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

"The secret realm will open in five days."

Gu Sheng made a decision.

"We entered immediately to seize the initiative."

Situ Qingfeng smiled.

“That suits me perfectly. I have some knowledge of the internal structure of the secret realm and can lead you around most of the traps.”

"Then what about these next few days?"

Ye Jianjia looked out of the courtyard with some worry.

"Keep a low profile and observe the movements of all parties."

Gu Sheng said in a deep voice.

"Pay special attention to the movements of Shen Qingyun and the Sun Moon Sect."

After discussing for a while, Gu Sheng and Ye Jianjia transformed back into ordinary martial artists, quietly left the courtyard, and blended into the crowd on the outskirts of the village.

Situ Qingfeng stood under an ancient tree outside the village, moonlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on his face.

With a slight twitch of his fingertips, an invisible sound wave pierced through the night and precisely reached Gu Sheng's ears.

"Brother Gu, may I speak to you in private?"

Situ Qingfeng's voice rang in Gu Sheng's ears, using the technique of forcing sound into a line, so that outsiders could not detect it.

Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow, glanced at Ye Jianjia who was packing her things beside him, and said softly.

"I'll be out for a moment."

Ye Jianjia waved her hand without looking up.

"Go ahead, but don't go too far. This place is a mixed bag."

Gu Sheng nodded, his figure vanishing from the spot like a ghost, and in a few leaps he arrived beside Situ Qingfeng.

"Brother Situ, what brings you here so late at night?"

Gu Sheng got straight to the point, staring intently at the other person.

Situ Qingfeng did not answer immediately. Instead, he took out an ancient jade talisman from his robes, and with a light stroke of his finger, a soundproof barrier instantly formed. Only after doing this did he speak in a deep voice.

"This concerns the core of the secret realm, so we must be cautious."

Gu Sheng looked surprised.

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details."

"The secret realm contains the Daoist essence left behind by my mother before her death."

Situ Qingfeng's voice was low and hoarse, his eyes filled with pain.

"It can suppress the cultivation level of those who enter to the Spirit Martial Realm."

Gu Sheng's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Spirit Martial Realm? This..."

"When my mother died in battle, I was only at the Spirit Martial Realm level."

Situ Qingfeng gave a bitter smile.

"The restrictions she left behind were perhaps to protect me."

Gu Sheng's face was as solemn as iron.

"To be able to set up such a restriction, your mother must have been at least at the peak of the Venerable Realm when she was alive."

Situ Qingfeng did not deny it, but simply nodded.

"This secret is currently known only to the two of us."

A night breeze rustled the leaves.

Gu Sheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked.

Why are you telling me this?

"Because we need to cooperate."

A glint of light flashed in Situ Qingfeng's eyes.

"Shen Qingyun, a seventh-level Heavenly Martial Realm cultivator, is employed by the Lu family and is lying in ambush here."

"Seventh level of Tianwu Realm?"

Gu Sheng frowned.

"Even if we join forces, we have no chance of defeating such a powerful expert."

"That is indeed the case outside the secret realm."

Situ Qingfeng's lips curled into a cold smile.

"But within the secret realm, everyone's cultivation will be suppressed to the Spirit Martial Realm. This is our only chance to turn the tables."

A thoughtful look flashed in Gu Sheng's eyes, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the sword at his waist.

"Have you considered the consequences of killing an inner disciple of the Great Wilderness Holy Academy?"

"nature."

Situ Qingfeng's voice was icy.

"Therefore, the operation must be carried out secretly, leaving no trace."

After a moment of eye contact, Gu Sheng finally nodded slowly.

"Okay, I agree to cooperate. But there's one condition—if things don't work out, I'll withdraw immediately."

"As it should be."

Situ Qingfeng took out a talisman that gleamed with silver light from his bosom.

"This is a teleportation talisman that can instantly get you out of danger. Last time, due to my lack of consideration, I almost caused your death during our cooperation. This time, I will never implicate you again."

Gu Sheng took the talisman, sensed the spatial power contained within it, and nodded slightly.

"Thank you."

"The secret realm will open in five days. Be prepared."

After Situ Qingfeng finished speaking, he waved his hand to remove the soundproof barrier, and his figure disappeared into the night like smoke.

Gu Sheng stood there, gazing in the direction where Situ Qingfeng had disappeared, his expression shifting uncertainly. After a moment, he turned and returned to his residence.

"How did the talks go?"

Ye Jianjia had already packed her things and was sitting cross-legged on the futon, adjusting her breathing. When she saw Gu Sheng return, she opened one eye and asked.

Gu Sheng sat down opposite him and said softly.

"It's some clues about the secret realm."

Ye Jianjia pouted.

"What kind of clue is so mysterious that you have to communicate telepathically?"

"Situ Qingfeng doesn't trust you."

Gu Sheng spoke frankly.

"But it doesn't matter. The secret realm will open in five days, and we need to be prepared."

Ye Jianjia stared at Gu Sheng for a long time. Her intuition told her that things were not so simple, but in the end she just shrugged.

"Whatever, I don't like that guy anyway."

Gu Sheng smiled but said nothing more. The two sat cross-legged and began to regulate their breathing and cultivate.

As the opening of the secret realm drew near, the spiritual energy around the village grew increasingly dense. Martial artists from all directions flocked to the village, and within just a few days, tens of thousands of people had gathered around it.

Some come to seize the opportunities in the secret realm, while many more are drawn to this rare cultivation haven.

"The concentration of spiritual energy here is three times stronger than that in our sect's cultivation room."

Ye Jianjia looked completely captivated.

Gu Sheng nodded.

"That's truly rare."

The two spent three hundred high-grade spirit stones to purchase the temporary accommodation of a simple stone house from a rogue cultivator. The house was simply furnished with only two stone beds and a futon, but it was quiet and peaceful.

"Finally, we have a place to stay."

Ye Jianjia stretched.

"I've been sleeping outdoors for the past few days, and my bones feel like they're going to fall apart."

Gu Sheng didn't reply. He walked straight to the prayer mat, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Seeing this, Ye Jianjia stopped talking and silently walked to another stone bed to begin her cultivation.

The rich spiritual energy surged into the body like a tide, and even with tens of thousands of martial artists absorbing it at the same time, the cultivation speed was still far greater than usual.

Gu Sheng could sense that he was not far from breaking through.

Time flies, and four days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Late that night, a crisp cracking sound suddenly emanated from Gu Sheng's body, and his aura surged dramatically.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming.

"Ninth level of the Yellow Martial Realm!"

Gu Sheng clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him.

He looked inward at his dantian and saw that the true energy, which had been like mist, had condensed into water and was flowing continuously through his meridians. He was only one step away from the Xuanwu Realm.

"The Emperor Sect's secret techniques can only be used by those at the Xuanwu Realm."

Gu Sheng muttered to himself, his gaze falling on the storage ring on his finger. It was a gift from Tantai Xueli when they parted, and it contained plenty of spirit stones, enough to support his attempt to break through to the fifth rank of the Profound Martial Realm.

Just as Gu Sheng was pondering whether to make a breakthrough in one go, a series of faint footsteps suddenly came from outside.

"Someone."

His mental energy, like invisible tentacles, instantly spread to every corner of the room, even clearly perceiving the crawling of ants in the cracks of the walls. However, the faint footsteps outside seemed to have vanished into thin air, and there was no one within the range of his mental energy probe.

Gu Sheng slowly opened his eyes, his dark pupils filled with vigilance.

His fingers tapped lightly on the edge of the bed, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

"Now that you're here, why hide?"

Gu Sheng's voice was calm as water, yet it carried an undeniable sharpness.

"Hehe, as expected of the Grand Elder of the Linglang Pavilion, your senses are indeed sharp."

An arrogant male voice came from outside the door, and then the door opened silently, revealing a young man in fine clothes standing with his hands behind his back.

He had a handsome face, with an innate air of nobility between his brows, and was surrounded by a faint aura that isolated the entire room from the outside world.

Gu Sheng's gaze swept over the newcomer, silently assessing the other's strength. To be able to approach his residence silently and shield himself from Gu Sheng's mental perception, this person's cultivation was at least equal to Gu Sheng's, and possibly even higher.

“I have already purchased the right to reside here temporarily. Your trespassing on my property is extremely rude.”

Gu Sheng spoke calmly, but he had already secretly mobilized his spiritual power, ready to deal with any possible emergencies.

The man in fine clothes chuckled lightly, his eyes filled with mockery.

"Is a mere dilapidated house worth such attention and care?"

Gu Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly. The other party not only knew where he lived, but also knew his identity.

He spoke tentatively.

"Shen Qingyun?"

"Exactly."

Shen Qingyun nodded slightly, a condescending smile on his face.

"It seems that Master Gu also knows something about my Shen family."

Just then, the innate spiritual embryo in Gu Sheng's sea of ​​consciousness suddenly issued a warning.

"Be careful! This person can see through my sea of ​​consciousness and sense my presence!"

Gu Sheng felt a chill run down his spine, but showed no sign of it on his face.

He looked directly at Shen Qingyun and asked bluntly.

"Young Master Shen, what brings you here?"

Shen Qingyun seemed somewhat surprised by Gu Sheng's reaction, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Gu Gongfeng is quite calm. He can remain so composed even after knowing who I am. No wonder he dared to kill Lu Chongshan's grandson."

Gu Sheng's expression remained unchanged; he simply repeated the question.

"What is the purpose of Young Master Shen's visit here?"

"Purpose?"

Shen Qingyun sneered and suddenly released a powerful pressure.

"What if I said I came to kill you?"

The air in the room seemed to freeze, and the heavy pressure caused the wooden floor to creak under the strain.

Gu Sheng remained completely still, not even the hem of his clothes was shaken by this oppressive aura.

“If you really wanted to kill me, Young Master Shen wouldn’t have made such a grand entrance.”

Gu Sheng's tone was calm, yet every word he spoke was like a knife.

"Why would the young master of the prestigious Shen family go to such lengths to kill an unknown nobody?"

Shen Qingyun looked surprised, then burst into laughter.

"Well done! Well done, Gu Sheng! No wonder he has won the favor of Pavilion Master Tantai."

He toned down his imposing manner, and his tone became meaningful.

“That’s right, I do have some concerns. That woman, Tantai Mingyue, is not someone to be trifled with. At least before the secret realm opens, I don’t want to break ties with her.”

Gu Sheng understood that Shen Qingyun was wary of the power behind Linlang Pavilion. However, he did not lower his guard; since the other party had come to him, they must have some ulterior motive.

"so what?"

Gu Sheng asked again.

Shen Qingyun walked to the window and spoke with his back to Gu Sheng.

"What did you talk about when you met with Situ Qingfeng four days ago?"

Gu Sheng's heart tightened. His meeting with Situ Qingfeng was extremely secretive, yet Shen Qingyun had still managed to find out their whereabouts. However, he remained calm on the surface.

"Personal relationships are not to be discussed with outsiders."

"Personal relationship?"

Shen Qingyun turned around, her eyes filled with coldness.

"What kind of personal relationship could you possibly have between a Grand Master of the Linglang Pavilion and a wanted criminal by the Lu family?"

Gu Sheng remained silent, simply watching Shen Qingyun and waiting for her to continue.

Seeing that Gu Sheng didn't respond, Shen Qingyun snorted coldly.

"Let me be frank. I want Situ Qingfeng's life, and you want to live."

"Oh?"

Gu Sheng finally showed interest.

"What does Young Master Shen mean by this?"

"It's very simple."

Shen Qingyun took a few steps closer and lowered his voice.

"Use Situ Qingfeng's life to exchange for your own. The Lu family's bounty on you is not low. If you can bring Situ Qingfeng's head to me, I will not only guarantee your safety in the secret realm, but also give you a hefty reward from the Lu family."

After hearing this, Gu Sheng suddenly laughed.

That smile carried an undisguised sarcasm.

"Young Master Shen has a good plan. He can solve the problem without lifting a finger and still reap the benefits."

Shen Qingyun's face darkened.

"What do you mean?"

“I mean.

Gu Sheng stood up and looked Shen Qingyun in the eye.

"I reject."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop to freezing point instantly.

A murderous intent surged in Shen Qingyun's eyes, and his spiritual energy began to fluctuate violently.

"Gu Sheng, don't be so ungrateful!"

Gu Sheng was not afraid at all, and instead stepped forward.

"Shen Qingyun, if you are truly confident in killing me, you can do it now. If you are not, then don't bluff here."

He paused, his tone turning cold.

"Furthermore, I warn you, if you attack me in the secret realm, you will be the one who dies."

"Insanity!"

Shen Qingyun roared, raised his right hand, and a blinding white light condensed in his palm.

Gu Sheng remained motionless, simply staring coldly at him.

After a brief standoff, Shen Qingyun ultimately refrained from making a move.

He forcibly suppressed his anger.

"Good, very good! Gu Sheng, you have guts!"

He withdrew his spiritual power and gritted his teeth.

"For Tantai Mingyue's sake, I'll spare your life today. But in the secret realm, no one can protect you!"

Gu Sheng remained unmoved.

"Are you done talking? If you're done, please leave. I still need to cultivate."

Shen Qingyun's expression shifted between light and dark, before finally letting out a cold snort.

"I'm giving you a chance; it's up to you whether you seize it or not. I hope you won't regret your choice today."

After he finished speaking, his figure gradually dissipated into the air like a bubble, along with the aura that had isolated the room.

After confirming that Shen Qingyun had really left, Gu Sheng slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

His back was soaked with cold sweat; the confrontation that had just taken place seemed easy, but in reality, it was extremely dangerous.

"This person is more troublesome than expected."

Gu Sheng thought to himself.

"He not only saw through my and Situ Qingfeng's identities, but also the aura emanating from him."

He frowned in thought.

"I feel like I've experienced this somewhere before, but I can't quite remember where."

The innate spiritual embryo in the sea of ​​consciousness also issued a warning.

"This person's cultivation is unfathomable, and he possesses a secret technique that allows him to peer into the consciousness of others. If I hadn't concealed myself in time, I would probably have been discovered by him."

Gu Sheng nodded.

"It seems we need to be extra careful on our journey to the secret realm."

Over the next few days, Gu Sheng remained extra vigilant, but Shen Qingyun did not reappear. The number of martial artists in the village steadily increased, as various factions prepared for the upcoming opening of the secret realm. (End of Chapter)