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

"stop."

The woman's voice was cold, and her gaze swept over Gu Sheng like a knife.

"Who are you? What brings you to Xiaguang City?"

Gu Sheng frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed.

He clasped his fists and saluted.

"My name is Gu Sheng. I am new here and just passing through. I would like to inquire about some things."

The woman's scrutinizing gaze lingered on Gu Sheng for a moment, seemingly confirming that he was not a dangerous person, before she relaxed slightly.

"So you're from out of town. Remember, a big shot from my Zixia Divine Sect will be in town these days. You'd better behave yourself and not cause any trouble."

The Purple Cloud Cult? Gu Sheng's heart skipped a beat.

He had heard of this sect before; it was said to have influence across several states and was full of experts.

However, he had a clear purpose for this trip and did not want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

"Thank you for the reminder. I am merely passing through on my way to the Longevity City and will not cause any trouble."

Gu Sheng responded calmly.

The woman seemed satisfied with his attitude. She nodded slightly and turned to leave, her purple robe fluttering in the wind as she quickly disappeared through the city gate.

Gu Sheng watched her leave, his eyes filled with thought.

The Zixia Cult is quite domineering; they even check passersby entering the city.

However, none of this mattered to him; he only wanted to use the teleportation array in the city to get to the Longevity Royal City as soon as possible.

Just as he was about to enter the city, he suddenly heard a series of rapid hoofbeats and exclamations behind him.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way, everyone!"

Gu Sheng turned around and saw a giant beast, about three zhang tall, rushing towards the city gate.

The giant beast resembled a rhinoceros, but had six legs and its body was covered with bluish-black scales. Every step it took caused the ground to tremble slightly.

On the back of the giant beast was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, her purple dress fluttering in the wind, her face flushed with excitement.

"It's the Purple Scale Beast of the Purple Cloud Cult!"

Someone at the city gate exclaimed in surprise.

The crowd hurriedly made way, and Gu Sheng frowned and stepped aside.

He watched coldly, feeling utterly disgusted by this reckless behavior.

It seems the people of the Purple Cloud Cult are indeed arrogant; even a young girl is so flamboyant.

But the next moment, an accident happened.

A little boy of about five or six years old seemed to be stunned, standing blankly in the middle of the road, watching as the giant hoof of the purple-scaled beast was about to fall.

"careful!"

Gu Sheng was about to make a move, but the girl in purple reacted even faster.

Without hesitation, she leaped off the back of the purple-scaled beast, her figure as swift as lightning, and instantly appeared in front of the little boy.

The girl spread her arms, and a pale purple light enveloped her.

"boom!"

The giant hoof of the Purple Scale Beast slammed heavily onto the light barrier, shattering it instantly.

The girl groaned, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, but she managed to protect the little boy, though she herself was thrown back several steps by the impact.

"Little brother, are you alright?"

The girl, ignoring the blood at the corner of her mouth, squatted down and asked with concern.

The little boy then came to his senses.

She burst into tears with a loud "waaaaa".

The girl hurriedly comforted him, taking a candy from her bosom and stuffing it into his hand.

"Don't cry, don't cry, I'll give you candy."

This scene stunned Gu Sheng.

He had initially thought the girl was an arrogant young lady, but he never expected her to risk her life for a complete stranger.

After calming the little boy down, the girl turned and walked towards the Purple Scale Beast, her face full of anger.

"Little Purple! How many times have I told you, you can't run around like crazy in the city! Look, you almost hurt someone!"

The enormous purple-scaled beast lowered its head like a child who had done something wrong, letting out a pitiful whimper.

The girl patted its nose and scolded it.

"If you do that again, I won't take you out next time!"

The purple-scaled beast seemed to understand, and its pace slowed considerably as it carefully carried the girl into the city.

Gu Sheng watched the girl's departing figure, lost in thought.

At this moment, he noticed several warriors in uniform standing at the city gate, who were probably the city's defenders.

"Brother, is there a teleportation array in the city?"

Gu Sheng stepped forward and questioned one of the martial artists.

The martial artist glanced at Gu Sheng.

"Yes, it is, but it's not open for the next few days."

"Why?"

Gu Sheng frowned.

The martial artist lowered his voice.

"Did you see that young lady just now? That's the eldest daughter of the Zixia Divine Sect. Her master, the Zixia True Person of the Zixia Divine Sect, is a guest in the city these days, so the teleportation array is temporarily closed. It will be reopened in three days at most."

Gu Sheng's heart sank.

Three days? He had no intention of lingering here that long.

Are there any other cities nearby with teleportation arrays?

"There is a Cloud City nearby, but it's very far from here; it would take four or five days by carriage."

The martial artist shook his head.

"It's better to wait three days."

Gu Sheng weighed the options silently.

Cloud City is indeed too far away. Rather than rushing on, we should wait here.

Anyway, he didn't have anything urgent to do, so he could take the opportunity to see the prosperity of Xiaguang City.

"Thanks for letting me know."

Gu Sheng bowed in thanks and stepped through the city gate.

Upon entering the city, a cacophony of noise immediately greeted us.

The wide streets are lined with shops and bustling with pedestrians.

Gu Sheng noticed that the number of martial artists here far exceeded that of Tianyou City, and was even comparable to that of Lie Ri City, which he had visited before.

Almost every few steps, one could feel fluctuations of true energy, including those of powerful experts.

"This City of Glowing Clouds is indeed extraordinary."

Gu Sheng thought to himself.

"A city of this size might have a King-level expert stationed there."

He decided to behave himself for the next couple of days to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

After all, a big shot from the Zixia Cult is here; who knows what might happen?

The setting sun in Xiaguang City bathed the inn in gold, and the wooden planks creaked slightly as Gu Sheng stepped onto the stairs.

He had just paid two low-grade spirit stones for a superior room, and the cool touch of the spirit stones still lingered between his fingers.

Just as he reached the corner on the second floor, a needle-like mental force suddenly attacked from the room on the right, precisely locking onto him.

"Ok?"

Gu Sheng frowned, and the dormant spiritual power in his sea of ​​consciousness surged like a raging tide, pulverizing the probing force.

"Crack."

It was as if an invisible sound of shattering glass was echoing in the air.

The next moment, the door to the room suddenly opened, and a man wearing a bronze mask poked his head out, his sinister gaze shooting straight at Gu Sheng through the eye holes of the mask.

The man was tall and slender, his long black robe fluttering even without wind, and he exuded the aura of a fourth-level Heavenly Martial Realm expert.

"What do you mean by this?"

Gu Sheng stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable chill.

The masked man snorted coldly.

"You mere Heavenly Martial Realm Level 3 dare to question me?"

He deliberately released an even stronger aura, causing the candlelight in the corridor to flicker.

Gu Sheng's eyes showed displeasure.

"Spying on others is not a polite thing to do."

"It is your honor to be investigated by me."

The masked man spoke arrogantly, his right hand already resting on a snake-shaped short sword at his waist.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming tense, a clear, bell-like female voice came from inside the room.

"Tong Jiu, don't cause any more trouble."

The voice was like a clear spring flowing through a mountain stream. Gu Sheng immediately recognized it as the beast-taming girl who rode the giant demon beast at the city gate! Upon hearing this, the masked man, though unwilling, still snorted coldly and retreated into the room, slamming the door shut.

The sound of the wooden door hitting the frame echoed in the corridor, causing the shopkeeper downstairs to look up.

Gu Sheng glanced thoughtfully at the closed door, then turned and walked towards his own room.

Looking out the window, I saw, sure enough, a giant beast resembling a Qilin but with six legs, leisurely chewing on hay in the backyard of the inn. Its scales gleamed with a purplish-gold luster in the setting sun.

"People from the Purple Cloud Cult?"

Gu Sheng murmured to himself, his fingertips lightly tapping the window frame.

He had read in ancient books that among the seventy-two divine sects in the southern border region, only the Zixia Divine Sect was skilled at taming this strange beast called the "Purple Gold Beast".

Driven by curiosity, Gu Sheng sat cross-legged on the bed and sent out a wisp of his spiritual energy, as thin as a spider's thread, to quietly penetrate the wooden partition and reach into the next room.

"Those old bastards from the Purple Cloud Cult are utterly contemptuous!"

The masked man's resentful voice rang out.

"We've come all this way, and this is how you treat us?"

"Tong Jiu, be careful what you say."

The girl's voice was still clear and crisp, but it had gained a touch of authority.

“My master ordered me to repay the favor from back then. If they don’t know what’s good for them, there’s no need for us to force them.”

After a rustling sound of clothes rubbing together, the girl continued.

"However, the Purple Cloud Cave is about to open, and the divine pool inside is of paramount importance to me. I've heard that three spots will be auctioned off this year."

Purple Cloud Cave Heaven? Gu Sheng's spirits lifted.

While in the Heavenly Realm, he had heard people mention that the Seventy-Two Divine Sects of the Southern Frontier controlled thirty-six grotto-heavens and thirty-six blessed lands, each of which was a sacred place for cultivation.

The divine pool within the Zixia Cave is said to have miraculous effects in cleansing the marrow and rejuvenating the bones.

"auction?"

The masked man spoke with dissatisfaction.

"As a young lady, how dare she compete with ordinary people?"

"Rules are rules."

The girl's voice was calm.

"We'll go to Zixia Residence tomorrow. It's too early to talk about these things now."

With a muffled thud, it seemed as if the masked man slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"Your subordinate will go and prepare immediately!"

Footsteps moved toward the door.

Just as Gu Sheng was about to withdraw his spiritual power, he suddenly heard the girl chuckle.

"Don't you think it's impolite of you to have been eavesdropping for so long?"

The voice rang directly in his mind, startling him so much that he almost jumped out of bed.

"Why don't you come over and have a chat?"

This time, the invitation came from the next room.

Gu Sheng stood outside the door, a wisp of almost imperceptible spiritual power gathering at his fingertips.

The wisp of power, like a snake, slipped into the cracks of the room, silently circled the interior three times, and then quietly returned.

"There were no restrictions, and no ambushes."

Gu Sheng frowned slightly.

"This girl is either extremely naive or recklessly arrogant."

The moment he pushed open the door, a refreshing scent, like snowmelt from a snow-capped mountain, wafted towards him.

Miao Muqing sat upright on a low couch by the window, the moonlight casting dappled shadows on her through the window lattice.

She looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, but she had eyes that seemed to see through the ways of the world.

"Fellow Daoist Gu has finally agreed to come in."

Miao Muqing's lips curled up slightly, her voice completely different from when she was in the courtyard, carrying a peculiar rhythm.

"I thought I'd have to wait until dawn."

Gu Sheng didn't reply, his gaze quickly sweeping across the room.

A celadon oil lamp sat on a simple wooden table, its wick crackling softly as it burned.

In the corner stood a rattan box about half a person's height, its lid engraved with intricate totems of southern Xinjiang.

"sit."

Miao Muqing pointed to the futon opposite her.

"I invited you here simply to discuss one thing."

Gu Sheng did not move.

"Miss Miao, please speak frankly."

"You should be cautious."

Miao Muqing chuckled softly, then suddenly raised her hand and made a strange gesture in front of her.

A pale purple light instantly enveloped the entire room.

"You can speak freely now, this is a soundproof barrier."

Gu Sheng's pupils contracted slightly.

This barrier technique was executed with such fluidity and skill that only a Golden Core cultivator could achieve it.

He secretly circulated his internal energy, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

"take it easy."

Miao Muqing seemed to see through his wariness.

“I have no interest in your background. Whether you come from a prominent family in Zhongzhou or are a wanted criminal by the three major religions, it is none of my business.”

Gu Sheng's heart skipped a beat.

How did this girl know about his deliberately concealed Central Plains accent? And how did she guess that he was evading capture?

"My name is Miao Muqing, and I come from 'Thousand Soul Valley' at the southernmost tip of Southern Xinjiang."

She continued speaking to herself.

"The reason I came to Zixia City this time is to borrow the Zixia Grotto."

"Borrowing the cave heaven?"

Gu Sheng finally spoke, his voice low and deep.

“The blessed lands and grotto-heavens are the foundation of a sect; how can they be borrowed so easily?”

Miao Muqing did not answer immediately, but took out a jade hairpin from her sleeve and gently pinned it to her temple.

The purple gemstones inlaid on the hairpin gleamed with an unusual luster under the light.

"My sister Miao Ren and I are two souls in one body."

She spoke suddenly, her tone as calm as if she were discussing the weather.

"We've been sharing this body for eighteen years. Usually, Ren'er is awake while I'm asleep. This time, I had to wake up to deal with it because the Zixia Divine Sect rejected Master's overtures."

Gu Sheng's breath hitched.

One body, two souls? This legendary physique actually exists? He subconsciously released his divine sense to investigate, and sure enough, he sensed two completely different soul fluctuations within Miao Muqing's body.

One is as lively as a spring breeze, while the other is as calm as a deep pool.

"so."

Gu Sheng carefully considered the words.

"The one talking to me now is my older sister, Miao Muqing, while the one from earlier in the daytime..."

"It's Ren'er."

Miao Muqing nodded.

"She has a simple personality and is not suited to handle these kinds of things."

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

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because cooperation is needed."

Miao Muqing looked directly into his eyes.

“The people of the Zixia Divine Cult are not on good terms with me. It will be difficult for Ren’er and me to complete the task assigned by our master.”

Gu Sheng's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Miss Miao, you flatter me too much. I am merely a wandering cultivator passing through this place; what merit do I possess?"

"You were able to lie low in Zixia City for half a month without being discovered, avoid the eyes and ears of the three major sects, and even buy 'Bone-Corroding Incense' in the black market in the south of the city."

Miao Muqing interrupted him, her eyes sharp.

"This kind of skill is exactly what I need."

Gu Sheng felt a chill run down his spine.

She even knew about his purchase of banned drugs! Just how extensive is this girl's intelligence network?
"admire."

He exhaled slowly.

"Since Miss Miao has investigated so thoroughly, she must know that I have no intention of staying here any longer."

Miao Muqing suddenly stood up; her figure appeared exceptionally slender in the moonlight. (End of Chapter)