Gou in the world of comprehension

Chapter 1618 I really am a jinx!
Seeing Peng Shidao stroking his beard, his lips moving but hesitating to speak, he looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Su Fan frowned slightly, silently cursing in his heart.

That old man, he doesn't speak his mind directly, he's so annoying with all his rambling.

He suppressed his impatience, his tone calm and composed, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Senior brother... just say what's on your mind..."

Upon hearing this, Peng Shidao's face immediately broke into a meaningful smile, with a hint of probing hidden within it.

He chuckled twice and said, "Junior brother... in a few days our star region will be organizing an unprecedented Dao Assembly. All the late-stage Integration Realm cultivators from both the Zheng Yuan Heavenly Immortal and Demonic Paths will be attending. I wonder if you... Junior brother..."

Before Peng Shidao could finish speaking, Su Fan raised his hand without hesitation and interrupted him decisively.

He knew these old guys' minds all too well. He guessed what they were going to say before they even finished speaking, and his impatience grew even stronger. He didn't even have the patience to listen any further.

"Senior brother... I won't go. You know I hate these kinds of occasions the most..."

His tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty, with a subtle hint of aloofness flashing in his eyes.

Seeing this, the God of the Black Moon, who was standing nearby, was afraid that Su Fan would refuse, so he quickly tried to persuade him as well.

“Junior brother… I heard that this Dao Gathering is organized by the Great World, and the strongest disciples from both the Immortal and Demonic paths of every plane in the entire star field will participate. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…”

Gara God Venerable quickly chimed in, his tone earnest, trying to persuade Su Fan.

"Yes, junior brother, this Dao Assembly is of extraordinary significance, far from an ordinary gathering. In the entire Zhengyuan Heaven, only you, junior brother, have the strength to represent our Zhengyuan Heaven and win honor..."

"The old monsters from many immortal sects in Zhengyuan Heaven have also expressed their willingness to follow Junior Brother to the Dao Assembly in the past few days, and will follow Junior Brother's lead..." Peng Shidao quickly added, his tone showing a hint of eager agreement.

He stared intently at Su Fan, afraid of missing any hint of emotion on his face, and even lowered his posture a bit.

Three old men who had lived for countless years took turns trying to persuade him, their tone full of urgency and calculation.

Su Fan saw everything clearly, but he suppressed the anger in his heart.

Those old fogies are shrewd; he knew it wouldn't be anything good.

Su Fan knew perfectly well that these old fogies from Zheng Yuan Tian couldn't sit still once they heard the words "Great World".

The Yuanmang constellation is completely different from the Zuokun constellation he had previously stayed in. Here, cultivators can only have the opportunity to reach the threshold of the upper realm and break free from the shackles of the lower realm by stepping into the Great World.

Therefore, all these late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators from the Zheng Yuan Heaven regarded this Dao Assembly as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They all hoped to take this opportunity to leave an impression on the powerful figures of the Great World, paving the way for their future journey there.

After all, their cultivation had already reached a bottleneck in the lower realm and stagnated. Only by going to the upper realm could they have the possibility of making further progress and the hope of reaching a higher level.

However, Zheng Yuantian is only considered to be of lower-middle level in the middle world. Its strength is weak and it is simply unable to compete with those powerful planes with profound foundations and numerous strong individuals.

That's why these old guys were so eager to persuade me to join the Taoist association.

They simply wanted to use their strength to secure a chance for survival for them and to gain a foothold for Zhengyuan Heaven.

Unfortunately, Su Fan had absolutely no interest in this Dao Assembly.

Let alone any grand Dao gathering in the Great World, he had no desire to go even to the Upper Realm.

He knew very well that he had already offended the human Daoist sects in the upper realm. With his current strength, if he rashly stepped into the upper realm, it would be no different from courting death.

They will only end up being smashed to pieces and their souls scattered.

Just then, a question suddenly arose in his mind.

Why would the Great World suddenly organize such an unprecedented Daoist gathering?

Something's not right, this is too abnormal.

Su Fan had a vague guess in his heart that it was probably not just their star region that organized the Dao Assembly, but other star regions must have received the same notice and organized the same Dao Assembly.

Such a large-scale, interstellar Dao gathering must have some unknown secrets hidden behind it.

The most likely scenario is that some imminent and enormous upheaval is about to occur in the entire realm, and a crisis that could affect all planes may already be quietly approaching.

Thinking of this, Su Fan suppressed his doubts and unease, looked up at Peng Shidao, and spoke with a hint of probing.

"Senior brother... is the Dao Association the only organization in our star region...?"

Upon hearing this, Peng Shidao slowly shook his head.

"I really don't know about that. I just received the notification and haven't had time to inquire about the situation in other star systems..."

“I know about this…” Gara God immediately chimed in.

"I specifically asked someone to inquire, and it seems that all star fields in the entire realm will be organizing the same Dao Assembly. It looks like it's a unified arrangement by the Great World..."

Upon hearing Gara God's words, Su Fan's heart sank.

His expression darkened slightly, and a hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes.

His intuition told him that something must have happened.

He sighed inwardly. The Yuanmang constellation had been peaceful for too long, so long that Peng Shidao and his ilk had long since lost their vigilance.

They were completely unaware of the hidden crisis behind this Daoist gathering, instead regarding it as an excellent opportunity to climb the social ladder by attaching themselves to the greater world.

How laughable, and how pathetic.

However, Su Fan dared not be careless in the slightest, after all, he had been to the Zuo Kun constellation and had personally witnessed the tragic scene there.

The great war between the human and demon races in the upper realm has lasted for tens of thousands of years, with flames of war raging and countless lives lost.

It has even spread to various realms in the lower world, causing countless cultivators to be displaced, die, and perish.

Although the Yuanmang Starfield has been calm and peaceful for years, seemingly a scene of tranquility.

As far as he knew, the localized struggles between the human and demonic factions here had never truly ceased.

It's just that it's been suppressed and hasn't exploded yet.

The fact that the Great World is suddenly organizing such a large-scale Taoist gathering is probably a harbinger of an impending storm.

Thinking of this, a hint of helplessness and solemnity flashed in Su Fan's eyes.

If his guess is correct, the Yuanmang constellation is likely to be thrown into chaos.

An unprecedented crisis is about to sweep through this seemingly peaceful world.

Su Fan's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile, his eyes filled with helplessness.

I really am a jinx; wherever I go, trouble follows.

The Zuo Kun constellation has been plagued by war and unrest, and now that it has reached the Yuan Mang constellation, it seems that another bloody storm is about to break out.

Given that, he would never get involved in this mess.

In any case, we must avoid these troubles and improve our strength as much as possible before a crisis breaks out.

As for the Daoist gathering, he definitely won't go.

Thinking of this, Su Fan's tone became increasingly indifferent, even somewhat distant.

"Senior brothers, I am about to enter seclusion to focus on cultivation and will not concern myself with external affairs. Therefore, I will not be attending this Dao Assembly..."

Upon hearing Su Fan's words, Peng Shidao and the others immediately became anxious. They could no longer hide their urgency and spoke up one after another, their tone full of pleading, trying to make a final effort.

“Junior brother… this opportunity is truly rare. If you can distinguish yourself at the Dao Assembly, you will surely attract the attention of powerful figures in the Great World. At that time, the road to the Upper Realm will be much smoother…” Peng Shidao’s tone was full of urgency, even with a hint of pleading.

“Yes, junior brother, this Dao Assembly organized by the Great World is unprecedented in scale, with powerful figures from all walks of life gathering. With your strength, junior brother, you will surely shine brightly at the Dao Assembly and become famous overnight. Junior brother, think it over carefully, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…” Wu Yue Divine Venerable also hurriedly echoed, his tone full of sincerity.

“Junior brother, your cultivation level has reached its limit. There is no room for improvement in the lower realm. Only by seizing this opportunity and going to the Great World can you have a chance to advance further and break through the current constraints!” Gara God Venerable was also very anxious and repeatedly advised him.

Listening to Peng Shidao and the others' words, Su Fan sneered inwardly, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

He knew all too well what those old folks were thinking.

In the end, isn't it just that they want me to fight desperately at the Dao Assembly to win face for Zheng Yuan Tian and gain benefits for them?
He would only show his face at this time if he were insane.

What a pipe dream! Once you attract the attention of those people from the Great World at the Dao Assembly, you'll never have peace again, and trouble will keep coming your way.

He suppressed the sarcasm in his heart, his tone becoming increasingly resolute, devoid of any euphemisms, and directly refused.

"Fellow disciples, I must immediately go into seclusion to focus on my cultivation. I have no time for anything else. Please return..."

This time, Su Fan didn't hide anything anymore, nor did he leave them any room for illusion.

The firmness in his tone was like ice, making people hesitant to offer any further advice.

Peng Shidao and the others wanted to persuade him further, but Su Fan didn't give them a chance to speak.

His face instantly darkened, his aura turned icy, and a hint of impatience and warning flashed in his eyes.

"Fellow disciples, I'm a little tired, please go back..."

His voice was a few decibels lower, and the warning in his tone was self-evident, leaving no room for negotiation.

Seeing Su Fan's expression change and his aura grow increasingly cold, Peng Shidao and the others were startled.

They knew Su Fan was already angry, so they dared not continue to persuade him.

The three could only exchange a resentful glance, their faces full of unwillingness and helplessness. They cupped their hands in greeting, turned around, and slowly left.

Su Fan stood there, his gaze fixed on the departing figures of Peng Shidao and the others. A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips, his eyes filled with mockery and seriousness.

It seems that the Yuanmang constellation has been at peace for too long, and these old guys have long been blinded by comfort, completely unaware of the hidden crisis.

They had no idea that the world was about to descend into chaos.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking and a thin mist still lingered in the sky, Su Fan summoned Luo Guyin and asked her to spread the news.

He declared that he had gone into seclusion and would never visit anyone again.

This move served both to thwart Peng Shidao and others' hopes and to buy himself time for peaceful cultivation.

After all, his sense of crisis was growing stronger every day.

Peng Shidao and the others, who were still unwilling to give up and planned to visit again for a final persuasion, gave up the idea after hearing this news.

They knew Su Fan's personality all too well. He seemed gentle and mild-mannered on the surface, and even called them "senior brothers," but his arrogance and ruthlessness were in no way inferior to the legendary great demon.

If you really anger him, forget about persuasion; he might even tear down the gates of Zhengyuan Heaven in a fit of rage.

The group exchanged glances, ultimately suppressing their thoughts and reluctantly giving up.

With the constant harassment from Peng Shidao and his gang gone, Su Fan's days finally became completely peaceful.

But this quiet only intensified his unease.

He knew better than anyone that such peaceful days probably wouldn't last much longer.

A storm that will sweep across the entire constellation of Yuanmang may be brewing quietly.

So for the next few months, Su Fan hardly left his house, completely locking himself in his personal secret realm, focusing wholeheartedly on studying and pondering the ancient classics he had captured.

Since his last enlightenment, his state of mind and understanding of the Dao have reached a new level. Now, his efficiency in studying these obscure and difficult classics is much higher than before.

In the past, he would hold a thick ancient book and spend months or even years repeatedly studying and deducing it before he could understand even a little bit of it.

Now, even the most obscure Daoist records can be thoroughly understood by him in just a month or two, allowing him to internalize their essence.

Su Fan secretly rejoiced that when he destroyed the "Secret Demon God Sect," he had seized all the scriptures and inheritances of the sect's Scripture Hall and Secret Hall.

Otherwise, with his current rapid pace of study, he probably wouldn't have enough classic texts to ponder, let alone use them to improve himself.

The more Su Fan studied the classic texts and the more he comprehended the Dao, the stronger his sense of urgency became.

The horrific scene at Zuo Kun Constellation back then was etched into his heart like a brand, impossible to erase.

At that time, the great war between humans and demons intensified, and countless cultivators from both races rushed forward one after another, like ants, and were swept into the endless meat grinder of war, leaving no trace of their bodies.

Back then, the demon race in the lower realm was rampant, once occupying most of the human realm. Countless human cultivators were killed or injured, and countless others perished.

Even ordinary people who were powerless to kill a chicken were slaughtered indiscriminately in the flames of war, like weeds by the roadside, wave after wave, in a horrific manner.

But now he is no longer alone, a lonely man without any ties.

He left behind his own family and a large number of bloodline descendants.

If the Yuanmang constellation truly undergoes a dramatic change and the flames of war spread, no one knows where it will affect.

If Zheng Yuan Tian were to be drawn into the war, Su Fan's entire family would inevitably be in danger, and casualties would be unavoidable.

Fortunately, his strength is now vastly different from what it used to be, far surpassing what it was back in the Zuo Kun constellation. Protecting the entire bloodline of the Su family from the ravages of war is more than enough for him.

It was early morning, just as dawn was breaking.

In the distance, a faint yet resolute ray of dawn struggled to pierce through layers of misty night, dispelling the deepest darkness before dawn and gilding this silent world with a soft golden light.

Su Fan sat cross-legged inside the thatched hut, with a thick ancient secret book on the stone table in front of him. He studied it with his head down while quietly guarding Wei Xiaomo's side.

His aura was gentle, a stark contrast to his usual cold and arrogant demeanor.

Wei Xiaomo lay on the tatami mat beside her, sleeping soundly, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly, her face filled with childlike innocence.

Wei Xiaomo, having been having a sweet dream, suddenly turned over and kicked off the blanket, revealing a small section of her fair arm.

Su Fan put down the book in his hand and bent down to cover her with the quilt again.

"Hey..."

Wei Xiaomo let out a soft, sweet moan, her long eyelashes trembled, and then she suddenly opened her eyes.

Su Fan thought she was awake, so he reached out and gently touched her face, then carefully tucked the blanket around her.

"Sweetie...it's still early, sleep a little longer..."

But as soon as he finished speaking, the smile on his face froze instantly.

He was shocked to discover that the clear innocence that should have been in Wei Xiaomo's eyes had long since vanished without a trace.

Instead, there was a cool and sharp look that had been refined over the years, a look he knew all too well.

Depend on……

Su Fan frowned instantly. That old hag who had been dormant for so long had actually woken up again.

(End of this chapter)