Gou's Liver Experience in the World of Demons and Demons

Gu Sheng seemed to be thinking about something, and after a moment he asked his third question.

Have you ever heard of Shen Qingtan?

"Shen Qingtan?"

Bai Lingtong frowned in thought, then shook his head.

"My lord, I have never heard of such a person. If she is an inner disciple of the Great Wilderness Holy Academy, with my current intelligence network, I'm afraid I'm not qualified to investigate her."

Gu Sheng wasn't surprised by the answer and nodded, preparing to send Bai Lingtong away. Just then, Bai Lingtong suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Wait! Now that you ask, sir, I just remembered something!"

"A secret realm has emerged in Yinghuan Village, the southernmost part of Huangcheng, which may be related to a great demon in human form."

Inside the Linlang Pavilion, Bailingtong lowered his voice.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a crisp sound, but his gaze remained fixed on Gu Sheng's face, observing his reaction.

Gu Sheng frowned slightly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rim of the teacup.

"A transformed great demon? Are you sure?"

"pretty close."

Bai Lingtong took out a jade slip that shone with a bluish light from his pocket.

"It is said that the secret realm is shrouded by an ancient maze, and the entire Yinghuan Village is covered by the formation. In the past few days, many martial artists have gone to explore it, but so far no one has been able to break through the formation and enter."

Gu Sheng's eyes gleamed as he put down his teacup and leaned forward slightly.

"Exactly where?"

Bai Lingtong smiled and took out a yellowed sheepskin map from his sleeve.

"I knew you'd be interested. But..."

He paused, lowering his voice even further.

"The news has already spread, and all the major sects have sent people there. You need to be extra careful."

Gu Sheng took the map and lightly tapped the location of Yinghuan Village on it with his fingertip.

"I'm going out to gain experience anyway, so I'll stop by and take a look."

"Brother Gu."

Bai Lingtong suddenly became serious.

"It is said that the maze is extremely strange. Those who enter it will see the sights they fear most, and many people have already suffered mental breakdowns."

Gu Sheng put away the map, a confident smile curving his lips.

"Fear? That's the last thing I, Gu Sheng, am afraid of."

Leaving the Linglang Pavilion, Gu Sheng headed straight for the teleportation array in the city. Pedestrians hurried along the streets, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air; clearly, news of the secret realm had stirred up the entire Huangcheng.

"Senior Brother Gu, are we going to Yinghuan Village?"

Ye Jianjia, who had been silently following along, suddenly spoke, her voice as melodious as a clear spring.

Gu Sheng didn't stop walking, he just nodded slightly.

"Ah."

Ye Jianjia's eyes were filled with curiosity.

"I heard that a secret realm related to a powerful demon in human form has appeared there?"

"The news travels really fast."

Gu Sheng chuckled softly.

"But before that, we need to go to another place."

Ye Jianjia blinked, though she was full of questions, she ultimately didn't ask any more.

She understood Gu Sheng's personality; he would naturally tell her what needed to be told.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of Yinghuan Village, the southernmost part of Huangcheng, hundreds of martial artists had already gathered.

They were dressed in different clothes and came from different sects, but at this moment they all looked anxious and paced back and forth at the entrance of the village.

"Damn it, I've been wandering around this godforsaken place for half a month and haven't even seen a trace of the secret realm!"

A burly man with a face full of scars kicked a pebble at his feet, sending it flying into the village mist and disappearing instantly.

"Who says it isn't?"

A tall, thin man next to him chimed in.

"This maze is really weird. Once you go in, you just go around in circles, and then you just get out."

On the other side of the village entrance, a group of martial artists dressed in uniform stood out.

There were about a hundred of them, all dressed in gray, close-fitting clothes, with no sect markings on their chests, yet they were disciplined and stood quietly to one side.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a scar on his face. He crossed his arms and had a sharp, hawk-like gaze. Even standing still, the powerful aura he exuded made people afraid to approach him.

"Be patient with me, everyone."

Scarface said in a deep voice, which, though not loud, immediately silenced the crowd behind him.

"The secret realm is related to a powerful demon in human form. If you can obtain the opportunity within, it will be enough to change your destiny."

A young martial artist behind him couldn't help but ask.

"Vice Alliance Leader, is it really possible for us to find the entrance? It's been half a month already."

Scarface snorted coldly.

"What's the rush? Aren't those sect disciples just as clueless? Remember, our Great Wilderness Alliance operates on a steady and methodical basis."

"The Great Wilderness Alliance?"

From the crowd at the village entrance, a flamboyantly dressed young man emerged, fanning himself with a folding fan and a playful smile on his face.

"So it's you from the Great Wilderness Alliance. My apologies for not recognizing you."

Scarface's gaze sharpened.

"Who is your Excellency?"

"My name is Shen Qingyun."

The young man snapped his folding fan shut, bowed slightly, his movements elegant yet somewhat affected.

"Disciple of the inner court of the Great Wilderness Holy Academy".

A collective gasp filled the air. The Great Wilderness Sacred Academy was a place that had cultivated countless powerful individuals; to become an inner disciple, one needed at least the strength of the mid-stage Earth Martial Realm.

"So you're a top student from the Holy Academy."

Scarface's expression remained unchanged, but his tone became noticeably more cautious.

"May I ask what brings you here, Young Master Shen?"

Shen Qingyun reopened the folding fan and gently shook it.

"I heard that a secret realm has been discovered here, so I came to see it. However..."

There was a cold light in his eyes.

"It's mainly for one person."

"Oh?"

Scarface raised an eyebrow.

"For a disciple of the Holy Academy to personally take action, he must be no ordinary person."

Shen Qingyun chuckled softly.

"This is indeed unusual. The second on the Hidden Dragon List is Situ Qingfeng."

"Situ Qingfeng?!"

Someone in the crowd immediately exclaimed in surprise.

"Is that the genius who killed Lu Xuanyuan during the Holy Academy's assessment?"

Shen Qingyun nodded.

"Exactly.

He possesses the spirit body of a celestial demon and is closely connected to a powerful demon capable of taking human form. He will surely come as soon as news of the secret realm spreads.

A glint of light flashed in Scarface's eyes.

"Does Young Master Shen have a grudge against Situ Qingfeng?"

"Can't talk about it."

Shen Qingyun waved his fan, his tone relaxed.

"It was just a matter of fulfilling someone's request and doing what they were supposed to do. The Lu family offered a sky-high reward of one million high-grade spirit stones to kill him."

One million high-grade spirit stones! This number caused everyone present to gasp in shock. It's important to understand that an ordinary martial artist might not be able to accumulate even ten thousand high-grade spirit stones in their entire life.

"Master Shen."

One of the bolder martial artists in the crowd couldn't help but ask.

"It is said that Situ Qingfeng is already at the peak of the Earth Martial Realm, and he also has the Heavenly Demon Spirit Body to support him. Are you confident?"

Shen Qingyun's eyes were filled with coldness.

"It might be difficult to determine the winner in a one-on-one battle, but who said I was going to go it alone?"

He glanced meaningfully at Scarface.

"Gentlemen of the Great Wilderness Alliance, are you interested in cooperating? The spirit stones can be split equally." The scarred man pondered for a moment, then suddenly grinned, making his scar appear even more ferocious.

"Interesting. But Young Master Shen, what about the opportunities within the secret realm?"

"Each one depends on his ability."

Shen Qingyun readily agreed.

"I'm only interested in Situ Qingfeng's life."

Just as the two reached an agreement, Shen Qingyun's gaze inadvertently swept over the distant mountains and forests, and he thought to himself.

"If nothing unexpected happens, my sister should come too, right?"

Shen Qingyun tapped the white jade railing lightly with her fingertips, a faint smile playing on her lips.

He had been sent to Great Wilderness City by the Holy Academy for three days, and the hustle and bustle of this mortal city was quite a novelty to him.

In the distance, crowds thronged, and vendors' cries rose and fell, creating a scene that was certainly more lively than the lifeless training grounds of the Holy Academy.

"Senior Brother Shen, the Lu family has sent someone again to inquire."

A disciple in blue robes behind him reported in a low voice.

"No hurries."

Shen Qingyun didn't turn his head, his gaze sweeping through the crowd.

"If the Heavenly Demon Spirit is truly here, it cannot escape."

He suddenly narrowed his eyes. In the crowd in the northwest corner, a middle-aged man in a gray robe was quietly retreating. His steps seemed casual, but he disappeared into the shadows in three steps.

Shen Qingyun's fingertips paused slightly, and the fragment of the "Sky-Gazing Mirror" in his sea of ​​consciousness trembled gently.

"interesting."

He laughed silently.

Situ Qingfeng leaned against the cold stone wall, his palms sweating profusely.

He had just clearly sensed a sharp, sword-like divine sense sweeping past him. If he hadn't activated the "Thousand Faces Illusion Technique" in time, he would probably have been locked on.

The bloodline of the Heavenly Demon Spirit Body within his body was slightly boiling, and pale blue patterns flowed under his skin.

"The Lu family actually managed to get people from the Holy Academy involved."

Situ Qingfeng frowned, his knuckles turning white from clenching his fists. Three days ago, he risked infiltrating the Great Wilderness City to find out Gu Sheng's whereabouts, but unexpectedly discovered that undercurrents were swirling within the city. Thinking of the young man who had managed to kill Lu Xuanyuan even in dire straits, a tightness gripped his chest.

"If we had forcibly taken him away that day..."

Situ Qingfeng shook his head; now was not the time for regret.

He made a hand seal with his fingertips, and ripples spread around his body like water. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a hunchbacked old woman, leaning on a cane and shakily mingling into the market.

Shen Qingyun suddenly turned around, and in the blink of an eye, his black robes fluttered as he leaped onto the roof.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, and the fragment in his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly shone brightly—a faint aura of demonic spirit drifted out from the southeast corner of the market, like smoke and mist, disappearing in an instant.

"Tune the tiger away from the mountain?"

Shen Qingyun chuckled, but his figure flashed away in the opposite direction like a ghost.

A jet-black short sword slid from his sleeve, its blade crackling with wisps of crimson lightning.

Unfortunately, I prefer killing intelligent prey.

Situ Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat.

The aura he deliberately released was meant to draw away the pursuers, but a chilling feeling, as if he were being watched by a venomous snake, crept up his spine.

He turned into a dark alley without making a sound, and three ancient bronze coins slid out of his sleeve. Just as he was about to divine good or bad fortune, he suddenly froze.

At the end of the alley, a young man in black robes leaned against the wall, gently tapping his black sword against his palm.

"The Heavenly Demon Spirit Body is indeed extraordinary."

Shen Qingyun smiled gently and warmly.

"To be able to hide under my Sky-Gazing Mirror for so long, Fellow Daoist Situ deserves the Lu family's bounty of ten million."

Situ Qingfeng's pupils suddenly contracted.

He was still in the form of an old woman, but the other party was able to see through his true identity immediately, clearly indicating that he had come prepared.

He slowly straightened his hunched back, his bones cracking and popping, and in the blink of an eye, he returned to his original appearance.

"When did the disciples of the Holy Academy become lackeys of the Lu family?"

Situ Qingfeng sneered, secretly tucking a blood-red jade talisman into his sleeve.

Shen Qingyun was not offended; instead, she looked him over with great interest.

"I've heard that the essence and blood of a celestial demon can be used to refine a 'Nine-Turn Demon Pill.' Is that true?"

Before he finished speaking, the black sword in his hand suddenly shot up, and the blood lightning on the blade transformed into a ferocious giant python that pounced on Situ Qingfeng!
"boom!"

A burst of blue light erupted in the dark alley, leaving only a withered log where Situ Qingfeng had stood, shattered by the blood lightning. On a rooftop thirty feet away, blood trickled from the corner of Situ Qingfeng's mouth, and the jade talisman in his hand was broken.

"Substitute wood?"

Shen Qingyun raised an eyebrow.

"It seems Fellow Daoist Situ is quite wealthy."

He turned his sword, about to give chase, when suddenly he seemed to sense something and looked towards the north of the city—there were faint spatial fluctuations coming from there.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Situ Qingfeng crushed the second jade talisman, and his figure instantly transformed into hundreds of blue butterflies that scattered and fled.

Shen Qingyun swung his sword and cut down dozens of butterflies, only to see them ignite upon landing and turn to ashes in the blink of an eye.

"The secret realm in seven days."

Shen Qingyun sheathed his black sword, lost in thought.

He had just sensed the fluctuations from the activation of the teleportation array in the north of the city, and vaguely caught a familiar aura.

Gu Sheng? Interesting, truly interesting.

A thousand miles away, the light on the teleportation platform in Golden Crow City gradually faded.

Ye Jianjia staggered, her face ashen. The spatial jump of hundreds of thousands of miles made her feel as if her internal organs were being twisted together, and a metallic taste rose in her throat.

"breathe."

A warm hand was placed on her back, and abundant blood and energy flowed into her meridians like a gentle spring breeze, instantly soothing all her discomfort.

Ye Jianjia looked up and met Gu Sheng's calm and deep eyes.

"Thank you very much, young master."

Her ears turned slightly red, and she hurriedly straightened up. Just a moment ago, she clearly felt that Gu Sheng's blood and energy were like a vast starry sea, unfathomable.

Gu Sheng withdrew his hand, his gaze sweeping over the familiar city. Golden Crow City was several times more prosperous than Great Wilderness City, with throngs of pedestrians lining the streets. In the distance, the towering "Sunrise Tower" gleamed in golden light, a property owned by the Qin family.

"It is still three hundred miles from here to Wuyun City."

Gu Sheng said calmly.

"I need to go back to the Qin family first. You can come with me or wait here."

Ye Jianjia bit her lip and suddenly looked up to stare directly at Gu Sheng.

"I want to train under your guidance, young master!"

She regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth; her tone sounded almost like she was being coquettish.

She hurriedly added.

"I... I mean..."

"what ever."

Gu Sheng turned and walked towards the city gate, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. Within his mind, the innate spiritual embryo was rolling around in laughter.

"This girl is clearly deeply in love, why are you pretending to be confused?"

Gu Sheng snorted coldly in his mind.

"Reborn into this world, all I want is the ultimate martial arts."

He sent a wisp of his divine consciousness into the Nine Dragons Universe Cauldron to awaken the slumbering remnant soul of the Azure Dragon Venerable.

"Senior, I will find a suitable successor for you within three days."

An aged yet excited voice came from within the cauldron.

"Young friend, you have shown me great kindness. I will certainly impart all my knowledge to you!"

Two hours later, in front of the Qin family mansion in Wuyun City.

Just as Gu Sheng stepped onto the bluestone steps, the vermilion gate suddenly swung open. A young man dressed in brocade robes stepped out, his face bearing a striking resemblance to Gu Sheng's, though his eyes held a hint of sinister malice.

"Second brother?"

He rubbed his eyes, his voice trembling with disbelief.

Gu Sheng's lips curled up slightly.

"Brother, long time no see."

Gu Feng rushed to Gu Sheng in three steps, grabbed his shoulders and looked him up and down.

"It really is you! Father said you suddenly became enlightened overnight, but I didn't believe it. Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I dare to believe it!"

Gu Sheng could feel the warmth from his elder brother's palm, as well as the almost restrained fluctuations of true energy.

What surprised him even more was that Gu Feng faintly emanated a special fluctuation—the aura unique to spirits. (End of Chapter)