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

Gu Sheng gripped the long sword in his hand tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His inner energy surged like a mighty river, yet he dared not be careless in the slightest. Facing such an opponent, the slightest mistake would mean utter destruction.

"Stop talking nonsense and fight if you want!"

Before he finished speaking, Shen Qingyun's figure suddenly disappeared.

Gu Sheng's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively dodged to the side, but he still felt a chill on his left shoulder—his robe had been slashed open by the blade, and fine beads of blood were seeping from his skin.

"The response is good, but it's still too slow."

Shen Qingyun's voice came from behind, with a teasing tone, like a cat playing with a mouse.

Gu Sheng suddenly turned around and swept his long sword horizontally, but only managed to cut a blur.

Shen Qingyun's movement was incredibly fast. Even with his cultivation suppressed, the combat instincts of a Heavenly Martial Realm expert far surpassed those of ordinary people.

"Seven Killing Swords of the Gale!"

Gu Sheng held nothing back and unleashed his most powerful technique.

Seven sword energies blocked all of Shen Qingyun's escape routes. This was a killing move he had painstakingly cultivated for many years, which he had used to defeat countless powerful enemies.

"Little tricks!"

Shen Qingyun sneered, his longsword drawing a strange arc in the air, actually cleaving through seven sword energies.

The moment the swords clashed, Gu Sheng felt an overwhelming force emanating from the blade, which made his hands go numb. He staggered back three steps before regaining his balance, leaving two deep marks on the hard rock beneath his feet.

"puff--"

A mouthful of blood spurted from Gu Sheng's mouth, and his internal organs seemed to have been shaken out of place.

In contrast, Shen Qingyun stood still, not even the hem of his clothes was disheveled.

"With such meager skills, you dare to challenge me?"

Shen Qingyun looked down at Gu Sheng from his high vantage point.

"Kneel down and beg for mercy, and perhaps I can give you a quick death."

Gu Sheng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes remaining calm.

He quickly assessed his internal condition—his true energy was mostly depleted, and his mental strength was also damaged; he could only sustain himself for three more moves at most. Shen Qingyun, however, clearly hadn't used his full strength yet.

"Are all Heavenly Martial Realm experts good at is talking big?"

Gu Sheng deliberately provoked the other party, while secretly adjusting his breathing, looking for an opportunity to retaliate.

A cold glint flashed in Shen Qingyun's eyes.

"court death!"

His right thumb was on the blade, and the blood was instantly absorbed by the longsword, causing the blade to glow with an eerie blood-red light.

Gu Sheng's heart tightened; he knew the other party was about to unleash a deadly move.

"Blood Flames Burn the Sky!"

Shen Qingyun roared, and the blood-red light on his longsword suddenly transformed into raging flames. The surrounding temperature soared, and the air itself distorted from the intense heat. If this strike landed, Gu Sheng would surely die!
At this critical moment——

"stop!"

A clear, cold female voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the life-or-death duel.

Shen Qingyun's sword strike faltered for a moment, and the blood flames flickered slightly.

Gu Sheng looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman in black robes appear at the edge of the battlefield at some point.

She was slender, and her face was mostly covered by a large cloak, with only a section of her fair chin showing.

"It's you?"

Gu Sheng recognized the woman as the martial artist with the treasure-hunting rat he had met outside the cave a few days ago.

The woman ignored Gu Sheng and walked straight up to Shen Qingyun, her voice icy.

"Shen Qingyun, are you bullying the martial artists outside the Holy Academy again?"

Shen Qingyun frowned and said impatiently.

"Qin Yurou, this is none of your business, get out of here!"

Her name was Qin Yurou.

Gu Sheng secretly memorized the name while cautiously observing the changing situation.

Instead of backing away, Qin Yurou stood in front of Gu Sheng, facing Shen Qingyun's Bloodflame Blade directly.

"Sister Qingtan said that if she sees you bullying martial artists outside the Holy Academy, she must stop you."

"Shen Qingtan?"

Shen Qingyun's face was gloomy.

"Who does she think she is, to interfere in my affairs?"

"Qingtan is your own sister, so what does she mean to you?"

Qin Yurou refused to budge an inch.

"With me here today, you won't be able to harm him in the slightest."

A murderous intent flashed in Shen Qingyun's eyes.

"You think you can stop me? Believe me, I'll kill you too!"

Qin Yurou chuckled and took out a furry little beast from her sleeve—it was the treasure-hunting rat.

The little beast rolled around in her palm, then suddenly opened its scarlet eyes and stared intently at Shen Qingyun.

"I forgot to tell you, my demonic beast is not suppressed by the power of the secret realm."

Qin Yurou's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable threat.

"Want to try?"

Shen Qingyun's face instantly turned extremely ugly.

He stared intently at the treasure-hunting rat, then glanced at Qin Yurou, and finally let out a cold snort.

"Good, very good! I'll remember what happened today!"

He sheathed his longsword, the blood flames gradually dying down, and glared fiercely at Gu Sheng before leaving.

"Consider yourself lucky. Next time, I'll definitely take your life!"

Only after Shen Qingyun's figure completely disappeared into the forest did Qin Yurou turn around.

"Are you OK?"

Gu Sheng shook his head, forcefully suppressing the surging blood and qi within his body.

"Thank you for saving me, young lady."

Qin Yurou looked him up and down, then suddenly said.

“We’ve seen it, outside the cave.”

Gu Sheng nodded.

“I remember. Back then, you had the treasure-hunting rat with you, and we didn’t compete for the opportunity.”

"good."

Qin Yurou's tone softened a bit.

"I'm saving you today to repay the favor from back then, and we're even now."

Gu Sheng smiled bitterly.

"You were the one who discovered that cave; I simply didn't take advantage of you. I will always remember your life-saving grace today."

Qin Yurou waved her hand, seemingly not wanting to dwell on the topic any longer.

She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly asked.

What grudge do you have against Shen Qingyun?

"It's a long story."

Gu Sheng briefly recounted the story of the struggle for the fragments of the Tongming Treasure Mirror.

"He seems to be holding a grudge against me for ruining his plans."

"I see."

Qin Yurou seemed to be deep in thought.

"Sister Qingtan once mentioned you, saying that you helped her a lot when she was fighting for the treasure mirror."

Gu Sheng's heart stirred.

"Who is Shen Qingtan to you?"

"She was my senior at the Holy Academy, and also my best friend."

As Qin Yurou spoke, she suddenly raised her hand and pulled off her cloak, revealing a stunningly beautiful face.

“My name is Qin Yurou. Since Sister Qingtan trusts you, there’s no need for me to hide it.”

Gu Sheng was slightly taken aback. The girl in front of him was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with exquisite features and snow-white skin, a stark contrast to his cold tone just now.

"Gu Sheng."

He gave a brief self-introduction and then asked.

"You and Shen Qingyun seem to have a past conflict?"

Qin Yurou pouted.

“That guy, relying on being the eldest son of the Shen family, runs rampant in the Holy Academy. Sister Qingtan has suffered a lot from his bullying. I promised Sister Qingtan that if I saw him bullying outsiders, I would ruin his plans.”

Gu Sheng nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that the relationship between the Shen siblings was even worse than he had imagined.

"If you hadn't appeared in time today, I'm afraid I would have been in grave danger."

Gu Sheng said sincerely.

"I will remember this favor."

Qin Yurou waved her hand dismissively.

"It was just a casual thing to do. Besides, Sister Qingtan would be very happy if she knew I saved you."

As she spoke, she suddenly pulled a jade bottle from her bosom and tossed it to Gu Sheng.

"This is a healing pill. Take it."

Gu Sheng took the jade bottle, poured out a bright green pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a cool sensation flowed throughout the body in an instant, relieving the internal injuries considerably.

"Good medicine!"

Gu Sheng sincerely praised it.

Qin Yurou's lips curled up slightly.

"Of course, this was personally crafted by Sister Qingtan." The atmosphere between the two gradually became more harmonious.

Gu Sheng regulated his breathing while pondering to himself.

The siblings Shen Qingyun and Shen Qingtan are at odds, and Qin Yurou is on good terms with Shen Qingtan. There may be something that can be used against them.

Qin Yurou blinked.

"The way you picked the Jade Heart Grass just now was very special. It seemed like you could accurately sense the location of the spiritual herb?"

Gu Sheng felt a tightness in his chest, but his face remained expressionless.

"I only know a little about finding medicine."

"is it?"

Qin Yurou suddenly pulled out a palm-sized golden mouse from her sleeve. The mouse spun around in her palm, its nose twitching incessantly.

“My little gold told me that there are three immature Jade Heart Grasses nearby, about twenty steps to your left and behind.”

"It seems the young lady came prepared."

Gu Sheng said calmly.

"What guidance does the Holy Academy have for this secret realm?"

Qin Yurou put the treasure-hunting rat back into her sleeve, her smile unchanged.

"You can't just talk about things at the Holy Academy."

She changed the subject.

"But you, a Yellow Martial Realm martial artist, what brings you to a place like this? Could it be that you also have a Treasure-Seeking Rat?"

Gu Sheng shook his head.

"I rely on secret techniques."

"Secret method?"

Qin Yurou's eyes were filled with curiosity.

"What secret technique could be more effective than the treasure-hunting rat?"

"It's a family secret technique, and I can't reveal it."

Gu Sheng spoke calmly, yet he was communicating with the innate spiritual embryo in his sea of ​​consciousness.

"This little girl is no ordinary person; her treasure-hunting rat is of a high grade."

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the innate spiritual embryo snorted disdainfully.

"A mere mortal treasure-hunting rat dares to show off in front of me? If I weren't afraid of being exposed, I would have found a whole bunch of rare and precious treasures in no time!"

Gu Sheng chuckled inwardly and said to Qin Yurou.

"Since you possess such a rare and precious spirit beast as the Treasure-Seeking Rat, it would be best to keep it hidden carefully. People in the secret realm are unpredictable, and it's inevitable that some might be tempted by greed."

Qin Yurou looked surprised.

"You're the first person to advise me to hide my treasure-hunting rat. Most people, upon seeing it, would either envy it, be jealous, or..."

She made a snatching gesture.

"I'm more interested in news from the Holy Temple."

Gu Sheng looked directly into her eyes.

"I heard that Shen Qingtan and Shen Qingyun both come from the Holy Academy?"

Qin Yurou's smile faded slightly.

"Do you know them?"

"Have heard a little bit."

Gu Sheng did not give a direct answer.

Qin Yurou pondered for a moment.

"They are biological siblings, but they have been at odds ever since they entered the Holy Academy. Recently, their conflict has intensified due to the competition for the top three positions in the Inner Academy."

Why would Shen Qingyun help the Lu family?

Gu Sheng pressed for more information.

"To recruit more people."

Qin Yurou pouted.

"Those three Heavenly Martial Realm experts from the Lu family would be a great help anywhere."

If Shen Qingyun could gain their support, his chances of winning the inner courtyard competition would be much higher.

Gu Sheng nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that Shen Qingyun's collusion with the Lu family had this connection behind it.

"I can't say more, the Holy Academy has its rules."

Qin Yurou suddenly looked up, and the treasure-hunting rat in her sleeve made a squeaking sound.

"Oh dear, Little Gold has found a new target, I have to go!"

Before Gu Sheng could respond, she had already leaped onto the treetop and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest in a few bounds.

"That girl left quite decisively."

Gu Sheng looked in the direction she left, his brows furrowed slightly.

Suddenly, the innate spiritual embryo spoke within the sea of ​​consciousness.

"She just lied."

"Ok?"

"She didn't just find out about you at all."

The innate spiritual fetus spoke with certainty.

"She arrived when you were refining that spiritual herb. She was observing from the shadows while you were fighting those martial artists."

Gu Sheng replied.

"So, she deliberately waited until Shen Qingyun appeared before showing up to help?"

"That's probably true."

The innate spiritual fetus sneered.

"As expected, none of the disciples of the Holy Academy are simple. They already know how to curry favor at such a young age."

Gu Sheng pondered for a moment.

"She might be someone sent by Shen Qingtan, specifically targeting Shen Qingyun. We shouldn't get involved in the internal struggles within the Holy Academy for now."

"What's there to be afraid of? With me here, what's all this talk of a Holy Academy?"

The innate spiritual embryo disagreed.

"When you are not strong enough, it is suicidal to rashly get involved in the struggle between powerful forces."

Gu Sheng interrupted it.

"Our top priority is to improve our cultivation. Since there are many rare and precious materials in this secret realm, we should hurry up and search for them."

In the following time, Gu Sheng searched everywhere in the secret realm. The innate spiritual embryo's perception range far exceeded that of the treasure-hunting rat, often enabling it to discover spiritual herbs hidden extremely deep within.

"Three hundred paces to the northeast, there is a century-old fire spirit mushroom!"

The innate spiritual embryo suddenly cried out.

Gu Sheng immediately headed in the indicated direction. However, when he arrived, he saw Qin Yurou bending down to pick the bright red Ganoderma lucidum.

"you again?"

Qin Yurou looked up, her eyes filled with surprise.

"Your 'secret technique' is really quite something."

Gu Sheng shrugged helplessly.

"It seems we're a step too late."

This happened several times throughout the following day.

Whenever the innate spiritual embryo sensed a treasure, Gu Sheng would rush over and almost always see Qin Yu Rou. However, she didn't seem to keep it all to herself; sometimes she would leave behind some inferior spiritual herbs.

"Is this girl doing this on purpose?"

The innate spiritual embryo was so angry in its sea of ​​consciousness that it jumped up and down.

"They always get ahead of us!"

Gu Sheng, however, remained calm and composed.

"She left us quite a lot; we've gained over a dozen spiritual herbs a day, which is enough."

With the help of these spiritual herbs, Gu Sheng's cultivation level steadily improved.

As night fell, he sat cross-legged in a mountain cave, his inner energy circulating around him, showing signs of a potential breakthrough.

"He has reached the peak of the Yellow Martial Realm."

Gu Sheng opened his eyes, feeling the surging true energy within his body.

"Only one step away from the Xuanwu Realm."

"If it weren't for that girl causing trouble, you might have already broken through."

The innate spiritual embryo muttered.

Gu Sheng shook his head.

"On the path of cultivation, haste makes waste. Today's gains have exceeded expectations."

The next day at noon, Gu Sheng was searching in a valley when he suddenly heard familiar footsteps behind him.

"Gu Sheng!"

Qin Yurou's voice was urgent.

Gu Sheng turned around and saw Qin Yurou walking quickly towards him. Her usual smile was gone, replaced by a more serious expression.

"What happened?"

Gu Sheng asked warily.

Qin Yurou took a deep breath.

"Shen Qingyun has united seven forces, including the Great Wilderness Alliance and the Iron Sword Sect, and gathered more than 300 martial artists. They are currently searching for your whereabouts in the secret realm."

Gu Sheng frowned.

"Is the news reliable?"

"Xiao Hei saw it with his own eyes."

Qin Yurou pointed to the sky. (End of Chapter)