The Peak Lord’s Token not only allows communication with the disciples of Biluofeng, but can also contact the Sect Master directly, and even works outside the Yunhai Immortal Pavilion.
As soon as those words were spoken, they watched in alarm as a mass of rubble and earth came crashing down from above, threatening to bury the three of them alive.
Fortunately, aid at the Nascent Soul stage arrived in an instant.
No sooner had Gu Ze finished speaking than a gentle force swept away the surrounding earth, pulling the three of them out beyond the earth vein.
For the first time, Gu Ze found the warm sunlight and stifling air to be such luxuries.
Having escaped the darkness, everyone wiped the cold sweat from their brows.
That was close.
Using the Peak Lord’s Token to call for Gong Lixing’s aid—Li Xunmiao had done this too in the book.
But that was after Li Xunmiao had already left the Yunhai Immortal Pavilion, and called for Gong Lixing’s help as the twenty-fifth Honorary Peak Lord and a guest elder.
Gu Ze truly hadn’t expected this trip to be filled with so many twists.
The earth vein’s early transformation into a dragon was already tricky enough, but he hadn’t counted on the whole “mantis stalks the cicada, but the oriole follows behind” scenario, where the entire earth vein of Yunhai Immortal Pavilion awakened, even swallowing the Songhuo Peak’s dragon vein that they had their eyes on.
High above the clear sky, the surging dragon energy outlined a massive, earthen-yellow, five-clawed Gold Dragon in midair.
Yet, seemingly tethered by the earth vein below, it could never truly take flight.
This giant dragon stretched for hundreds of li, its form blotting out the heavens and earth—by far the most majestic creature Gu Ze had ever seen in this world.
However…was this giant dragon still just not at the Golden Core stage?
It didn’t even require Gong Lixing to act personally; a single Peak Lord could subdue it.
But since this concerned the entire Yunhai Immortal Pavilion, Gong Lixing could not stand by.
At some point, the golden-robed cultivator with the bearing of an immortal had already appeared in midair, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the seemingly endless giant dragon.
“Wretched beast, are you not going to return to your place at once?” The dignified and aged voice echoed outward.
The dragon vein was tied to the very fate of the entire Yunhai Immortal Pavilion; it was meant to be sealed beneath the earth for ages.
If it truly broke free and soared skyward, the pavilion’s fortune would be diminished by more than half.
The giant dragon opened its maw, spewing a thick wave of earth spiritual energy, its intent to resist plain to see.
Knowing persuasion would be useless, Gong Lixing waved his hand. The Red Dragon emblazoned on his golden robe came to life, instantly wrapping itself around the earthen giant dragon.
The two titans grappled furiously in the sky.
After only a few exchanges, the dragon vein was quickly defeated, unable to match Gong Lixing’s Nascent Soul abilities.
The giant dragon’s scales were raked by the Red Dragon’s claws, spilling great swathes of golden blood.
Gong Lixing glanced over and with a simple gesture, collected the golden blood in an instant.
By sheer chance, three drops slipped away, falling toward Gu Ze and the others, who had just been rescued from underground.
The three of them, having kept their eyes fixed on the struggle above, naturally noticed the golden blood descending.
“Thank you for the Sect Master’s gift.” To be saved and then rewarded—what a surprise.
“It’s nothing. Good thing you discovered it in time, provoking the dragon vein to emerge early. If things had dragged on longer, it would have been even more troublesome to deal with.”
Gong Lixing’s ethereal voice floated down.
They had made it out.
Gu Ze’s eyes flickered, secretly suspecting things weren’t quite so simple.
As the Sect Master, Gong Lixing naturally understood everything happening in the Yunhai Immortal Pavilion better than anyone.
The earth vein had absorbed such vast spiritual energy and transformed into a dragon—there was no way he could have failed to calculate that.
Perhaps, Gong Lixing simply had more important matters to attend to, and no time to deal with such trifles, which was why he hadn’t acted earlier.
As the golden dragon blood merged into his body, Gu Ze felt a tremendous increase in physical strength.
And, even though all three of them received it, this still counted as a fortunate encounter, didn’t it?
【Ding~ Li Xunmiao has gained a fortuitous encounter: Dragon Vein Essence Blood】
【Host has received reward: Qi Nourishing Art upgraded】
Another tangible reward!
With every breath, Gu Ze felt the very nature of his spiritual energy transforming.
Gong Lixing’s gaze dropped down from midair. While dragon energy was perfect for aiding the Qi Nourishing Art, Gu Ze absorbed it far too easily.
It was as if some mysterious force was taking the opportunity to temper and refine his body.
But even with Gong Lixing’s cultivation, he could see nothing amiss.
He had received far more dragon blood than the three of them, but for someone at the Nascent Soul stage, it only slightly boosted his power.
Even if he gave all the dragon blood to these juniors, they wouldn’t be able to refine it—most would be overwhelmed and explode from the dragon energy.
As the heavenly anomaly gradually subsided, the three of them prepared to leave.
***
In the end, the sought-after Iron Marrow still hadn’t been found.
But Lin Tianya didn’t care about the Iron Marrow anymore.
By sheer luck, he’d followed two “Children of Destiny” and gained a fortuitous encounter; after absorbing the dragon blood, he now had hope of establishing his foundation—he was happier than anyone.
Moreover, with his body’s strength enhanced, Lin Tianya would be even better at forging iron.
After offering his heartfelt gratitude, he bid farewell to the two from Biluofeng.
On the way back, Li Xunmiao was unexpectedly silent.
On this journey, she’d shattered Bai Yazhi’s Dao heart, upgraded the Yulong Jade, and even obtained the unexpected dragon vein essence blood. All good things, things to be happy about.
“Senior Brother Gu, could you… please not use that artifact to bully me anymore?” Li Xunmiao pouted.
The thing she cared about most was actually being bound by Gu Ze at the end.
Though Gu Ze only did it to save her, the sudden, powerless feeling of having all her cultivation sealed left Li Xunmiao with lingering fear.
She had never flinched when facing a strong enemy at the eighth level of Qi Refining.
But Senior Brother Gu’s methods were different. Li Xunmiao especially hated that feeling of losing all strength and becoming a helpless mortal again.
It reminded her of when she was powerless, unable to protect herself, bullied and left to wander, always on the run.
If not for knocking at the gates of immortality today, who knew which forgotten corner she’d have died in by now.
“This?” Gu Ze took out the Dragon Binding Cord, handed it to Li Xunmiao, and said helplessly, “I never intended to bully you with an artifact. If you’re uneasy, I’ll leave it with you for safekeeping.”
But when Li Xunmiao took the cord in her hand, it turned into an ordinary red rope.
She fiddled with it for a moment, her eyes glimmering, and then returned it to Gu Ze.
“As long as Senior Brother promises Xunmiao, that’s enough. Xunmiao knows Senior Brother Gu is a man of his word—what he says, he does.”
Senior Brother Gu had never bullied her, and now that he knew her weakness, he wouldn’t use it against her.
The two returned to Biluofeng as night fell.
Gu Ze returned to his courtyard, ready for rest, but as he stretched his weary body, the Peak Lord’s Token at his waist suddenly flew out on its own.
A cold, clear voice belonging to Immortal Venerable Qingquan came from within.
“Gu Ze, you’re quite something, making a commotion all the way at Songhuo Peak. Who would have thought two little Qi Refiners could cause such a scene—not bad, you’ve got an eye for trouble.”
It was impossible to tell if Qingquan was praising or mocking him.
Gu Ze straightened up immediately.
Strange, the Peak Lord’s Token was in his hands—how was Qingquan communicating with him?
“The one you have is my spare. This token is only a symbol of status, not particularly precious—it was always meant to be mass-produced.”
She seemed to answer the question in Gu Ze’s mind as if she could read his thoughts.
“Listen to me.” Suddenly, Qingquan’s tone changed, the teasing gone, replaced by seriousness.
“In the coming days, I must enter a death-closed seclusion, unable to interfere in outside matters. All those tedious affairs of Biluofeng, I’ve already handed over to the elders under me—you needn’t be involved.”
Your only task is to look after Xunmiao for me. She’s now my only, and the one disciple I can’t let go of.
I’ve already divined the things you and Xunmiao have gone through recently. She’s made impressive progress in her cultivation, and with you assisting her, I can rest easy.
If, when I emerge from seclusion, Li Xunmiao has broken through to Foundation Establishment, I will reward you handsomely.
“On the other hand, if I fail to come out… hand the Peak Lord’s Token to Xunmiao and let her succeed as the new Peak Lord of Biluofeng—at that time, you will still assist her as before.”
“That’s all I wanted to say. Everything else is in your hands now.”
It was almost as if she were leaving her last will and testament. Even for breaking through to Nascent Soul, Qingquan was not fully confident.
There were many in the world at the late stage of Golden Core who simply stopped advancing, not daring to attempt the leap to Nascent Soul.
Failure meant death and the end of the Dao. Better to stay as a Golden Core—such a cultivation was enough to hold power in most sects.
In a great sect like Yunhai Immortal Pavilion, it was enough to serve as a Peak Lord.
But Qingquan was different. From the moment she set foot on the path of immortality, her goal was never just Golden Core or Nascent Soul.
Gu Ze—agreed, his expression calm but his heart in turmoil.
Were all these matters really suited to fall upon someone who had been just an ordinary disciple a few dozen days ago? Why did Qingquan trust him so much?
Was it all because of the karmic ties between him and Li Xunmiao?
Gu Ze felt that Qingquan wasn’t simply entrusting things to a disciple, but was instead handing over everything… to a fellow Daoist.