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

Upon hearing this, Zhao Boyang gave a bitter yet knowing smile.

He had indeed initially intended to take this opportunity to forge a good relationship with this mysterious expert, and even invite him to travel with him. However, after witnessing Gu Sheng's ruthless methods and hearing these utterly heartless words, that thought vanished instantly.

He knew very well that such a person was not someone he could easily curry favor with or control.

He wisely avoided bringing up the topic of teaming up or repaying the debt, and his expression turned extremely solemn as he changed the subject.

"Brother Gu, from today onwards, you must be extremely careful."

Although Ye Changling deserved to die, his background was indeed extremely troublesome.

Gu Sheng looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Zhao Boyang continued.

"Ye Changling is ranked twenty-seventh on the 'True Inheritance Ranking.' To my shame, I, Zhao, am also ranked thirty-first on the True Inheritance Ranking. In terms of actual combat strength, I am confident that I am better than him, but his ranking has always been one step ahead of mine."

"Oh?"

Gu Sheng seemed to have taken a little interest.

He was new to the place and knew nothing about the so-called "True Teachings List".

Seeing Gu Sheng's confusion, Zhao Boyang explained.

"The True Inheritance Ranking is not simply based on combat strength. Talent, potential, background, and the influence of the forces they represent are all important factors to consider."

The main reason Ye Changling ranks so high is that he has the backing of not only the Ye family, but also the 'Holy Academy'!

When the words "Holy Academy" were mentioned, Zhao Boyang's tone involuntarily carried a deep sense of apprehension.

"The Holy Academy?"

Gu Sheng repeated the name.

"Exactly."

Zhao Boyang nodded solemnly.

"That is a behemoth that stands above many dynasties and aristocratic families, with unfathomable depths and omnipresent influence. Ye Changling's father is a powerful elder in the Holy Academy, wielding immense influence."

This was precisely Ye Changling's greatest reliance in his usual rampant and unbridled behavior, which made him untouchable by anyone. Now that he was dead here, the Holy Academy might not react immediately, but the Ye family and that elder would definitely not let it go.

They will definitely use all their resources to find out the truth.

After listening, Gu Sheng's expression remained unchanged; he simply gave a faint "hmm," as if he had only heard something insignificant.

Seeing his nonchalant demeanor, Zhao Boyang felt even more alarmed.

He didn't know if Gu Sheng had something to rely on or if he was truly fearless, but either way, it meant that the level of this young man in front of him was far beyond his comprehension.

"Brother Gu, you should still be more cautious."

Zhao Boyang could only offer one last reminder.

"The waters of the Holy Academy run very deep. The Ye family is also far from being an ordinary family."

"I see."

Gu Sheng nodded, acknowledging his kindness.

He looked up at the sky and said.

"This place is not safe to stay any longer; you should leave as soon as possible."

After saying that, he didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

"Take care, Brother Gu!"

Zhao Boyang quickly bowed to his departing figure to say goodbye, and his men also bowed in return, looking at the receding figure with complicated expressions.

Just then, Gu Sheng seemed to remember something, paused slightly, and threw out a sentence without turning his head.

"If anyone asks about what happened today, do you know what to say?"

Zhao Boyang's heart tightened, and he immediately responded solemnly.

"Brother Gu, rest assured! We have not seen Ye Changling and his group today, nor do we know what happened here! We were only attacked by a powerful demonic beast and fought hard to escape. We know nothing else!"

Although this explanation is crude, it is enough to temporarily absolve oneself of any connection. The details cannot withstand scrutiny, but it can confuse the public in the short term.

Gu Sheng did not respond again. With a swift movement, he transformed into a blurry streak of light and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest at an astonishing speed.

It wasn't until Gu Sheng's figure had completely disappeared that Zhao Boyang and the others finally relaxed. Many of them collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, as if they had just escaped from the gates of hell and witnessed the King of Hell's wrath.

"Boss...can we...can we really keep this a secret?"

The man in blue asked in a trembling voice, his face completely pale.

Zhao Boyang gazed in the direction where Gu Sheng had disappeared, his eyes deep, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

"If we can't hide it, it will be a catastrophe. So, we must keep it a secret! From this moment on, keep your mouths shut! If you leak even a single word of what you've seen or heard today, don't blame me, Zhao Boyang, for being ruthless!"

His voice was cold and stern, filled with murderous intent.

A chill ran through everyone, and they fell silent, nodding repeatedly.

The mountains and forests were silent, save for the heavy stench of blood and the scars left by the battle, which silently recorded the brief but incredibly bloody massacre that had just taken place.

The protagonist who stirred up this storm has already gone far away, leaving behind only endless shock and potential hidden dangers, waiting for time to ferment.

Gu Sheng used the Ghost Shadow Escape Technique, his figure transforming into an elusive phantom as he swiftly traversed the forest. In just two hours, the outline of a vast and ancient ruin came into view.

That is the ancient city of Wuya, with its broken walls and ruins stretching for countless miles. Even from a distance, one can feel the desolation and the atmosphere of time that rushes towards you.

He landed in a mountain hollow several miles from the perimeter of the ruins.

This place is clearly a naturally formed gathering place for martial artists, with many simple stone houses, wooden sheds and even tents. People come and go, and the atmosphere is mixed. Most of them are covered with dust and bloodlust, obviously martial artists who have been fighting for their lives in the ruins for many years.

The air was filled with a faint smell of blood, herbs, and various strange materials, forming a small open-air trading area where many martial artists set up stalls to exchange items they had obtained from the ruins.

Gu Sheng's arrival did not attract much attention. Every day, new martial artists came here to try their luck, while old martial artists remained forever in those ruins.

His gaze swept across the camp, and he was about to find a quiet place to inquire further about the news in the ancient city when a figure approached him.

The newcomer was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. His cultivation level was around the second level of the Earth Martial Realm. He was wearing a faded gray outfit and had a shrewd and ingratiating smile on his face, but his eyes were quite sharp.

"Brother, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time visiting Wuyai Ancient City?"

The young man smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, his tone warm but not overly obsequious.

"My name is Gu Yuan. My home is nearby, and my ancestors have made a living in this area for generations. I wouldn't say I know everything about the ancient city of Wuyan, but I do know which places are relatively safe, which areas have recently seen unusual activity, and which ruins and tunnels might have new discoveries. Seeing that you look travel-worn, do you need a guide? Or do you want to know something? I might be able to help you, and the price will be absolutely fair."

He spoke slowly and clearly, indicating that this was not his first time engaging in this kind of business of striking up conversations and selling information.

Gu Sheng stopped and looked at the young man who called himself Gu Yuan. This man's cultivation level was not high, but his eyes were sharp and his hands and feet were quick. People who have been around this place for many years are indeed more well-informed than ordinary people.

"Are you very familiar with this place?"

Gu Sheng spoke, his voice calm.

When Gu Sheng spoke up, Gu Yuan's eyes lit up, and his smile became even more sincere.

"I know it well! I wouldn't dare to boast, but I know a little about everything within three hundred miles of the outer perimeter of the Boundless Ancient City. I know what's in every nook and cranny, what forces are active in which areas, what good things have recently appeared, or how many people have been killed in which places."

"Brother, are you looking for a person, a lost item, or perhaps a relatively safe route to venture deeper into the ancient city?"

"Looking for someone."

Gu Sheng's words were concise and to the point.

"Looking for someone?"

Gu Yuan showed just the right amount of surprise on his face, then lowered his voice.

"Brother, the Wuyan Ancient City Ruins are extremely vast and fraught with danger. Moreover, the forces within are deeply intertwined, and there are even some secret strongholds established by outlaws who have been exploring the depths for many years."

Who are you looking for? In what area are they operating? Have you heard from them recently? The more detailed your information, the more targeted my assistance can be.

As he spoke, he carefully observed Gu Sheng's expression.

In his line of work, keen observation is the most important thing; you need to know what to ask and what not to ask.

Gu Sheng remained silent for a moment.

The person he was looking for was of great importance, so he naturally wouldn't easily reveal detailed information, but without giving any clues, the other party couldn't provide any help.

"The person I'm looking for might be trapped deep within the ancient city, in some special restricted area or dangerous place."

Gu Sheng selectively revealed some information.

"We need to know if there have been any unusual fluctuations inside the ancient city recently, especially in the deeper areas, or if there have been any newly discovered places that might trap people."

"Deep within? Special restrictions or dangerous areas?"

Gu Yuan's relaxed expression faded considerably, replaced by a solemn one.

"Brother, this is no joke. The deeper you go into the Boundless Ancient City, the more dangerous it becomes. Many of the ancient restrictions are still in operation, lurking with killing intent, and there are also various strange energy currents and powerful guardians of the ruins."

Recently... if we're talking about unusual fluctuations, about half a month ago, there was indeed a violent energy eruption at 'Black Wind Gorge'. The strange phenomenon of radiant light shooting into the sky lasted for half a day, attracting many people to go there, but even more people ended up getting lost.

I heard that even experts at the late stage of the Grandmaster Realm couldn't get out. And over at the 'Soul-Severing Corridor,' it's said the space has been unstable lately, with strange illusions and suction forces frequently appearing, and people have mysteriously disappeared.

He paused and continued.

"In addition, the 'molten core' area seems to be quite turbulent lately, with abnormally active subterranean fire and frighteningly high temperatures. There are reports of huge dark shadows moving around inside. These are all noteworthy anomalies recently, and they are all very dangerous."

As for newly discovered places that might trap people... such news is usually tightly controlled by powerful forces, and even if it does circulate, it's hard to tell if it's true or false. However, I did overhear a few days ago a wounded soldier who escaped from there muttering about it while drunk.

The story goes that in a rocky forest on the west side of the 'Meteor Crater,' they seemed to have stumbled into a maze, unable to find their way out. They finally escaped by chance, having triggered something, but lost an arm in the process.

Gu Yuan recounted the information he knew in a clear and organized manner, noting the source and reliability of the information, which made him appear quite professional.

Gu Sheng listened carefully and wrote down the place names and features one by one.

Black Wind Ravine, Soul-Severing Corridor, Molten Core, Rocky Forest on the West Side of Meteor Crater... these places could all be clues.

Do you have maps marking the specific locations of these areas and the known safe routes?

Gu Sheng asked.

"Yes! Of course!"

Gu Yuan quickly pulled out a slightly worn paper map from his pocket, unfolded it, and found many areas marked with different colored ink, along with numerous fine annotations.

"Brother, look, this is a map of relatively safe areas and a map of dangerous areas that we have drawn based on the experience of explorers over the years. Although we cannot guarantee that it is 100% accurate, it is definitely much more detailed than the common maps circulating outside."

The Black Wind Ravine, the Soul-Severing Corridor, the Molten Core, and the Meteor Crater are all marked.

He pointed to several points on the map and explained in detail the usual routes to these places and the dangers to be aware of.

"What's the price of this map, along with all the information we just received?"

Gu Sheng asked directly.

Gu Yuan rubbed his hands together and smiled.

"Brother, you're very generous. This map was not easy to make, and the information was gathered from various sources by me. Here's what we'll do: you give me ten low-grade spirit jades, and the map and the information I just mentioned are yours."

Also, if you have any further questions about the outskirts of the ancient city within the next three days, feel free to come and find me. I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

Ten low-grade spirit jades are a reasonable price for a detailed map and a lot of information.

Without hesitation, Gu Sheng took out ten low-grade spirit jades and handed them to Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan took the jade pendant, his face beaming with joy. He carefully folded the map and handed it to Gu Sheng.

"Thank you, brother! I wish you a safe journey to the ancient city and a fruitful return! If you need a guide to explore further, or if you need more precise information later, feel free to come to me. I spend most of my time around this camp."

Gu Sheng put away the map, nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the ruins of the Boundless Ancient City.

Watching Gu Sheng walk unhesitatingly into the depths of the ancient city, Gu Yuan's smile slowly faded, replaced by a sigh.

"Another one going to risk his life... I hope you come out alive."

He shook his head, put the spirit jade away, and continued to look for the next potential customer.

Gu Sheng, armed with newly acquired intelligence, stepped into the vast ruins that had buried countless years and lives, searching for hope of saving lives.

The ancient city ruins in the distance lie silently on the earth, waiting for new explorers, while also concealing unknown dangers and opportunities.

Gu Sheng's gaze lingered briefly on Gu Yuan. This person's aura was slightly unstable, and his foundation was not very solid. It was indeed a sign that he had barely managed to reach the second level of the Earth Martial Realm by relying on pill resources.

Moreover, a wariness and glint in his eyes, which did not match his outward enthusiasm, clearly indicated that he was hiding some secrets.

However, Gu Sheng had no interest in exploring this matter; everyone has their own circumstances and difficulties.

"Take me to the Thousand Souls Palace."

Gu Sheng got straight to the point, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. (End of Chapter)