Gou in the world of comprehension

Chapter 1515 In the end, they were nothing more than ants.

In the days that followed, Su Fan stayed in his Martial Aunt Hong Ling's cave.

He spent every day with two female cultivators at the Integration Realm, and each time they did so, it was as if they were demolishing a house and shaking the earth.

At first, Su Fan secretly reflected on his actions, feeling that he had been somewhat unkind to women, but he did not expect that she did not care at all.

With this, Su Fan completely put aside his concerns.

Fortunately, they were all Nascent Soul cultivators, with strong physical bodies and cultivation levels. If it were a lower-level cultivator, they probably wouldn't have been able to withstand it.

As the sun sets, the sky is ablaze with fiery rosy clouds, and the magnificent sunset unfolds in layers, painting the horizon a warm red.

The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the gaps in the bamboo grove, refracting a dappled halo of light. Time seems to stand still at this moment, like a delicate and elegant ink painting.

Su Fan leaned against the edge of the pool, his gaze somewhat unfocused, quietly watching the ripples spreading across the water.

Not far away, Martial Aunt Hongling was whispering with Zhang Xuemo, and occasionally their soft laughter could be heard.

"Su Fan, what would you like to eat tonight? I'll have someone prepare it in advance." At this moment, Martial Aunt Hong Ling turned to look at him and asked.

"Tonight... how about we prepare some nourishing spiritual food? I've been feeling a bit lacking in energy lately..."

Upon hearing his words, the two female cultivators simultaneously rolled their eyes at him, inwardly cursing him.

Do you even have any shame?

I don't know how this guy grew up, he's like a monster, he never seems to know what it means to be tired.

It's been so many days, they're practically falling apart, but this thing is perfectly fine.

You actually want to take a lot of tonics? Do you want to kill us sisters?

Martial Aunt Hongling didn't say anything more, but casually ordered a few spiritual foods and instructed that they be prepared in portions for twenty people.

There's nothing I can do, this guy is just a pig, he can eat way too much.

However, they can eat a lot and also work.

Su Fan didn't care too much about what he ate; as long as he could fill his stomach, that was enough.

With his current physical strength and spiritual foundation, he could easily operate his supernatural powers for ten days or half a month without stopping.

However, he secretly felt that Zhang Xuemo, who came from a sword cultivation background, was an unexpected surprise.

Despite her usual aloofness, she possesses a vibrant energy that is completely different when you're with her. This contrast is even more pronounced than that of her Uncle Hongling, which makes him even more fascinated.

At this moment, Martial Aunt Hongling and Zhang Xuemo huddled together and whispered to each other, seemingly discussing some private matters.

Su Fan certainly wouldn't disturb the two female hooligans exchanging their experiences; at this moment, his mind was focused on when to leave the sect.

He had already spoken with the sect leader and said he wanted to find a place to "purify his mind by entering the world."

Most of the higher-ups in the Guangfa Dao Sect knew about Su Fan's past and that he had committed too many killings in his early years, which inevitably left a flaw in his Dao heart.

His decision to "enter the world to cleanse his heart" was related to the path of cultivation, so naturally there was no excessive obstruction.

As for where to go into seclusion, Su Fan hasn't decided yet.

However, he also had a preliminary plan: to leave "New Guangtian" and find a quiet and secluded place in another dimension.

However, before leaving, Su Fan felt it was necessary to see Senior Brother Hong Shang.

After all, that senior had given him a rare set of fragments of the Thunder Dao Scroll, and this opportunity was of great importance to him. It was only right and proper that he personally went to express his gratitude.

In addition, he also made a promise to his senior brother Hongshang that he would take care of his family after the latter's death.

Actually, he doesn't need to do anything; he just needs to make a few appearances in Senior Brother Hongshang's family.

After all, given his current status in Xin Guangtian and even the entire Lingxuan Realm, even a simple appearance by him would be an immeasurable boost to Senior Brother Hongshang's family.

Thinking of this, Su Fan stood up from the ground and walked towards the outside of the cave.

"Su Fan, where are you going..." Martial Aunt Hongling asked as soon as he got up.

"I'm going to check on Senior Brother Hongshang. I'll be back soon. Wait for me for dinner tonight..." Su Fan replied, turning around.

Hearing this, the two female cultivators breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, they were secretly worried that Su Fan would leave without saying goodbye.

Martial Aunt Hongling knows him too well; this guy used to frequently disappear without a trace.

After leaving Uncle Hongling's cave, Su Fan went straight to an underground cave deep within the mountain gate.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, he bowed deeply towards the cave and respectfully said, "Junior Brother Su Fan greets Senior Brother Hong Shang..."

"Come in, kid, why are you being so polite with me..." came the gentle voice of Senior Brother Hongshang from inside the cave.

Su Fan responded and stepped into the cave entrance, proceeding along a dark underground passage until he reached the deepest part of the grotto.

There, Senior Brother Hongshang was sitting cross-legged on a blue stone, holding a cup of spiritual tea in his hands, looking relaxed.

Upon seeing Su Fan enter, a smile immediately appeared on his face, his eyes almost squinting into slits.

Su Fan was not reserved at all. He jumped onto the blue stone, sat down cross-legged, and took out two jars of spirit wine and several kinds of braised food from his storage ring, placing them one by one on the stone platform between the two of them.

Senior Brother Hongshang picked up a jar of spirit wine, casually broke the mud seal, and poured a cup for Su Fan.

"You actually knew to come see me, huh? I knew I hadn't misjudged you..."

Su Fan picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said, "You old man, what kind of person do you take me for..."

After he finished speaking, he told the family of his senior brother Hong Shang about his plans to go there, but unexpectedly, he was rejected.

"No need... The family is doing alright for now. Letting them suffer for a while after I die isn't a bad thing. As long as you help me preserve a single bloodline of the family when we're about to be wiped out..."

After hearing this, Su Fan couldn't help but feel more respect for this senior.

He knew very well that once Senior Brother Hongshang died, his family would be like a pillar that had been lost, and they would inevitably have to go through a difficult period.

As a family with a patriarch at the Integration Realm, the interests involved are bound to be coveted by others, and may even be subject to persecution and suppression.

Only the "Guangfa Daozong" is a celestial sect, and the methods used by the various forces within the sect are relatively mild. If it were a demonic sect, they might be capable of massacring entire families.

Even with a deep family heritage, prosperity cannot last forever. Only by weathering the storms of adversity can one rise from the ashes and regain glory.

"By the way, tell me the truth, is the early 'opening of the Heavenly Gate' in the Upper Realm related to you...?" Senior Brother Hong Shang suddenly changed the subject and asked. Upon hearing this, Su Fan couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself.

The sect's higher-ups had asked him about the "Opening of the Heavenly Gate" several times, and Senior Brother Hongshang had also subtly inquired about it a few times before.

Clearly, the fact that the Upper Realm opened the Heavenly Gate ahead of schedule has become a mystery in the minds of all sects in Xin Guangtian.

After pondering for a moment, he finally recounted in detail the events of his meeting with the avatar of the powerful figure from the upper realm.

After finishing his narration, the words that the powerful figure from the upper realm had once spoken resurfaced in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

It took him a long time to finally let go of the matter, and he thought he had long since let it go, but when he brought it up again, he still couldn't help but feel a little disheartened.

Since transmigrating to this cultivation world, that meeting with the powerful figure from the upper realm was definitely the past he least wanted to recall.

The contempt and constraints from above dealt him a blow far greater than any ordinary hardship.

Fortunately, when he mentioned it again, although he was still disappointed, he no longer had the idea of ​​giving up. His Dao heart was more determined than before.

"Hmph... Those people from the Daoist sects of the upper realm have always treated us cultivators of the lower realm like servants. No... to say that they treat us like roadside weeds is probably an understatement..." After hearing this, Senior Brother Hongshang couldn't help but snort again.

Su Fan quickly advised, "Senior brother...be careful what you say..."

"What are you talking about... I'm nearing my end, what have I to fear..."

Senior Brother Hongshang picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. He then placed the cup heavily on the stone platform, wiped his mouth, and spoke with a touch of nonchalance.

"Kid, if you have the chance, you should go back to the Jiaochen Realm. The upper realm forces there are much quieter than the Lingxuan Realm, without all the trouble here..."

Su Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Senior brother, has the great war between our Upper Realm Daoist sects and the demon race been going on for a long time...?"

"To be honest, I don't know anything about those messy things in the upper realm, but..."

Senior Brother Hongshang paused here, then picked up his wine glass and took a sip, his eyes becoming somewhat complicated.

"Perhaps it's because my time is coming to an end, but in recent years I've felt that some fragmented memories have appeared in my mind. Those memories must have been forcibly erased by someone. Even now, when I think back on them, they are just blurry fragments, unable to form a complete picture..."

Upon hearing this, Su Fan froze, goosebumps rising on his skin.

This is so bizarre, it's absolutely chilling.

He instinctively hugged his arms, and said with a pained expression, "Senior brother, please don't scare me..."

Senior Brother Hong Shang smiled and slowly said, "These memories must be from many years ago. I only remember that I was just a Golden Core cultivator at the time..."

Upon hearing this, Su Fan felt even more terrified.

It should be understood that from the Golden Core Realm to the Body Integration Realm, plus the lifespan accumulation of the Refining Void, Transforming Spirit, and Nascent Soul Realms, this memory must be traced back at least tens of thousands of years.

He couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened tens of thousands of years ago that would cause Senior Brother Hongshang's memories to be forcibly erased.

Although in this unpredictable world of cultivation, erasing other people's memories is no big deal.

But Su Fan's intuition told him that what Senior Brother Hong Shang had remembered was definitely not simple.

"When you mentioned meeting with the avatar of a powerful figure from the upper realm, the fragments of memory in my mind seem to have become clearer..."

Senior Brother Hongshang put down his wine glass and continued, "In the past few years, when I had nothing to do, I always sorted through these scattered memories, and I managed to piece together some fragments from back then..."

Su Fan's heart was in his throat as he listened, feeling that the scene was even more terrifying than listening to a ghost story.

Senior Brother Hongshang is a living fossil of the Guangfa Dao Sect. His knowledge and experience far exceed those of ordinary people. If even he finds something strange, you can imagine how serious it is.

"I can only recall some fragmented images, but I can roughly deduce a strange incident that happened in the sect back then..."

At this point, Senior Brother Hong Shang suddenly stopped, deliberately whetting Su Fan's appetite.

Su Fan was extremely anxious and urged, "Senior brother, stop being so mysterious and tell me what happened..."

Senior Brother Hong Shang laughed heartily before slowly speaking: "Back then, hundreds of cultivators in the late stage of the Integration Realm within the sect disappeared almost overnight, and I have never seen any trace of them again for decades."

It wasn't just our Guangfa Dao Sect. Later, through my connections, I secretly checked the rosters of other sects and found that many sects had experienced similar situations, with high-level cultivators mysteriously disappearing as if they had never existed..."

Upon hearing this, Su Fan was taken aback at first, and then a terrifying thought flashed through his mind.

Could it be that Senior Brother Hongshang's erased memories are related to the Daoist sects of the Upper Realm?

Could those missing late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators have been forcibly conscripted by the Upper Realm?

It should be understood that the cultivator structure of each sect is like a pyramid, with late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators being at the top of the pyramid. The sudden disappearance of so many high-level cultivators is extremely unusual.

“Over the years, I’ve specifically checked the sect’s old roster, but after searching through all the archives, I couldn’t find those people’s names. Even their soul lamps and life tablets have disappeared without a trace, as if they had never been in the sect at all…” Senior Brother Hong Shang continued.

Su Fan frowned, his initial guess instantly overturned.

If the upper realm forcibly conscripts cultivators, it might be possible to erase the memories of low-level cultivators, but erasing records from sect registers and destroying all soul lamps and life tablets is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

After all, with so many sects involved, even if a powerful figure from the upper realm were to descend in person, it would be impossible to achieve a flawless operation unless there were internal members of the sects cooperating.

Seemingly seeing through Su Fan's confusion, Senior Brother Hong Shang slowly said, "I've been pondering this matter for years, but I've never been able to figure it out until I heard what you just said. Then a possibility suddenly came to mind..."

As he spoke, he leaned closer to Su Fan and lowered his voice, saying, "I suspect... that within the sects of the lower realm, there are avatars of powerful figures from the human Daoist sects of the upper realm..."

These words exploded in Su Fan's ears like a thunderclap. He felt a chill run down his spine and straight to the back of his head, as if the blood in his body had frozen.

He suddenly remembered something: he had asked that powerful figure from the upper realm how the other party knew that he had used forbidden thunder techniques to severely injure a great demon from the upper realm.

The expert's answer at the time was that those who practiced the same source thunder technique had a spiritual connection.

Looking back now, that statement is full of holes.

The reason that powerful figure from the upper realm was able to know his movements was probably because he had informants within the territory of Xin Guangtian, and might even have had a clone hiding there, specifically to transmit messages from the lower realm.

Thinking of the demonic seed within him, Su Fan couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Perhaps one day, I will become an avatar of a powerful demonic sect in the upper realm, and become someone else's pawn.

Seeing Su Fan's pale face, Senior Brother Hong Shang couldn't help but sigh.

"In the eyes of those in the upper realm, we cultivators from the lower realms are ultimately nothing more than ants..."

(End of this chapter)