Gou in the world of comprehension

Chapter 1559 To get him to play, you'll have to pay extra.

At dawn, the sky was shrouded in a thick, impenetrable gray fog, preventing even a sliver of the first light of day from breaking through.

The drizzling rain lingered, weaving a semi-transparent curtain of damp mist.

It floated lightly between heaven and earth, enveloping distant mountains, city walls, and ruins in a hazy, deathly silence. Even the sound of the wind was filtered down to a few faint sobs, so oppressive that it made one's chest tighten.

Su Fan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze still heavy with lingering unease.

He sat up from the simple tatami mat, his fingertips brushing his cheeks, touching a thin layer of damp coolness, the chill brought by the mist and rain seeping into the cave.

He turned his head and his gaze fell on Zhang Xuemo, who was fast asleep beside him.

Her breathing was shallow, but a lingering weariness was hidden between her brows, suggesting that she had been troubled by the oppressive atmosphere on the edge of the battlefield for a long time.

The news of Changpingtian's recent recapture of lost territory and the annihilation of the invading demon race has not brought true peace to this realm.

Disciples from various sects had already rushed to the aid of other war zones in batches, but more than a thousand disciples from the "Polar Sword Pavilion" and "Heavenly Thunder Palace" remained in the "Hidden Sword Immortal City".

After all, they were Su Fan's trusted confidants. During the past three years, he had been in seclusion to heal his injuries, and even though the higher-ups of various sects in Changping Heaven were overwhelmed with problems, they did not dare to transfer this force elsewhere.

Prior to this, Su Fan had launched a bloody pursuit within the Changping Heavenly Realm, targeting those clones who had descended from the Upper Realm.

Hundreds of Nascent Soul Realm cultivators perished at his hands. He only stopped when he had almost wiped out all the upper realm clones of this plane, leaving only a few lucky ones to escape the Changping Heaven area.

With no target left to hunt, Su Fan returned to Hidden Sword Immortal City.

As soon as he settled down, Zhang Xuemo came looking for him and has stayed by his side every step of the past few days.

People from the Qianlun Realm war zone had already sent a message, wanting to discuss with him the matter of providing support to other battlefields.

Su Fan had nowhere else to go, so naturally he wouldn't refuse.

Moreover, he hadn't had enough of the previous fighting.

Since those old guys from the Daoist sects of the upper realm could tear up the alliance and secretly plot against us without hesitation, Su Fan had no reason to show them any mercy.

Since we've already completely offended them, we might as well make a huge scene and ensure that no one gets away with it.

Just as Su Fan was about to get up, Zhang Xuemo gently grabbed his wrist. The force was not strong, but it carried a stubbornness of dependence.

He leaned back onto the couch, and the two of them spent the entire morning snuggling together until the midday sun was obscured by clouds, leaving only a faint halo of light, before they slowly got up.

They were currently staying in a secluded cave dwelling outside the city, set up by the Hidden Sword Sect.

The reason for choosing this location is that Su Fan has already broken ties with the Daoist sects of the Upper Realm and is unwilling to have any open contact with the people in the Qianlun Realm war zone.

Those old fogies from the upper realm are extremely wicked and have already branded him as an "evil cultivator."

In this way, even if he wanted to rush to the aid of the Qianlun Realm war zone, he could only go to the battlefield incognito.

He was no longer a disciple of any immortal sect, but a wicked old demon wanted by the entire upper realm of Daoist sects.

The identity of the heretical old demon suited Su Fan's wishes.

Without the constraints of the sect, there was naturally no obligation to provide assistance.

If I want him to help again in the future, I can't just give him my help for nothing.

To put it bluntly, he's now just a mercenary who does things for money.

If you want him to play, you'll have to pay extra.

He didn't care about good or evil reputation; as long as he could continue to cause trouble for the Daoist sects in the upper realm, what did this stain matter?

In the afternoon, the drizzle continued, and the gray haze in the sky grew even thicker, making it hard to breathe.

Su Fan leaned against the pool inside the cave, casually playing with the water's surface with his fingertips, creating ripples.

Zhang Xuemo snuggled into his arms, her arms wrapped around his waist in a clingy manner.

Neither of them spoke, but simply gazed silently at the world outside the cave, blurred by the rain, even their breathing was extremely soft, as if afraid of breaking this brief tranquility.

Just then, the communication array at his waist suddenly emitted a faint vibration, which was particularly clear in the deathly silent cave.

Su Fan raised his hand and took off the array plate. He scanned it with his divine sense and saw Li Yunmi's message appear on it. The handwriting was somewhat cautious.

"Senior brother... I've arrived. Is now a convenient time for you...?"

He was quite familiar with Li Yunmi, and those old guys in the Qianlun Realm war zone had naturally calculated this point, which is why they sent Li Yunmi over again.

"It's convenient... Come on over..." Su Fan tapped his fingertip lightly, sending back a few short words.

A moment later, light footsteps came from outside the cave, and Xiao Yunhai led Li Yunmi in.

Li Yunmi was extremely low-key this time, without making a big fuss, and came alone, clearly aware of the sensitive situation.

The three sat cross-legged in the hall of the cave. Zhang Xuemo got up and brewed a pot of spiritual tea. The aroma of the tea rose gently, but it could not dispel the stuffiness in the air.

After pouring the two of them some spiritual tea, she stood obediently behind Su Fan, quietly serving as a background figure.

"Senior Brother Su Fan, I rushed over as soon as I heard you had emerged from seclusion..."

Li Yunmi picked up the teacup, but didn't drink it. Instead, she rubbed the inside of the cup, her tone somewhat urgent.

Su Fan picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and felt the warmth of the tea slide down his throat, but it couldn't warm the chill in his heart.

He put down his teacup, curled the corners of his lips, and spoke with a hint of self-deprecation.

"Fellow Daoist Yunmi, please stop calling me Senior Brother. I am now a heretical cultivator officially recognized by the Daoist sects of the Upper Realm. How could I dare to address you, a disciple of the righteous path, as a brother..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunmi laughed, her laughter carrying a hint of helplessness, yet also a touch of determination.

"The situation in the Qianlun Realm war zone is critical right now, and we'll have to rely on you from now on, Senior Brother. We can't count on those people in the Upper Realm at all; we'll be grateful if they don't cause any trouble..."

At this point, he subconsciously pointed to the direction above his head, then, as if remembering something, he quickly lowered his voice, his tone full of resentment.

"Senior brother, to be honest, if it weren't for those special envoys sent from the Upper Realm giving such terrible orders, our Qianlun Realm war zone wouldn't have ended up in this state..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunhai, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but grunt, his face turning ugly.

"My senior brother risked everything for our Qianlun Realm war zone, even allowing demons to possess him and turning him into an evil cultivator. I don't care what others think of you; in my heart, you will always be my senior brother..."

Su Fan listened to their conversation, smiled faintly, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable certainty.

"Don't worry, I won't stand idly by..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunmi and Xiao Yunhai visibly breathed a sigh of relief, their tense shoulders slumping slightly.

The situation in the Qianlun Realm war zone is already precarious. The great victory at Changpingtian is just a drop in the ocean, and the decline in other battlefields is becoming more and more obvious.

Su Fan's agreement undoubtedly gave them a strong boost of confidence.

Li Yunmi immediately took out a storage ring from his pocket and gently placed it on the stone table in front of Su Fan, speaking sincerely.

"Senior brother, this is a small token of our appreciation from the Qianlun Realm war zone. We hope you will accept it..."

Su Fan scanned the area with his divine sense and immediately saw the scene inside the storage ring.

It was filled with all kinds of rare cultivation materials, and many of them were even treasures bestowed by the Daoist sects of the upper realm.

It seems that those old guys in the Qianlun Realm war zone have really gone all out this time, and their sincerity is quite sufficient.

"Fellow Daoist Yunmi, tell me, which battlefield do you want me to go to..." Su Fan tapped the stone table with his fingertips, getting straight to the point.

Seeing this, Li Yunmi quickly took out a miniature array plate from her storage bag, injected spiritual power into it, and a transparent light screen suddenly unfolded.

Maps of various war zones in the Qianlun Realm appeared on the transparent light screen, with many areas marked with glaring red markers.

He pointed to several areas on the screen where the red light was most intense and said urgently, "These battlefields are all in critical condition now. Senior brother, you can choose one. Whatever your needs, just tell us, and we will do our best to meet them..." "You can decide where to go..."

Su Fan spoke calmly, then paused and added, "All I need to do is have the people from the 'Polar Sword Pavilion' and the 'Heavenly Thunder Palace' follow me..."

As he said this, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"I have only one request: no matter where I end up, I need detailed information on all the upper realm avatars and envoys there..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunmi's face turned pale instantly, and her tone carried a hint of urgency as she tried to dissuade him.

"Senior brother... that's enough. You've already killed hundreds of Upper Realm avatars in Changping Heaven, which is a huge scandal. Continuing to target the Upper Realm envoy like this will likely thoroughly enrage the human Daoist sects in the Upper Realm..."

"So what if I anger them..." Su Fan raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone as cold as ice.

"I have already completely severed ties with the Daoist sects of the Upper Realm, leaving no room for reconciliation. Killing one is treason, killing ten thousand is still treason, there's no difference..."

Li Yunmi opened her mouth, but could only shake her head with a wry smile in the end.

He knew in his heart that Su Fan was right.

Given the personalities of those people from the Upper Realm's Daoist sect, from the moment Su Fan killed his first Upper Realm clone, the two sides had become irreconcilable enemies, with no possibility of reconciliation.

“In that case, I will immediately go back and report to the higher-ups to make proper arrangements for you…” Li Yunmi stopped trying to dissuade him, and her tone became more resolute.

To outsiders, Su Fan's request was undoubtedly courting death.

But in Su Fan's eyes, this was nothing more than a trivial matter.

Those people from the Daoist sects of the upper realm are all extremely precious, treasuring their lives as if they were gold.

He had just killed Qingxuzi, and in the short term, the Daoist sects of the upper realm would never rashly send someone down to their death for a mere "ant from the lower realm".

Without absolute certainty, who would be willing to take the risk?

After a brief chat about the follow-up arrangements, Li Yunmi hurriedly took her leave, eager to relay Su Fan's reply back to the higher-ups in the war zone.

A few days later, at dawn, the gray fog was still thick, with only a few remaining stars barely showing a faint light on the horizon. The earth was shrouded in a silvery-gray mist, deathly silent.

Su Fan arrived at the airport outside the city on time.

The airport was no longer in its usual order. Everywhere were cultivators fully prepared for battle, each with a solemn expression. They spoke in hushed tones, afraid of disturbing the pre-battle tension.

Su Fan mingled with the disciples of the "Polar Sword Pavilion" and the "Heavenly Thunder Dao Palace" and boarded the flying boat together.

During this rescue mission, he disguised himself as an ordinary disciple of the "Heavenly Thunder Dao Palace." Only a handful of people, including Xiao Yunhai and Li Yunmi, knew his true identity.

This was also to avoid being detected by spies from the upper realm during the journey.

Following the flow of people into the airship, Su Fan found his cabin.

As soon as he sat down, there was a gentle knock on the cabin door, and Zhang Xuemo appeared in the doorway.

Su Fan raised his hand to let her in, and with a slight movement of his fingertips, a concealment array enveloped the cabin door, isolating it from outside observation.

He then took Zhang Xuemo's hand, and the two of them stepped into the personal secret realm together.

Our destination this time is Wangyuetian.

The situation in the war zone was even more critical than that in Changpingtian, about a month's journey away.

Even before setting off, Su Fan had already crushed his identity jade talisman.

In this way, the Daoist sects of the Upper Realm would be unable to locate his whereabouts through the jade talisman.

Of course, he knew very well that if those old fogies from the upper realm really wanted to find him, they had plenty of ways to do so.

But at least during the time the airship was traveling, pinpointing his exact location wasn't so easy for them.

In the days that followed, Su Fan and Zhang Xuemo stayed together in the thatched hut in the secret realm.

Compared to before, Zhang Xuemo's attitude towards him was completely different.

Even when she was close to him, she always maintained the pride of a cultivator of the same level, and her swordsmanship could not be hidden.

But ever since she witnessed Su Fan kill the true form of the great demon from the upper realm and Qingxuzi, her mindset has completely changed.

Now, when she's by Su Fan's side, she acts like a gentle, submissive wife, as tender as a pool of water.

This is understandable; humans are naturally drawn to strength, and sword cultivators are no exception.

Faced with Su Fan's unfathomable strength, the admiration and reliance in one's heart will always unconsciously show.

Now, Zhang Xuemo is completely obedient to him, and even some slightly unreasonable requests will be obediently granted, with not a trace of the sharpness of a sword cultivator remaining.

What pleased Su Fan the most was her insightful understanding.

Unlike her uncle Hongling, she was never confused. Although their relationship was clearly just that of casual acquaintances, she always mistook it for love.

Zhang Xuemo's sense of propriety was just right.

With her by my side, the long and tedious voyage seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

In the blink of an eye, the flying boat crossed the dimensional barrier and arrived at the Divine Firmament Immortal City in the Moon Gazing Heaven.

This is the main city of Shenxiao Immortal Palace, and now it has become the forward base at the forefront of the Wangyuetian War Zone.

Su Fan followed the flow of people off the airship. As soon as he stepped into the airport, a strong sense of oppression hit him.

The airport here has been expanded several times over, and the airships are packed to capacity.

Airships loaded with cultivators and supplies kept taking off, while damaged airships made emergency landings.

The air was filled with a faint smell of blood and gunpowder. Everyone's face was etched with exhaustion and heaviness, and even their footsteps were hurried and anxious.

Although they hadn't actually stepped onto the battlefield, the atmosphere in the airport had already vividly portrayed the cruelty and despair of war.

According to the intelligence sent by Li Yunmi, a year ago, the defense line of the Wangyue Heavenly Human Clan was torn open by the Demon Clan.

After that, they suffered repeated defeats, and the battlefield situation became increasingly passive, reaching a critical juncture of life and death.

Su Fan followed the disciples of the "Polar Sword Pavilion" and the "Heavenly Thunder Palace" into the Divine Firmament Immortal City.

How prosperous and bustling this once-immortal city must have been!

But now most of the shops on both sides of the street are closed, and there are few pedestrians. Those who occasionally walk by are all cultivators who are participating in the battle, and each of them has a tense and vigilant expression on their face.

The entire city was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere of despair, and even the rain and mist carried a chilling desolation.

Although Su Fan's current identity is just an ordinary disciple of the Heavenly Thunder Dao Palace, the higher-ups of the Divine Firmament Immortal Palace still arranged a separate, luxurious courtyard for him.

It was obvious that Li Yunmi had already given the order.

Su Fan and Zhang Xuemo had just entered the courtyard and hadn't even had a chance to settle in when a series of urgent knocks broke the tranquility of the courtyard.

Su Fan frowned instantly. He had just arrived here and his whereabouts should have been extremely secretive. How could someone have found him so quickly?

He glanced at Zhang Xuemo behind him, who immediately understood and turned to open the door.

A moment later, Zhang Xuemo returned, her expression calm. She didn't say much, but simply handed a jade slip to Su Fan.

Su Fan took the jade slip, placed it on his forehead, and slowly infused it with his divine sense.

A moment later, he withdrew his divine sense, crushed the jade slip into powder, and said to Zhang Xuemo in a calm tone, "You wait here, I'm going out for a bit."

Before Zhang Xuemo could respond, his figure had already disappeared at the courtyard gate, blending into the gray rain and mist outside.

(End of this chapter)