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

Gu Sheng frowned slightly.

“I haven’t had time to mentor her lately.”

"Why don't you let her come with me?"

Tantai Xueli made the suggestion.

"Although I am not good at teaching, the Linglang Pavilion has abundant resources, which will greatly benefit her cultivation. Moreover..."

She smiled slightly.

"It's quiet in the pavilion, it's good to have her for company."

Gu Sheng pondered for a moment and nodded.

"Alright. Qingxuan is simple-minded, and I feel more at ease with you taking care of her."

"Then it's settled."

A sly glint appeared in Tantai Xueli's eyes.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing. My sister plans to personally contact the higher-ups at the Great Wilderness Holy Academy."

Gu Sheng's expression hardened.

"Miss Bingtang is going to get involved?"

Tantai Xueli sighed softly.

"The Great Wilderness Holy Academy has complex internal factions, and only when my sister steps in can the situation be kept under control."

She observed Gu Sheng's expression.

"Someone might come looking for you, so be prepared."

Gu Sheng's eyes were filled with worry.

“I did not want to attract attention, especially not to such a behemoth as the Holy Academy.”

"It's unavoidable."

Tantai Xueli shook her head.

"Your alchemy skills are too astonishing; the Holy Academy will not turn a blind eye to them."

She lowered her voice.

"But don't worry, the Holy Academy is not monolithic; there are factions within it that are close to my Linlang Pavilion."

Inside the alchemy room, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Dressed in pristine white, Tantai Xueli lightly touched the teacup with her fingertips, her deep, icy eyes reflected on the water's surface.

"Young Master Gu, the Great Wilderness Holy Academy appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging beneath."

Her voice was cold and aloof.

“You destroyed the Wanliu Sect three days ago, which has already affected the interests of some people.”

Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow and tapped his knuckles lightly on the table.

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

"The Holy Academy is riddled with factions."

Tantai Xueli gathered a wisp of cold air at her fingertips and traced intricate patterns on the tabletop.

"The Grand Elder's faction has close ties with the 'Shadow Alliance' in the city, and the Myriad Streams Sect is one of the forces they support."

A night breeze suddenly blew in through the window, and as the candlelight flickered, Tantai Xueli's face appeared to light up and then dim.

Gu Sheng noticed that the ice crystal ring on her left ring finger was emitting an eerie blue light; this was a warning artifact that only the higher-ups of the Linlang Pavilion possessed.

"It seems the situation is more serious than I thought."

Gu Sheng chuckled lightly, but there was no fear in his eyes.

"Miss Xue Li came all the way to remind me, and I will remember this favor."

Tantai Xueli shook her head.

"No need for thanks. You helped me obtain the 'Mysterious Yin Ice Soul,' and the Linlang Pavilion will naturally repay you in return."

She suddenly lowered her voice.

"At midnight three days from now, the Shadow Alliance will hold a meeting at the abandoned medicine shop in the south of the city. At least two Golden Core cultivators will be present."

A glint of light flashed in Gu Sheng's eyes.

He picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, the scalding tea turning into a warm current in his throat.

“Good tea!”

"you"

Tantai Xueli frowned.

"I suggest you avoid confrontation for now. The Linglang Pavilion has a secret chamber that can block divine sense detection, or..."

"Or should we leave Great Wilderness City?"

Gu Sheng put down his teacup, the porcelain clinking against the wooden table.

"Unfortunately, I, Gu, have never liked to be a coward."

Tantai Xueli stared at him for a moment, then suddenly sighed softly.

"As expected, I couldn't dissuade you."

She took out a jade slip from her sleeve.

"This is information on known members of the Shadow Alliance; it might be useful to you."

The jade slip was icy cold to the touch. Gu Sheng scanned it with his divine sense and found dozens of names densely packed inside, some even marked with the titles of stewards and elders of the Great Wilderness Holy Academy.

His pupils contracted slightly. The situation was far more complicated than he had anticipated.

"Thank you."

This time, Gu Sheng's tone was much more sincere.

Tantai Xueli stood up, her robes fluttering.

"If a purple column of smoke is seen rising from the east of the city three days later, it will be a sign that Linlang Pavilion is in danger."

She walked toward the door, then stopped and said.

"Gu Sheng, there is no future if you live."

As the figure in white disappeared into the night, Gu Sheng's smile gradually faded.

He closed his five fingers, and the jade slip turned into dust in his palm.

"Shadow Alliance Great Wilderness Holy Academy"

He muttered to himself.

"It seems we have to strike first."

Just as he was about to get up, a sharp pain suddenly came from between his eyebrows.

Gu Sheng's expression changed drastically. He immediately sat cross-legged and focused his mental energy into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the once calm golden ocean is now turbulent.

At the center, the spiritual embryo, surrounded by nine grotto heavens, was trembling violently, with spiderweb-like cracks appearing on its surface, and red and blue lights could be faintly seen flashing alternately inside.

"Senior Yue!"

Gu Sheng called out with his divine sense.

The phantom of the gray-robed old man appeared beside the spirit embryo, his expression solemn.

"Boy, the fusion of the spiritual embryo and the remnant soul of the Southern Emperor's Holy Maiden has reached a critical moment and requires a large amount of energy!"

Gu Sheng's heart skipped a beat.

Three years ago, when Yue Shenggong obtained this mysterious spiritual embryo on the ancient battlefield, he said that it was a treasure nurtured by an ancient secret method. Now, after fusing with the remnant soul of the Southern Emperor's Holy Maiden, it has become even more miraculous.

But the hunger emanating from the fetus at this moment caused his consciousness to feel a stinging pain.

What kind of energy is needed?

"Spiritual energy, mental power, and soul power are all acceptable; the more the better!"

Yue Shenggong spoke at breakneck speed.

"If the energy is insufficient, the spiritual embryo may turn against its host!"

Gu Sheng dared not delay and immediately sent a wisp of his soul power to the spiritual embryo.

The moment that wisp of silvery spiritual energy touched the surface of the spiritual embryo, it was abruptly absorbed at a startling speed.

"hiss"

Gu Sheng gasped.

This wisp of soul power was enough to support an ordinary cultivator in casting three high-level spells, but it was instantly devoured by the spiritual embryo without even causing a ripple.

He gritted his teeth, took out one hundred high-grade spirit stones from his storage ring, and frantically extracted their spiritual energy using the Nine Dragons Universe Technique.

The nine grotto-heavens shone brightly in the sea of ​​consciousness, transforming pure spiritual energy into a nine-colored torrent that poured into the spiritual embryo.

The spirit stone dimmed at a visible speed, turning into grayish-white powder in just a few breaths.

Cold sweat beaded on Gu Sheng's forehead. These hundred high-grade spirit stones were priceless, enough to cause a frenzy among minor sects in the outside world, yet they only healed less than one-tenth of the cracks on the surface of the spirit embryo.

"Not enough! Far from enough!"

Yue Shenggong said anxiously.

"The spiritual embryo is gestating something that requires a massive amount of energy!"

Gu Sheng's eyes were filled with ruthlessness.

He slammed his hand on the storage ring, and three thousand high-grade spirit stones poured out like a waterfall, piling up into a small mountain on the floor of the alchemy room.

When the Nine Dragons Universe Technique was activated to its fullest extent, nine long dragons of spiritual energy flew out from the palm of the hand, frantically devouring the energy of the spirit stones.

The sound of spirit stones exploding rang out densely like popping beans, and the entire alchemy room was shrouded in a thick mist of spiritual energy.

Gu Sheng's seven orifices began to ooze spiritual energy, his body feeling like an overinflated sac, his meridians tearing with pain. But he dared not stop, for the spiritual embryo in his sea of ​​consciousness was finally beginning to stabilize, its surface cracks healing at a visible speed.

"Good boy!"

Yue Shen Gong was amazed.

"An ordinary Golden Core cultivator would have been burst by now. Your nine cave heavens are truly miraculous!"

Gu Sheng had no time to respond.

He focused all his attention on controlling the transformation of spiritual energy. The nine grotto heavens spun rapidly, transforming the violent spiritual energy into gentle energy.

The spirit embryo, like a bottomless pit, swallowed and absorbed everything, gradually emitting a hazy halo.

Three hours passed, and when the last spirit stone turned to dust, Gu Sheng was soaked in sweat.

The floor of the alchemy room was covered with a thick layer of spirit stone powder, which made a soft "rustling" sound when stepped on.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the spiritual embryo finally stopped absorbing, and the surface cracks completely disappeared, replaced by a crystal-clear, jade-like outer shell.

Through the translucent outer shell, one can vaguely see a cluster of red and blue light slowly pulsating inside, beating rhythmically like a heart.

"This is."

Gu Sheng approached with his divine sense and sensed an unprecedented fluctuation of life.

The phantom of Yue Shengong circled the spirit embryo once, marveling at it.

"Incredible! The spiritual embryo is nurturing some kind of life form, and the remnant soul of the Southern Emperor's Holy Maiden seems to have merged perfectly with it."

Gu Sheng tried to probe with his divine sense, but was blocked by that outer shell.

Even more strangely, he felt a faint sense of closeness from the spiritual embryo, as if the being conceived within it was connected to him by blood.

Inside the alchemy room, Gu Sheng looked at the charred remains in the alchemy furnace and shook his head helplessly.

This was his seventh attempt to refine the "Nine-Turn Spirit-Condensing Pill," and each time he failed at the crucial moment of final pill condensation.

"It seems that the timing and temperature control are still not precise enough."

Gu Sheng sighed softly and waved his hand casually. The remaining dregs in the alchemy furnace turned into fine ash and drifted away, like the first snow of winter, slowly falling throughout the alchemy room.

He remained calm, after all, the art of alchemy is full of variables, and failure is common.

Gu Sheng slowly got up, patted the medicine ash off his robes, and prepared to leave the now messy alchemy room.

"squeak"

Just then, the door to the alchemy room was pushed open from the outside.

A girl in a light purple dress walked in, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was slightly messy, and there was still a hint of weariness in the corners of her eyes, indicating that she had just woken up.

"Gu Sheng, what are you up to now?"

Tantai Xueli was speaking when she suddenly opened her eyes wide, all sleepiness gone.

She looked at the dusty residue filling the room, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"Oh, is it snowing? Or is our Grand Master Gu up to some new trick again?"

Gu Sheng awkwardly touched his nose.

"It's just a failed alchemy attempt. I'll have someone clean it up right away."

"No, no, no!"

Tantai Xueli quickly waved her hand and walked briskly to Gu Sheng's side, her eyes gleaming with cunning.

"I never allow outsiders to enter my alchemy room, so I'll clean up these 'snowflakes' myself."

As she spoke, she took out a jade bottle from her storage bag, and with a gentle shake, the ash from the alchemy room seemed to be summoned and gathered into the bottle. In a short while, the alchemy room was clean and tidy again.

Looking at her skillful movements, Gu Sheng couldn't help but ask.

"Why do you look so tired? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Upon hearing this, Tantai Xueli's face immediately fell.

"It's all because of that pill formula you gave me! I tried to refine the 'Jade Marrow Pill' according to your method, but the success rate was pitifully low. Last night I tried more than three hundred times and only succeeded less than 30%!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

"I've been trying to improve the elixir formula all night; my eyes are almost blind!"

Gu Sheng frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Let me see the prescription; perhaps I can help you improve it."

Tantai Xueli's eyes lit up, and she immediately took out a roll of yellowed parchment from her storage bag and handed it to him.

"Here! This is the original formula. I made seventeen changes, but the results were not ideal."

Gu Sheng took the prescription and examined it carefully, his fingertips lightly tracing the paper, sometimes pausing, sometimes moving quickly.

Tantai Xueli stood to the side, nervously watching his every change in expression.

"Paper and pen."

A moment later, Gu Sheng suddenly spoke.

Without saying a word, Tantai Xueli quickly took out the finest spirit ink and jade brush from her storage bag and handed them to him.

Gu Sheng took the pen and quickly sketched on the prescription, sometimes adding a few medicinal herbs and sometimes adjusting the refining order.

"I see."

Tantai Xueli leaned closer to look, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"How come I didn't think of adjusting the heat like that!"

Gu Sheng finished writing the last stroke and handed the improved prescription back to her.

"Try this; the success rate should increase to over 70%."

Tantai Xueli was overjoyed, holding the prescription and examining it repeatedly. The weariness on her face vanished, replaced by an excited blush.

"That's amazing! I'll go to the alchemy workshop to try it out right away!"

She turned to run out of the alchemy room, but suddenly turned back and quickly kissed Gu Sheng on the cheek.

"Thank you!"

After saying that, she rushed out like a gust of wind, leaving Gu Sheng standing there, touching the spot where he had been kissed, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Watching Tantai Xueli's departing figure, Gu Sheng shook his head, straightened his robes, and decided not to waste any more time.

He left the Linglang Pavilion and went straight to the teleportation array in Tiancheng.

The teleportation array in Tiancheng is located inside a tall tower in the city center, and is heavily guarded all around.

After Gu Sheng paid ten mid-grade spirit stones, he was about to step into the teleportation array when a disciple dressed in the robes of the Great Wilderness Holy Academy suddenly stopped him.

"stop!"

The disciple had a cold expression, and held his long sword horizontally in front of Gu Sheng's chest.

"Without the guidance of a disciple of the Holy Academy or a token, outsiders are not allowed to enter the Heavenly City."

Gu Sheng frowned slightly.

"Someone will come to pick me up."

"Who guided me? What is their name?"

The disciples of the Holy Academy remained vigilant in the slightest.

"Shen Qingtan".

Gu Sheng answered calmly.

Upon hearing this name, the disciple's expression changed slightly, and he sized up Gu Sheng.

What is your relationship with Senior Sister Shen?

"friend."

Gu Sheng gave a brief reply, while noticing that there were several times more guards around the teleportation array than usual.

"Why is the patrol so tight today?"

The disciple hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said.

“Something has happened to the Wanliu Sect, so Tiancheng naturally needs to strengthen its defenses.”

He paused.

"Wait here. If Senior Sister Shen really comes to pick you up, I will let you go."

Gu Sheng's heart stirred.

Something's happened to the Wanliu Sect? It seems Tantai Bingtang has already contacted the higher-ups at the Holy Academy, no wonder the security has suddenly escalated.

He secretly rejoiced that he had acted in time; otherwise, once the Holy Academy had completely sealed off the city, it would have been difficult to enter the Heavenly City.

About a quarter of an hour later, a figure in cyan emerged from the teleportation array.

Shen Qingtan, dressed in a green robe with a sword at her waist, looked heroic and dashing.

She spotted Gu Sheng, who was being stopped, at a glance and quickly walked over.

"Gu Sheng!"

She called out, then turned to the disciple of the Holy Academy.

"This is my friend. Please let him through, junior brother."

Upon seeing Shen Qingtan, the disciple's expression immediately became respectful.

"Senior Sister Shen, is this really your friend?"

"What, you don't believe me anymore?"

Shen Qingtan raised an eyebrow, her tone light but carrying an undeniable authority.

"roll!"

Shen Qingtan's voice was as cold as ice, and her eyes held a dangerous glint.

The two inner court disciples, however, showed no fear whatsoever; instead, they revealed mocking smiles. (End of Chapter)