Chapter 220: Soul Searching

Chapter 220: Soul Searching

October 3, 2024

"Disciple greets Master Gu!"

Gu Yun bowed respectfully, his eyes filled with awe as he looked at Gu Qingfeng.

If a few days ago, Gu Qingfeng had only given him a strong sense of oppression, now Gu Qingfeng was like an unfathomable abyss, impossible to gauge.

Even though Gu Qingfeng was just standing there, Gu Yun felt an overwhelming urge to kneel and submit.

This only deepened Gu Yun's reverence.

In front of others, he was a lofty martial grandmaster, but before Gu Qingfeng, he was nothing more than a junior.

"The legacy left by the Martial Ancestor, I have already obtained. However, this legacy involves many karmic ties. If your cultivation isn't sufficient, do not reveal it for now."

As Gu Qingfeng spoke, his divine consciousness stirred, and a massive amount of information flooded into Gu Yun's mind.

Opening the Dao Palace, condensing the Primordial Spirit—Gu Qingfeng's method of teaching was now much simpler. With just a thought, he imparted everything about the Divine Sun Sutra to Gu Yun.

At the same time, he also transmitted a portion of the information about the Divine Sun Sanctuary and other matters, but he did not pass on the Sage Legacy.

The influx of information took Gu Yun much longer to digest than it had for Gu Qingfeng.

Several days later, Gu Yun opened his eyes, feeling a sense of disorientation, as if he had traversed a different world. But he quickly recovered.

"Divine Sun Sanctuary!"

"Divine Sun Sutra!"

"Sage Legacy—"

The vast amount of information left Gu Yun's heart trembling for a long time.

Only now did he realize how vast the world truly was. He had thought the Nine Provinces were vast, but now he understood that they were merely a corner of the Ancient Wasteland Realm.

The profound nature of the Divine Sun Sutra also opened his eyes. Compared to the Divine Sun Sutra, the legacy of the Divine Martial Sect he had previously cultivated seemed like a mere firefly compared to the moon.

Gu Qingfeng said, "The Sage Legacy is of great importance. Even if you were to obtain it at your current cultivation level, it would be of no benefit. When you reach the Dao Palace Realm, you may seek me out. At that time, I will impart the Sage Legacy left by Murong Xiu!"

Hearing this, Gu Yun hurriedly replied, "Master Gu, being able to receive the Divine Sun Sutra is more than enough for me. I dare not even dream of the Sage Legacy!"

This was not feigned modesty.

The vast Divine Sun Sanctuary had been destroyed because of the Sage Legacy, and the mighty Martial Ancestor had been forced to seek refuge in the Nine Provinces, suffering severe injuries. An existence with the potential to reach the Dao Palace Realm ultimately met a tragic end.

Clearly, the Sage Legacy, though powerful, required sufficient strength to master. Without the corresponding strength, attempting to obtain such a legacy would only invite disaster.

Gu Yun understood this all too well.

Moreover, Gu Qingfeng could have kept the Divine Sun Sutra to himself or even erased the existence of the Sage Legacy, but he had chosen to be honest. This only made Gu Yun more grateful.

Being able to receive the Divine Sun Sutra was already more than he could have hoped for. He had no further expectations.

"The Divine Martial Sect was founded by Murong Xiu and can be considered a continuation of the Divine Sun Sanctuary. The Divine Sun Sutra should rightfully belong to your Divine Martial Sect, so it is only fitting that I impart it to you.

"The Sage Legacy was also obtained by Murong Xiu in the past and can be considered part of the Divine Martial Sect's legacy. However, such a legacy is not something ordinary cultivators can master. Passing it to you now would only harm you."

Gu Qingfeng shook his head, his expression calm.

"Furthermore, the Divine Sun Sanctuary is of great importance. If your cultivation is not sufficient, I advise you not to reveal the existence of the Divine Sun Sutra lightly. After all, the Nine Provinces are part of the Ancient Wasteland Realm, and who can guarantee that there are no other powerful beings from the Ancient Wasteland Realm here?

"This matter involves the Sage Legacy. If it were to be revealed, it could bring disaster to the Divine Martial Sect!"

Gu Yun nodded solemnly.

"Master Gu, I understand!"

"Very well."

...

Gu Qingfeng stayed at the Divine Martial Sect for one more day before leaving. Gu Yun tried to persuade him to stay, but Gu Qingfeng refused.

Seeing this, Gu Yun did not press the matter further.

This time, receiving Gu Qingfeng's guidance and successfully reaching the Martial Grandmaster realm, followed by the transmission of the Great Wasteland Fist and the Divine Sun Sutra, Gu Yun needed time to digest all of this.

But one thing was clear to Gu Yun.

The Divine Martial Sect was about to flourish.

The Great Wasteland Fist was a supreme technique for the Divine Transformation Realm!

The Divine Sun Sutra was a legacy for the peak Dao Palace Realm!

With these two treasures, as long as nothing went wrong, the Divine Martial Sect would become one of the most powerful forces in the Nine Provinces.

No—

It would be more accurate to say it would become the third most powerful force.

First would be the Gu Family Manor, where Gu Qingfeng resided. Second would be the current Divine Martial Dynasty. Third would be the Divine Martial Sect.

But even this was enough.

Ten years ago, the Divine Martial Sect had the reputation of being the top sect in the world, but it was always on the brink of destruction.

Ten years later, the Divine Martial Sect had firmly established its foundation.

Even now, Gu Yun would not fear any confrontation with other immortal clans and sects.

The so-called evil and demons persisting was merely because the martial arts of the Nine Provinces were too weak. With the Divine Yang Scripture, one could cultivate the true pinnacle of martial arts and suppress the evil and demons.

Within two days, Gu Qingfeng had returned to Gu Family Manor.

When a cultivator reached the Divine Transformation Realm, they could truly fly through the air. Upon reaching the Dao Palace Realm, their speed became even more astonishing.

"Lord Manor, I greet you!"

As soon as Gu Qingfeng returned to Gu Family Manor, Gu Peng came to pay his respects immediately.

Gu Peng had already taken the Grandmaster Ascension Pill, breaking through to the peak of the Grandmaster Realm with the potential to advance to the Divine Transformation Realm.

However, in the current state of the Nine Provinces' martial arts, the probability of truly breaking through to the Divine Transformation Realm was extremely low.

The most likely outcome was that he would remain at the peak of the Grandmaster Realm for his entire life until his lifespan expired.

"Has anything happened during my absence?"

Gu Qingfeng asked.

Gu Peng shook his head. "Everything is fine."

"Hmm—"

Gu Qingfeng nodded slightly, then his divine sense stirred, and a powerful wave of divine energy surged into Gu Peng's mind, leaving him stunned.

After a long while, Gu Peng finally regained his senses.

"The Divine Yang Scripture..."

His face showed shock and disbelief. The information in his mind was a top-tier martial art called the Divine Yang Scripture, which was mysterious and profound, aiming for realms beyond the Grandmaster.

Only now did Gu Peng understand that above the Grandmaster Realm was the Divine Transformation Realm.

Gu Qingfeng said, "I am passing you the Divine Yang Scripture. You can cultivate this technique, and perhaps one day you will break through the limits of the Grandmaster Realm and reach the Divine Transformation Realm. However, remember one thing: the existence of the Divine Yang Scripture must not be revealed. Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Peng's body trembled, and he quickly bowed down.

"Lord Manor, rest assured. I would rather die than reveal a single word!"

"Very well, you may leave."

Gu Qingfeng waved his hand, dismissing Gu Peng.

The fundamental reason for passing him the Divine Yang Scripture was that Gu Peng had reached the peak of the Grandmaster Realm, and he hoped to help him advance further.

Of course, Gu Qingfeng did not pass on the complete Divine Yang Scripture, only the cultivation methods up to the first level of the Divine Transformation Realm.

As for the rest, Gu Qingfeng had not yet decided to pass it on. Given Gu Peng's talent, whether he could break through to the Divine Transformation Realm was uncertain, and the further stages were too distant to consider.

---

"Your offspring 'Gu Yang' has received guidance from a Grandmaster, and his cultivation has slightly improved!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Yang' has unexpectedly received the inheritance of a Divine Transformation Realm expert!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Yang' is cultivating a mysterious technique, and his strength has improved!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Xuan' has been attacked by vicious beasts 1286 times!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Xuan' has been attacked by vicious beasts 369 times!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Xuan' has been severely injured by a powerful vicious beast!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Xuan' has accidentally consumed a rare medicinal treasure in a mysterious cave, greatly enhancing his cultivation and breaking through to the initial stage of the Bone Washing Realm!"

"Reward points 50!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Xuan' has unexpectedly met a mysterious expert and been taken as a disciple!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Xuan' has received guidance from a mysterious expert, and his strength has improved!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Shengnan' has gained some insights during cultivation, and her cultivation has slightly improved!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Shengxing' has gained some insights during cultivation, and his cultivation has slightly improved!"

"Your offspring 'Gu Shengan' has gained some insights during cultivation, and his cultivation has slightly improved!"

"Your offspring..."

...

Inside Gu Family Manor, Gu Qingfeng looked at the information panel, his expression changing slightly.

When he saw that Gu Yang had received the inheritance of a Divine Transformation Realm expert, he felt a slight ripple in his heart.

When he learned that the Nine Provinces were part of the Ancient Realm, Gu Qingfeng had already considered the possibility that there might be Divine Transformation Realm experts in the Nine Provinces. The unique nature of the Immortal Foundry Court also explained many things.

But speculation was one thing; seeing it happen to Gu Yang was another.

Divine Transformation Realm inheritance!

If not for Gu Qingfeng's visit to the Divine Martial Sect, he might not have obtained such a rare opportunity.

However, Gu Yang seemed to have a strong destiny, as he kept receiving such opportunities.

Originally, Gu Qingfeng had planned to find an opportunity to pass the Divine Yang Scripture to Gu Yang, but now it seemed that Gu Yang had his own destiny.

However—

When he saw the information about Gu Xuan, Gu Qingfeng's face darkened completely.

By now, he could be certain that Gu Xuan had entered the Ancient Beast Mountains.

Otherwise, he would not have been attacked by vicious beasts so frequently.

The Ancient Beast Mountains were dangerous because they connected not only to the Nine Provinces but also to other parts of the Ancient Realm.

Certainly.

The Ancient Beast Mountains serve as a natural barrier for the Nine Provinces.

Thanks to the existence of the Ancient Beast Mountains, the rest of the Primal Realm is effectively isolated from the Nine Provinces.

This information was naturally obtained by Gu Qingfeng from Murong Xiu.

The reason Murong Xiu crossed the Ancient Beast Mountains was to use its dangers to deter those pursuing him.

In other words, the perils within the Ancient Beast Mountains are so severe that even Deity Transformation and Dao Palace Realm experts could potentially fall victim to them.

"From the information left by Murong Xiu, the Ancient Beast Mountains are one of the oldest and most dangerous mountain ranges in the Primal Realm. Deep within, there might even be beasts as powerful as Deity Transformation and Dao Palace Realm experts!"

Gu Qingfeng recalled the information Murong Xiu had left about the Ancient Beast Mountains. Understanding the dangers, he realized the risks involved in entering them.

However, when he saw Gu Xuan being taken under the wing of a mysterious strong figure, Gu Qingfeng's eyes narrowed.

A mysterious strong figure?

A mysterious strong figure in the Ancient Beast Mountains?

"Could it be a cultivator from beyond the Nine Provinces?"

Gu Qingfeng wondered.

After all, if the figure were a cultivator from the Nine Provinces, they would never dare to enter the Ancient Beast Mountains.

At that moment, Hongye, who had been absent for days, appeared gracefully.

Seeing her arrival, Gu Qingfeng furrowed his brow. "You're injured?"

Hongye appeared fine on the surface, but her aura was slightly disordered, and there was a faint trace of blood.

With Gu Qingfeng's current cultivation, it was impossible for her to hide her injuries from him.

"I have failed to live up to Your Excellency's expectations!"

Hongye's face was filled with shame, and a faint pallor was visible on her usually cold and beautiful features.

"With your current Grandmaster strength, there is only one place in the Nine Provinces where you could be injured: the Ancient Beast Mountains. Did you enter them?"

Gu Qingfeng deduced the situation after a moment's thought.

Hongye responded with a bitter smile. "Your Excellency ordered me to contact Duopo and find the whereabouts of the Second Young Master. According to the information from the shadow guards, the Second Young Master was tracking a martial artist who practiced dark arts into the Ancient Beast Mountains, and Duopo followed him in."

"Upon receiving this information, I entered the Ancient Beast Mountains to search for them."

"Later, I found a hidden mark left by Duopo and eventually discovered him severely injured and unconscious in a cave, but there was no sign of the Second Young Master."

"I intended to bring Duopo out of the Ancient Beast Mountains, but we were attacked by a beast. I couldn't fend it off and was injured!"

As she spoke, Hongye's brows furrowed, and her eyes reflected deep wariness.

Despite her formidable Grandmaster strength and her mastery of the Ninth Level of True Intent, she had been overpowered by a beast, nearly failing to escape the Ancient Beast Mountains alive.

This was the first time she had encountered a beast of such caliber.

She had long heard of the dangers of the Ancient Beast Mountains, but only now did she truly understand them.

"How is Duopo's condition now?"

"The shadow guards are treating him. Currently, there are no major problems, but he remains unconscious."

"Ensure he receives all necessary treatment. Also, have the shadow guards provide me with all the information about when Xuan entered the Ancient Beast Mountains and everything related to it!"

Gu Qingfeng said this and then glanced at the weakened Hongye.

"Go and rest."

"Your Excellency, I will take my leave."

Hongye bowed and left.

...

A day later.

All the information about Gu Xuan was in Gu Qingfeng's hands, and Duopo had also awakened, providing all the details he knew.

The situation was straightforward.

Gu Xuan had followed a martial artist who practiced dark arts into the Ancient Beast Mountains, and Duopo had followed closely behind. When they saw Gu Xuan being attacked by a beast, Duopo intervened to give him a chance to escape.

Duopo was then overpowered by the beast and ended up severely injured and unconscious.

Gu Xuan, on the other hand, was clearly trapped within the Ancient Beast Mountains, leading to a series of events.

After understanding the full extent of what had happened, Gu Qingfeng did not hesitate and set out for the Ancient Beast Mountains.

Half a day later.

Gu Qingfeng entered this perilous place that made Nine Provinces cultivators shudder in fear.

As soon as he entered the Ancient Beast Mountains, he saw towering trees, as if he had stepped into a primeval forest, completely isolated from the outside world. The spiritual energy here was much richer, far surpassing that of the outside.

"No wonder the Ancient Beast Mountains can nurture so many powerful beasts. With the spiritual energy here, it's not surprising that such formidable creatures exist!"

Gu Qingfeng's expression remained calm as he expanded his divine sense, covering a radius of ten miles.

Through his divine sense, he perceived two beasts fighting, breaking numerous trees, and the ground was stained with blood, accompanied by roars and growls.

In the next moment, Gu Qingfeng took a step, and his figure vanished from the spot.

A short while later, he appeared in another location.

He saw two beasts lying on the ground, one resembling a giant ape, standing several zhang tall, with powerful arms, a green face, and fangs, exuding a fierce aura.

The other ferocious beast was on all fours, covered in scales, resembling a crocodile dragon.

Both beasts emitted powerful auras, comparable to those of Grand Masters.

But now,

Both beasts were crouched on the ground, their bodies trembling, and their usually bloodthirsty eyes filled with instinctive fear.

The formidable aura of Dao Palace Realm emanating from Gu Qingfeng was a great deterrent to the beasts. Their innate survival instincts prevented them from making any move.

Approaching the ape beast, Gu Qingfeng placed his hand on its head, and a powerful mental force surged into it, beginning a forced soul search.

In an instant,

The beast's body trembled, but Gu Qingfeng's hand was like an immovable mountain, preventing it from struggling.

A flood of information emerged.

All the memories of the beast appeared in Gu Qingfeng's mind.

This ape was originally an ordinary monkey, but it had fortuitously consumed a rare fruit, allowing it to absorb the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth, transforming from a common beast into a ferocious one.

Then,

Relying on its formidable strength, the ape killed other beasts, consuming their flesh to strengthen itself, eventually becoming a being on par with a Grand Master.

Most of the ape's memories were about battles, and the remaining bits were of little use to Gu Qingfeng.

"Pity—"

Gu Qingfeng shook his head slightly, then snapped his finger, and the ape's body burst into a cloud of blood.

Seeing its opponent die, the crocodile dragon-like beast became even more terrified.

Gu Qingfeng repeated the process, searching its memories, but after scanning through all of them, he found no information about Gu Xuan, so he abandoned the soul search.

Then,

Gu Qingfeng delivered a fatal blow with a single palm strike.

After subduing the two beasts,

Gu Qingfeng continued to search for other ferocious beasts.

His purpose was simple: to search through their memories and see if he could find any useful information.

Beasts that once struck fear into the hearts of other cultivators were now as weak as ants before Gu Qingfeng.

One by one, the beasts were subjected to forced soul searches and then killed on the spot.

These beasts,

Even the weakest among them were on par with the Viscera Refinement Realm, and there were many that rivaled the Master and Grand Master realms.

Even—

Gu Qingfeng encountered a beast on par with the Divine Transformation Realm.

A beast of this caliber, if it appeared in the Nine Provinces, could slaughter the entire region.

However,

Even a beast as powerful as one in the Divine Transformation Realm was no match for Gu Qingfeng.

With one hand, he subdued the beast and then forced a soul search.

This time,

Gu Qingfeng obtained some different information.

In the memories of this Divine Transformation Realm beast, he saw the figures of many cultivators. Their strengths varied, ranging from Masters to Grand Masters, and even some in the Divine Transformation Realm.

However, most of these cultivators became the beast's food when they encountered it.

After all, in the presence of such a high-level beast, so-called Masters and Grand Masters were merely ants.

Even—

A powerful cultivator who had reached the Divine Transformation Realm and could regenerate lost limbs was cruelly killed by this beast, becoming nothing more than a meal.

"These must be cultivators from beyond the Nine Provinces!"

Gu Qingfeng realized.

A Divine Transformation Realm cultivator was a level of strength that hadn't appeared in the Nine Provinces for ten thousand years. The different attire of these cultivators made it easy to determine their origins.

Clearly,

Although the Ancient Beast Mountains were dangerous, many cultivators from the Primordial World had ventured into this area.

After all, ferocious beasts often came with opportunities.

Top-tier treasures, if consumed, might allow one to instantly achieve the Grand Master realm or even break through to the Divine Transformation Realm.

Such opportunities,

It was no wonder that people were drawn to them like moths to a flame.

However,

The numerous ferocious beasts in the Ancient Beast Mountains blocked the path of these Primordial World cultivators, otherwise, the Nine Provinces would have long been exposed to the eyes of the Primordial World's powerful beings.

This Divine Transformation Realm beast had lived for thousands of years, so its memories were particularly extensive.

A moment later,

Gu Qingfeng's expression changed.

In the memories of the beast, he discovered the figure of a middle-aged cultivator in purple robes, flying through the air, radiating an especially powerful aura that instinctively made the Divine Transformation Realm beast feel fear.

Beside the purple-robed cultivator, Gu Qingfeng saw a familiar figure.

Gu Xuan!

He was certain.

The memory he saw was accurate.

However,

The scenes involving the purple-robed cultivator and Gu Xuan were only fleeting glimpses, as the Divine Transformation Realm beast dared not reveal itself in the presence of such power.

After finding the information he sought, Gu Qingfeng looked at the Divine Transformation Realm beast and delivered a palm strike that exploded its body. A blood-red orb appeared in his hand.

A Beast Core!

This was a treasure that only beasts in the Divine Transformation Realm could form within their bodies.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end