HUFF...
As his chest and abdomen slowly pulsed, True Qi coursed rapidly through his Meridians, completing a full Circulation.
As the cycle reached completion, the Innate True Qi within his Dantian increased by a fraction.
Guk Rusong opened his eyes and looked at the Iron Evil Stone in his hand. The Evil Qi within it had been completely devoured.
He tossed it aside casually.
CLACK!
The Iron Evil Stone landed in a corner of the room.
A mountain of Iron Evil Stones, all devoid of Evil Qi, was piled there—a testament to his daily Cultivation.
’Earth Evil Mysterious Skill...’
’The higher my Cultivation, the less effective the Iron Evil Stones are for my training. Unless I find better resources, there’s no way I’ll open all Innate Nine Acupoints before I’m sixty, let alone attempt to break through to the Dao Foundation Realm.’
After a moment of contemplation, he pushed the door open and walked out, heading to the nearby residence of his good friend, Cao Dongjun.
"Brother Cao!"
"Junior Brother Guk, what a rare sight!"
He pulled over a table, set out some wine, and the two sat facing each other.
"Have a taste."
Cao Dongjun filled a wine bowl and said with a smile,
"This is the Spirit Wine Hundred-Day Intoxication, brewed by the Sect. A single jar sells for five Low Grade Spirit Stones outside, but we can buy it for just four."
"If there weren’t a limit on internal sales, I’d probably be in the business of buying it up and reselling it."
"Hundred-Day Intoxication?" Guk Rusong’s eyes lit up. He raised the wine bowl, took a large gulp, and a flush spread across his face.
"Good wine!"
"I had a bowl of this at Martial Uncle Liuu’s wedding. This Spirit Wine is also beneficial for Cultivation."
"It is," Cao Dongjun nodded, refilling his bowl.
"Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so expensive."
"I’ve heard there’s also a ’Thousand-Day Intoxication’ that can help Dao Foundation Cultivators increase their Cultivation. It’s even more expensive."
"Brother Cao, where did you get the Spirit Stones?" Guk Rusong asked suddenly, staring at the crystal-clear wine before him.
"We’re both Inner Sect Disciples, and our monthly allowance is a mere two Low Grade Spirit Stones. We still have to buy Elixirs and Iron Evil Stones to aid our Cultivation. How can you bear to share such a fine Spirit Wine?"
"Haha..." Cao Dongjun laughed heartily.
"If it were anyone else, of course I’d keep this wine hidden. But you’re not just anyone, are you, Junior Brother Guk?"
"Drink!"
"Drink your fill!"
"I’ve got plenty for you today!"
Guk Rusong raised an eyebrow and, without further ceremony, lifted the bowl and drained it, letting the wine’s potency rush through his body.
"To be honest!"
The alcohol went to his head, making his eyes bloodshot as he said through gritted teeth,
"Master Zhu summoned me yesterday."
"Oh?" Cao Dongjun cocked an eyebrow, asking curiously,
"Why did Master Zhu summon you, Junior Brother?"
"I’m not sure," Guk Rusong said, shaking his head.
"He just said he wants me to go somewhere in his stead and retrieve some things. Master Zhu mentioned that while the journey would be dangerous, he would reward me generously. I was just thinking about whether I should accept."
Hm?
Upon hearing this, Cao Dongjun froze.
His eyes flickered as he suddenly said,
"Accept!"
"Huh?" Guk Rusong was taken aback.
"What did you say, Brother Cao?"
"I said, accept it!" Cao Dongjun said, lowering his voice.
"Weren’t you curious how I got the Spirit Stones to buy this Spirit Wine? It’s because I accepted a task from Martial Uncle Liuu."
"Oh!" Guk Rusong sat up straight, the drunkenness in his eyes vanishing.
"Brother Cao, you know the details?"
"Martial Uncle didn’t specify what it was, but from what I’ve observed, it’s most likely an expedition to a Secret Realm," Cao Dongjun said.
"That Secret Realm must be filled with treasures, but it has restrictions against Dao Foundation Cultivators. That’s why the Martial Uncles and Masters are recruiting us."
’A Secret Realm?’
Guk Rusong’s eyes flickered.
"Will it be dangerous?"
"Of course there’s some danger," Cao Dongjun said, rolling his eyes.
"But don’t worry too much. After all, if it were a suicide mission, we wouldn’t be able to bring anything back out. Wouldn’t all the effort the Martial Uncles and Masters invested in us go down the drain?"
"Junior Brother."
He clapped Guk Rusong on the shoulder and said grimly,
"You have a steady temperament, always thinking before you act and never making impulsive mistakes. I’ve always admired that about you."
"But..."
"Some opportunities you have to fight for!"
"Think about that Senior Brother He from the Profound Clarity Sect! He dared to attack an injured Demon Sect Dao Foundation Cultivator and obtained a Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact worth hundreds of Middle Grade Spirit Stones. He soared to success in a single step. If an opportunity like that was right in front of you, ask yourself honestly—would you dare to take it?"
Guk Rusong’s expression darkened.
It was true. His steady temperament and his mistake-free approach were good things.
But they also caused him to miss out on many opportunities.
In his nearly fifty years of life, Guk Rusong had encountered similar situations more than once. Looking back now, he couldn’t help but feel regret. ’If only I had been a little more impulsive back then, would the outcome have been different?’
’Playing it safe is good.
But,
a missed opportunity never comes again!’
Countless thoughts surfaced, making his eyes flicker as his face showed his inner struggle.
"Junior Brother."
Cao Dongjun continued,
"It won’t just be you and me on this trip. It won’t even be just people from our Bright Void Sect. Other powers will be involved."
"The Secret Realm is treacherous. It’s not just the dangers within the realm itself; we’ll also have to guard against others trying to rob us."
"So..."
He looked Guk Rusong straight in the eye and said,
"Junior Brother Guk, you should accept Master Zhu’s offer. That way, the two of us can look out for each other inside the Secret Realm."
"Junior Brother!"
"Our talent isn’t bad. Are you really content to be lost in the crowd? Don’t you want to take a gamble and strive for the Dao Foundation Realm?"
Guk Rusong fell silent.
*
*
*
「Half a month later.」
Two people appeared inside Zhu Ju’s Cave Mansion.
Ye Tianqi did not come.
One moment he was saying he would go through fire and water for Zhu Ju, the next he was saying his family was worried about the danger and wouldn’t let him go...
After waffling back and forth a few times, he was simply cut from the list.
His replacement was the eighty-three-year-old Innate Qi Refiner and Talisman Maker, Shi Chuan.
Also present was the one-armed swordsman, Guk Rusong.
"Very good."
Zhu Ju took out two contracts and presented them to the two men.
"A drop of your Essence Blood is all that’s needed."
"This journey involves Sect secrets and must not be spoken of to outsiders. Any violation will be punished by having your heart devoured by a celestial demon."
"Yes!" The two exchanged a look and nodded in agreement.
They took the contracts, examined them carefully, and after confirming there were no issues, they each dripped a drop of their Essence Blood onto them.
Things like Spirit Contracts weren’t as useful as one might imagine. In many cases, their symbolic meaning outweighed their practical effect.
Of course,
High Grade bloodline Spirit Contracts were a different matter.
"You should have some understanding of this journey by now."
Putting away the contracts, Zhu Ju began to speak.
"In a year and a half, a Secret Realm near the Earth Abyss will open. At that time, our Bright Void Sect will go, along with four other powers. The entrance to that Secret Realm cannot withstand overly powerful auras; only Innate Qi Refiners can enter."
"In other words..."
"You, along with the Innate Qi Refiners from the other powers, will need to collect as many Heavenly and Earthly Treasures as you can within a certain time limit. I will give you rewards based on the quantity of items you bring back."
"Spirit Stones, Cultivation Techniques, Elixirs, Magical Artifacts, even a Foundation Establishment Pill—all are possible. Before then, I will also help you improve your Cultivation and strength."
At these words, Guk Rusong’s eyes lit up, and even his breathing grew ragged.
"Martial Uncle."
Shi Chuan’s expression, however, showed little change. He simply cupped his fists and said,
"This junior has no more extravagant hopes for his own path of cultivation. I only ask that Martial Uncle Zhu look after my descendant."
"Mm," Zhu Ju nodded.
"Shi Shangli, correct?"
"I will have him transferred to the ranks of the Inner Sect Disciples and provide him with Spirit Stones and Spiritual Medicine for his Cultivation for the next few years. If he can open Two Acupoints within five years, it’s not impossible that he could be taken as my disciple."
The wrinkles on Shi Chuan’s face trembled as a smile appeared. He bowed with cupped fists.
"Thank you, Martial Uncle!"
He was already eighty-three. Even though the lifespan of an Innate Qi Refiner was much longer than an ordinary person’s, he was already at the end of his life. To dream of advancing to the Dao Foundation was nothing but a fool’s fantasy now.
It was better to leave the benefits to his descendants.
Zhu Ju was also very pleased with Shi Chuan. The man was a peak Eight Acupoints Innate who was skilled in using Talismanic Techniques in combat. With over eighty years of life experience, he was a veteran fighter who, despite his aged body, was stronger than many young men.
"Guk Rusong."
"Here!"
"Let me see your Sword Technique."
"...Yes."
Guk Rusong steadied himself. His single arm brushed his waist, and his longsword unsheathed with a CLANG, landing in his palm.
"Master Zhu!"
"Please, give me your guidance!"
SHING!
He stamped his foot, his longsword thrusting forward in a smooth motion. The Sword Light flickered, transforming into dozens of afterimages.
As he brandished his sword faster and faster, gradually only Sword Light could be seen in the room, with no trace of his figure.
CLANG!
The sword hummed softly.
A crack silently appeared on the stone wall over a hundred feet away. The Sword Light immediately retracted, and Guk Rusong’s figure reappeared nearby.
"Smoke and Mist Sword Technique?"
Zhu Ju nodded slowly.
"Not bad. This set of Sword Formulas is balanced for both offense and defense, and it can use Sword Light to confuse opponents, giving you a considerable advantage in close-quarters combat."
"Your Sword Technique is proficient, and your Killing Moves have some polish. It seems you’ve put a lot of effort into it."
"You praise me too much, Master Zhu," Guk Rusong said, lowering his head.
"This junior has one less arm than an ordinary person. I can only make up for it by spending more time on my Cultivation."
"Mm." Zhu Ju nodded and raised a hand. A longsword flew from a nearby weapon rack and landed in his palm.
"Your Sword Technique is good, but you probably don’t have much experience fighting others. It lacks killing intent."
"Your Force Manipulation Method isn’t very refined either."
"I have a method called ’Ten Steps One Kill’ that can be integrated into your Sword Technique to increase its power."
He flicked his finger, and the blade of the longsword trembled. Immediately after, a flash of sword gleam materialized from thin air.
TING...
The longsword pierced a wooden post over a hundred feet away. Sword Qi erupted, and the post exploded.
Guk Rusong’s breath hitched, his eyes wide with shock.
He had seen it clearly.
Zhu Ju had suppressed his Cultivation, using the power of an Innate Seven Acupoints Cultivator to execute that strike.
And the power of that Sword Technique...
Even an Eight Acupoints Innate would likely be no match for it!
"Master Zhu!"
His thoughts raced, and he dropped to one knee, his voice muffled as he spoke,
"I beg for your guidance, Master Zhu!"
"Rest assured," Zhu Ju said.
"Over the next year or so, I will do my best to improve your strength. After all, the stronger you are, the better your chances of surviving the Secret Realm and bringing back more things from it."
"Shi Chuan."
"This junior is here."
"I have a method called Divine Splitting and Thought Transformation that can help you activate more than ten Spirit Talismans at once, giving you a great advantage in combat. In the coming year, you’d best master the Entry Level of this technique."
"After this journey is over, you may pass this Method down to the descendants of the Shi Family."
"Yes!" A divine light flared in Shi Chuan’s murky eyes, and his whole body trembled with excitement.
"This junior will not fail your trust!"
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