https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-42-Breakthrough-to-the-Void-Realm-Attack-of-the-Demon-Lord/12575091/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-44-The-Pinnacle-of-Divine-Ability-the-Art-of-Teleportation-Array/12575096/
Chapter 43: Do You Know What Comes After the Spirit Transformation Realm?
Chapter 43: Do You Know What Comes After the Spirit Transformation Realm?
"My master suspects that it might be the arrival of the Solitary Demon Lord of the Heaven-Defying Sect!" Ye Lan said solemnly.
Gu An furrowed his brows and asked, "Why do you think so?"
"Last night, the spiritual energy outside was drained, affecting even the inner sect. Coupled with the fact that Lin Futian of the Myriad Yin Sect was killed by Fei Ye Jianxian some time ago, all these incidents point to the fact that the Demon Path is preparing to besiege the Tai Xuan Gate. Draining the spiritual energy outside is just the first step in their plan. Among the Demon Path, only the Solitary Demon Lord of the Heaven-Defying Sect is capable of such a feat. His Devouring Heaven Demon Art is said to be able to wipe out all life force within a thousand miles." As Ye Lan spoke these words, a hint of fear flashed in her eyes.
This...
Gu An was taken aback.
Lin Futian had been killed by him, and the events of last night had also been his doing...
Was the Demon Path taking the fall for him?
Although Gu An had inadvertently become a spy for the Qian Qiu Pavilion, he never considered himself a demonic cultivator.
He thought for a moment and comforted her, "Sister Ye, don't worry too much. If the sky falls, there will be tall people to hold it up. The Tai Xuan Gate is the number one sect in the Great Cang Empire. Even if the Demon Path attacks, it will be difficult for them to shake the foundation of our sect."
Ye Lan took a deep breath and looked at Gu An with determination in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and said, "Brother Gu, let's run away and hide in some remote mountains. With my current Foundation Establishment cultivation, I can help you reach the same stage as well!"
Gu An almost lost his composure.
What a bold suggestion to elope and cultivate together!
Gu An sighed, "Sister Ye, you're being too dramatic. Moreover, where in this world is absolutely safe? If we hide in the deep mountains and encounter a Demon cultivator at the Golden Core stage, what would we do then? Besides, it's just a guess, I don't think the Demon Path will attack."
"If the Demon Path really plans to besiege the Tai Xuan Gate, shouldn't they have made their move by now? They've created so much disturbance but haven't taken any action yet. Could it be that they are giving the Tai Xuan Gate time to gather their powerful cultivators who are currently away from the sect?"
Ye Lan's words made sense.
She thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you come with me to lay low outside the sect for a while?"
Gu An replied seriously, "Sister Ye, you really don't have to worry about me. Don't let me affect your cultivation. Remember, if you truly care about me, strive to become stronger so that you can take care of me in the future. This is also for your own good. Cultivators who don't prioritize cultivation will eventually encounter situations where they are powerless to do anything."
Ye Lan felt ashamed, realizing that she had indeed been a little too anxious.
"I'm already at the ninth layer of the Qi Refining realm, it won't be that easy for an ordinary demonic cultivator to kill me!" Gu An smiled proudly.
Hearing this, Ye Lan covered her mouth and giggled. She quickly composed herself and said, "Brother Gu, do you think a demonic cultivator who dares to infiltrate the Tai Xuan Gate would be at the Qi Refining stage? That Lin Futian who died was supposedly a Nascent Soul stage old monster."
Gu An humphed, "What? Does a Nascent Soul stage old monster not need to lift a finger to kill me?"
"Yes, yes, Brother Gu is the most powerful." Ye Lan smiled, and the tension in her heart eased as well.
Subsequently, Gu An inquired about the situation outside the sect, and Ye Lan did not hide anything, explaining everything in detail.
It was only in the evening that Gu An bade her farewell.
Originally, he had planned to further improve his cultivation and techniques tonight, but upon hearing that the outer sect had already entered a state of readiness for battle, he dared not act recklessly and decided to lie low for now.
He had another concern in his mind.
If the spiritual energy in the nearby areas was drained and he continued to break through, what would be the consequences?
He estimated that the lifespan barrier would devour spiritual energy from even farther places, which would surely provoke a strong response from the Tai Xuan Gate.
...
For the next three days, Gu An stayed within the Xuan Valley and did not even go to the Eight Views Cave Heaven.
Haolong had already started cultivating and could go without meat for several days. Moreover, he had prepared a batch of mature Cangteng fruits in advance, so he could eat them when he was hungry.
Gu An and Haolong shared a soul resonance, so he could be sure that Haolong would remember his instructions. From the day he was born, Haolong had never caused him any trouble, and he was a child he could rely on.
One night, Gu An was reading in the attic when he suddenly sensed something and his expression changed slightly.
He did not get up but continued reading.
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, a figure appeared outside his window. The person quietly pushed open the window and jumped in.
Gu An immediately cast a Lifespan Probe.
【Fu Xiong (2nd Layer of Foundation Establishment): 160/198/240】
After his encounters with Li Xuandao and Lin Futian, Gu An had become more reliant on the Lifespan Probe, as there were simply too many old monsters in the cultivation world.
Fu Xiong looked to be around fifty years old, with a stature that was not particularly tall. Dressed in black, his eye sockets were dark and his eyes sharp like an eagle's, giving him an air of great depth.
He stood up and looked at Gu An, asking, "Are you the Valley Master?"
Gu An frowned and asked, "I am. May I ask who you are?"
Fu Xiong did not answer but instead sized him up. After a few breaths, he suddenly spoke, "Qian Qiu Cangteng, heart without regret!"
Gu An remained silent.
He had already spread out his spiritual sense and confirmed that Fu Xiong had come alone.
Reluctantly, he replied, "Wan Fa, gu jing nan xun gen..." (All laws, wither and loneliness is hard to find the root...)
Upon hearing this, Fu Xiong's expression eased, and he walked to the table and sat down as if he were in his own home. He poured himself a cup of tea and asked, "What about Cheng Xuandan? Is he dead?"
Gu An nodded and said, "My master has left. May I ask why you are looking for him, Senior?"
"Do you know where the Cangteng Tree is?" Fu Xiong took a sip of tea and asked, his eyes scanning the room as he spoke.
Aside from books, the room was filled with various medicinal herbs wrapped in spirit-protecting paper.
Noticing that Fu Xiong didn't seem genuinely concerned about the Cangteng Tree, Gu An asked, "What is the Cangteng Tree?"
Upon hearing this, Fu Xiong retracted his gaze and looked back at Gu An, asking, "Didn't your master tell you?"
Gu An shook his head, indicating that he did not.
"The Cangteng Tree is the sacred tree of my Qianqiu Pavilion. More than two hundred years ago, our pavilion sent someone to bring a Cangteng Tree to the outer sect of Tai Xuan Gate. However, over time, the trail went cold, and we lost track of the tree's exact location." Fu Xiong frowned as he explained.
"You came here over two hundred years ago?" Gu An furrowed his brows, deep in thought. Could it be that Jiang Qing had kept something from him?
Fu Xiong sighed. "To be honest, my master is about to break through to the Transformation Realm. The tribulation he will face is extremely dangerous, and I want to find the Cangteng Fruit to aid him."
Gu An's curiosity was piqued. "What is the Transformation Realm?"
"Above the Foundation Establishment is the Core Formation, followed by the Nascent Soul. The realm above Nascent Soul is the Transformation Realm." Fu Xiong stroked his beard with a smile, as if he himself were about to break through to the Transformation Realm.
"Is the tribulation for Nascent Soul cultivators also dangerous? I thought Nascent Soul was already equivalent to an immortal!" Gu An exclaimed in surprise.
"What immortal? That's still a long way off. From Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, one must also undergo a tribulation. Any tribulation is dangerous and can be considered a life-or-death situation. The higher the realm, the more perilous the tribulation. My master has been preparing for his tribulation for ten years." As Fu Xiong spoke, a look of admiration appeared on his face.
"What preparations are needed? Can't one just undergo the tribulation directly?" Gu An asked.
"How is that possible? One must prepare healing pills to maintain spiritual power and recover from injuries. There's also the need for array support, and one must have several sets of magical artifacts ready. I've never heard of anyone undergoing a tribulation directly."
Fu Xiong glared at Gu An, thinking his questions were rather foolish.
Gu An felt relieved after hearing this.
Suddenly, Fu Xiong smiled and said, "I see that you have quite a lot of medicinal herbs in your Medicine Valley. How about you become my disciple? From now on, I'll have your back, teach you spells, and in return, you'll offer me three-tenths of your valley's annual harvest. What do you say?"
Gu An frowned again.
Fu Xiong lowered his voice and said, "Kid, my master, your grandmaster, is in the inner sect. Once he breaks through to the Transformation Realm, he will surely become an elder. At that time, whatever you want, you will get!"
Gu An's eyes widened in surprise. "Your master is going to become an inner sect elder? Doesn't that mean he has been hiding here for many years? Why doesn't he know the whereabouts of the Cangteng Tree?"
"That's a long story. Let's talk about your discipleship first." Fu Xiong replied in a deep voice.
Gu An hesitated and asked, "But what about your master's opinion?"
"How is that possible? My master doesn't even know I came to this Medicine Valley. Kid, you're just a menial disciple. My master is a figure of great importance; how could he possibly pay attention to you?" Fu Xiong was quite displeased.
Gu An stood up and looked down at him, asking, "One last question."
Fu Xiong frowned and said in a deep voice, "What question?"
He really wanted to kill the kid in front of him; he was asking too many damn questions!
"Do you know what comes after the Transformation Realm?"
"What?"
Fu Xiong froze for a moment, then flew into a rage. How was he supposed to know what came after the Transformation Realm? He felt like the other party was toying with him.
Just as he was about to get up, Gu An's right hand was already pressing down on his head.
He looked up and saw that Gu An's face was icy cold, his eyes flashing with a chilling light, his entire aura suddenly changing.
At that moment, Fu Xiong felt as if he were facing his master.
No, his master wasn't even this terrifying!
He wanted to open his mouth, but his consciousness quickly blanked out, and his eyes lost their focus.
Gu An was using the Soul Capturing Technique. Previously, he had been unable to master it, but now, with his top-grade Five Elements Spirit Root, he had figured it out immediately upon trying.
Perhaps he wasn't yet proficient, but it was enough to deal with Fu Xiong.
His spiritual power suppressed Fu Xiong, and his spiritual sense forcibly intruded into Fu Xiong's mind, ruthlessly searching through his memories.
Half an hour later, Fu Xiong was dead.
Gu An opened his eyes again and breathed a sigh of relief.
This guy really didn't know the whereabouts of the Cangteng Tree, nor was he sent here by his master.
Gu An's right hand moved up, lifting Fu Xiong into the air. Spiritual fire emerged from his palm, and he began to incinerate Fu Xiong's body.
He closed his eyes, not daring to watch this cruel scene.
The spiritual fire of the Void Realm was incredibly powerful. In less than four breaths, Fu Xiong had turned into ashes, leaving only a storage bag. Gu An had successfully taken four years of his lifespan.
Gu An inspected the bag and took out all the medicinal herbs and spirit stones inside. As for the magical artifacts and talismans, he didn't dare touch them and directly burned them along with the storage bag to avoid being tracked.
The next morning, Gu An went downstairs as if nothing had happened.
When the disciples gathered for their morning exercises, he felt ashamed.
Damn, I'm acting like a demonic cultivator!
A month passed without any more visits from the Qianqiu Pavilion, and Gu An finally relaxed.
One day, Du Ye suddenly came to find him, and the two of them talked in the attic.
"The Third Young Miss has practiced the Qilin Step, and the clan leader is very pleased. He plans to come and celebrate with her, and there will also be a banquet held in the inner sect. As servants of the Ji family, we must attend and help receive the guests. Ten days from now, I'll wait for you in front of the Enforcement Hall in the outer sect. Prepare some medicinal herbs as a gift in the meantime. Perhaps you'll gain the favor of the Third Young Miss." Du Ye spoke earnestly.
Gu An nodded, his mind made up.
Tonight, he would practice the Eight Directions Step!
Let's see how strong the Qilin Step that Ji Xiaoyu had practiced was.
(End of Chapter)
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