Gu Chengming looked down at the puddle beneath his feet that no longer resembled a human form, his brow furrowing slightly.
Well, although the scene was a bit brutal, at least he had figured out how to unlock Emperor Bai's CGs.
But if he really wanted to max out this CG, where was he going to find so many members of the Longevity Sect to kill?
Gu Chengming let out a troubled sigh.
Ever since the Drunk Dream Boat case, the Longevity Sect had gone completely underground.
Finding some wicked spirits was easy enough, but those things didn't produce this kind of flesh-and-blood splatter when they exploded.
Unaware of Gu Chengming's worries, Hundred Bones Resonating was quite happy.
【Looking at the mess on the ground, it reminded him: "Emperor Bai! Emperor Bai! Remember to take his storage pouch."】
"Right, right."
Gu Chengming squatted down and replied with a light chuckle.
That punch had been far too powerful; the man's flesh and bone were practically mixed together.
Gu Chengming had to endure the pungent smell of blood, wrapping his palm in spiritual power as he carefully rummaged through the red-and-white sludge.
If anyone saw this, they might think he was the one who belonged to the Longevity Sect...
As Gu Chengming thought this, his fingertips suddenly brushed against a hard object.
There were two things.
One was a blood-stained gray storage pouch, its surface worn but not destroyed. The other was an ancient-looking bell.
Gu Chengming picked up the bell and examined it closely.
This should be the sub-bell of the Six-Harmony Spirit-Restricting Bell that the deacon had used to set up the restriction earlier.
However, at this moment, the surface of this dharma tool, which had previously flowed with spiritual rhythm, was covered in fine cracks. It looked dull and lifeless, clearly heavily damaged by the aftershocks of that punch.
"I wonder if it's still usable."
Gu Chengming tentatively mobilized the sliver of true essence he had just recovered and slowly injected it into the bell.
The bell trembled slightly. Although the sound was raspy and the resistance was heavy, it at least gave some reaction and wasn't completely scrap.
Gu Chengming was somewhat surprised.
You had to realize that the punch he had thrown using the power of Hundred Bones Resonating could have shattered even profound iron. Yet this bell had only sustained a few cracks, proving just how resilient its material was.
He thought to himself that it was truly the work of a master like Qin Qing; even a sub-bell that had leaked out years ago was enough to suppress a third realm cultivator.
"Good stuff."
Gu Chengming put the bell away and briefly cleaned the blood off the storage pouch.
After finishing all this, he took out two pills from his robe and swallowed them. He sat cross-legged and adjusted his breathing for about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn. Once his complexion regained some color and the weakness in his body mostly dissipated, he stood up again.
He looked at the puddle of shredded meat on the ground and sighed.
This was important evidence, after all; he couldn't just leave it on the street.
He rummaged through his storage pouch and found the burlap sack Elder Ren had given him, shoveling the pile of unmentionable matter along with the dirt inside.
Carrying such a bag of "evidence" down the street, even with spiritual power sealing the scent, the heavy weight and the occasional dark red blood seeping from the bottom still caused pedestrians to avoid him like the plague.
Gu Chengming didn't care about the looks from others. He simply quickened his pace, passing directly through the solemn gates of the Night Guard Division and heading toward the courtyard of the vice commander.
Since this involved the Longevity Sect, he naturally had to find someone who could make the final call.
Inside the Night Guard Division, at the vice commander's office.
Vice Commander Liu sat behind a wide desk, the teacup in his hand suspended in mid-air for a long time.
His gaze first landed on the burlap sack and the mess visible through the opening, then he looked at Gu Chengming.
After a long silence, he spoke with a strange expression, "Little Gu, if I remember correctly, you practice the sword, don't you?"
Gu Chengming nodded.
"Then tell me..." Vice Commander Liu pointed at the meat on the floor. "What kind of sword technique produced this?"
As the vice commander of the Night Guard Division, Liu Batian still had some level of insight.
He could tell at a glance that this member of the Longevity Sect had been "crushed" into an explosion by a brutal, immense force.
"The situation was critical at the time, and your subordinate could only use a bit of brute force in his desperation."
"A bit of brute force?"
Vice Commander Liu's mouth twitched. Looking at that meat paste, he thought, You call this 'a bit'?
An image of Gu Chengming using a sword hilt like a pestle to pound a person into meat paste like he was making rice cakes involuntarily surfaced in his mind, and he quickly shook the thought away.
"This puddle... this corpse, I'll have someone handle it and report to the director as soon as possible." Unable to figure it out, Vice Commander Liu decided to stop dwelling on it and instead asked, "Did you figure out why this Longevity Sect member came looking for you?"
Gu Chengming shook his head and recounted the conversation with the black-robed deacon in the alley word for word.
After hearing the narration, Vice Commander Liu slammed his hand down on the desk.
"Those rats in the gutter! They're already hated by everyone, and they still want to recruit people? 'A wise bird chooses its tree'? I think they've cultivated those damn demon artifacts so much that their brains have rotted!"
Despite the cursing, a trace of worry flashed in the vice commander's eyes.
"However, since they've targeted you and even sent a deacon with a sub-bell, it means your value in their eyes isn't low. If they failed this time, their methods next time will likely be even more insidious."
Gu Chengming nodded and followed up with a question, "Your subordinate is a newcomer and knows very little about the details of the Longevity Sect. What exactly are these demon artifacts?"
At this, the anger on Vice Commander Liu's face softened slightly as he explained in a deep voice, "The Daqian government doesn't have a definitive explanation for them yet because the way they are born is far too diverse and bizarre. But according to the Night Guard Division's years of investigation and seizures, it is related to the core doctrine of the Longevity Sect: 'All things can be sacrificed.'"
"They believe that human flesh, souls, and even resentment can be utilized, and demon artifacts are the vessels to hold them."
"As for the source of these demon artifacts, according to existing intelligence, there are mainly two types."
"The first type is built by themselves. Just like refining any other tool, they collect materials of extreme yin and malice, or even use the bones and blood of living people as the base to forge a demon artifact from scratch. This kind of demon artifact is often extremely ferocious and can even backwash its master."
At this point, Vice Commander Liu paused.
"And the second type is 'modified.' They use special methods to pollute and transform existing, normal dharma tools."
He explained, "A modified dharma tool not only retains most of its original power but also gains the property of a 'vessel,' becoming capable of devouring flesh and souls."
Hearing this, a wave of realization washed over Gu Chengming.
No wonder the Six-Harmony Spirit-Restricting Bell refined by Qin Qing back then was so highly valued by the Longevity Sect that they took it at all costs.
It was already a top-tier dharma tool. If it underwent such a "modification," combined with its inherent spirit-restricting properties, it was practically a murder weapon custom-made for hunting cultivators.
Thinking of this, Gu Chengming pulled out the cracked bronze bell from his robe and placed it on the desk.
"This bell is what your subordinate took from that deacon. From his words, this should be one of the sub-bells from the set that Senior Qin lost back then."
Vice Commander Liu inspected it for a while, his expression turning grim as he nodded.
"Indeed, the restriction patterns on this still vaguely show Senior Qin's handiwork."
He looked at the bell and remained silent for a moment before sighing. He didn't put it in the public vault but instead pushed it back toward Gu Chengming.
"Since you were the one who seized this and it involves Senior Qin... then take it yourself and speak with her about it."
"Alright, clean up this floor."
Vice Commander Liu waved his hand, looking at the burlap sack with disdain. "Next time you have one of these, remember to wrap it up tightly. Don't fill my office with the smell of blood before you've even walked through the door."
Gu Chengming smiled awkwardly, quickly picked up the sack, and bowed before leaving.
Once he stepped out of the office, the air outside seemed much fresher.
Gu Chengming didn't go back to his room immediately but instead turned toward the back mountain of the Night Guard Division.
At the forging workshop on the back mountain.
As if sensing the familiar footsteps, Qin Qing let out a lazy hum.
"What? Decided what you want to turn that Jiao core into already?"
Gu Chengming cupped his hands in greeting. Instead of talking about sword refining, he took out the old bell, still carrying a faint scent of blood, and gently placed it on the stone platform beside Qin Qing.
Qin Qing paused for a moment, then sat up straight.
She reached out and brushed her fingers over the cracks on the bell's surface.
After a long time, she let out a very soft sigh, sounding both self-deprecating and relieved.
"This sub-bell... it should be the 'Dui' bell."
Her voice was low. With a flick of her finger, a wisp of spirit fire erupted, burning away the residual resentment inside the bell with a series of shrill sizzles.
Standing to the side, Gu Chengming briefly recounted the ambush by the Longevity Sect deacon this morning and the attempt to use this object to restrict his true essence.
As she listened, Qin Qing's expression changed several times.
"Good, very good."
She gripped the bell, her knuckles turning slightly white.
"The fact that you could rely on the Myriad Phenomena Transformation Fist to forcibly break this thing is a good way to vent some frustration for me."
With that, Qin Qing seemed to make a decision, tossing the bell in her hand.
"Fine. Since this is your battle trophy, it's yours."
"Although the bell is broken, the foundation is still there. It could be used again after some repairs. However..."
She looked Gu Chengming up and down and curled her lip.
"You're a sword cultivator, after all. Even if I fix it, it won't be of much use to you."
"It just so happens that the main materials of this bell are Ocean-Settling Dark Gold and Element-Sealing Stone. I can melt it into your sword to help neutralize the volatility and ferocity of the Jiao core."
Gu Chengming didn't hesitate and cupped his hands. "Then I shall follow your advice, Senior!"
Qin Qing nodded with satisfaction and casually tossed the bell into the nearby refining furnace.
"Then come back in three days to collect your sword."
With the agreement made, Gu Chengming stopped disturbing her refining and went down the mountain alone.
Three days for a cultivator was but a blink of an eye.
Qin Qing stood by the forging anvil. Seeing Gu Chengming enter, her face carried a touch of pride.
"You're here?" She casually handed the sword to him. "Here, your sword."
This sword was thirty percent heavier than a normal dharma sword. The heavy pressure traveled through his palm the moment he took it.
He lowered his head and carefully examined the newly born sword.
The blade was a ghostly white color, not like metal, but more like the polished bone of some unknown giant beast.
On that ghostly white ridge, one could vaguely see faint, ripple-like dark patterns flowing slowly—that was the water-aligned spiritual energy of the Jiao core circulating endlessly.
And at the crossguard, where there would normally be decoration, Qin Qing had skillfully refined it into a miniature bronze bell relief.
Clang—
Gu Chengming flicked the blade with his finger. There was no crisp chime; instead, it produced a low hum like a dragon's roar or the striking of an ancient bell.
"A third-tier dharma sword?"
Gu Chengming looked up at Qin Qing with some uncertainty.
"Essentially."
Qin Qing rubbed her aching wrist and took a swig from her wine flask.
"The quality of that Jiao core was already excellent, and with the addition of the Ocean-Settling Dark Gold, reaching the third tier isn't strange."
"I'm too lazy to bother thinking of a name for it. Name it yourself."
Gu Chengming gripped the hilt, the scene of him slaying the Jiao that day surfacing in his mind.
"Then I'll call it Zhanjiao."
Qin Qing's hand holding the wine flask paused, her expression becoming a bit nuanced.
She smacked her lips but had to admire the boy's gall.
"Using the core of Lord Fubai's offspring to refine a sword and then naming it 'Zhanjiao'... You're really not afraid of the East Sea coming to kill you, are you?"
But on second thought, this kid was exactly like Zhou Qingmu; even their styles were so similar. No wonder Zhou Qingmu liked him so much.
With that thought, Qin Qing waved her hand. "If the day ever comes where the old dragon from the East Sea chases you and you have nowhere to run, come back and I'll repair your sword."
Gu Chengming smiled and sheathed the Zhanjiao sword, giving Qin Qing a deep bow.
"Thank you for your help, Senior!"
Walking out of the forging workshop, Gu Chengming's mind moved slightly.
Hum—
Five swords flew out simultaneously, hovering in mid-air.
The previously empty fifth sword slot was completely lit up as 【Zhanjiao】 took its place.
【Bond/Dharma Sword (5/5) Activated!】
【Bond Effect Upgrade: Riding the wind on a sword, taking a head from a thousand miles.】
【Effect: When you simultaneously equip or control five 'Dharma Sword' type weapons, the sword array advances.】
Just as Gu Chengming pulled back his gaze, there was a flurry of activity in his sea of consciousness.
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual couldn't help but gasp in amazement. Though it was only a basic sword manual, its perception of good swords was instinctive.】
【While the previous Tinglan was also high quality, this natal dharma sword refined with the core of a third realm Jiao as the main material was undoubtedly the best it had ever seen.】
【It looked at the faint dragon markings on the blade, then back at you, unable to stop itself from giggling foolishly.】
Gu Chengming performed a flourish with the sword and smiled. "You like it?"
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual looked at you with flushed cheeks, thinking that with this sword, it could be of even greater help to you.】
【What Hundred Bones Resonating, what Flowing Cloud Following Moon—they wouldn't even last a single exchange!】
【And then there's its life-long rival, the Qingxin Art!】
【When you become more and more dependent on it, the Qingxin Art will be an opponent that can be easily defeated, not even worth mentioning!】
Gu Chengming found the Huiyuan Sword Manual's internal monologue hilarious.
Seriously, when exactly did the Qingxin Art become your life-long rival?
Just as Gu Chengming was filled with joy, in an eerie place thousands of miles away, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Inside the Longevity Sect's sub-altar, the Zhongshengxiang Hall.
A trembling sect member was kneeling in the center of the hall.
His forehead was pressed against the nauseatingly soft carpet, and cold sweat had already soaked the back of his black robe.
As the "traveling agent" responsible for intelligence transmission in the capital region, he didn't even dare to breathe heavily right now because the news he brought was enough to shake the entire sub-altar.
"You're saying... he's dead?"
A voice as gentle as jade, with not a trace of anger, floated down from the high platform.
A bone lotus throne stood there, its overlapping petals crafted from the skullcaps of fourth realm cultivators, emitting a smooth jade luster.
Seated upon the throne was a man who appeared to be in his thirties. He wore a snow-white daoist robe without a speck of dust, and his face was beautiful to the point of being demonic. A bright red cinnabar mark was on his brow, and his eyes were half-closed, projecting an image of great mercy and compassion.
This man was the master of this sub-altar, a fifth realm great cultivator of the Longevity Sect, holding the prestigious rank of "Near Heaven" elder.
In the strict hierarchy of the Longevity Sect, the fifth realm was called "Near Heaven," meaning that even without ascension, one could have a lifespan equal to the heavens. The fourth realm was called "Cauldron Guard," meaning they protected the sect's destiny.
Anyone below that was merely kindling.
On either side of the hall sat four elderly men in purple robes, all of them Cauldron Guard elders of the sect.
Hearing the report, an elder sitting at the head of the left side frowned deeply. The string of bone prayer beads he was playing with suddenly stopped, and he said in a heavy voice:
"That deacon wasn't part of our sect's core, but his cultivation had reached the third realm, and he carried a sub-bell of the Six-Harmony Spirit-Restricting Bell. That Gu Chengming is only a second realm sword cultivator... how did he use his spiritual power or true essence?"
This elder was named Kurong. He practiced the "Kurong Reincarnation Method," and his temperament was the most impatient.
"Reporting to Cauldron Guard Kurong... Gu Chengming didn't use spiritual power at all."
"He didn't use spiritual power?"
Elder Kurong was stunned, and the other elders also cast surprised glances.
"Yes..."
The member took a deep breath and said with difficulty:
"According to the scene investigation, the deacon's protective barrier was shattered by a single punch, and then his entire body exploded, turning into a puddle of..."
He didn't dare continue, but the word "puddle" was enough to explain everything.
After hearing the report, the Near Heaven elder didn't get angry. He only narrowed his eyes slightly, his finger lightly tapping the armrest.
"Elder Kurong, what is your opinion on this?"
Hearing this, Elder Kurong turned and gave a long bow to the Near Heaven elder on the platform, saying with deep hatred, "He must be killed. We must take back the sub-bell to rectify the great dao of longevity."
After a moment, the Near Heaven elder lightly clapped his hands and praised:
"Excellent. Cauldron Guard Kurong is indeed wholeheartedly devoted to the sect."
"Since that's the case, then you shall be the one to go kill him."
"..."
The expression on Elder Kurong's face instantly froze.
"What's wrong?" The Near Heaven elder leaned forward slightly, his eyes full of concern. "Is there some difficulty for Cauldron Guard Kurong?"
Gulp.
Elder Kurong's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.
Go to the capital to kill Gu Chengming? You've got to be joking!
Leaving aside the fact that the capital was suppressed by dragon qi, preventing him from using his full strength, Gu Chengming was also a promising youth that Zhou Qingmu favored.
If he really went and killed him, his own longevity cultivation would be returned to the heavens.
"This... this..."
Elder Kurong's momentum deflated at a visible speed. He stammered, his eyes darting around as he rubbed his hands inside his sleeves.
"Lord Near Heaven, your subordinate is not afraid of battle, but his practice of the 'Kurong Reincarnation Method' has recently reached a critical juncture. My energy is somewhat unstable. If I rashly enter the capital, I fear the dragon qi will clash with my foundation. Ruining my foundation is a small matter, but if the mission fails and the holy sect loses face, that would be a grave issue!"
"Oh—" the Near Heaven elder drew out the sound, appearing enlightened. "So your cultivation has reached a bottleneck. That is indeed a major matter and must not be delayed."
Elder Kurong had just breathed a sigh of relief.
But the Near Heaven elder's gaze had already drifted lightly toward another elder on the right: "Then, Cauldron Guard Yinsha?"
The named Elder Yinsha shuddered, and the teacup in his hand nearly slipped.
He stood up quickly and was even more direct than Elder Kurong, clutching his chest and coughing as if his lungs would burst, looking like he might drop dead the next second: "Cough, cough, cough! Forgive me, Lord Near Heaven! Your subordinate... he suffered a backlash from refining a corpse a few days ago, and his soul is damaged and hasn't healed yet. I truly want to help, but I lack the strength!"
"Cauldron Guard Xuehe?"
"Oh my! My furnace of blood pills is at the critical moment of completion! I cannot leave!"
"Cauldron Guard Guimian?"
"Well... I was observing the celestial patterns recently and found that the Ziwei star is shining brightly over the capital, which is a sign of great misfortune. Entering the capital now would probably be... probably unwise."
Looking at this group of old foxes making excuses, the Near Heaven elder on the platform wasn't angry.
He sighed, seemingly having anticipated this result.
He slowly leaned back against his chair, his finger lightly tapping the bone armrest with a crisp tap, tap.
"Never mind. On further thought, this isn't entirely a bad thing."
"Our sect often says that all living beings suffer, and only longevity can deliver them. Among those 'mortal shells' who do not believe in our sect's true meaning, what kind of person is most likely to enter the dao?"
Elder Kurong ventured a guess: "Those who are greedy for life and afraid of death?"
The Near Heaven elder chuckled. "Greed for life and fear of death is human nature. Such people are merely ants in our sect."
He stood up and swept his wide sleeve, pointing at the sect member still kneeling on the ground. "Describe the scene of Gu Chengming's killing to the Cauldron Guards in detail once more."
The member didn't dare delay and spoke again:
"Reporting to the Lords. With that one punch, the deacon's ribs were completely shattered, and his internal organs were reduced to meat paste. His flesh and bone fragments were mixed together, making it impossible to tell his original form. After the killing, Gu Chengming didn't hesitate for a second before turning and leaving."
Such methods and such a temperament were truly ruthless to the extreme.
The Near Heaven elder, however, clapped his hands and laughed, his eyes full of appreciation. "Do you hear that? Is that how a righteous sword cultivator should act?"
"He didn't use spiritual power, but killed with pure physical brutality, turning a person into meat paste."
"What does this show?"
He looked around, lowering his voice as if speaking some great truth:
"It shows that this boy has brutality in his bones; his demonic roots are deep."
"He treats human life like grass, acting entirely on his own whims and is not bound by the so-called rules of the righteous path."
"A person with such deep demonic nature and such decisive ruthlessness belongs in our Longevity Sect, to cultivate alongside us."
The surrounding elders were stunned.
Though it felt like something was wrong with his words, as they thought about it carefully... wait, he actually had a point?
If a righteous disciple acted more brutally than a dark sect, didn't that prove he had a deep demonic nature?
"The Lord Near Heaven is wise!" Elder Kurong was the first to react, shouting immediately, "If this boy can join our sect, he will surely become our Holy Son!"
"Exactly."
The Near Heaven elder nodded with satisfaction and sat back down, his gaze passing over everyone to land on the third realm member.
Since the elders were unwilling to go to their deaths and killing him outright wouldn't work, then they would change their approach.
"Since this boy has a fate with our sect, we shouldn't be too rude."
He looked smilingly at the member named Wang Zheng, his tone so gentle it was hair-raising:
"Since you are responsible for intelligence in the capital and personally witnessed his 'dao-entering' form, then this task shall be given to you."
Wang Zheng pointed at his own nose, looking bewildered. "Me?"
"Indeed."
The Near Heaven elder pulled a pitch-black command arrow from his sleeve and tossed it down. The arrow landed on the carpet with a dull thud.
"If you do well, I will bestow upon you a Small Longevity Pill and permit you to become a candidate for the Cauldron Guards."
Hearing the words "Small Longevity Pill," Wang Zheng gritted his teeth and accepted:
"Your subordinate obeys. I will not fail your great trust, Lord Near Heaven. I will certainly... lead Gu Chengming onto the right path!"
"Go then."
Having taken on a task that was either a blessing or a curse, Wang Zheng didn't dare stay in the sub-altar any longer.
He used an escape technique and traveled thousands of miles overnight, finally returning to the location he had prepared outside the capital.
Only after crawling into the cold, damp secret basement did his heart stop pounding, followed immediately by frantic preparations.
One day later.
In the western suburbs of the capital, beneath a long-abandoned earth god temple.
In the dark secret room, seven bronze oil lamps were arranged according to the Big Dipper positions. Wang Zheng sat cross-legged in the center of the array, his face as pale as paper and his eyes sunken.
As a sect member of mediocre talent, the reason he had survived until now and was even hand-picked for a major task was entirely due to this life-saving evil art called the Seven Malignant Blood Embryo Dolls.
This technique required sacrificing a large amount of flesh and blood to a demon artifact and splitting one's soul into the seven oil lamps.
In each lamp flame over seven extremely yin nights, a flesh puppet identical to the original body could grow.
Wang Zheng looked at the seven flickering ghost fires and felt slightly relieved.
He wasn't as skilled in combat as the deacon who had died.
That deacon had been a talisman cultivator. Though he had a killing move combined with the Six-Harmony Spirit-Restricting Bell, he was too arrogant and prone to underestimating his enemies.
Wang Zheng began to analyze the cause of the deacon's death.
"That deacon must have put on a high-and-mighty air before he died, restricting spiritual power and making verbal threats. That's what triggered Gu Chengming's killing intent."
Wang Zheng stroked his chin, his eyes flashing.
"Gu Chengming became famous at a young age and is a rising star in the Night Guard Division. He's proud. Dealing with a young man like him, you can't use force."
"I have to make him feel like I'm here to give him an opportunity, not to look for trouble."
Having made up his mind, Wang Zheng took a deep breath and formed a hand seal.
"Rise!"
The oil lamp at the Tianshu position suddenly flared up. The fire distorted and stretched, transforming in an instant into a plain-looking man dressed in commoner's clothing.
The clone stretched its limbs, nodded to the main body, and then turned and crawled out of the cellar.
In the Jishan Neighborhood, the sun was high.
Gu Chengming had just returned from reporting in at the Night Guard Division, carrying two bags of osmanthus cakes he'd bought from Suxiangzai. His gait seemed relaxed, but his brow was slightly furrowed.
The progress bar for unlocking 【CG/Emperor Bai, Aid Me】 was stuck at 40% and wouldn't budge. This troubled him quite a bit.
The judgment mechanism for that punch was very strange; it had to be the kind of punch-to-the-gut, almost Khorne-like impact to trick progress out of Hundred Bones Resonating.
But the capital was the most peaceful place in the realm; where was he supposed to find so many dark sect members to slaughter?
Gu Chengming sighed, wondering if he should take a distant pursuit mission from the bounty board.
Just then, a somewhat cautious figure turned the corner from an alley, blocking his way.
It was an honest-looking man in faded commoner's clothes. Seeing Gu Chengming approaching, he stopped from a distance and cupped his hands.
"Greetings, Lord Gu."
"My name is Wang Zheng, a follower of the Longevity Sect. I risk my life to stop you today with no ill intent, but..."
"Longevity Sect?"
Gu Chengming's somewhat indifferent gaze suddenly lit up the moment he heard those three words.
It was like a choice piece of pork belly had just appeared.
That gaze wasn't looking at a dark sect member; it was more like a wolf that hadn't eaten for three days.
Wang Zheng kept his head low and didn't see that terrifying look. He continued according to his scripted lines:
"Exactly. Our sect's deacon was quite offensive before; he was just being ignorant. I have come today specifically to relay an apology from our sect's elders. As long as Lord Gu is willing—"
Hum—
Before Wang Zheng could finish, he felt the air around him suddenly grow heavy.
He instinctively looked up, only to see a fist expanding rapidly in his vision.
There was no talk, no fluctuation of spiritual power, and not even a chance for him to mention the apology gift.
Bang!
A dull explosion echoed in the alley.
The carefully nurtured blood embryo clone didn't even grunt before it was instantly blown into a spray of blood mist, painting the blue stone walls of the alley.
Gu Chengming pulled back his fist and shook off the non-existent blood. He glanced at the progress bar in his sea of consciousness, which had ticked up once, and felt a strange sense of irony.
Did someone really just deliver a pillow because I was sleepy?
In the western suburbs, inside the secret basement.
"Pfft—!!!"
Wang Zheng's main body, sitting in the center, suddenly sprayed a mouthful of blood and tumbled backward, nearly collapsing.
The oil lamp at the Tianshu position shattered with a crack and went out.
Clutching his agonizing chest, Wang Zheng was filled with shock and confusion.
He had clearly lowered his posture so much, shown no killing intent, and hadn't even set up a restriction. Why did he strike without saying a word?
"Is it because I was too humble, making him think I'm a useless pawn, so he killed me without hesitation?"
Wang Zheng wiped the blood from his mouth, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes.
"It seems I can't be too humble. I have to let him see the Longevity Sect's foundation, let him see our sincerity!"
He gritted his teeth and formed another seal.
"Tianxuan, rise!"
The next day at dusk, on the long street outside the Night Guard Division.
As soon as Gu Chengming walked out of the yamen, he saw a middle-aged scholar in fine robes and an extraordinary aura approaching him.
"Lord Gu, please wait."
The scholar cupped his hands and got straight to the point, his voice resonant:
"I am an envoy of the Longevity Sect. The previous misunderstandings were due to poor communication. Today, I have come only to bring a great fortune to Lord Gu."
"As long as Lord Gu nods, our sect is willing to honor you as the Holy Son. The sect's resources will be at your disposal, and the great dao of longevity—"
"Longevity Sect?"
Gu Chengming confirmed the keyword once again.
A reserved smile appeared on the scholar's face: "Indeed. My Longevity Sect has deep roots, and the power of demon artifacts—"
Boom—!!!
The familiar sound of breaking air, the familiar intense pain, the familiar darkness.
Gu Chengming stepped over the debris on the ground and glanced at the progress bar, unable to help himself from laughing.
One coming every day?
He looked at the puddle of shredded meat and began to look forward to the next.
Will another one come tomorrow?
Inside the secret room.
Wang Zheng sprayed two more mouthfuls of blood.
The Tianxuan lamp was extinguished.
His whole body was shaking—from pain, from anger, and mostly from fear.
"Unreasonable! This is simply absurd!"
"I offered the position of Holy Son! Why did he still attack?!"
In all his years in the cultivation world, he had seen the greedy, the brutal, and the hypocritical.
But someone like Gu Chengming, who completely ignored whatever was being said and struck the moment the identity was confirmed... he had truly never seen it before.
—Oh wait, except for Zhou Qingmu.
"I don't believe it! Try again!"
The third time.
Wang Zheng had learned his lesson. Since being close was certain death, he would communicate from a distance.
He controlled a clone to stand on a roof over a hundred yards away and shouted only one sentence: "Lord Gu, the Longevity Sect has something to say—"
Gu Chengming immediately deployed his sword array, leveling the roof and shredding the man into pieces with sword qi.
Although he didn't use his fist this time and the progress bar didn't rise, Gu Chengming felt he shouldn't encourage the bad habit of standing so high up.
The fourth time.
Wang Zheng tried to disguise himself as an old farmer delivering vegetables, hoping to become a familiar face first.
As a result, as soon as he reached the gate, Gu Chengming only had to glance at him to identify him using the Yin Yang Creation Strategy. Another punch.
The fifth time...
In just three short days.
Of the seven oil lamps in the western suburb basement, only two remained flickering on the verge of death.
Wang Zheng had completely lost his initial composure.
His hair was disheveled, his eyes were as sunken as a ghost's, and his body was covered in dried blood—the aftereffects of the multiple soul backlashes.
He cowered in the corner, his body shaking uncontrollably, muttering neurotically to himself:
"I can't go anymore... I absolutely cannot go back..."
"He doesn't care at all what the Longevity Sect has to say, nor does he care about longevity. He just wants to kill!"
After losing five lives, Wang Zheng finally realized the truth that drove him to despair.
There was no poor communication, no misunderstanding.
In that Gu Chengming's eyes, he, Wang Zheng—or anyone from the Longevity Sect—wasn't even a "person." They were just walking, shouting training dummies!
"Run! I have to run!"
Wang Zheng jumped up, frantically packing his things.
Staying in the capital was a death sentence. This Gu Chengming was too uncanny; his bloodlust was not that of a human being!
However, just as he rushed to the entrance of the secret room and placed his hand on the cold stone door mechanism—
Thud.
A soft sound came from the ground above.
It was the sound of a boot stepping on soft soil. It was very light, but in Wang Zheng's ears, it was no different from a thunderclap.
Then, a voice with a familiar smile clearly reached the secret room through the thick layer of earth:
"We just met, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
"I saw how enthusiastic you were during those 'visits.' Why do you seem so distant now that I've come to your real body?"
Clack.
Wang Zheng's blood froze in an instant.
How was it possible? He used a blood embryo clone every time; his main body had never left this secret room! And there were multiple layers of isolation arrays outside that could even block divine sense!
How did he find this place?!
"Could it be... could it be..."
In Wang Zheng's mind, images of those five deaths over the past few days suddenly flashed.
Every time a clone died, although the soul dissipated, a piece of karma belonging to Wang Zheng had truly fallen into Gu Chengming's hands.
It was the Red Dust Technique?!
Boom—!!!
The stone door wasn't opened but was directly shattered from the outside by a terrifyingly immense force. Amid the flying debris, Gu Chengming brushed the dust off his robe and walked in slowly.
He looked at Wang Zheng, who was cowering in the corner, his face as pale as death.
"That clone technique of yours is indeed ingenious."
Gu Chengming scanned the room, his gaze landing on the remaining two oil lamps, and he nodded.
"Unfortunately, the clones died too quickly. I didn't get to fully enjoy myself."
Wang Zheng was scared out of his wits, pressing his body against the wall. "No, no—"
Gu Chengming didn't listen to his pleas for mercy at all. He simply took a stance, the air behind him distorting slightly as if the invisible phantom of a god or demon was slowly emerging.
"Since the Longevity Sect has shown such sincerity, coming to my door multiple times to deliver gifts..."
"Then this punch shall be my return gift."
Boom—!!!
It was as if a brilliant sun had risen inside the small secret room.
The terrifying wind from his fist instantly filled every inch of the space, crushing the pleas, the screams, and the two still-burning oil lamps into a blinding white light.
The earth trembled slightly.
After a moment, the dust settled.
Gu Chengming stood amidst the ruins. Looking at the finally completed progress bar in his sea of consciousness, he let out a satisfied breath and laughed heartily.
"Refreshing!"
【Hundred Bones Resonating also cheered: Refreshing!】
Inside the Longevity Sect's sub-altar, at the Zhongshengxiang Hall.
When the news from the capital reached them again, and after the elders saw that every one of Wang Zheng's clones had died a miserable death.
A silence even longer than the last fell over the hall.
Below, the Cauldron Guard elders, who had previously thought about how to agree with Lord Near Heaven and praise Gu Chengming for his "deep demonic nature," were now all playing dead.
Elder Kurong's bone prayer beads had stopped turning. He kept his head down, staring intently at the floor in front of his toes, not daring to lift it even an inch even as his neck grew stiff.
Elder Yinsha's hand holding the teacup was suspended in mid-air. The tea had long since gone cold, but he seemed completely unaware.
"Cough..."
After a long time, someone in the corner of the hall coughed awkwardly.
The sound was particularly jarring in the deathly silent hall.
The Near Heaven elder opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something like, "This is a good thing," or "His demonic nature has deepened," to save the situation.
Cauldron Guard Xuehe, on the side, finally asked cautiously:
"Lord Near Heaven, this boy Gu Chengming..."
"Is his demonic nature perhaps... a bit too heavy?"
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