                  In the past, whenever he needed any material, he only had to take a massive amount of contribution points to exchange for them at the Long Clan.

                  But now, trapped outside and unable to return home, gathering the necessary materials has become a real problem for him.

                  And don’t think that collecting second-grade spirit herbs is easy.

                  Rare species transcend grade levels, and collecting materials for refining a Heaven-defying pill like the Heaven Mending Pill isn't something that can be done easily.

                  Ordinary second-grade spirit herbs are relatively easy to gather, but rare second-grade spirit herbs are much harder to come by.

                  To refine the Heaven Mending Pill, over 10,000 ingredients are needed, of which over 300 are rare spirit herbs.

                  Even in the Long Clan's Treasure Hall, it would be difficult to gather all 300 types of rare spirit herbs.

                  He would need to release numerous high-paying tasks at the mission hall and offer substantial rewards over a long period to collect them all.

                  Thus, gathering the ingredients for the Heaven Mending Pill has become a colossal problem for him.

                  After sighing deeply, Long Xuan took out two seeds from his storage ring and played with them like precious treasures.

                  Over the past three months, whenever he had time, he studied these two seeds, trying to uncover their secrets.

                  And sure enough, while Li Laodao couldn’t figure out the mystery of these two seeds, Long Xuan accidentally made a breakthrough, which filled him with joy.

                  Perhaps due to some repelling force between entities of the same level, ever since he placed the Heaven Mending Fruit and the branch of the Heaven Mending Tree into his storage ring, the aura of the two seeds began fluctuating intensely.

                  After noticing this anomaly, he immediately took the seeds out for inspection. When his soul power sensed the situation inside the seeds, he was suddenly transported to an enormous, unfamiliar world.

                  This world was rich in spiritual energy, with soil, water, flowers, and grass. There was even light.

                  However, although this world was vast, it was ultimately limited, like a massive floating island, surrounded by a hazy, gray void—complete nothingness.

                  Long Xuan was utterly shocked at this sight and immediately thought of an entity equal to the Heaven Mending Tree, one of the Ten Great Divine Trees—the World Tree, ranked second.

                  These two seeds appeared to be seeds of the World Tree. He had come across records about them in a hidden text within the Long Clan, the same book where Long Dan had first learned about the Heaven Mending Tree, which had led to this mission.

                  Legend has it that the seeds of the World Tree each contain a vast world.

                  This enormous world can house living beings, where one can breathe, sleep, and live. There is sunlight, and the spiritual energy here is abundant. People can move in and live inside the world, and even cultivate.

                  Storage spaces like storage bags and rings cannot store living beings, nor can they store anything that moves, or any other storage equipment.

                  However, the seeds of the World Tree not only offer vast space but can also store anything, including items that cannot be held in storage bags.

                  The usefulness of the World Tree seeds is immeasurable.

                  First and foremost, they could allow an entire clan to move inside and survive. In the event of a calamity threatening the clan's extinction, everyone could flee into the seed’s world, avoiding annihilation.

                  For an individual, the benefits are even greater: a mobile herb garden, a mobile pasture, a mobile insect chamber, a mobile fish pond...

                  If all these things could be carried around, one can easily imagine the advantage.

                  It was incredibly convenient. With just a small seed, he could carry everything he owned, including his vast herb garden, essentially taking his farm wherever he went.

                  Long Xuan’s breath became rapid, and he found it impossible to stay calm in the presence of such a treasure.

                  He couldn’t help but want to laugh aloud. No matter how cautious Li Laodao was, in the end, he had lost everything. This time, he hadn’t just lost; he had lost everything, down to the last scrap.

                  The value of these two seeds was immeasurable, worth more than trillions. To know that the spiritual energy inside these two seeds was ten times more abundant than the outside world made it a natural cultivation holy ground. Any clan would go mad for such a treasure.

                  Li Laodao actually sold it to him at such a low price. If he knew that what he sold so cheaply was actually a legendary World Tree seed, while the one he kept was a dead seed, who knows what kind of expression he would show. He would probably regret it so much he'd be sick to his stomach.

                  “Hahaha... So satisfying! This is just too satisfying!”

                  Long Xuan's face lit up with an extremely proud smile.

                  However, at this moment, another huge problem was right in front of him, causing him immense anxiety.

                  He desperately needed to go home and plant this World Tree seed so that it could grow into a towering tree and produce more World Tree seeds.

                  But here, he didn't have any high-grade spirit soil. He only received a quarter of the high-grade spirit soil from the Imperial Garden of the Black Wind Kingdom, which wasn't even enough to plant one tree.

                  Moreover, he needed to plant both the Heaven-Mending Tree and the World Tree—two divine trees—at the same time, so the high-grade spirit soil was even more insufficient.

                  Although he could search for other high-grade spirit soil here or gather materials to create his own, it would take time, and not a short amount of time at that.

                  It must be known that the Heaven Mending Tree and the World Tree are both unique to this world. If either of these two divine trees were to die, they would randomly respawn somewhere in the world.

                  Therefore, he had to plant these two divine trees as quickly as possible. If he was too slow and they sprouted elsewhere, it would be impossible for him to cultivate them again, no matter how hard he tried.

                  Right now, he was in a race against time. How could he not be anxious?

                  But at this moment, being anxious wouldn't help. His Suo Gu's ability was disabled, so he could only go with the flow.

                  Time flew by, and three more days passed. Long Xuan stopped in front of the gates of a large city named Tianyue City.

                  This massive city was incredibly prosperous, even more so than Blackstone City. The bustling noise of people echoed throughout.

                  So, upon seeing this city, Long Xuan immediately decided to stop here and gather the materials needed to refine the Heaven-Mending Pill.

                  By now, his injuries had healed enough that he could walk without assistance. After paying an entrance fee of eight hundred low-grade spirit stones to the guards at the gate, he entered the city.

                  He couldn't help but think it was a bit pricey.

                  However, the more expensive the entrance fee, the more prosperous the city. This meant that the materials inside were likely to be abundant.

                  He had already been traveling for quite some time and had fully entered the world of Gu Cultivators.

                  He was now on the land of the Xuan Yue Empire, a neighboring country of the Great Yin Dynasty. The two nations were of equal strength and had a hostile relationship.

                  Tianyue City was the main city of Tianyue County in the Xuan Yue Empire, and it was filled with powerful individuals, naturally making it incredibly prosperous.

                  If the high entrance fee didn’t deter a large number of poor, wandering cultivators, this city would have been overcrowded long ago.

                  Upon entering the city, Long Xuan was immediately awed by the bustling scene inside.

                  A country’s world truly is different. With well-established laws and orderly systems, this place had a sense of structure and order. Chaos was rare here, and scenes like the street brawls between Marrow Cleansing-stage Gu Cultivators in Blackstone City were unlikely to happen.

                  In Blackstone City, power was everything. The rules were made to restrict the weak.

                  However, in a country, the laws were there to restrain the powerful. Even a Gu King couldn't slaughter at will in this city without facing consequences.

                  Additionally, the Xuan Yue Empire used a currency called Yue Coins, but they weren’t accepted in other countries. Spirit stones, however, were universally used here, so he didn't have to worry about becoming penniless.

                  Long Xuan had no plans to stay in the Xuan Yue Empire for long, so he didn’t intend to exchange a large number of Yue Coins, as they would be worthless in other regions.

                  He didn't have time to admire the city's splendor. Instead, he immediately sought out channels to trade for spirit herbs. Once he had what he needed, he planned to leave the city as quickly as possible.

                  He was far too weak right now, and staying in a city filled with powerful people like Tianyue City gave him no sense of security, even though the laws here could restrain Gu Kings.

                  Out of habit, he subconsciously began searching for the Qian Clan Chamber Of Commerce within the city. Upon locating his target, he immediately headed there.

                  The Qian Clan Chamber Of Commerce was a large cross-regional trading firm, with branches in many regions and cities. Even Long Xuan didn’t know how vast the Qian Clan’s network truly was or how many regions it spanned.

                  At that moment, on a massive platform, a fat man with ten spirit rings on his fingers sat arrogantly in the center of the stage, looking immensely proud of himself.

                  A long banner hung on the platform with the words “Treasure Seeking Convention” embroidered on it, drawing a large crowd of spectators. The scene was extremely lively.
                  Read more
                15. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 20 -
                  The patreon blocked me so 239 will be the last chapter

                  Chapter 230: The Brainstorming of a New Peak-Grade Gu Insect

                  Long Xuan was stunned, not knowing what the Treasure Seeking Convention was, yet everyone around him seemed to understand, and no one discussed it openly.

                  Long Xuan looked around and finally found someone who seemed approachable. He walked up to a little girl who was only at the early stage of the Spirit Gathering realm and gently tapped her shoulder.

                  This little girl looked to be about ten years old, and her combat strength didn’t seem high. Because of her frail appearance, Long Xuan dared to ask her about it.

                  "Little girl, can I ask, what is this Treasure Seeking Convention? Is it that the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce is organizing a large group of people to go treasure hunting somewhere?" Long Xuan asked the easy target.

                  The cute little girl turned her head, furrowing her brows slightly. After carefully sizing him up from head to toe, she said:

                  "You must be from some remote place if you don’t even know about the Treasure Seeking Conference that the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce often holds."

                  "Did you really think the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce is recruiting people here to hunt for treasure? That’s hilarious."

                  Suddenly, the little girl extended her hand in front of Long Xuan, not saying another word.

                  Long Xuan was puzzled and rummaged through his storage bag, finally pulling out three candies and placing them in her hand.

                  The girl’s lips twitched a few times, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "Who asked you for candy? Do you really think I’m a child? I want money. My information isn’t free."

                  At this moment, Long Xuan no longer found her cute. Asking for money just to answer a question? If he weren’t so weak right now, he would have taught her a lesson.

                  Long Xuan could only helplessly take out three Spirit Stones and place them in her hand.

                  "Alright, now can you talk?"

                  After happily pocketing the Spirit Stones, the little girl finally spoke: "The merchants of the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce are incredibly wealthy. Often, some rich show-offs gather all sorts of treasures from around the world."

                  "Then, they set up arenas and boast, claiming that any kind of treasure can be found in their storage bags."

                  "Whatever you are missing, you can find it through trade—spiritual herbs, spiritual tools, pills, cultivation techniques, spiritual arts—anything you can think of, they have it in their storage bags."

                  "You can offer any treasure for trade, but the rule is that what you offer must be worth more than what you’re exchanging for."

                  "You understand, right? For someone in urgent need of something, even if they’re getting a bad deal, they’ll still make the trade."

                  "These multi-treasure merchants gradually snowball their wealth by holding Treasure Seeking Convention all over the world. Slowly, they accumulate countless mountains of gold and silver."

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan was no longer calm. This was outrageous! To claim that they could have anything in their storage bags from all over the world—what a bold claim.

                  Even though Long Xuan was incredibly wealthy himself, he wouldn’t dare make such a claim. The variety of treasures he owned was not even one ten-thousandth of what existed in this world.

                  What did it mean to have every kind of treasure? It was beyond exaggeration. Could anyone in this world really be that rich?

                  A single storage bag containing all kinds of treasures—how wealthy would someone have to be to make such a boast?

                  Long Xuan was genuinely shocked.

                  "Are you sure that person isn’t bluffing? Does he have Living Wood? And what about various peak-grade Gu insects—does he dare claim to have those?" Long Xuan pointed to the fat man on the platform, visibly unsettled.

                  The little girl rolled her eyes at him and said, "Let me finish. The Treasure Seeking Convention is divided into levels."

                  "A Gu King-level multi-treasure merchant can hold a level-4 Treasure Seeking Convention, claiming to have any treasure below grade 4."

                  "A Spiritual Sea stage multi-treasure merchant can hold a level-3 Treasure Seeking Convention, only daring to claim they have everything below grade 3."

                  "A Marrow Cleansing stage multi-treasure merchant can only hold a level-2 Treasure Seeking Convention, claiming only to have treasures below grade 2."

                  "But no matter what level of Convention, things that are extinct or exclusive to specific clans are always excluded."

                  "All peak-grade Gu insects in this world are exclusive to various clans. How could he have them?"

                  "Other than those exceptions, the fat man's storage bag contains everything. Whatever you can name, you’ll find it in his bag."

                  "That fat man is the third son of the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce, and he's in charge of all the Qian Clan branches on Earth. So he’s ridiculously wealthy."

                  "Right now, he's at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing stage. So the Treasure Seeking Convention he’s hosting is a level-2 convention. He has everything below grade 2."

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan's shock didn’t diminish. Although those treasure merchants didn’t possess anything beyond their level, it was still impressive enough, wasn’t it?

                  How many second-grade treasures exist in this world? There are so many that they can't even be counted. And yet, that third son of the Qian family dares to claim he has any treasure below second grade. That’s just too arrogant, too outrageous.

                  He’s so arrogant, hosting treasure seeking conventions everywhere, flaunting his wealth. Is he really not afraid of being killed for his treasures?

                  Seriously, if his storage pouch has everything in it, one kill would set you up for ten lifetimes. If you’re going to kill a rich fool, who else would you kill?

                  Those treasure merchants must have no fear of death!

                  Looking at that third son of the Qian family right now, his forehead darkened — bad luck was clearly not far away.

                  At the same time, Long Xuan couldn’t help but reflect: how much must Qian Jinjin be disliked? Why does this fat guy get to occupy this wealthy Tianyue territory, while she gets banished to that desolate, barren land in the far west?

                  Isn’t this treatment too unfair? The favoritism towards men is too serious!

                  I heard the head of the Qian Chamber of commerce assigned each of his children to different regions, and whoever earns the most in their region will become the next head of the guild.

                  But their starting points differ by tens of thousands of times! Does Qian Jinjin even stand a chance of winning? Look at the storage pouch of the third son now — it’s full of treasures, and he’s already bold enough to flaunt his wealth by hosting treasure hunts everywhere.

                  However, I also heard that during the war between the Western Lands and the Great Yin Dynasty, Qian Jinjin, that cunning merchant, made a huge profit from the war. So in the end, who will make the most money? It’s really hard to say.

                  "Those treasure merchants love to show off their wealth everywhere, so I imagine the number of cases where they’re killed for their treasures must be pretty high, right?" Long Xuan couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked.

                  The little girl turned her head and said, "How could that not happen? Of course, it happens. But do you know what the strongest unique Gu insect of the Qian Clan is?"

                  "The strongest Gu insect of the Qian Clan Chamber Of Commerce is the Three-Legged Golden Toad. No contest."

                  "The Three-Legged Golden Toad is a very interesting Gu insect. It loves wealth, loves collecting treasures, and it follows those who possess many treasures."

                  "The Three-Legged Golden Toad strengthens itself by absorbing the aura of treasures. Its combat power is directly proportional to how wealthy its owner is."

                  "The more treasures its owner has, the more treasure aura the Three-Legged Golden Toad absorbs, and the larger it grows when using its gigantification technique. Its combat power becomes stronger as well."

                  "Conversely, if its owner is dirt poor and doesn’t even have a single Yue Coin, the Three-Legged Golden Toad will starve from the lack of treasure aura, becoming so thin and weak that it might not even be able to beat a low-grade Gu insect."

                  "Of course, if its owner has a mountain of wealth, the Three-Legged Golden Toad becomes enormous, able to blot out the sky and cover the sun. It can shake mountains and swallow moons, making it terrifyingly powerful — invincible among peak-grade Gu insect, absolutely unmatched."

                  "Because the strength of the Three-Legged Golden Toad is tied to its owner's wealth, its power has no upper limit."

                  "If its owner possesses the wealth of the entire world, then the Three-Legged Golden Toad would be strong enough to kill anything."

                  "It's also worth mentioning that the Three-Legged Golden Toad has a stomach that holds an infinitely growing storage space, the size of which is also directly proportional to the number and quality of treasures stored."

                  "As long as the owner stores their valuables inside the toad's belly, it can continuously expand its storage space by absorbing the treasures’ aura."

                  "That's why treasure merchants have enough space to carry so many treasures when they go out. It's safe to say that every Qian clan treasure merchant will refine a Three-Legged Golden Toad."

                  "In addition to being able to store items and use gigantification, the Three-Legged Golden Toad has another ability called Devouring Heaven. Devouring Heaven allows it to swallow anything and kill anything, with its strength entirely dependent on the amount of treasure it has."

                  "And since every treasure merchant carries a ridiculous amount of treasures, you can only imagine how powerful their Three-Legged Golden Toads are. Who would dare mess with them?"

                  "Trying to kill a treasure merchant for their wealth? In front of the sky-blotting Three-Legged Golden Toad, you'd better think twice."

                  "There have been cases in history where treasure merchants were successfully killed for their wealth, but they are extremely rare."

                  "Without exceptional skills, no fool would dare to show off their treasures."

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan revealed a contemplative expression, his eyes growing brighter.

                  Suddenly, inspiration struck him. He now had a breakthrough idea for his next peak-grade Gu Insect.

                  Seeing the Three-Legged Golden Toad, his imagination soared. What if he completely overhauled the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu recipe and added the seed of the World Tree?

                  He realized the small world inside the World Tree seed was still too small for his liking. He wanted something bigger — he wanted to replace the storage space inside the Three-Legged Golden Toad’s belly with the small world inside the World Tree seed.

                  That way, the more treasures the Three-Legged Golden Toad swallowed, the larger the small world would become, growing infinitely over time, eventually becoming a real world.

                  That would be terrifying.

                  Wouldn't that make him a creator god? That’s completely overpowered.

                  It's important to note that the space inside the World Tree seed is not just a simple storage space; it's a real world, no different from the outside world.

                  In that world, he could plant spiritual herbs and raise all sorts of living creatures. People could even enter to cultivate.

                  But the storage space inside the current Three-Legged Golden Toad clearly couldn't support living things.

                  If the storage space inside the Three-Legged Golden Toad were replaced with a real world, what kind of changes would that bring?

                  It would mean that, previously, the Three-Legged Golden Toad could only store dead objects and absorb the aura from non-living treasures.

                  But now, things would be different. The new Three-Legged Golden Toad could not only store dead objects but also living creatures, allowing it to absorb both dead and living treasure auras simultaneously.

                  He could even grow spiritual herbs inside the Three-Legged Golden Toad, turning it into a mobile herb garden.

                  The larger the herb garden, the larger the toad’s internal space, and the bigger it would become when using the gigantification technique.

                  He could also turn the toad’s belly into a pasture, raising spiritual fish and creating an insect chamber. All of these living creatures could contribute to the toad’s growth.

                  Even his collection of increasingly powerful peak-grade Gu insects, once stored inside the Three-Legged Golden Toad’s belly, would greatly enhance the toad’s power.

                  Could the original Three-Legged Golden Toad increase its strength by storing living creatures? Obviously not.

                  A Three-Legged Golden Toad that could store both dead and living treasures would have a far higher potential ceiling than one that could only store dead objects.

                  The difference between the two is like heaven and earth, as if they were two completely different species.

                  Long Xuan had already come up with a name for this new species — Heaven-Devouring World Toad.

                  In the future, the belly of the Heaven-Devouring World Toad would contain a real world, a space no smaller than the Gu world. He could even raise mortals inside, establish a nation, and create unique species, forming new ecosystems and building a complete biosphere.

                  He would become a creator god!

                  A god worshiped by all mortals in this new world.

                  They would erect statues in his honor, build temples and altars, and organize various rituals, all to worship and offer sacrifices to him. Who knows, perhaps he might even gain some sort of power of faith — that would certainly be interesting.

                  However, this plan could only be implemented once he became a god in the future.

                  Long Xuan's eyes sparkled with excitement. This gave him plenty to think about regarding the Three-Legged Golden Toad's Gu recipe.
                  Read more
                16. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 20 -
                  I was unjustly blocked on Patreon. I demand my $5 back

                  Chapter 231: The Arrogant Third Young Master

                  He had already made up his mind: with the two World Tree seeds, he would plant one and refine a Gu with the other.

                  Just as he was thinking this, the plump man on the platform surveyed the crowd. Seeing that a sufficient number of people had gathered, he finally stood up and spoke.

                  “Hehe, it’s an honor that all of you have graced us with your presence at my treasure seeking event.”

                  “I am the Third Young Master of the Qian Clan Chamber Of Commerce. You can just call me ‘Third Young Master’. Now, I can arrogantly tell you that I have everything under the second grade in this world!”

                  “Whatever you’re missing, you can ask me. No matter what you lack, I guarantee I’ll have it!”

                  “If you don’t believe me, come and fight! The treasure seeking event officially begins now. If anyone doubts me, come up, and I’ll take you all on!”

                  The Third Young Master’s domineering voice boomed across the crowd, and his tone was as arrogant as it could be.

                  The crowd immediately erupted into chaos. Arrogant—he was truly too arrogant! He dared to boast that he had anything below the second grade. His wealth was so immense that everyone was utterly shocked.

                  Even Long Xuan was stunned. Was he really not afraid of being beaten to death with such arrogance?

                  Suddenly, someone in the crowd couldn’t hold back and shouted, “I want a pill that can help me break through to the Spiritual Sea stage. Do you have it?”

                  The Third Young Master glanced at him indifferently, his face expressionless as he said, “I have 137 types of second-grade breakthrough pills. Which one would you like?”

                  “Hiss…” As soon as he said this, the entire crowd gasped.

                  “So arrogant! I want a peak-grade spiritual weapon. Do you dare say you have that?” Another dissatisfied voice echoed from the crowd.

                  The Third Young Master gave him a cold look and said calmly, “There are too many types of peak-grade spiritual weapons. Excluding those with secret techniques, I currently have 2,608 peak-grade spiritual weapons. How many do you want?”

                  “Hiss…” Once again, the crowd collectively sucked in their breath.

                  “I want beauties! I refuse to believe you have those too!” someone shouted boldly.

                  The Third Young Master yawned lazily, shot him a condescending glance, and said, “I have tens of thousands of contracts for women. Do you prefer the cute type, the fiery type, or the cold and aloof type?”

                  “Hiss!” At this point, everyone felt a chill in their gums. He really had everything! Could anyone stop this arrogant Third Young Master? Everyone was completely in awe of him.

                  Who could come forward and knock down his arrogance? He had completely overshadowed everyone.

                  At the same time, the wealth of this Third Young Master once again left everyone astounded. How rich did he have to be to claim he had everything? The Third Young Master was just too wealthy.

                  His fortune made everyone green with envy.

                  At this point, people had already started rushing onto the platform to trade for the materials they needed.

                  The rule of the treasure seeking was that no matter what the trader wanted, they had to offer something of higher value in return. It was an unequal trade—anyone who traded would be at a loss.

                  But even so, people were still flocking to trade with the Third Young Master, eager to do business with him.

                  Even Long Xuan was tempted. He wasn’t afraid of spending more; he was only worried about not being able to gather what he needed.

                  Now, with the Third Young Master around, collecting any material was incredibly convenient. Long Xuan’s Heaven Mending Pill required 10,000 different ingredients, and it seemed like the Third Young Master might have them all. It was simply terrifying.

                  Long Xuan’s eyes gleamed, and he didn’t hesitate any longer. He immediately handed his storage bag to Fire clone, instructing him to cover his face and go trade with the Third Young Master. Meanwhile, his real body quietly retreated and hid in the crowd.

                  He didn’t want to wait. Even though the Third Young Master claimed to have everything, each item must have a limited quantity. Once it was traded away, it would be gone.

                  So, while the Third Young Master’s treasure collection was at its fullest, he needed to hurry and make the trade. Whoever delayed would suffer a loss.

                  Thus, when the first trader finished and walked off the platform with a smile, Fire clone rushed up as the second.

                  With his Star-Stepping speed, no one could be faster than him.

                  Seeing him appear before the Third Young Master in a near-teleportation manner, the others, who had barely taken a step, could only pull their feet back in frustration.

                  The Third Young Master glanced up at him lazily and asked, “What do you want?”

                  Long Xuan’s clone immediately produced a thick list of materials and said, “All the materials on this list, plus one peak-grade fire-attribute spiritual stone, and two portions of high-quality spiritual soil equivalent to two Spirit Trees. Do you have these?”

                  Long Xuan looked at him. The last two items were beyond the second grade, and he wasn’t sure if the Third Young Master would have them.

                  “Naturally, I do. The question is, can you offer something more valuable than these in return?”

                  Upon seeing the second trader asking for so many expensive items, the Third Young Master gave a devilish smile.

                  He took Long Xuan’s list of materials, scanning it with his soul force, and in a very short time calculated the total value of the items.

                  Seeing no change in his expression, Long Xuan was even more astonished. Many of the materials needed to refine the Heaven Mending Pill were extremely rare, nearing extinction. Many people wouldn't encounter them in a lifetime, but this Third Young Master actually had all of them?

                  Once again, Long Xuan realized how incredible this man's wealth was. When he said he had everything, it turned out to be true.

                  However, because these nearly extinct spiritual herbs were incredibly valuable—on top of the high-grade spirit stones and superior spirit soil he also requested—it left Long Xuan in a difficult spot, wondering what treasure he could offer to surpass their value.

                  His space was limited, and he only brought so many things with him. Most of his treasures were at home, and the most heaven-defying items couldn't be brought out in public. So, for a moment, he truly didn’t know what to exchange for the materials.

                  But then he remembered that the rules of the Treasure Seeking were that any type of treasure could be exchanged, and it seemed like the value of all junk treasures could be added together.

                  With that thought in mind, he quickly came up with a plan. He filled a storage bag with items he didn’t need and handed it to the Third Young Master.

                  Long Xuan had many unused treasures. He had just packed up the Li Laodao's belongings. Although the value of those treasures was incredible, there were few he could actually use.

                  There was also the storage bag from Jun Zaitian and the one from that Spiritual Sea Stage Gu cultivator. Both of them had impressive backgrounds, and their storage bags contained no shortage of good items.

                  He picked out what he didn’t need and tossed them all into the storage bag, then handed it to the Third Young Master.

                  After receiving the storage bag, the Third Young Master scanned it quickly with his soul force. Despite the large number of treasures inside, he estimated the value in a very short time.

                  "This will do. The value of all the treasures in this bag is about ten percent higher than the materials I asked for. We can proceed with the trade."

                  As soon as he finished speaking, the three-legged golden toad beside him suddenly opened its eyes and opened its mouth wide. One after another, treasures flew out from its mouth.

                  Before long, a mountain of materials was piled up.

                  Each spiritual herb was packed in a medicine box to prevent the medicinal properties from dispersing. With thousands of boxes piled together, the sight was truly impressive.

                  Among them, Long Xuan quickly sensed the box containing the peak-grade fire-attribute spirit stone and dozens of large bags of superior high-grade spirit soil.

                  Long Xuan felt somewhat dazed. Had he really just gathered everything he needed in an instant? Was this a dream? Previously, he had grown white hair worrying about how to quickly collect all these materials. Who would’ve thought that, when push came to shove, everything would go so smoothly? What seemed like an impossible task was now effortlessly accomplished. Truly, fate was unpredictable.

                  Today, he could plant the two divine trees into the World Tree seed and begin refining the Heaven Mending Pill.

                  Without delay, he quickly swept all the boxes on the ground into his storage bag and hurried off the stage.

                  The Third Young Master picked up the storage bag Long Xuan had left behind, dumped all the treasures into the mouth of the three-legged golden toad, and said with a smile, "Apologies, that man traded for so many rare items that at least four hundred types of treasures are now available again."

                  "But, he did leave behind a lot of new items, so my treasures won’t be exhausted anytime soon. Who else wants to trade?"

                  Upon hearing that four hundred treasures were now available again, the crowd below panicked.

                  By now, they had realized that although the Third Young Master’s treasures were increasing with each trade, the rarer items were growing scarcer. The later they traded, the worse off they would be.

                  Worried that the items they needed might be traded away by those ahead of them, the crowd surged forward in a rush, creating chaos.

                  As for Long Xuan, after trading for a large number of materials, he feared someone might follow him. He first ordered his Fire Clone to leave the city, and after confirming no one was tailing it, he confidently left the city himself.

                  However, entering and exiting the city twice had cost him a whopping sixteen hundred low-grade spirit stones. The fee was truly outrageous.

                  Tianyue City could make a fortune just from collecting entrance and exit fees without doing anything else.

                  After leaving Tianyue City, Long Xuan immediately found a secluded place in a remote area. Using the Earth Master's ability, he quickly dug out a cave, then rushed inside to begin refining the Heaven Mending Pill. He could no longer wait.

                  The reason he had chosen this remote location to refine the pill rather than staying in Tianyue City was simple: in this world, refining a heaven-defying pill would inevitably attract strange phenomena or even a lightning tribulation.

                  He was certain that a pill capable of mending one's aptitude would definitely be classified as a heaven-defying pill, and once it was completed, it would surely attract a phenomenon from the heavens.

                  The commotion caused by such a phenomenon was too great and could attract people from far away. If he refined the Heaven Mending Pill inside the city, the outcome would be obvious. The moment the phenomenon occurred, it would draw the attention of everyone in the city, and he’d be in deep trouble. Whether or not he could keep the pill would be questionable.

                  It’s worth mentioning that in this world, the birth of any heaven-defying object would either draw a phenomenon or a lightning tribulation.

                  This applied to spirit pills, spiritual artifacts, Gu insects, cultivation techniques... even people.

                  However, only items of fourth grade and above would attract a lightning tribulation. Second-grade treasures could only summon a phenomenon at best.

                  So, he wasn’t worried about the Heaven Mending Pill attracting a lightning tribulation. Otherwise, there would be no point in refining it at all. Given his current strength, if the pill did summon a lightning tribulation, it would surely kill him before the pill was even completed.
                  Read more
                17. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 232: Phenomenon Arises from Pill Creation

                  Before refining pills, there was still one major task to be completed.

                  Long Xuan suddenly smiled and placed one of the World Tree seeds, like a precious treasure, on the table. With a thought, his consciousness entered the space within the World Tree seed.

                  Looking at the surrounding green fields, Long Xuan took a deep breath of fresh air and felt completely relaxed. He smiled slightly, ready to plant the divine tree immediately.

                  There’s a particular trait of heaven-defying spiritual herbs, that is: no other herbs can survive around them.

                  Low-grade herbs planted next to heaven-defying spiritual herbs would have all their nutrients absorbed and wither. If two heaven-defying spiritual herbs are planted close to each other, they will fight, and in the end, neither will survive.

                  Therefore, when planting heaven-defying spiritual herbs, the distance between them must be incredibly large, large enough to span multiple mountains, ensuring they are never clustered together.

                  This was something Long Xuan had learned while planting the Divine Dragon Wood.

                  So, in the northernmost part of the World Tree seed space, he planted the Heaven-Mending Tree, and in the southernmost part, he planted the World Tree.

                  It didn't take too much time, after all, planting the Heaven-Mending Tree only required sticking in a branch, and planting the World Tree only required burying a seed. It wasn’t much labor at all.

                  In the end, his luck was quite good. Neither of these divine trees had yet randomly spawned in this world.

                  After he finished laying down the high-grade spiritual soil, he soon saw growth progress on both divine trees, which filled him with great joy.

                  Now, he was the owner of two divine trees, with another equally powerful divine tree, the Soul-Nourishing Tree.

                  He was looking forward to seeing how big the Heaven Devouring World Toad's body would grow if he placed these three heaven-defying treasures into its stomach.

                  These are truly one-of-a-kind treasures in the world, surpassing even the twelfth-grade heaven-tier spiritual herbs. There is nothing in this world with a higher grade than them.

                  Even if that Third Young Master's second-grade treasures were numerous, could their combined value be higher than that of these three heaven-defying spiritual herbs?

                  He only needed these three heaven-defying spiritual herbs to make the Heaven Devouring World Toad's size surpass that of the Third Young Master's three-legged Golden Toad. Moreover, he had many earth-tier and heaven-tier spiritual herbs.

                  When it comes to treasures, quality is more important than quantity. No matter how many low-tier treasures the Golden Toad stores in its belly, its power will always be limited.

                  Long Xuan took a deep breath in excitement and finally turned his attention away from the two trees, preparing to begin refining the Heaven-Mending Pill.

                  He only had one chance to refine the pill. The materials required to create the Heaven-Mending Pill were far too rare. Even the wildly wealthy Third Young Master could only provide him with a single set of ingredients. As soon as the transaction was completed, the Third Young Master's treasure trove had 400 fewer items.

                  What limits the number of heaven-defying pill recipes is not the number of pill-refining geniuses, but the scarcity of the materials.

                  However, for someone like Long Xuan, who has an almost supernatural advantage, even one chance is more than enough. He immediately began the refining process without a trace of nervousness.

                  At this moment, the rabbit excitedly ran out from the insect bag, circling the enormous pill furnace, which was large enough to hold ten thousand ingredients, and frolicked wildly.

                  This pill-refining rabbit's favorite thing in the world was refining pills, especially heaven-defying spiritual pills. Seeing the rare materials made it nearly lose its mind.

                  Now that Long Xuan was about to refine a heaven-defying pill, how could it not be excited? It immediately ran over to observe, eager to witness the birth of the Heaven-Mending Pill.

                  Seeing the overjoyed rabbit, Long Xuan laughed and teased, "Are you here to secretly learn my techniques?"

                  "My tuition fees are quite expensive, you know."

                  "But since we're so familiar, I'll give you a 10% discount. You can work to pay me back slowly."

                  With a mischievous grin, Long Xuan finally brought out all the spiritual herbs and began the first step of pill refining: extracting the essence of the herbs.

                  A ball of icy blue flames suddenly rose from his hand, releasing an astonishing chill. Under the control of his numerous split souls, the Divine Ice Flame was divided into 160 portions, each separately burning 160 different types of spiritual herbs suspended in the air.

                  This is one of the benefits of cultivating the "Heavenly Demon Soul Splitting Divine Art." By using split souls, he could multitask, and refining herbs with flames became incredibly convenient.

                  Otherwise, extracting the essence of 10,000 spiritual herbs one by one would take forever.

                  It was because he had only recently begun cultivating the "Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art", and had only split his soul four times, creating a total of 160 soul fragments. The quantity was indeed a bit low; otherwise, he would have wanted to split out 10,000 souls in one go and refine all the spirit herbs at once.

                  The refining of the Heaven Mending Pill this time was of utmost importance. He wasn't planning to let his clones, whose alchemy skills were slightly inferior, participate. After all, the clones couldn't monitor the progress.

                  To be cautious, he had to personally take charge. Otherwise, with the help of the clones, his refining speed could have been much faster.

                  Time passed bit by bit, and the rabbit beside him sat quietly, watching him refine the pills with extreme seriousness. Its expression was solemn, and it didn’t even blink.

                  In this way, the man and the rabbit sat there for a whole month.

                  On this day, dark clouds suddenly began to gather above the mountain cave, stretching endlessly across the sky. The black clouds rumbled with thunder, flashing with lightning, but no rain fell.

                  Immediately afterward, a strong wind started blowing, sweeping up the sand and rocks on the ground, as if a dust storm had broken out. The area with the most intense disturbance was right above the mountain cave. In the sky, the black clouds formed a massive black funnel, its tip pointing directly at the cave and spinning rapidly.

                  Just moments ago, the sky had been clear, but now, dark clouds filled the heavens, and fierce winds howled. This was clearly a heavenly phenomenon, indicating that some rare treasure was about to be born nearby.

                  Even though Long Xuan had specifically chosen a remote and desolate location for refining, the phenomenon was still noticed by many people.

                  In the southeast direction, a green boat was rapidly flying toward this place. There were both men and women on the boat, all of them Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators.

                  There were six of them in total, all wearing the same style and color of clothing, a light green, which clearly indicated they were from the same faction.

                  The handsome young man at the front of the boat stood at the bow, gazing in the direction of the phenomenon with a look of astonishment.

                  “Just moments ago, the weather was calm, and the sky was clear. Now, all of a sudden, the sky is covered with dark clouds, and the wind is raging. Such a drastic change without any warning can only mean that a rare treasure is about to appear. Moreover, I am 80% certain that it is a treasure refined by someone.”

                  The young man spoke excitedly, his eyes filled with greed.

                  “Senior Brother, how can you be so sure that this phenomenon is caused by a treasure appearing? And how do you know it’s something man-made and not something naturally born?” one of the younger disciples on the boat asked curiously.

                  “Hmph! Do you really need to ask? This is a barren and remote area with extremely scarce spiritual energy. Any treasure naturally formed by heaven and earth would be born in a place rich in spiritual energy, not in such a desolate location,” the young man explained.

                  “So, this treasure that triggered the heavenly phenomenon must have been refined by someone. They are probably refining pills or crafting artifacts so powerful that they attracted this phenomenon.”

                  “Most of the people who stay in such godforsaken places are weak rogue cultivators. They hide here because they fear being killed for their treasures. Now that this phenomenon has lasted so long without a Heavenly Tribulation descending, it’s likely that the person refining the treasure has a low cultivation level. If we go, we should be able to seize this heaven-defying treasure.”

                  “Snatching the treasure is one thing, but the real prize is the pill recipe or artifact blueprint that caused this phenomenon. If we get that and hand it over to the Gu Spirit Sect, we could exchange it for a huge contribution to the sect.”

                  Upon hearing this, everyone’s eyes lit up with excitement. A treasure that could trigger a heavenly phenomenon was bound to be heaven-defying. Who wouldn't be tempted by such a treasure?

                  However, a female Gu cultivator wearing a white veil frowned slightly and hesitated. “Are you planning to lead us to kill someone and steal their treasure?”

                  The young man turned to look at her with disdain. “Are you trying to play the saint? In the Gu world, saints don't live long. If you feel too kind-hearted, you can get off the boat. You won’t get any share of the treasure.”

                  The veiled woman remained calm and continued, “Someone capable of refining a treasure that causes a heavenly phenomenon isn’t an ordinary person. Facing such an individual carries great risk. Are you so confident you can defeat them?”

                  “We have an important mission to complete. Our distinguished guest is nearby. I advise you not to cause unnecessary complications. Your life is insignificant, but ruining the sect's mission is a serious matter.”

                  The young man laughed, “The Gu Spirit Sect is the number one sect in the Xuan Yue Empire. I am one of the top ten geniuses in the sect, and with the assistance of my junior brothers, who could we possibly lose to?”

                  “Besides, this is just a brief detour. How much time could it possibly take? It won’t delay our mission at all. I think you’re just being overly cautious.”

                  He suddenly turned to his junior brothers and said, “We have a major disagreement here. You can either choose to listen to me and join me in killing that person, or you can listen to her and prioritize the mission.”

                  “If you choose to follow me, stay on the boat. If you choose her, get off the boat with her.”

                  As soon as he finished speaking, the group of juniors averted their eyes from the veiled woman and did not move a step.

                  The veiled woman sighed softly and jumped off the boat, landing gently on a giant butterfly.

                  “Hmph! What a sanctimonious hypocrite. Let’s not bother with her. I’ll lead you to great fortune…”

                  Moments later, the green boat stopped in front of the swirling black cloud vortex. Everyone on board was shocked by what they saw.

                  Treasures capable of causing heavenly phenomena were extremely rare. Even the well-informed disciples of the Gu Spirit Sect were witnessing such a phenomenon for the first time. Their faces were filled with awe.

                  “My master is currently in seclusion here. Please leave to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings!” a voice called out.

                  The voice belonged to Fire clone, who stood atop the tip of a tree, hands clasped behind his back, shouting at the figures in the sky.

                  Hearing the voice, the group of geniuses on the boat looked down. They saw a person standing on the highest leaf of a tree, motionless, as if lighter than a feather, without bending the leaf at all.

                  Everyone was stunned. How was this even possible?
                  Read more
                18. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 233: The Three-Legged Golden Toad Unleashes Its Power

                  Witnessing this display of skill, the five individuals on the boat instantly realized that this person was far from ordinary. All of them exchanged heavy glances, their expressions growing serious.

                  The young man leading the group finally discarded his earlier dismissiveness and cautiously asked the figure standing on the tree leaf, "I am a disciple of the Gu Spirit Sect. May I ask the esteemed name of your master?"

                  "Gu Spirit Sect? Never heard of it. I don't have time for idle chatter. Either leave, or face the consequences," the Fire Clone responded coldly.

                  The young man’s face flushed between shades of green and white. Someone had dared to claim they didn’t know of the Gu Spirit Sect—a sect that was the top power in the Xuanyue Empire, even feared by the royal family. This person was clearly mocking him, and the insult cut deep.

                  "To think someone would dare to disregard my Gu Spirit Sect. If we retreat today, how will we ever dare to call ourselves its disciples again? Failing to punish this person would be a disgrace to our sect!"

                  The young man, seizing the opportunity to attack, declared angrily, "You brat! Today, I will make you pay for your words and actions!"

                  With a twisted expression, he steered the Green Boat straight toward the figure on the tree.

                  "Courting death!"

                  The Fire Clone no longer held back. In an instant, a divine dragon and a golden crow appeared in the sky. Empowered by their divine aura, he launched a powerful fist directly at the oncoming Green Boat.

                  "Boom!"

                  In a split second, the boat shattered into pieces, its debris scattering. All the passengers were thrown into the air by the force.

                  "My precious high-grade Green Boat! You dare destroy it? I'll kill you!"

                  The young man, now beyond furious, flipped mid-air before landing gracefully on the ground and charged toward the figure in the tree.

                  The other prodigies who had been thrown from the boat landed unscathed and immediately rushed forward to join the battle.

                  However, before they could close the distance, four identical figures emerged from the cave, blocking their path.

                  Simultaneously, five divine dragons and five golden crows materialized in the sky once again. The dragons exuded an overwhelming aura of dragon might that sent shivers down the spines of all present. The golden crows radiated intense heat, so scorching that even the Gu cultivators struggled to endure it.

                  "What… what is this?"

                  The prodigies were stunned and horrified.

                  The Fire Clone’s duplicates had unleashed their full power from the start, summoning divine Dharma forms even before the battle commenced. They were determined to eliminate these intruders with swift and overwhelming force. They knew that more people were likely to be drawn by the anomalies, and the fight had to end quickly and decisively.

                  In the meantime, several formidable Gu joined the fray—Wine Gu, Dragon Gu, Disaster Poison Gu, and the Ten-Arm Blade Gu—all rushing out of the cave, eager to join the battle.

                  The arrival of these terrifying creatures sealed the fate of the prodigies. The battlefield was soon filled with the sound of screams, which were abruptly cut short…

                  ---

                  Inside the World Tree Seed

                  Long Xuan gazed at the three golden pills resting in his palm, his breath coming in short, excited bursts.

                  The pills emitted a faint golden glow, wisps of white pill energy swirling around them. The rich aroma they gave off was so intoxicating that it felt as though they were divine pills, with an ethereal quality about them.

                  Taking a deep breath, Long Xuan felt a strange sensation, as if he were about to ascend to the heavens on the spot. Startled by this, he quickly put the three pills into separate bottles, safely storing them.

                  He didn’t consume the Heaven-Mending Pills immediately. It wasn’t the right time yet; the pill’s power required time to fully absorb. Moreover, the anomaly caused by refining the pills had already drawn attention, even though he had chosen a remote location. More Gu cultivators would inevitably be attracted. This was not a place he could stay for long.

                  He had to leave quickly and find a new, secluded place to absorb the pill's energy in peace.

                  Without wasting any more time, he stored the three pill bottles, and with a thought, reappeared outside. He also retrieved the World Tree Seed from the table and placed it, along with the table itself, into his storage ring.

                  The World Tree Seed emitted no aura of a high-grade spiritual herb, which was why Li Laodao had overlooked it. Thus, Long Xuan could confidently carry it outside, knowing no one would detect its true value. Keeping it in the storage ring might cause complications later on.

                  As Long Xuan stepped out of the cave, he found five fresh corpses lying on the ground. Blood still oozed from them, and the bodies were warm—clearly, they hadn’t been dead for long.

                  The Fire Clone approached and said, "These people claimed to be from the Gu Spirit Sect. Arrogant, all of them. Tried to break in, but we put them down. Their storage bags were full of good stuff."

                  "Gu Spirit Sect?" Long Xuan thought for a moment before dismissing it. "Never heard of it. Doesn't matter. We can't stay here any longer. Let's move quickly."

                  With that, he raised his hand and unleashed a flaming palm strike, incinerating the five bodies into ashes. Together with his clones, Long Xuan swiftly left the area.

                  ---

                  Just as they vanished, a young girl, veiled in silk, arrived riding a giant butterfly.

                  Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the scorched remnants of the battlefield below.

                  "So the battle ended this quickly? He’s one of the top ten geniuses of the Gu Spirit Sect, yet he, along with his four junior brothers, was defeated in an instant. How is this possible? Who exactly is this person?"

                  "Oh no, the mission item is lost..."

                  Suddenly realizing something, the veiled young woman’s expression changed drastically, and she quickly rode off on a butterfly, disappearing from sight...

                  Half a day later.

                  Under Long Xuan's Eye of Heavenly Secrets, he caught sight of a massive three-legged Golden Toad from afar.

                  The size of the three-legged Golden Toad was unbelievably exaggerated—about the size of a mountain, seemingly covering the sky and blocking out the sun. It let out a deafening roar.

                  With its mouth wide open, a massive suction force was released, pulling in countless trees, rocks, soil, and even a large number of people from the ground. They were all sucked into its gaping mouth, accompanied by endless screams. The scene was utterly terrifying.

                  Upon seeing this behemoth, Long Xuan’s gaze couldn’t tear away from it. He stopped in his tracks, his face showing shock.

                  "Isn’t this the third young master’s three-legged Golden Toad? How did it grow so large? What in the world happened?"

                  He quickly focused again. Through the Heavenly Eye, the scene ahead became crystal clear.

                  It seemed that a group of unidentified people was attacking the caravan of the Qian Clan’s Chamber Of Commerce, and the third young master was in that caravan.

                  The group’s target was obviously him, as the death squad relentlessly charged at him. At this moment, the third young master had already sustained serious injuries.

                  The three-legged Golden Toad, now as large as a mountain, had gone berserk, its eyes bloodshot as it slaughtered the Gu cultivators below.

                  Every step it took caused the ground to shake as though an earthquake had struck, emitting thunderous booms.

                  Each movement of its feet left deep craters in the ground, and even water began seeping out. The earth rapidly cracked under its stomping.

                  With each breath it took, violent gusts of wind formed below, kicking up flying sand and stones. Many Gu cultivators were either blown away or sucked into its mouth.

                  Countless Gu cultivators were crushed to death under its feet, while many others were swallowed whole. Even many Gu cultivators from the Qian Clan were caught in the crossfire and killed by the terrifying aftershocks it produced.

                  The sight was horrifying.

                  Long Xuan had never witnessed such a terrifying battle scene before. He stood there in a daze, his mouth agape, staring at the scene, unable to move.

                  "Is this the killing power of the Qian Clan’s first exclusive Gu, the three-legged Golden Toad? This is far too terrifying!"

                  No wonder so few people are able to kill the multi-treasure merchants. With such a terrifying creature at their disposal, who could possibly rival them? Even if a hundred thousand soldiers were deployed, they likely wouldn’t be enough to fill this creature's teeth.

                  And this is only the three-legged Golden Toad of a Marrow Cleansing stage multi-treasure merchant, a Spirit Gu that has only undergone one evolution.

                  If just a single Spirit Gu is already this horrifying, how powerful would the three-legged Golden Toad of a Gu King-level multi-treasure merchant be?

                  And what if the three-legged Golden Toad of a multi-treasure merchant evolves over ten times? By then, wouldn’t the clouds only reach its toes?

                  Just thinking about this terrifying image made Long Xuan shiver uncontrollably. It was simply too frightening. Is this still a Gu insect?

                  Long Xuan dared not imagine further. He was completely shocked.

                  This is only a weakened version of the three-legged Golden Toad. How ridiculous would his upgraded version, the Heaven-Devouring World Toad, be? How big would it grow? Just thinking about it made Long Xuan's scalp tingle.

                  At this moment, he finally understood the terrifying existence he was about to research. Is it really okay to study something so frightening? He couldn’t help but wipe the cold sweat from his brow.

                  Looking back at the battlefield, he couldn’t help but sigh, “I knew it, his aura was dark—misfortune was bound to come, and it happened just as I predicted.”

                  "Bringing so many treasures and parading around—of course he got targeted. What a pity."

                  Shaking his head, Long Xuan took out a chair, sat down on the side to enjoy the show, and even grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds to snack on as he watched the battle with great interest.

                  However, the more he watched, the more alarmed he became. The three-legged Golden Toad was already this terrifying, yet it seemed to be at a disadvantage in this battle.

                  There is always someone stronger. This group of unidentified people was clearly well-prepared, with specific methods to counter the three-legged Golden Toad.

                  They released countless unknown small insects that managed to bite through the skin of the Golden Toad and burrow inside, gnawing wildly.

                  Despite its massive body, it had no way to deal with these small creatures, and it howled in pain, completely losing control and going mad.

                  It not only stomped numerous attackers to death but also trampled many of the Qian Clan’s Gu cultivators. Both sides suffered heavy losses under the massive feet of the creature.

                  Fortunately, this situation didn’t last long. The immensely powerful three-legged Golden Toad was actually bitten to death, and soon after, it lay on the ground, motionless, with no signs of life.

                  The death of the three-legged Golden Toad marked the end of the battle.

                  Not long after, all the Qian Clan’s Gu cultivators were slaughtered by the group, who then took all the valuables from the caravan and left, taking with them the enormous corpse of the three-legged Golden Toad.

                  Watching them run farther away, Long Xuan couldn’t help but be stunned. A battle powerhouse like the three-legged Golden Toad was actually killed so easily?

                  This wasn’t just any three-legged Golden Toad—it belonged to the multi-treasure merchant.

                  The three-legged Golden Toad in the hands of a multi-treasure merchant was a thousand times stronger than those of others. How could it be so easily dealt with?

                  That this group was able to eliminate the multi-treasure merchant’s three-legged Golden Toad so quickly was truly shocking to him, and he found it hard to believe.

                  It wasn’t difficult to guess that this group’s origins were anything but simple. A gleam flashed in Long Xuan’s eyes.
                  Read more
                19. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 234: Internal Conflict in the Qian Clan

                  After the group had completely disappeared into the distance, Long Xuan finally mustered up the courage to approach the battlefield, hoping to scavenge anything that might have been left behind.

                  They had left in a hurry, so there was a possibility that some treasures had been overlooked and left behind.

                  As soon as he arrived at the battlefield, he was stunned by the terrifying aftermath of the battle. The ground was riddled with giant craters, stomped out by the fierce fighting.

                  Many Gu cultivators had been trampled to death, their bodies so mangled they were too gruesome to look at.

                  Had he not killed enough people himself already, Long Xuan might have thrown up upon witnessing such a scene for the first time.

                  Suppressing his discomfort, he stopped looking at the disfigured corpses and focused on his task—cleaning up the battlefield and looting whatever he could, intending to leave as soon as possible.

                  The fat man who had been addressed as Third Young Master was clearly the most promising target, so Long Xuan instinctively headed toward him first.

                  Looking at this blood-soaked, ragged figure, Long Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

                  Not long ago, this same man had been flaunting his wealth in Tianyue City, but now, had he ever imagined this would be the outcome of his arrogance? Had he foreseen that flaunting his riches would make him a target for those who despised him?

                  Shaking his head, Long Xuan inspected the body of the Third Young Master carefully from head to toe and soon spotted something hidden within his chest area.

                  His heart leaped with joy—there was indeed treasure left behind! He immediately reached out to claim it.

                  However, just as his hand slipped into the fat man's clothing, the man’s previously shut eyes suddenly opened wide, glaring at him.

                  At that moment, anyone would have been scared half to death.

                  Long Xuan, completely unprepared for the corpse to "come back to life," was caught off guard and jumped several steps back in shock.

                  His heart pounded wildly in his chest as he stared at the Third Young Master in disbelief. He was still alive!

                  How could this be possible? Those people were so thorough in their actions—how could they leave someone alive? Did they not know how to ensure the kill? How could they make such a rookie mistake?

                  “Cough, cough!”

                  The Third Young Master coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, his face pale as he weakly said, “Disappointed? I’m still alive. Don’t be fooled by the fact that my dantian has been destroyed—it’s not hard for me to take your life. If you’re smart, you’ll leave now, and I’ll pretend this never happened.”

                  After calming his startled heart, Long Xuan curiously asked, “You’re hiding a storage ring in your clothes, aren’t you? I didn’t expect you hadn’t stored all your valuables in the Three-Legged Golden Toad’s belly.”

                  “I believe a multi-treasure merchant like yourself must have some hidden trump cards—something that could threaten me.”

                  “But I’m really curious: how did you manage to fake your death and fool those people?”

                  “They didn’t finish you off, nor did they check your clothes for the storage ring. If it were me, I’d have burned the body to ashes after the kill. Even if you weren’t faking your death, the corpse might still have clues revealing my identity.”

                  “It’s easy to deduce the identity of the killer from the wounds on the body. How could they make such a rookie mistake?”

                  Long Xuan’s thoughts raced. Although he was wary of the treasure merchant, he didn’t leave immediately.

                  He needed the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu Recipe, and with the merchant now weakened, and the strongest of the toads dead, this was the best opportunity to seize the recipe. How could he just walk away?

                  If he didn’t grasp this opportunity today, collecting the formula for the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu would be nearly impossible in the future.

                  The strength of the Qian Clan’s merchant guild far surpassed that of the Long Clan. It would be no easy feat to get their hands on the recipe for such a powerful Gu.

                  “Heh,” the Third Young Master let out a bitter laugh, his face still pale as he spoke, “Do you really think they’re that stupid?”

                  “I’m telling you, in this world, there are no fools. Fools don’t survive in this world.”

                  “If they were really that stupid, could they have planned such a perfect assassination? They nearly killed me.”

                  “There aren’t many successful assassinations of multi-treasure merchants throughout history, but they pulled it off.”

                  The Third Young Master’s eyes flashed with fury, and a murderous intent surged as he said angrily, “The reason I’m still alive isn’t because they’re stupid—it’s because they purposely left me alive!”

                  “The Fake Death Pill I took was useless. Any smart person would have pulverized my body, leaving no chance for the Qian Clan to find the culprit.”

                  “Heh! They could have killed me, but they didn’t. They merely crippled my dantian. Did they really think I’d be so easily fooled?”

                  “My so-called brothers really took me for a fool. If it were outsiders who attacked me, they’d definitely kill me. Only members of my own clan would spare my life.”

                  “They didn’t do it out of kindness or brotherly love. They left me alive because they’re overly cautious and want to leave themselves an escape route, in case this ever gets exposed.”

                  “There’s no secret that doesn’t eventually come to light. Killing a fellow clan member is a capital crime, while merely injuring one carries a much lighter punishment.”

                  “Killing a clan member means paying with their life, no matter their talent or status. Injuring a clan member, however, is not a death sentence, and in time, it might even be forgotten.”

                  “They feared the risk of death, so they left me alive and simply crippled my dantian.”

                  “As long as I’m a cripple, I can no longer compete for the position of clan leader. Whether I live or die no longer matters to them, and that’s how I managed to keep my life.”

                  “Heh! My dear brothers, still not ruthless enough. They feared death too much to eliminate me completely.”

                  “Do they really think that just because I’m now a cripple, stripped of my power, that I can’t do anything to them? So naive!”

                  The Third Young Master clenched his fists, his teeth grinding in seething hatred as he roared.

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan finally understood.

                  So this was all a power struggle for the position of clan leader, a case of siblings turning against each other.

                  Such scenarios were all too common in large clans. Even within the Long Clan, such events occurred frequently. For example, Long Buhui had been imprisoned in the Holy Tree Grounds for a long time, forced to guard the sacred tree.

                  The Qian Chamber Of Commerce was vast and powerful, and the competition for the position of clan leader must have been even fiercer.

                  The current leader of the Qian Clan had fathered over a dozen talented offspring, all potential candidates for the leadership. Their internal strife was far more chaotic.

                  The head of the Qian Clan, in his wisdom, granted each of the clan leader candidates authority over a region, with the understanding that the one who earned the most wealth would become the next clan leader.

                  While this method certainly ensures that the most capable leader will be chosen, its drawbacks are equally clear.

                  Each candidate is given too much power, and each one controls wealth comparable to a nation. They all possess the potential for immense destruction.

                  If these ten or so candidates fail to handle matters properly, it could lead to internal strife within the Qian Clan, or even deal a significant blow to it.

                  Currently, the Qian Clan is already beginning to show signs of disorder, and it is unclear what kind of crisis might arise in the end. Whether Qian Jinjin, one of the candidates, will survive this crisis unscathed is also uncertain.

                  Long Xuan started to let his imagination run wild. He was contemplating whether he could forcefully seize the recipe for the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu from the Third Young Master.

                  Despite being in a weakened state and unable to act personally, Long Xuan’s five clones had terrifying combat power.

                  Right now, the Third Young Master had suffered serious injuries, and the most powerful Three-Legged Golden Toad was dead, making this an extremely rare opportunity.

                  Although the Third Young Master, as a wealthy merchant, surely had many powerful cards up his sleeve, Long Xuan was confident that his own chances of success were still greater.

                  However, this thought didn’t last long before he quickly abandoned it.

                  It wasn’t that he feared losing to the Third Young Master. Instead, it was because he shared the same concern as the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on the Third Young Master—the fear of being discovered and then hunted down by the Qian Clan’s business association.

                  This potential consequence had to be carefully considered. Long Xuan had always been cautious by nature and never willing to take unnecessary risks.

                  The Qian Clan’s business association spanned across various regions and controlled vast, incalculable wealth. Its ranks were filled with powerful individuals, and there were likely countless Gu Kings among them—definitely not a force Long Xuan could afford to offend in his current state.

                  He could never guarantee that after killing someone, the Qian Clan’s business association wouldn’t trace it back to him.

                  If even the other clan leader candidates who targeted the Third Young Master couldn’t be sure of avoiding detection, how could he? He wasn’t that arrogant.

                  In this world, Gu insects come in countless strange and unpredictable forms, with abilities more bizarre and astonishing than the next.

                  So one should never assume they’ve covered their tracks completely.

                  For instance, there are Gu insects with divination or prophetic abilities in this world, which could directly reveal the identity of the perpetrator. What good is it to act discreetly then?

                  Thus, out of caution, Long Xuan ultimately abandoned the idea of killing and robbing. Instead, he planned to acquire the recipe for the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu through a trade.

                  No clan would easily trade a secret Gu recipe, but nothing is ever absolute.

                  Under normal circumstances, even if Long Xuan offered a fortune, the Third Young Master would never trade away the clan’s secret Gu recipe.

                  But now, things were different. The Third Young Master's dantian was destroyed, and his cultivation path was ruined for life. No Gu cultivator could accept becoming a cripple.

                  But what if something could repair his dantian at this moment? To regain his life and seek revenge, would he betray his clan and trade the secret Gu recipe?

                  Long Xuan believed the Third Young Master would likely choose to make the trade. In fact, most people in this world would probably make the same decision in such a situation.

                  Humans are selfish. When their own survival is at stake, who would care about anything else? Who could endure being a cripple for the rest of their life?

                  Since he wasn’t planning to kill and seize the treasure, Long Xuan had only one option left—offering the Heaven Mending Pill. He took a deep breath and said, "How about we make a trade?"

                  "I have something that can repair your dantian, but you must trade me the recipe for the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu."

                  "I assure you, I only need the recipe for reference and will never actually refine the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu."

                  "As long as I don't refine it, no one will ever know you leaked your clan's secret Gu recipe. You can safely make this trade with me."

                  As expected, Long Xuan’s words immediately caused the Third Young Master’s eyes to widen in disbelief. His breathing quickened, and he looked at Long Xuan as if he wanted to devour him, his emotions highly agitated. "Is that true? Do you really have something that can repair my dantian?"

                  "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! You’re lying! As a head of the Qian Clan’s business in this region, I’ve handled countless treasures and am the most knowledgeable person around, yet I have never seen any pill that can repair a dantian."

                  "Forget seeing it, I’ve never even heard of such a thing! A pill that can repair a dantian? That’s unheard of. You must be trying to deceive me!"

                  The Third Young Master shook his head frantically, unable to believe that such a pill existed in this world. It was too coincidental that right after he was crippled, someone would conveniently show up with something that could repair his dantian.

                  If such a pill truly existed, he would have been dead long ago. His enemies would never have just crippled his dantian.

                  It was precisely because a destroyed dantian couldn’t be repaired in this world that he had lost the ability to rise again, and his enemies spared his life.

                  Though he was convinced the news was false, the Third Young Master still looked at Long Xuan with hopeful eyes, wanting to believe but afraid to, trapped in deep internal conflict.
                  Read more
                20. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 235: Another Member Added to the Second Team of Gu Insects

                  Seeing his expression, Long Xuan knew there was a chance, so he immediately threw a pill bottle toward him and said, "Why don’t you just appraise it to see if it’s real?"

                  "Every Qian Clan merchant is the greatest treasure appraiser. I believe you have the ability to identify unknown treasures, right?"

                  The third young master quickly caught the pill bottle, immediately poured the pill into his palm, and sniffed it deeply. A look of surprise flashed across his face.

                  At that moment, his right eye suddenly emitted a golden light, scanning the pill in his palm.

                  This was another unique Gu technique of the Qian Clan, called the Golden Eye, which could parasitize the eyeballs of Qian Clan merchants.

                  The Golden Eye had powerful calculation abilities. No matter how many spirit stones were inside a storage bag, this eye could instantly calculate the total number.

                  Even if there was a mountain of treasures in front of it, the Golden Eye could estimate the total value with a glance.

                  That was only the basic ability of the Golden Eye. Its most terrifying feature was its ability to appraise treasures.

                  The Golden Eye could identify any treasure in the world, even unknown and newly born treasures. This eye could appraise them all and reveal their exact function.

                  It could even instantly determine whether a cultivation method filled with text was real or fake.

                  Thus, the third young master didn’t need to experiment on someone to discover the effects of the Heaven Mending Pill; a glance with the Golden Eye would suffice.

                  Before long, the third young master’s face flushed, and his breathing became rapid. He abruptly lifted his head, staring at Long Xuan with fiery eyes, and said:

                  "This pill can truly repair a person’s dantian! I didn’t expect there really to be a pill that can mend a damaged dantian in this world. Truly, heaven does not cut off all paths! There is always a way!"

                  "Hahaha…"

                  "My dear brothers, you never expected this, did you? I actually found a divine pill that can restore my dantian! You’re bound to be disappointed. I’ll see how you dare fight me once my dantian is repaired!"

                  The third young master suddenly stood up, laughing wildly in excitement. Then he looked at Long Xuan with a serious expression and said, "I never imagined you would possess such a divine pill. You want the Three-legged Golden Toad Gu recipe? Let’s be clear then."

                  "I wasn’t going to give you the Three-legged Golden Toad Gu recipe no matter what."

                  "You must understand, Gu recipe of the Thief Clan poisoning arts, are not hard to obtain. There are countless ways to steal them."

                  "In this world, there are only perfect offenses, no perfect defenses. No method can completely prevent the leakage of exclusive Gu recipe."

                  "Stealing the Gu recipe is easy, but once you refine the Gu insect, they’ll sense it. The entire clan will then hunt you down."

                  "This is why so few people refine the unique Gu insects of various clans. It’s not that they can’t steal the recipe, it’s that they don’t dare to refine them."

                  "As soon as you dare to refine such a Gu insect, you will certainly be exposed. So under no circumstances would I have let you take the Three-legged Golden Toad Gu recipe."

                  "But, if you can truly promise never to refine the Three-legged Golden Toad Gu and never record its recipe on paper to pass it on, I will have no reservations about giving it to you!"

                  Upon hearing this, Long Xuan was overjoyed. As expected, the crippled third young master couldn’t resist the temptation of a pill that could repair his dantian. The plan had worked, and his Heaven-Devouring World Toad was about to be obtained.

                  "Third young master, rest assured. I’ve never gone back on my word."

                  "I promise to memorize the Three-legged Golden Toad Gu recipe and destroy it afterward. I’ll never pass it on, and I swear I’ll never refine the Three-legged Golden Toad Gu." Long Xuan immediately vowed with conviction.

                  The third young master shook his head and stared straight into Long Xuan's eyes. "I don’t believe in vows, nor do I believe in anyone’s word. You must refine a Integrity Gu. Only by being bound by the Integrity Gu will I feel at ease."

                  "Otherwise, I won’t complete this transaction under any circumstances."

                  Hearing this, Long Xuan was taken aback. Was this a "buy one, get one free" deal?

                  Giving away one unique Gu recipe was not enough, but giving he's giving away two?

                  Well, it didn’t matter—one or two made no difference at this point. The third young master had nothing to lose anymore.

                  "You’re sure you want to give me another exclusive Qian Clan Gu recipe? And even let me refine it? If I refine the Integrity Gu, won’t the Qian Clan’s Gu cultivators sense it and expose my theft of the Qian Clan’s secret Gu recipe?" Long Xuan asked in surprise.

                  The third young master shook his head and said, "The Integrity Gu is different. This kind of Gu insect can be loaned out within our clan. Many families possess Integrity Gu."

                  "When the time comes, I’ll just say that you’re my sworn brother and that I lent you the Integrity Gu. Don’t worry, no Qian Clan Gu cultivators will come looking for you."

                  Hearing this, Long Xuan immediately recalled the time they went to the Empress's ancient tomb, when Long Lie borrowed a Integrity Gu to check if any of the Long Clan’s geniuses were hiding secrets. Long Bao had been caught on the spot because of it.

                  This showed that the Qian Clan’s merchant guild indeed allowed the Integrity Gu to be loaned out. This made Long Xuan feel more at ease.

                  Thinking about it, he was rather tempted to refine a Integrity Gu. Not being deceived in future transactions was one benefit, but more importantly, with a Integrity Gu, no one would ever be able to lie to him.

                  Anyone plotting against him would have to think twice.

                  It could be said that having a Integrity Gu would allow him to avoid most plots and schemes, significantly increasing his safety. The Integrity Gu was definitely worth refining.

                  Long Xuan’s eyes lit up, but he suddenly thought of the drawback: the Integrity Gu couldn’t tolerate lies, even from its master.

                  This could be troublesome. Refining this Gu insect would restrict others but also himself.

                  Never being able to lie again in the Gu world was not necessarily a good thing.

                  It looks like after getting his hands on the Integrity Gu's recipe, Long Xuan planned to modify it. He would change it so that the Integrity Gu would only work on others, not on himself. Heh heh.

                  Immediately, Long Xuan said to the Third Young Master, "No problem, I can refine the Integrity Gu, and I promise in front of the Integrity Gu that I will never reveal the recipe for the Three-Legged Golden Toad Gu."

                  "But I grew up poor, and I've been plagued by bad luck. It might take a long time for me to refine the Integrity Gu," Long Xuan feigned poverty.

                  This was naturally a ploy to buy more time, so he could have enough time to modify the Integrity Gu's recipe.

                  "You don't need to worry about the materials. The ingredients for the Integrity Gu are cheap, I'll just give them to you."

                  "You'll refine the Gu right here, and I guarantee you’ll have enough materials until the Integrity Gu is complete."

                  "My own Integrity Gu was just killed in battle, so I need to refine one too. Let’s do it together."

                  With that, the Third Young Master reached into his shirt and pulled out a necklace hidden inside—it was a rare storage necklace.

                  This storage necklace could not only store inanimate objects but also living creatures.

                  Before long, the Third Young Master took out the materials needed to refine the Integrity Gu and laid them on the ground, piling up various bottles and jars into a small mound.

                  At the same time, he transmitted the Integrity Gu's recipe to Long Xuan through soul communication.

                  Clearly, the secret recipe wasn't something he would carry on his person; it could only be stored in his memory. Even if someone killed the Third Young Master, they wouldn’t find the recipe on his body.

                  After transmitting the recipe, the Third Young Master placed a Heaven-Mending Pill into a bottle and reluctantly tossed it to Long Xuan.

                  Merchants of the Qian Clan were known for their rules. Since the deal wasn't complete, he couldn’t just put the Heaven-Mending Pill into his storage necklace.

                  But in his mind, this Heaven-Mending Pill was already as good as his. He just had to wait for Long Xuan to refine the Integrity Gu, and then it would be time to collect it. There was no rush.

                  Long Xuan gathered all the materials and immediately went to a cave to refine the Gu.

                  The Third Young Master didn’t follow. He needed to tend to his injuries, handle the death of his clansmen, and refine another Integrity Gu for himself. According to the clan’s rules, any member of the Qian Clan who didn’t possess an Integrity Gu was not allowed to conduct business, so he had plenty of things to do.

                  This made Long Xuan breathe a sigh of relief. He was refining an irregular Integrity Gu, so the Third Young Master definitely couldn't be around.

                  With the Third Young Master occupied, Long Xuan was free to modify the recipe without holding back.

                  After entering the cave, Long Xuan immediately blocked the entrance with stones, released a clone to stand guard, and sat down with closed eyes. His spiritual form entered his Soul Library to study the Gu recipe.

                  Modifying a Gu recipe was much easier than creating one from scratch. In the Soul Library, Long Xuan only needed ten days to successfully design the irregular Integrity Gu.

                  Due to the inclusion of many new materials, it was fortunate that the Third Young Master was wealthy and well-stocked, almost having everything.

                  With the materials from the Third Young Master, Long Xuan quickly gathered the more than one thousand ingredients required for the recipe and immediately began refining the Gu.

                  Half a month later, Long Xuan held a gleaming, golden toad in his hands, stroking its back with an obsession he couldn’t hide.

                  At this moment, Long Xuan was so happy that he couldn't close his mouth. Thanks to his modifications, the current Integrity Gu was much more interesting.

                  The Integrity Gu now had two souls. One soul despised people who told the truth, while the other soul hated people who lied.

                  The two souls could be switched at will under Long Xuan’s control.

                  When he wanted to lie, he would release the soul that hated the truth. When he wanted to know if someone was lying, he would release the soul that despised liars.

                  It was simply perfect.

                  In this way, the Integrity Gu’s major drawback of controlling its owner was completely resolved.

                  At this moment, Long Xuan felt he was truly a genius for coming up with such a clever idea.

                  "Heh heh..."

                  With a sinister laugh, Long Xuan walked out of the cave holding the irregular Integrity Gu, ready to confront the Third Young Master with it.

                  The Third Young Master’s residence wasn’t far away. After so much time had passed, his injuries had mostly healed, except for the damage to his dantian.

                  The Third Young Master had been anxiously waiting, and when he saw Long Xuan finally emerge with a golden toad in his arms, his eyes lit up, and he hurried forward.

                  "Hahaha… You’ve finally succeeded! You’ve kept your brother waiting. Quick, let me see this honest little fellow!"
                  Read more
                21. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 236: I Want to Be the Captain

                  The third young master gazed intently at the Integrity Gu in Long Xuan’s arms, excitedly walked over, took a closer look, and then burst into laughter: "I, Qian Gao, am the most handsome man in the world!"

                  As soon as the words left the mouth of this nearly spherical fat man, the Integrity Gu in Long Xuan’s arms emitted a golden light from its eyes, blindingly bright. Only an outrageous lie could make its eyes shine so intensely.

                  Seeing how dishonest this person was, the Integrity Gu immediately became furious, glaring angrily at the fat man, ready to pounce and devour him.

                  Long Xuan was shocked and hurriedly held it down, gently stroking its head to calm it.

                  This little guy had quite a temper.

                  However, the third young master was not frightened; instead, he was delighted. The stronger the temper of the Integrity Gu, the more binding its power.

                  With a smile, the third young master said, "I’m very satisfied with this Integrity Gu. Now swear in front of it, and we can complete our transaction quickly."

                  Long Xuan nodded. He did not switch the Integrity Gu to the state where it loves hearing lies because he truly had no intention of refining the Three-Legged Golden Toad. Switching its state would only backfire.

                  He raised three fingers and spoke directly to the Integrity Gu: "Today, in front of this Integrity Gu, I swear that in this lifetime, I will never refine the Three-Legged Golden Toad, nor will I pass on its Gu technique in any form."

                  "If I break this oath, let the Integrity Gu devour me whole!"

                  As soon as Long Xuan finished speaking, the third young master immediately laughed, warmly embracing him and saying, "Good! With that vow, I’m completely at ease."

                  "I will now give you the technique for the Three-Legged Golden Toad!"

                  With that, the third young master transferred the technique for the Three-Legged Golden Toad directly into Long Xuan’s mind using his soul power.

                  At the same time, he took out the Integrity Gu he had just refined to prove that the technique he handed over was genuine, with no tampering.

                  The technique involved a staggering twenty thousand materials, and the soul communication took quite a long time to complete.

                  Long Xuan was utterly shocked. The Three-Legged Golden Toad’s technique required over 200,000 materials—an unbelievable amount.

                  But then he recalled the overwhelming battle power of the mountain-sized Three-Legged Golden Toad he had seen earlier, and it no longer seemed surprising.

                  The Three-Legged Golden Toad’s power was indeed worthy of so many materials, perhaps even more.

                  As long as the Three-Legged Golden Toad’s stomach could hold enough treasures, it could truly become an invincible Gu insect. Its strength varied depending on the quantity and quality of the treasures stored within, meaning its power had no upper limit.

                  Such an extraordinary Gu insect, costing 200,000 materials to refine, was not expensive at all. In fact, it was quite cheap.

                  But there was a major downside: collecting so many materials would be an enormous challenge.

                  Gathering 200,000 materials would be a nightmare, and obtaining the prime Gu insects required would take a long time. The resources he would need to spend were astronomical.

                  These materials couldn’t be collected from the third son; otherwise, it would clearly signal his intent to refine the Three-Legged Golden Toad.

                  Thus, the task of gathering materials for the Gu technique became a headache for Long Xuan.

                  But at this point, all he could do was take things as they came, one step at a time.

                  After tossing a bottle containing the Heaven-Mending Pill to the third young master, the latter immediately beamed with excitement. He hurriedly caught it, pouring the pill into his hand and using his Golden Eyes to verify its authenticity.

                  Seeing no issues with the pill, the third son smiled and carefully placed it back into the bottle, storing it away safely. He then turned to Long Xuan and said:

                  "You’ve saved my life. I, Qian Gao, always repay my debts. From now on, you’re my brother."

                  "When I get through this crisis, come to my house as a guest. I’ll introduce you to my sister!"

                  "That’s an offer I can’t refuse. If the third young master invites me, I will certainly accept," Long Xuan said with a smile, lowering his guard slightly.

                  Qian Clan merchants rarely lied, so when the third young master said this, he genuinely considered Long Xuan his brother, without any malice.

                  Wait, the Qian Clan merchants rarely lied. Could it be that he was serious about introducing his sister to him? Long Xuan’s expression turned strange.

                  After their transaction was complete, both parties were pleased.

                  The third son had to return to Tianyue City to deal with many matters and also needed time to go into seclusion to refine the Heaven-Mending Pill’s medicinal power.

                  Long Xuan also needed to find a quiet place to refine the pill and restore his aptitude as soon as possible.

                  So, they quickly parted ways.

                  Long Xuan didn’t meticulously choose a secluded location. He simply found a hilltop, used an Earth Master technique to dig out a cave, and prepared to use it as a temporary retreat.

                  Inside the cave, Long Xuan took out a blue jade stone and a letter, falling into deep thought.

                  These two items had been dropped by the junior members of the Gu Spirit Sect.

                  Coincidentally, the primary material for the Three-Legged Golden Toad was the Golden Toad, a rare treasure-hoarding spiritual insect that only appears once every century and is extremely difficult to find.

                  There was no way such an extraordinary Gu insect as the Three-Legged Golden Toad could be easy to locate. Even if someone spent ten lifetimes, they might never see a trace of a Golden Toad.

                  Even the Qian Clan merchants struggled to collect the materials for the Three-Legged Golden Toad, making it exceedingly rare for anyone to successfully refine one.

                  At this moment, Long Xuan was wondering how to find this elusive Golden Toad when, as if by fate, he discovered that the letter recorded the hidden location of the Golden Toad.

                  How convenient was that? Long Xuan couldn’t help but feel as if this was all part of some script, giving him a sense of unreality.

                  Wait, his clone had just killed those five Gu Spirit Sect disciples, and a few steps later, he had seen the third young master being ambushed.

                  The two groups were so close to each other. Could it be that the five Gu Spirit Sect disciples had been planning to trade information about the Golden Toad with the third young master?

                  The third young master had taken such a risk to come out, likely for this transaction. The allure of the Golden Toad would have been irresistible to a Qian Clan merchant.

                  But the deal had gone awry. The third young master had narrowly avoided an assassination, and the five Gu Spirit Sect geniuses had unexpectedly died. The letter and the mysterious jade had fallen into Long Xuan’s hands.

                  Long Xuan took a deep breath. The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

                  However, instead of feeling pleased about his fortune, Long Xuan frowned, his expression conflicted.

                  He wasn’t stupid. The hidden location of the Golden Toad was bound to be extremely dangerous. Otherwise, the Gu Spirit Sect disciples would have captured the Golden Toad themselves rather than trading its location with the third son.

                  After all, the value of the Golden Toad itself far exceeded the information about its location by a hundredfold.

                  This made it clear that the hidden location of the Golden Toad was incredibly perilous, far beyond the reach of the Gu Spirit Sect.

                  Long Xuan could easily imagine that the Gu Spirit Sect was a major power in the region. If even they didn’t dare approach the area, the level of danger there must be unimaginable.

                  So, Long Xuan hesitated.

                  If it were any other treasure, he would have given up by now, no matter how valuable. He would never risk his life for it.

                  However, the Golden Toad was precisely what he needed most, and it was extremely difficult to obtain. If his luck wasn’t good, he might never see a Golden Toad in his entire life.

                  If he missed this Golden Toad today, he couldn’t guarantee he would ever see a second one in the future.

                  Even if a second Golden Toad did appear, it would surely be taken away by the Qian Clan Chamber Of Commerce, who would rush to the scene upon hearing about it.

                  Whether it was in terms of financial power or the speed of gathering information, he had no chance of competing with the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce.

                  Moreover, the world knew how important the Golden Toad was to the Qian Clan Chamber of Commerce Once someone found the Golden Toad, they would certainly run to the Qian Clan to drive up the price. In such a case, he would have no chance at all.

                  Considering all of this, Long Xuan's thoughts slowly began to lean toward taking a risk.

                  After a long while, Long Xuan let out a heavy sigh, picked up the letter, and carefully read it over.

                  According to the letter, the location of the Golden Toad was on Sky Island in the Endless Sea.

                  Sky Island surfaced every five hundred years and remained submerged under the sea at other times. There was a ruin on the island that only those in the Marrow Cleansing stage could enter, and it was filled with countless treasures, one of which was the Golden Toad. The letter also detailed the hidden location of the Golden Toad on the island.

                  Whenever Sky Island reappeared, it attracted countless Gu cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing stage who would ascend the island in search of treasure. And now, only two years remained before Sky Island would next surface.

                  As for how dangerous the Sky Island ruin was, the letter didn’t go into much detail. Third Young Master must have already known about it, so there was no need for further explanation in the letter.

                  However, just the Endless Sea alone was enough to give Long Xuan a headache.

                  The Endless Sea was far from the mainland, and it would take a year’s journey by ship to reach it.

                  Small boats lacked defense, were slow, and had poor endurance, making them incapable of handling the many dangers of the ocean.

                  To safely reach the distant sea, he would need to build a large ship. Only if the ship’s surface area was large enough could he engrave a formation strong enough to resist the attacks of Sea Dragon beasts.

                  In the face of a Sea Dragon, sailing in a small boat was certain death.

                  This meant he would have to research shipbuilding techniques to construct a large vessel.

                  However, large ships were costly to build, and the hull had to be made of materials hard enough to withstand the attacks of sea beasts, which made building a large ship extremely expensive.

                  The cost of constructing a ship capable of resisting a Sea Dragon was astronomical, far beyond what a single faction could easily bear, let alone an individual.

                  Long Xuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondering the feasibility of this plan.

                  He didn’t have enough space on him, having left most of his treasures at home before setting out, and the wealth he currently had with him was certainly insufficient to fund the construction of a large ship.

                  Although he had many heaven-defying items on him, selling even one would provide enough money to build the ship.

                  For instance, the Heaven Mending Fruit, Soul Nourishing Tree leaves, Longevity Gu, as well as various heaven-defying techniques he had developed.

                  But how could he dare sell these? He would rather starve to death than sell these treasures.

                  After much contemplation, Long Xuan finally gritted his teeth and decided to build the large ship.

                  Because he suddenly realized that he had an ability no other shipbuilder possessed — the ability to engrave small formations with the help of the Eye of Heavenly Secret.

                  Other shipbuilders needed to engrave a massive number of formations to defend against the Sea Dragon’s attacks, which required building a large ship.

                  But he didn’t need to build such a large vessel. A medium-sized ship would be enough to resist the Sea Dragon’s attacks.

                  This would save him a great deal of material.

                  So, if he built the ship, it wouldn’t cost as much as he initially imagined.

                  If he worked his subordinates like the laboring rabbits and had his clones work overtime, and if he sold large quantities of Spiritual Pills along with some other resources, he should be able to gather enough money to build a medium-sized ship.

                  Long Xuan's eyes brightened, but he realized that once the ship was built, he would need to recruit a crew with experience in the distant seas.

                  After all, he knew nothing about the dangers of the ocean, and he was completely unfamiliar with navigating the seas.

                  Sailing required extensive professional knowledge, and in this area, he was an outsider. He couldn't just blindly charge forward on his own.

                  Furthermore, the sailors he recruited couldn’t be too weak, nor could their numbers be too small. Whenever Sky Island surfaced, it drew countless ships, each captain having a large number of helpers.

                  Each captain came from different regions, and those from larger regions would be incredibly powerful and not easy to deal with.

                  Thus, he would need to form an alliance with some people to counter against captains from different regions.

                  This treasure hunt required a team. Otherwise, if he was the only person on the ship, it would be easy for other crews to attack him, putting him in danger.
                  Read more
                22. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 237: Brainstorming About the Ship

                  After Long Xuan swallowed the Heaven-Mending Pill, he split his soul to multitask.

                  While refining the medicinal power of the Heaven-Mending Pill, he also began researching the formula for the Soul Restoration Pill.

                  He had tested it before—his split soul couldn't track progress effectively. Therefore, he had to set aside his research on the ship temporarily and focus on the Soul Restoration Pill, as repairing his soul was the highest priority, far more important than building a large ship.

                  With intense concentration, time flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, two months had passed.

                  His efforts were not in vain. After two months of hard work in the Soul Library, he finally completed the recipe for the Soul Restoration Pill.

                  The main ingredient for the Soul Restoration Pill was not a concern. Although the Soul-Nourishing Wood was left in his herb garden and not with him, he still had some leaves of the Soul-Nourishing Wood, as they were the food for the Heavenly Dream Silkworm, and he always kept some on hand.

                  However, while the main ingredient was easy to solve, the other ingredients were a problem. He didn't have any of the supplementary materials listed in the pill recipe apart from the main one.

                  The Soul Restoration Pill required as many as 7,000 spiritual herbs, many of which were extremely rare and valuable, including some that were over a thousand years old, making them exceedingly difficult to collect.

                  This time, he couldn’t rely on shortcuts like he had with the Third Young Master; he would have to spend a tremendous amount of time slowly collecting them. It was unclear how long it would take to gather all the ingredients.

                  In the following days, Long Xuan sent his clones out to collect the materials for the Soul Restoration Pill, while he began researching the technology for building a large ship.

                  Once a ship reached a certain size, it was no longer just a spiritual tool; it became a combination of a spiritual tool and a formation array, essentially a different type of treasure.

                  The combination of inscription patterns and formation patterns was no easy task, and not just any faction could build a large ship.

                  Mastering the technology of large shipbuilding was a specialized skill, and very few forces were capable of doing so.

                  Long Xuan named his not-yet-completed large ship the "Shenlong"- (Divine Dragon).

                  He had learned the technique of harnessing solar energy from the Empress's Tomb and definitely planned to incorporate it into the Shenlong.

                  He had also gathered the materials for the Five Elements Reversal Grand Formation, which would further strengthen the defense of the Shenlong once installed.

                  Long Xuan was confident in solving the defense issue of the Shenlong. The only challenge that troubled him was the ship's propulsion system. After all, propulsion was the most critical aspect of a ship.

                  In this world, there were many ways to enhance a ship's propulsion. For instance, one could hang sails on the ship and use formation arrays to generate powerful winds, allowing the ship to travel at unimaginable speeds.

                  Additionally, inscription formation could be carved at the bottom of the ship to reduce its weight, or arrays could be used to control the movement of seawater, pushing the ship forward at lightning speed.

                  Some spiritual ships even had automatically rotating oars, enabling fast travel without the need for manpower.

                  In this mystical world, there were indeed countless ways to provide power for ships.

                  However, the main difficulty lay in the limited surface area of the ship's body. Only one or two propulsion formation could be used at most.

                  If too many speed-enhancing formation were inscribed, there wouldn't be enough space for defensive formations, which would reduce the ship's defensive capability.

                  Given the limited surface area, the shipbuilder had to choose between building a sturdy ship or a fast one—or they could strike a balance, but the ship's overall performance would end up being mediocre.

                  Moreover, the formation needed on a ship were not limited to just these two types. This meant that a shipbuilder had to carefully plan the layout of the arrays on the ship, as they couldn’t just inscribe whatever they wanted.

                  However, Long Xuan made an immediate decision: his Shenlong would have all the propulsion formation possible. The Shenlong had to become the fastest ship in its class.

                  As for the problem of insufficient space for too many formation, Long Xuan wasn’t worried at all. With the Heavenly Eye, he could inscribe as many formation as he wanted. His Shenlong could hold them all.

                  Thus, Long Xuan didn’t have to rack his brain like other shipbuilders over how to lay out the formation. Without any hesitation, he soon completed the blueprint for the Shenlong.

                  Raising the sketch of the large ship, Long Xuan smiled in satisfaction.

                  The exterior design of the Shenlong was now finalized.

                  Since his soul didn’t belong to this world, many of the ship's design elements and structures were based on his previous life. The ship's body even included three large propellers.

                  It’s worth noting that propellers were an invention from his previous world and didn’t exist in this one. This was undoubtedly a major innovation for this world.

                  Since this world had technology that allowed oars to move automatically, it wouldn’t be difficult to adapt this technology to make the propellers spin—even faster than those from his previous life.

                  He believed that the propulsion provided by the propellers would far exceed that of oars, making the development of propeller technology absolutely necessary.

                  If he had a better understanding of nuclear power, he would have developed nuclear propulsion, which would make his ship even more fearsome.

                  Additionally, on a whim, he designed a massive cannon for the Shenlong. The cannon was huge and extremely eye-catching on the blueprint, radiating an aura of overwhelming power.

                  Since the Shenlong was an ocean warship, it certainly needed cannons. So, Long Xuan brainstormed and designed his own giant cannon.

                  He had seen the spirit stone cannons of the Great Yin Dynasty, and the Long Clan had even seized a few, so he was familiar with the technology.

                  However, the power of spirit stone cannons was still somewhat limited, so he decided to drastically increase the size of the cannon, making it so large that it would have to be fixed to the ship and couldn’t be moved by hand.

                  With a larger cannon came larger cannonballs, which would result in even more destructive explosions. This was obvious.

                  Long Xuan also planned to improve the technology of the spirit stone cannons.

                  For example, spirit stone cannons typically used low-grade spirit stones for energy. In his view, low-grade spirit stones had too little energy. What would happen if they used high-grade or even peak-grade spirit stones?

                  The moment this idea crossed his mind, Long Xuan was eager to try it out.

                  Using peak-grade spirit stones as cannonballs was definitely a genius (and extravagant) idea. No one in their right mind would waste such resources like this, and such technology didn’t exist in this world.

                  Of course, Long Xuan wasn’t willing to use peak-grade spirit stones as cannonballs on a regular basis, but he could afford to use high-grade spirit stones occasionally. Firing a few shots over the ocean just for fun wouldn't hurt, he thought.

                  However, he decided not to eliminate the option of using peak-grade spirit stones. Even if they weren’t used often, it was important to have them in case of an overwhelming enemy. Using peak-grade spirit stones as cannonballs might produce extraordinary results in critical moments.

                  With such imaginative ideas, the world's first 'giant cannon' of the Gu world was about to be born. It was impossible to predict what kind of shockwaves his cannon would cause once it was unveiled.

                  But that wasn’t the end of it. Long Xuan also wondered if he could use 'gravity formation' to sink the Shenlong underwater, transforming it into a second form—like a 'submarine' that could navigate underwater.

                  It was unclear if the concept of a submarine existed in this world, but Long Xuan believed it was worth a try. This could be another groundbreaking innovation in the shipbuilding world. His eyes sparkled at the thought.

                  Next, while refining the medicinal power of the Heaven Mending Pill, Long Xuan simultaneously studied the blueprints of the Shenlong Ship. At the same time, he ordered the Alchemy Rabbit and various clones to frantically refine pills, accumulating resources for building the Shenlong Ship and gathering materials for crafting the Soul Restoration Pill.

                  Refining the Soul Restoration Pill took priority over building the Shenlong Ship, so Long Xuan focused primarily on collecting materials for the Soul Restoration Pill.

                  As for the materials needed to craft the Three-legged Golden Toad, his current financial situation was limited, so he had to set it aside for now.

                  Crafting the Three-legged Golden Toad required 200,000 materials, and after his modifications to the Gu recipe, it would certainly require far more than that. The number of peak-grade spirit insects needed was unknown, and such a huge expense was not something he could easily afford right now, so he had to plan carefully.

                  Coincidentally, he was now near the sea, close to a coastal city called Xinghai City, which was the largest port of the Xuanyue Empire. It was also the Empire's largest shipyard and the biggest trade hub for maritime commerce with various regions, with countless ships of all sizes docked there.

                  whenever Long Xuan didn't understand something, he would just go back to the origin world to copy those large ships, and then dismantle them in the illusion. What technology could he not understand?

                  As a result, his research on the Shenlong Ship's blueprints progressed at an astounding speed, with the entire process flowing smoothly without a hitch.

                  He easily solved any problem that arose, and in just four months within the Soul Library, he successfully completed the research on the Shenlong Ship's blueprints.

                  This included researching the cannon and propeller technologies, both of which he mastered.

                  Now, as long as he had the materials, he could start building the ship.

                  Long Xuan was excited and eager to get started, wanting to begin the construction of this ship, which would be far ahead of anything in this world.

                  At the same time, during this half-year period, he had also fully restored his qualifications, making it a double blessing.

                  However, not everything was perfect. The issue arose when he had his clones sell pills everywhere to quickly collect materials for the Soul Restoration Pill and shipbuilding.

                  Since the Gu cultivators in this area were mostly concentrated in Xinghai City, the Fire Clone simply rented a small shop in the city and started selling pills.

                  But the shop hadn't been open long before it became incredibly popular, with a constant stream of customers, almost overwhelming the door.

                  At the same price, the pills refined by Long Xuan had far greater medicinal power than those from other alchemists. Naturally, those who bought his pills became loyal customers, returning only to his shop.

                  Good wine needs no bush. Even though Long Xuan didn't do any advertising when he opened the shop, word of mouth alone caused his reputation to soar.

                  Now, the entire city knew that a highly skilled alchemist had arrived in Xinghai City, hailed as the best alchemist in the city. His alchemy skills were unrivaled, with no one in the city able to compare.

                  This was overpraise! They were praising me to death! Long Xuan was stunned when he heard that he had somehow become Xinghai City's top alchemist.

                  He hadn't expected that, as a mere second-grade alchemist, he would end up with the title of Xinghai City's best alchemist.

                  This title would easily make him the target of jealousy from his peers, and it attracted far too much attention. He truly didn’t want it!

                  "I told you to keep a low profile when refining pills! How did you manage to cause such a mess in just a few months while I was in seclusion?!"

                  Inside the World Tree Seed, Long Xuan frowned and kicked the Fire Clone.

                  The Fire Clone scratched his head, puzzled. "I did hold back! I only used 30% of my strength. Any less and there would have been a failure rate, wasting a lot of materials!"

                  Long Xuan was speechless...

                  "Forget it! If we're going to be high-profile, so be it. It’s not like it's a life-threatening issue. How is the material collection for the Soul Restoration Pill going? How much more do we need?" Long Xuan sighed helplessly and changed the subject, asking about the important matter at hand.

                  "I've posted a full list of the materials we need in the pill shop, so the Gu cultivators who want to buy pills can only exchange the materials listed on the wall."

                  "This method is quite fast for gathering materials. I've already collected about 70 to 80% of the materials needed for the Soul Restoration Pill."

                  "However, without offering higher-value pills, it’s unlikely we'll be able to gather the rarest materials."

                  "Especially the Thousand-Year-old spiritual herbs. Very few are willing to trade them unless we offer something that truly excites them."

                  "Right now, we're still short of about 100 materials. These 100 are the most valuable ingredients in the Soul Restoration Pill recipe, mostly consisting of thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, which are extremely difficult to collect."

                  "To gather these 100 materials, we'll likely need to attend a high-level trade fair."

                  "I've heard that in half a month, Xinghai City will be hosting a trade fair for Gu cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing stage. This trade fair is of the highest caliber."

                  "As I understand it, Xinghai City is the largest port in the Xuanyue Empire, attracting Gu cultivators from all regions. The city’s commerce is highly prosperous, and supplies are very abundant."

                  "As long as we offer something attractive enough, we’ll certainly be able to collect all the materials for the Revival Soul Pill in this city."

                  "Moreover, we should also be able to gather all the rare materials needed for the Shenlong Ship here, since it is the largest shipyard in the Xuanyue Empire. It all depends on whether you're willing to spend enough."

                  "The trade fair in half a month will bring together a massive number of Gu cultivators from different regions. Only the extremely wealthy and powerful can participate, so it’s a golden opportunity for us."

                  "However, we need to prepare a large amount of valuable trade items. Ideally, these items should be universally appealing and irresistible to all Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators."
                  Read more
                23. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 238: The Alchemy God Palace

                  Long Xuan nodded and pondered, “The only thing that can tempt all Gu cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing stage is the Breakthrough Pill.”

                  “From now on, everyone will focus on refining Breakthrough Pills. Also, I’ve already figured out the technique from the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique.’ I refuse to believe we can’t lure them in with a pile of Breakthrough Pills!”

                  A smirk appeared on Long Xuan’s lips as he handed a relatively thin book to the Fire Clone.

                  The idea of the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique’ came to him not long after he first crossed into this world. However, despite years of effort, he had not succeeded and even thought about giving up at one point.

                  But ever since he began cultivating the ‘Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art,’ everything came naturally, and the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique’ was completed in less than two days. He had casually worked on it during his free time, and it was nothing short of a miracle.

                  At that moment, he finally understood that to master the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique,’ one must split their soul and multitask. Without these capabilities, this technique would be impossible to complete.

                  This was because the Great Cauldron Pill required the ingredients for a single pill to be multiplied tenfold or even a hundredfold and placed into one alchemy furnace, which would result in ten or a hundred times the usual output of pills.

                  However, how could one person possibly manage such an enormous quantity of spiritual herbs at once? It undoubtedly required soul division and multitasking.

                  Thus, after practicing the ‘Heavenly Demon Soul-Splitting Divine Art,’ everything naturally fell into place, and he successfully developed the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique.’

                  With this technique, his clone only needed to dedicate a small amount of time each day to alchemy, without compromising too much on cultivation time.

                  However, the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique’ did have its limitations, as it couldn’t be used for all types of spiritual pills.

                  He could currently refine as many first-grade pills as he wanted with no pressure.

                  But if he were to challenge a heaven-defying pill like the Heaven-Mending Pill using this technique, it would be far beyond his control.

                  The least of the problems would be an explosion of the furnace. What he feared most was that the strange phenomena caused by the pill might change, potentially triggering a heavenly tribulation, which would be extremely troublesome.

                  The Fire Clone eagerly accepted the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique’ and began reading it enthusiastically.

                  Even the rabbit came over to join the fun, seemingly very interested in this miraculous alchemy technique. It hopped next to the Fire Clone and secretly observed, clearly fascinated.

                  There weren’t many words in the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique,’ so both the clone and the rabbit quickly finished reading it. Eagerly, they both pulled out large alchemy furnaces and began experimenting with refining Great Cauldron Pills.

                  At the same time, the other clones finally returned with large quantities of materials for the Sea Converging Pill.

                  Yes, Long Xuan had planned for the clones to refine Sea Converging Pill.

                  The Sea Converging Pill could improve the success rate of breaking through from the peak of Marrow Cleansing to the early Spiritual Sea stage by 5%. Though the rate wasn’t high, it was enough to drive every Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivator mad.

                  The recipe for the Sea Converging Pill was acquired by the clone when doing business at a pill shop.

                  In the world of Gu, there’s an unspoken rule when it comes to hiring alchemists: You must provide your own materials and pill recipe, and the alchemist takes a cut of the refined pills.

                  This trading rule is favored by all alchemists because they can gain a free pill recipe.

                  The recipe for the Sea Converging Pill was obtained through this method, but because it wasn’t an exclusive recipe of any particular clan, its medicinal potency was limited, only offering a 5% breakthrough rate for those at the peak of Marrow Cleansing.

                  For Long Xuan, who possessed the Ten Absolute Body Physique, such weak medicinal power was utterly useless.

                  However, once the Sea Converging Pills were mass-produced, they would generate enormous profits for him—more than enough to fund the construction of a large ship.

                  It was well-known that among pills of the same grade, the Breakthrough Pill was always the most expensive, valued a hundred times more than other pills of the same grade, if not more.

                  Even hundreds of second-grade Spirit Enhancing Pills couldn’t be traded for a single second-grade Breakthrough Pill.

                  Despite both being second-grade pills, the price difference between them was absurd.

                  Thus, refining Breakthrough Pills was highly lucrative. If he used the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique’ to mass-produce Sea Converging Pills, he would be able to amass an incalculable amount of wealth.

                  Though the medicinal power of Sea Converging Pills was weak, there was an advantage to that: the materials needed for weak pills were generally easy to collect.

                  As long as he had enough money, he wouldn’t need to waste time gathering materials himself.

                  A single furnace could produce five Sea Converging Pills. With the ‘Great Cauldron Alchemy Technique,’ he could produce fifty pills per furnace.

                  When all the clones worked together to refine Sea Converging Pills, with their success rate, they would easily produce hundreds of pills within half a month. Such vast wealth would be more than enough to build a large ship.

                  To be honest, his alchemy furnaces weren’t large enough, nor did he have enough soul divisions. Otherwise, even ten times the current output wouldn’t be his limit.

                  To speed up the process, Long Xuan also joined in refining the Sea Converging Pills.

                  By using his soul splitting to simultaneously extract large quantities of spiritual herbs, his efficiency in alchemy was astonishingly fast. Extracting herbs, the most time-consuming step in alchemy, was now a breeze. His alchemy speed far surpassed that of an average alchemist.

                  Breakthrough Pills, however, were not easy to refine. One consistent characteristic of Breakthrough Pills was that their difficulty in refinement was high, and they required a large quantity of ingredients, making the process long and drawn out.

                  For this reason, Breakthrough Pills couldn’t be mass-produced. Factoring in the failure rate, even the best alchemists needed a long time to produce a single furnace of Breakthrough Pills.

                  Yet Long Xuan had forced the mass production of Breakthrough Pills and reduced the time-consuming process of refining Sea Converging Pills to less than half a month.

                  His method of making money was nothing short of robbery.

                  Thus, half a month later, the five main clones each refined two furnaces, failing one furnace each and producing a total of 250 pills.

                  Long Xuan refined two furnaces, both successful, yielding 100 pills.

                  As for the rabbit, it refined two furnaces and failed both, producing nothing. Long Xuan harshly scolded it afterward.

                  In the past half-month, Long Xuan had refined a total of 350 Sea Converging Pills. It's important to note that these are all breakthrough pills, and the sheer number of them is quite staggering.

                  Today is the day when the Marrow Cleansing Stage Trade Fair begins.

                  After placing the 350 Sea Converging Pills into individual pill bottles, Long Xuan suddenly remembered something. To avoid being scammed during the trade, he pulled out the Integrity Gu from the World Tree Seed and hid it inside his clothes, near his stomach.

                  With the Integrity Gu as his safeguard, Long Xuan finally felt at ease and confidently headed to the trade fair.

                  [TL: Xinghai City from now on will be referred to as Starsea City]

                  The trade fair was held in a private estate in Starsea City, covering a vast area. Hundreds of Marrow Cleansing Stage Gu cultivators attended.

                  Only well-known and powerful Marrow Cleansing Stage Gu cultivators were eligible to participate in the trade fair. In short, you had to be wealthy—poor, rogue cultivators were definitely not qualified to attend.

                  Since Long Xuan was the top alchemist in Starsea City, his fame was immense, and his wealth was unquestionable, so he naturally received an invitation to the trade fair.

                  The invitation was from the owner of the estate, Mo Bufan, the eldest son of the Mo family, who held significant power in Starsea City and was hosting the event.

                  When Long Xuan arrived at the estate gate, he was stopped by two peak Marrow Cleansing Stage Gu cultivators. He presented his invitation, and the Gu cultivator on the right glanced at it before allowing him to pass.

                  "Oh, it's Master Ye. Please come in!" The two Marrow Cleansing Stage Gu cultivators at the entrance immediately made welcoming gestures, full of enthusiasm.

                  Long Xuan nodded and entered.

                  "Ye Xuan" was his alias. Whenever he used a false name outside, he would always use the surname "Ye"—not for any special reason, he just thought it sounded cool.

                  After entering the estate, Long Xuan was about to find a quiet corner to wait for the trade fair to start, but he was immediately surrounded by a group of Marrow Cleansing Stage Gu cultivators with smiles on their faces.

                  Long Xuan revealed a helpless expression. There was no escaping the downside of being too famous.

                  Because he was the top alchemist in Starsea City, everyone wanted to curry favor with him and form connections.

                  Never underestimate the title of Starsea City’s top alchemist. If he so much as raised his arm and called for a fight, there would immediately be a crowd of people rushing to be his enforcers. This was the terrifying influence of an exceptional alchemist.

                  Many people believed that his future, at the very least, would see him as a third-grade alchemist, with the possibility of reaching fourth grade. Naturally, countless people would be eager to build relationships with him. He was definitely seen as a valuable investment with great potential.

                  Long Xuan now fully understood why he had become the top alchemist in Starsea City.

                  There were third-grade alchemists in Starsea City—more than one, in fact—but people seek to rise higher, and water flows downward. Once famous, many people no longer wanted to stay in small places like this and would move to larger areas for better opportunities.

                  Most alchemists in remote regions, once they reached third grade, would choose to join a powerful organization called the Alchemy God Palace.

                  The Alchemy God Palace was one of the top ten forces in the entire Gu world, with influence spanning across all regions.

                  Its power was so great that it dared to determine the rankings of alchemists worldwide, even creating its own standards to assess all alchemists.

                  In other words, an alchemist's rank was determined by the Alchemy Palace. After advancing in grade, each alchemist had to go to an Alchemy Palace branch to be assessed, then obtain their alchemist badge and uniform. Any alchemist without an official badge was considered untrained.

                  The Alchemy God Palace was just that domineering.

                  However, the world recognized the standards set by the Alchemy Palace, and it became the dream of every alchemist to join, viewing it as a sacred place. Joining the Alchemy Palace was a lifelong ambition for many.

                  At the Alchemy Palace, one could learn more pill recipes and easily collect rare spiritual herbs, significantly boosting their growth. Plus, they'd have access to the broader central regions.

                  Thus, any third-grade alchemist with even a bit of ambition would choose to join the Alchemy Palace and wouldn't stay in their impoverished hometown. This was only natural.

                  Of course, Elder Long, who lacked ambition, was an exception.

                  After passing the assessment for third-grade alchemists at the Alchemy God Palace's branch, he took his third-grade alchemist badge and simply returned to his family.

                  Then, he casually tossed this badge, which all alchemists regarded as a symbol of honor, onto his desk like trash.

                  His life's goal was to work for the development of his family, and he had no intention of abandoning them to pursue greater prospects elsewhere.

                  As for Long Xuan, he had no interest in traveling far to the Alchemy Palace's branch for an alchemist rank assessment. Why would he need someone else’s certification for his alchemy skills?

                  Instead, he used the Heavenly Eye to analyze the components of the third-grade alchemist badge Elder Long had casually left on the desk, then perfectly forged a replica of the badge.

                  After all, since he had fabricated a mysterious alchemist master, this third-grade alchemist badge might come in handy when he impersonated that master.

                  Thanks to the existence of the Alchemy God Palace, it was difficult to find a third-grade alchemist in most less affluent areas. If you did encounter one, it was likely someone with poor talent, whom the Alchemy God Palace didn't want.

                  Yet, Long Xuan was invincible among second-grade alchemists, so wherever he went, he would be recognized as the top alchemist of that region.

                  It was no surprise that he had become the top alchemist in Starsea City.
                  Read more
                24. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 239: The Integrity Gu Glows

                  At this moment, on the other side.

                  “Butler, why are you here? I’m hosting a Marrow Cleansing stage trade fair, and as a Gu King, you can’t participate.”

                  A cheerful-looking young man reluctantly walked over, glancing at a stern-looking old man.

                  “Young Master, the Clan Head suspects that you are using the trade fair as an excuse to select companions for an overseas adventure.”

                  “So, the Clan Head ordered me to watch you and make sure you don’t act recklessly.”

                  The old butler looked warily at the young man before him, sighing inwardly.

                  The Clan Head’s lineage had everything going for it—excellent cultivation talent, good looks, and intelligence. But they had one fatal flaw: a strong desire for danger.

                  This line of the family had a genetic inclination toward adventure, and from birth, they were drawn to exploring all corners of the world.

                  Especially the mysterious, unknown overseas lands, which seemed to spark an insatiable curiosity within them.

                  But curiosity killed the cat. The survival rate of adventurers wasn’t high.

                  As a result, too many from the Clan Head’s lineage had perished in foreign lands, causing the family to dwindle. By this generation, there were hardly any left.

                  Now, only Mo Bufan remained, the last of the line. The old Clan Head was determined to protect him, ensuring he wouldn’t go on any reckless expeditions.

                  Up until now, Mo Bufan had only seen the sea from afar but had never set foot on a ship. Yet, this only intensified his curiosity about the world beyond, making the future uncertain.

                  The Clan Head knew his son well. Upon noticing Mo Bufan’s unusual behavior, he immediately sent someone to monitor him.

                  Upon hearing the butler’s words, the cheerful expression on Mo Bufan’s face froze, slowly falling.

                  “How could that be? I organized this trade fair to meet the world’s heroes. I never even considered going on any overseas adventures! How could you accuse me of such things?”

                  “I have no interest in ocean expeditions! I’m not curious about the world outside, especially not that Sky Island Ruins! I don’t want to go there at all!”

                  Mo Bufan fumed, looking as if he had been deeply wronged.

                  The old butler nodded, saying, “Since you say so, I’m relieved. But since you’re not interested in ocean expeditions, why don’t you trade away those ten nine-hundred-year Ironwood trees at this fair?”

                  “Ironwood is the best material for ship hulls. Since you’re not going to sea, there’s no use for them. You might as well exchange them for something more useful.”

                  “I’m guessing this trade fair was organized for the sole purpose of selling off those nine-hundred-year Ironwoods, right?”

                  Hearing this, Mo Bufan’s expression stiffened.

                  Soon after, many servants in the manor began to move, shovels in hand, as if preparing to dig something up. Before long, teams of twenty people carried massive trees into the trading area.

                  The Gu cultivators carrying the trees were all panting and drenched in sweat. When they placed the iron-like trunks on the ground, there was a sharp metallic clang that echoed through the area, loud and clear.

                  Everyone in the crowd froze, halting their conversations and turning to stare at the ten giant trees, their eyes filled with astonishment. The place instantly fell silent.

                  For the first time, it became quiet around Long Xuan.

                  “Trees that look like they’re made of metal… Could these be the legendary Ironwood? This is one of the best materials for building ships!” someone in the crowd exclaimed, their eyes glowing.

                  “Yes, it’s definitely Ironwood. Ironwood is neither purely wood nor metal. It has the hardness of metal but the buoyancy of wood when placed in water, making it the perfect material for ship hulls. Mo Dashao is really generous, putting such treasures up for trade. What a noble man!”

                  “Haha, but this isn’t ordinary Ironwood. I can tell these ten trees are at least nine hundred years old, almost reaching the level of Thousand-Year Ironwood. Unfortunately, they’re not quite there yet. Even being just a hundred years short, the value difference between Nine-Hundred-Year and Thousand-Year Ironwood is astronomical. What a shame.”

                  “Isn’t Mo Dashao being a bit too hasty? If he had waited another hundred years, allowing these trees to grow into Thousand-Year Ironwood, he could have sold them for much higher prices. Now, it seems like he’s exhausting the resources too soon. Ah, young people lack patience,” an elderly man in the crowd commented regretfully.

                  The crowd gathered around the ten Ironwood trees, pointing and discussing excitedly.

                  Finally, Mo Bufan stepped forward and stood beside the ten trees. “Alright! Quiet down!”

                  “You really think I’d be so short-sighted? The Mo Clan is a shipbuilding family. No one values shipbuilding materials more than us.”

                  “Not all spirit herbs can grow indefinitely. Most spirit herbs will wither and die once they reach a certain age. All living things under heaven have a lifespan limit, and spirit herbs are no exception.”

                  “My Mo Clan, being experts in shipbuilding, has a way of determining the lifespan of wood. These ten Ironwoods have a lifespan of just over nine hundred years. If they don’t reach a thousand, they will wither and die.”

                  “Otherwise, do you really think I’d be foolish enough to sell Nine-Hundred-Year Ironwood? Do you think I, Mo Dashao, need the money?”

                  “Even if I wanted to squander the family’s wealth, they wouldn’t let me do it!”

                  “Now that these ten nine-hundred-year Ironwood trees have been dug up, there’s no point in burying them again.”

                  “As the host of this trade fair, I’ll kick things off. I’m willing to trade these ten Ironwood trees for Breakthrough Pills. If you have them, come forward to trade!”

                  Upon saying this, Mo Bufan’s heart was bleeding.

                  Although he had been stuck at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing stage for a long time, he genuinely didn’t want to break through.

                  Because once he advanced to the Spiritual Sea stage, he would no longer be able to visit fun places like the Sky Island.

                  But he couldn’t refuse the Breakthrough Pills. The old butler was trying to completely crush his dreams of visiting Sky Island by forcing him to trade for the pills and enter closed-door cultivation.

                  Even if he didn’t agree, the Mo Clan had extensive resources in Starsea City and could easily obtain the Breakthrough Pills for him.

                  Upon hearing that someone wanted to trade ten Ironwood trees for Breakthrough Pills, Long Xuan’s eyes immediately lit up.

                  Thousand-Year Ironwood was the best material for ship hulls. He knew that. Initially, he thought it was too rare and in high demand, so he had given up on the idea of using it to build his ship.

                  Unexpectedly, fortune had smiled upon him, offering a chance to obtain ten Thousand-Year Ironwood trees.

                  Yes, in his eyes, these were Thousand-Year Ironwoods.

                  Don’t forget, he had the Medicinal Gu, a heaven-defying existence. Its ability was to accelerate the growth of spirit herbs, completely bypassing their natural lifespan limits.

                  In other words, if a spirit herb had only a hundred years left to live, the Medicinal Gu could mature it into a Ten-Thousand-Year spirit herb, and its remaining lifespan would still be a hundred years, unaffected by the process.

                  Although the Medicinal Gu was being kept in his herb garden and not brought out, Long Xuan had carried several dozen drops of the Heavenly-Creation Liquid that the Medicinal Gu had spat out with him, just in case it was needed.

                  This was to prevent a situation where he needed millennium-grade spiritual herbs for alchemy, but couldn't gather them, and would have to force them to mature on the spot.

                  With this mindset, he always carried dozens of drops of Heavenly-Creation Liquid with him whenever he went out, and unexpectedly, this time it came in handy.

                  There were a total of ten nine-hundred-year-old ironwood trees. He only needed ten drops of Heavenly-Creation Liquid to mature them into Ten Thousand Year Old-grade ironwood trees, which would be more than enough.

                  A gleam flashed in Long Xuan's eyes, and he immediately spoke up eagerly: "I'll offer ten Sea Converging Pills! Can I trade them for your ten ironwood trees?"

                  However, with so many Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators present, how could Long Xuan be the only one who wanted the ironwood?

                  Long Xuan was just the fastest to speak up because he was anxious. As soon as he finished, an elderly voice immediately shouted, "I’ll offer eleven Spirit Gathering Pills! Would Young Master Mo kindly yield it to me?"

                  Long Xuan frowned slightly. Glancing at the elder, he quickly raised his offer: "I'll offer twelve Sea Converging Pills!"

                  The old man gave Long Xuan a sideways glance and sneered, "I'll offer fifteen Sea Converging Pills! Competing with me in Sea Converging Pills? You're overestimating yourself."

                  Long Xuan couldn't help but laugh at his words. He had already recognized the old man as Elder Sun, a second-grade alchemist from Starsea City, who was naturally capable of offering that many Sea Converging Pills.

                  Unlike Long Xuan, who was an unlicensed alchemist, Elder Sun was certified, bearing the prestigious second-grade alchemist medal granted by the Alchemy God Palace. The standards for receiving such a medal were exceptionally high.

                  But it was unfortunate for Elder Sun. If he wanted to compete with Long Xuan in the number of Sea Converging Pills, he had picked the wrong person. If Long Xuan had more than just fifteen days to refine pills, he could have drowned Elder Sun in Sea Converging Pills.

                  "I'm sorry, but I also need the ironwood. I'm afraid I can't part with it. I'll offer twenty Sea Converging Pills."

                  When Long Xuan made this offer, Elder Sun's expression turned dark.

                  Although Elder Sun could also offer twenty Sea Converging Pills, he was frustrated that he could have secured the deal with just ten pills earlier. Now, someone else had intervened, and he would need more than twenty pills to win, making it a significant loss. Even with his abundant supply of Sea Converging Pills, he wasn’t willing to waste them like this.

                  However, he was determined to get the nine-hundred-year-old ironwood, and he didn't want to lose face here. So, he immediately raised his offer: "I’ll offer twenty-one Sea Converging Pills! Competing with me in Sea Converging Pills? Young man, don’t let your youthful arrogance get the better of you!"

                  At this moment, the manor was abuzz with chatter.

                  "I didn't expect Elder Sun and Master Ye, this rising star, to get into a bidding war. I wonder who will come out on top."

                  "It should be Elder Sun. His specialty is refining Sea Converging Pills. It's his signature skill. Who can compete with him in Sea Converging Pills?"

                  "It's hard to say!" someone shook their head. "Although Master Ye has never sold Sea Converging Pills, the quality of the other pills he refines is exceptionally high, far surpassing Elder Sun's. I suspect Master Ye is quite skilled at refining Sea Converging Pills too."

                  "Haha! The bidding has already reached twenty-eight Sea Converging Pills. What a grand gesture! If I had that many breakthrough pills, I’d definitely become a Spiritual Sea stage powerhouse," someone said, their face flushed with excitement.

                  "I'll offer thirty Sea Converging Pills! Kid! Do you even have that many Sea Converging Pills? Don’t shout empty words!"

                  After shouting out this price, Elder Sun could no longer sit still. He quickly stood up and yelled angrily.

                  This number was nearly his limit.

                  Although he was a master at refining Sea Converging Pills and had a high success rate, no one would stockpile so many pills.

                  Both spiritual herbs and spiritual pills have a shelf life. If kept for too long, their spiritual energy would dissipate, and they’d spoil completely.

                  Even with Elder Sun’s high success rate, he would never hoard that many Sea Converging Pills. No one in this world would be foolish enough to do so.

                  "Whether I have that many Sea Converging Pills or not is none of your concern. I’ll offer thirty-two Sea Converging Pills."

                  Without turning his head, Long Xuan calmly continued bidding.

                  Elder Sun clenched his fists tightly, his face twisted as he glared at Long Xuan. "Fine! I’d like to see just how many Sea Converging Pills you really have. I'll offer thirty-four Sea Converging Pills."

                  At this point, Long Xuan finally fell silent. He turned his head and gave Elder Sun a strange look.

                  Just then, the Integrity Gu hidden in Long Xuan’s clothes suddenly became furious and was about to crawl out to devour the liar.

                  Long Xuan was shocked and quickly held down the enraged Integrity Gu.

                  Only Elder Sun had spoken just now, which meant that Elder Sun had lied. He didn’t have thirty-four Sea Converging Pills; he was inflating the numbers.

                  Was he crazy? Daring to lie? Was it just to make Long Xuan spend more? To deliberately disgust him?

                  What if Long Xuan stopped bidding at this point? How would Elder Sun back out of the situation? He was playing with fire.
                  Read more
                25. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 10 -

                  Chapter 240: A Lot of Sea Converging Pill

                  Seeing that Long Xuan remained silent, Old Sun showed a disdainful expression, but in reality, he was panicking inside.

                  What was going on? Just now, Long Xuan had been bidding without changing his expression and raising the price swiftly, clearly having much more leeway.

                  Thirty-four Sea Converging Pills should be far from his limit, right? So why did he suddenly stop raising the price? This didn’t make sense.

                  It was precisely because Old Sun had seen how confident this person was that he decided to raise the bid by a few more pills to trap him, waiting for a hint of hesitation before withdrawing.

                  But who would have thought that with just one additional bid, Long Xuan would stop bidding altogether? This was a big problem now—Old Sun was starting to sweat.

                  “Hmph! Why don’t you keep bidding? Weren’t you very confident just a moment ago? And now you’ve given up so soon?” Old Sun taunted, trying to provoke him.

                  At this point, he had no choice but to use reverse psychology to push Long Xuan into bidding again. He swore that as long as Long Xuan raised the bid by one more Sea Converging Pill, he would immediately back down.

                  Long Xuan gave him a faint glance and shook his head silently.

                  Since the other party was clearly bluffing, there was no way Long Xuan would foolishly keep raising the price. What if Old Sun continued to falsely bid another thirty pills? Would Long Xuan still be obliged to follow?

                  Although Long Xuan could easily refine Sea Converging Pills, they weren’t something that just fell from the sky. Besides, he needed them for trading other materials, and there might not be enough.

                  Since Old Sun had the intention to scam him, then he could go to hell. He was not worthy of sympathy.

                  After giving Old Sun an indifferent glance, Long Xuan suddenly smiled and said, “You’ve won! Since Old Sun is so determined to have these ten pieces of Ironwood, I’ll graciously let you have them!”

                  Old Sun instantly felt like coughing up blood. "Graciously let me have them?" He finally understood what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot.

                  Cold sweat poured down his back as his face turned pale.

                  This was a big problem now—he didn’t have nearly that many Sea Converging Pills. How was he going to get out of this?

                  With so many people watching, today he was surely going to make a fool of himself in front of everyone, and his reputation would be ruined.

                  Old Sun sighed internally and pretended to search through his storage pouch. As he pulled out thirty-two pill bottles, his expression suddenly changed:

                  “Oh no! I forgot that I traded away two Sea Converging Pills this morning. I only have thirty-two pills now.”

                  Old Sun put on a look of embarrassment and turned to Young Master Mo, saying, “I sincerely apologize. I miscounted the pills. How about we settle with thirty-two Sea Converging Pills and let this young friend take the Ironwood?”

                  As soon as he said this, everyone’s expressions twitched, and they looked at Old Sun with strange faces.

                  None of them were fools; it was obvious that Old Sun had tried to raise the price maliciously and now was stuck with his own trap.

                  And now, with Young Master Mo asking for the Sea Converging Pills, Old Sun couldn’t deliver. This was the biggest joke of the day.

                  They had attended countless trade fairs, but this was the first time they had seen such a blunder, and everyone couldn’t help but smile, ready to enjoy the show.

                  “What? You don’t have enough Sea Converging Pills? Then why were you bidding recklessly!”

                  Young Master Mo’s face darkened completely. Daring to shout random prices at his trade fair and then back out—wasn’t this sabotaging his event?

                  If he let Old Sun off easily, how would he maintain his authority, and how would the following trade fairs continue if no one respected the rules?

                  Just as he was about to speak, a strong presence emanated from Mo’s steward in the distance, releasing the aura of a Gu King. He spoke up:

                  “Enough. Since Old Sun can’t produce the full amount of Sea Converging Pills, we’ll delay it. Master Ye can take the Ironwood in exchange for thirty-two Sea Converging Pills.”

                  “But this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. Otherwise, how can future trade fairs continue, and where would our Mo Clan’s face be?”

                  The steward’s expression suddenly hardened as he sternly said, “Old Sun, you broke the rules first, so I’ll fine you thirty-two Sea Converging Pills. Is there any objection?”

                  The steward’s Gu King aura enveloped Old Sun, filled with a threatening tone.

                  Old Sun broke out in cold sweat, his face twitching uncontrollably.

                  What a ruthless move—he was going to take all of his Sea Converging Pills. This was as good as taking his life.

                  This steward was truly taking advantage of the situation, extorting him for all he was worth. He was simply too greedy.

                  But under the pressure of the Gu King’s aura, Old Sun had no choice but to submit. Otherwise, it would be seen as a lack of respect toward the Gu King, and Mo the Skinner would have an excuse to deal with him. At that point, he would lose even more.

                  He took a deep breath, stiffly turned his head, and forced a smile toward Young Master Mo, suppressing the pain in his heart:

                  “Apologies, it was my foolish mistake. I deserve to be punished. These thirty-two Sea Converging Pills are a gift to Young Master Mo as an apology. I hope you won’t hold a grudge against an old man like me.”

                  Old Sun slowly walked over to Young Master Mo and reluctantly placed thirty-two pill bottles containing the Sea Converging Pills on the table. He averted his gaze with difficulty and stepped back.

                  At this moment, his heart was bleeding. Those were thirty-two Sea Converging Pills—what an enormous fortune! Any Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivator would have to sacrifice nearly half of their assets to obtain them. Only heaven knows how much time he spent refining those thirty-two pills, how much cultivation time was lost in the process.

                  The loss of thirty-two Sea Converging Pills was devastating for any ordinary alchemist.

                  Young Master Mo stared blankly at the thirty-two Sea Converging Pills on the table. Soon, Long Xuan placed another thirty-two Sea Converging Pills on the table, and Mo’s head started to ache.

                  Good heavens, that’s a total of sixty-four Breakthrough Pills! Even if a pig ate that many, it would probably break through, right?

                  He honestly didn’t want to break through. If he pretended to fail, wouldn’t it be too obvious? His father would surely break his legs if he found out.

                  He showed disdain for these Breakthrough Pills, but the hundreds of Marrow Cleansing stage Gu cultivators below him had their eyes gleaming with greed as they gazed at the large number of pills.

                  With these Breakthrough Pills, there was a chance to ascend to the Spiritual Sea stage. Who wouldn’t want to become a Spiritual Sea stage expert? The allure was too great for them to resist. They wished they could rush forward and snatch all the pills, but they were deterred by the Mo family’s strength and had to suppress the urge.

                  Not everyone was like this strange Young Master Mo, who had no desire to break through or claim the Breakthrough Pills.

                  After collecting all the pills, Young Master Mo sighed helplessly and said, “Alright, the ten nine-hundred-year-old ironwood trees are yours. You can take them all now.”

                  “They’re treasures I’ve painstakingly accumulated. You better treat them well.”

                  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they’re put to good use.”

                  Long Xuan looked at Young Master Mo with surprise. He hadn’t expected someone to remain so calm in the face of so many Breakthrough Pills, without a trace of joy. This showed incredible mental fortitude—he was truly an extraordinary person.

                  With these thoughts, Long Xuan quickly walked over to the ten ironwood trees and stored them all in his storage ring.

                  Luckily, his storage ring was of a large size, and he had already transferred his treasures into the World Tree seed inside. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to fit ten ironwood trees, as normal storage equipment couldn’t easily hold such large items.

                  If these ironwood trees had been older than nine hundred years, their size would have been even larger. It’s said that once they reach a thousand years, they undergo a qualitative leap, with both their size and hardness increasing significantly.

                  As Long Xuan put away the trees, Young Master Mo, unable to bear watching his treasures being taken away, had already walked off the stage.

                  According to the rules, the next person to step up would be Long Xuan. This helped save time. Of course, he could choose to forgo showing any treasures and simply walk off, as someone else would eagerly step up.

                  Long Xuan confidently walked to the table, hanging a list of over a hundred types of spiritual herbs in front for all to see.

                  Everyone gasped upon seeing the list.

                  Good heavens, half of them were thousand-year-old herbs! The others were at least five hundred years old. These were all rare and priceless items, incredibly hard to find.

                  What kind of pill could require so many expensive herbs? Everyone was shocked.

                  But the real surprise came afterward. Master Ye, who had just casually offered thirty-two Sea Converging Pills, now placed a hundred more on the table. The entire crowd froze in disbelief. They instinctively stood up, their eyes dull, and their breathing became rapid.

                  So many Sea Converging Pills! How many Spiritual Sea stage experts could break through with these? No one had ever seen such a terrifying quantity of Breakthrough Pills. Everyone was dumbfounded.

                  Did Master Ye’s family make these pills for free? He was practically giving them away. Everyone thought the thirty-two pills earlier were already astonishing, but this was nowhere near his limit.

                  Old Sun looked at the Sea Converging Pills that covered half the table. His mouth twitched, and he stood there, dumbfounded. He wished he could slap himself. How could he have been so foolish as to challenge this man to a contest of Sea Converging Pills?

                  With a smile, Long Xuan arranged the hundred pill bottles on the table and addressed the crowd of Gu cultivators below him: “These were all refined by my master during his spare time. I’ve been entrusted to sell them.”

                  “My master needs the items listed on this paper. A thousand-year-old herb will be traded one-for-one, and for five-hundred-year-old herbs, the exchange rate is two-for-one. So, who’s interested in making a deal?”

                  Long Xuan scanned the crowd with a smile. The items listed were the remaining materials needed to refine the Soul Restoration Pill.

                  Thousand-year-old spiritual herbs were impossible to gather on the market. His only chance to collect them was at this trade fair.

                  The Gu cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing stage present were all renowned figures from various regions, and their wealth was considerable. There was a good chance he could gather everything he needed today.

                  With some luck, he could refine the Soul Restoration Pill by tonight.

                  Upon hearing this, Old Sun clenched his fists and finally realized he had hit a wall. He hadn’t expected this person to have a mysterious alchemist master who could casually refine over a hundred Sea Converging Pills.

                  If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have dared to challenge him. This was like courting death.

                  Then again, how could such a genius alchemist not have a powerful master behind him? He should have thought of this sooner. Old Sun’s face turned an ashen gray.
                  Read more
                26. Online Offline
                  Some_Guy
                  + 00 -
                  Thanks for sharing these man
                  Read more
                27. Online Offline
                  Immortal_Dragon_God
                  + 20 -
                  Your welcome but I regret it so much. I'm now blocked from the Patreon account and now I have to wait 40 days to catch up. Also, I only had $8 on my card. The Patreon cost 5 and I'm not getting a refund. I just bought the Patreon today to.
                  Read more
    2. Offline
      Tir
      Tir
      + 00 -
      WTF bro! You doing god's work here 🙏 forget about calling you a hero your literally god . Didn't think I would get suprise like this today thanks a bunch man. All hail dragon god! quiet
      Read more
      1. Online Offline
        Immortal_Dragon_God
        + 40 -
        You're welcome my good friend please enjoy these chapters. Until I get another 5 dollars on cash App and make a new Patreon account these will be it for a while
        Read more
        1. Offline
          Tir
          Tir
          + 00 -
          Don't worry about it bro, honestly this is more than enough, to get get to this chapter 240 we might had to wait a month or two, I would rather you used that 5 dollars on 'I can through everything' novel. I'm also reading that and damn is it tiring to wait for those chapters too!
          Read more
          1. Online Offline
            Immortal_Dragon_God
            + 10 -
            I wish I had too. That truly would have been worth it. But what I really should've used it on is Regression Is Too Much.
            Read more
            1. Offline
              Tir
              Tir
              + 00 -
              Oh really! Is it good? I remember dropping it when he just climbed the 3rd floors with different doors. And got stuck somehow.
              Read more
              1. Online Offline
                Immortal_Dragon_God
                + 10 -
                Its insanely good every time you have to wait for more chapters is pure pain. It just keeps getting better and better and making you sadder and sadder
                Read more