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

"What is the meaning of this, gentlemen? Why are you blocking our way in broad daylight?"

His gaze swept over the logo on the other person's clothes, and he understood what was going on, but he deliberately asked a question.

"Judging from your attire, you must be high-ranking disciples of the Purple Cloud Divine Sect. May I ask where my master and I have offended your sect?"

The squad leader snorted coldly, his voice like the clang of metal.

"Enough with the nonsense! Things are not peaceful in the southern border region these days. All unfamiliar faces must be thoroughly checked! State your names and origins! If there is even the slightest falsehood, don't blame us for being ruthless with our spears!"

Situ Qingfeng snapped his folding fan shut, tapping his palm lightly with the fan ribs, a perfectly measured air of arrogance on his face.

"I am Situ Qingfeng, son of Situ Ting, one of the top ten masters in the Southern Frontier, known as the 'Wind-Splitting Palm'! The gentleman beside me is my personal servant, Situ Gu."

"What? Do I need your Zixia Divine Cult's permission to go back to my hometown in the Southern Frontier to visit relatives? When did your Zixia Divine Cult become so domineering that you dare to intercept and interrogate even members of my Situ family at will?"

The faces of the armored warriors changed instantly upon hearing the name "Situ Ting".

Situ Ting was a renowned rogue cultivator in the Southern Frontier, ranking among the top ten strongest figures there. His strength and influence were far beyond what ordinary disciples of the Divine Cult could afford to provoke. The leading squad leader, in particular, instantly lost his fierce expression, hastily forcing a smile and clasping his hands in a gesture of respect.

"So it's Young Master Situ! Our apologies! We were blind and didn't recognize you. We have offended you, Young Master. Please be magnanimous and don't hold it against us."

He quickly explained, his tone becoming much more respectful.

"It's just that things haven't been peaceful in the Southern Frontier lately. Some major events have occurred, and the Divine Sect has ordered martial law, strictly checking all unfamiliar faces. It's not that we're intentionally making things difficult for Young Master Situ. Please, please come in!"

As he spoke, he quickly waved for his teammates behind him to make way, his attitude humble.

Situ Qingfeng then snorted with satisfaction, shook his folding fan, and with the air of a young master from a prominent family, led Gu Sheng, who remained meek and submissive like a true servant, into Xiaguang City.

After successfully entering the city and passing through several bustling streets, Situ Qingfeng's arrogant expression finally disappeared. He leaned closer to Gu Sheng, lowered his voice, and asked with a puzzled look.

“Brother Gu, aren’t we in a hurry to find the remains of the Golden-Winged Roc? Why are we taking a detour to this City of Glow? It’s quite a distance from here to the secret realm, and it doesn’t even seem to be a necessary route.”

Gu Sheng calmly surveyed the buildings and pedestrians on both sides of the street and replied telepathically.

"Senior Xia made a huge move in that nameless town, slaughtering tens of thousands of elites from the Seventy-Two Divine Sects. This matter has definitely alarmed the higher-ups of the Divine Sects."

They're not fools. A little investigation would allow them to guess that our southward journey is likely related to the rumored remains of the Golden-Winged Roc, which are about to be unearthed. If we stick to our original plan and head straight for the area where the secret realm is located, we'll probably be surrounded and lying in wait before we even reach it.

He paused and continued to explain.

"Therefore, we need a reasonable and unquestionable identity and reason to appear in Southern Xinjiang, and in a place that seems unrelated to the secret realm."

Within this city of rosy clouds, there lives an old friend of mine who might be able to provide us with such cover.

"Old friend?"

Situ Qingfeng seemed to be deep in thought.

"To be able to establish a foothold in this core city controlled by the Purple Cloud Divine Sect, one must not be an ordinary person, right?"

Gu Sheng nodded, his tone indifferent.

"Yes, they are from the Prince of Zhennan's mansion."

"The Prince of Zhennan's Mansion?!"

Situ Qingfeng was taken aback upon hearing this, and his brows furrowed.

"Brother Gu, you may not know this. The Prince of Zhennan... passed away unexpectedly several months ago! Now, the Prince of Zhennan's mansion is in ruins, its power is far less than before, and it is constantly being suppressed and eroded by other mansions and the Divine Sect forces in the Southern Frontier. It has long lost its former glory."

Even if you know people from the Prince's mansion, they're probably struggling to survive themselves now, and may not have the ability or the willingness to help.

Gu Sheng continued walking forward calmly without stopping, but the words he uttered struck Situ Qingfeng like a thunderbolt, instantly freezing him in place.

"I know."

Gu Sheng's voice remained completely calm.

"I killed the Prince of Zhennan."

"Wh...what?! You killed him?!"

Situ Qingfeng suddenly turned his head, staring wide-eyed at Gu Sheng, his face filled with disbelief, his voice trembling with extreme shock.

"The Prince of Zhennan... he's a genuine King Realm expert! Although it's said he only recently entered the King Realm, he's still a true King Realm expert! Brother Gu, what... what was your cultivation level back then? How could you possibly..."

He simply couldn't comprehend how Gu Sheng could achieve victory against overwhelming odds and kill a King-level expert! This completely overturned his understanding!

Gu Sheng glanced at him, his eyes deep, but he didn't offer any detailed explanation, only saying calmly.

"He was killed using some special methods. There's no need to mention it again."

Situ Qingfeng looked at Gu Sheng's calm and composed face, but his heart was in turmoil.

He realized that his understanding of his friend was far from sufficient. To defeat a King-level expert across realms… that was simply a monstrous feat!

He barely managed to suppress the shock in his heart, but then another question came to mind, making him even more puzzled.

"But... Brother Gu, since you killed the Prince of Zhennan, you have an irreconcilable feud with the Prince of Zhennan's mansion! If you go to seek help from the old people of the mansion now, how... how could they possibly help you? Isn't that just walking into a trap?"

Gu Sheng's lips curled into a cold smile, a smile that sent a chill down Situ Qingfeng's spine for no apparent reason.

"What I need is the identity cover they 'provide'; whether they 'are willing' to cooperate is not important."

Gu Sheng's tone carried an absolute confidence and an unquestionable tone.

"Sometimes, hatred and fear can make people 'cooperate' more than friendship and interests."

Upon hearing this, Situ Qingfeng couldn't help but shiver. Looking at Gu Sheng's seemingly ordinary profile, a sense of awe rose in his heart.

He was once again relieved that he was Gu Sheng's friend, not his enemy.

……

As they spoke, the two crossed several main roads and arrived at a large and very grand martial arts market.

This market town covers a vast area, with numerous buildings and pavilions, and a constant stream of people coming and going, most of whom exude a powerful aura, making it unique in Xiaguang City. The two walked straight into the market town, ignoring the stalls selling various pills, weapons, and materials around them, and came directly to a shop called "Zixia Residence," which looked quite elegant and quiet.

As soon as they reached the door, a quick-witted waiter came up to them with a professional smile. His gaze swept over the distinguished Situ Qingfeng and the seemingly servant Gu Sheng before finally settling on Situ Qingfeng.

"Esteemed guests, please come in! What can I do for you? Our shop has everything from pills and weapons to materials, all at fair prices..."

Situ Qingfeng did not answer, but instead turned his gaze to Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng stepped forward, interrupting the waiter directly. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable aura.

Prepare a fine, quiet room for us.

Then, I went to invite Yuexia to see me, saying that an old friend had come to visit.

The waiter was momentarily stunned by the aura suddenly emanating from Gu Sheng and subconsciously took a half step back.

He carefully examined Gu Sheng. Although he was dressed plainly, his eyes and demeanor were far from those of an ordinary servant.

he asked cautiously.

"Sir... is the Yuexia you mentioned the Elder Yuexia of the Zhennan Prince's Mansion in our Xiaguang City?"

"Exactly."

Gu Sheng confirmed.

The waiter looked troubled.

"Well... Elder Yuexia is of noble status and usually very busy. I'm afraid it's not something I can easily do. If you wish to see Elder Yuexia, you may need to inform the manager first, who will then report to her and wait for the elder to arrange a time... May I ask if you could tell me your name and background, or... do you have any tokens of proof?"

Gu Sheng seemed to have been prepared. He reached into his robes and took out a jade plaque about half the size of his palm. It was pure white, carved with delicate cloud patterns, and had an ancient "South" character engraved in the center. He then handed it over.

"Give this to her and tell her that Mu Xue's people have arrived."

Gu Sheng said.

The shopkeeper took the jade pendant; its smooth texture was immediately apparent, clearly indicating it was no ordinary item. His expression changed drastically when his gaze fell upon the character "南" (Nan, meaning south) and he heard the words "沐雪" (Mu Xue, meaning bathed in snow), his eyes instantly filled with awe and tension!
He held the jade tablet with both hands, his attitude becoming extremely respectful, even showing a hint of fear.

"Oh...so it's a distinguished guest! I was blind and have been negligent; please forgive my inattention! Please, please follow me to the private room upstairs. I will immediately inform Elder Yuexia and make sure the message reaches her as soon as possible!"

After saying that, he quickly called over another waiter, whispered a few words of advice, and had him respectfully lead Gu Sheng and Situ Qingfeng upstairs to the most luxurious and quiet private room, while he himself tightly gripped the jade pendant and ran out of the shop, obviously to make an urgent report.

……

Meanwhile, inside the Lord's Mansion of Xiaguang City.

In an elegantly furnished study, a woman in her early thirties, dressed in a light purple palace gown, possessing a graceful and noble air, and with a beautiful face, sat opposite a middle-aged man in the robes of a city lord, discussing matters. This woman was none other than Nangong Yuexia, one of the key figures of the Zhennan Prince's Mansion remaining in Xiaguang City.

Just then, a personal maid hurried in, went around the screen, came to Nangong Yuexia's side, leaned down and whispered a few words in her ear, while quietly handing her the jade pendant engraved with the character "Nan".

As Nangong Yuexia listened to the maid's telepathic message, her gaze fell on the jade pendant in her hand. Her fingertips gently caressed the familiar patterns and the character "Nan." Her eyes instantly sharpened, revealing a hint of surprise, doubt, and deep solemnity.

She pondered for a moment, nodded slightly to the maid, and whispered.

"I understand. Tell them I'll be right there."

The maid obeyed and quietly withdrew.

Nangong Yuexia took a deep breath to calm her somewhat turbulent emotions, then stood up and bowed slightly to the new city lord opposite her, her face showing just the right amount of apology.

"Lord City Lord, there are some urgent matters at the manor that need to be dealt with. Please excuse Yuexia, I must take my leave now."

The new city lord seemed quite polite to Nangong Yuexia, and upon hearing this, he merely nodded slightly without trying to persuade her to stay.

"Elder Yuexia, since you have important matters to attend to, please go ahead and take care of them. We can discuss the matter we need to discuss another day."

"Thank you for your understanding, Lord City Lord."

Nangong Yuexia bowed again, then turned and left the city lord's study with slightly hurried steps.

……

Inside the Zixia Residence, in the private room numbered Tian.

Gu Sheng and Situ Qingfeng were sitting on a soft leather sofa, sipping the fragrant tea served by the waiter. They seemed to be chatting casually, but in reality, they were both highly focused and paying attention to the movements around them.

Not long after, the door to the private room was gently pushed open.

Nangong Yuexia appeared at the door.

Her gaze first fell on Situ Qingfeng, who possessed an outstanding demeanor and held a folding fan, a hint of surprise and scrutiny flashing in her eyes. As the son of Situ Ting, Situ Qingfeng was quite well-known among the younger generation in Southern Xinjiang, so she naturally recognized him.

Her gaze shifted to the jade tablet on the coffee table, then to the young man sitting next to Situ Qingfeng, who appeared to be a servant but was calm and composed, drinking tea on his own. Doubts arose in her heart.

How could the Saintess of Snow's people be involved with the Situ family? And why does the person holding the token seem to be this inconspicuous "servant"?
"Young Master Situ?"

Nangong Yuexia spoke tentatively, her tone tinged with doubt.

"I wonder what brings Young Master Situ here, and why you specifically requested to see Yuexia? And... this token..."

Situ Qingfeng stood up, gently waving his folding fan, and took over the conversation with the slightly aloof smile typical of a young master from a prominent family.

"Elder Yuexia, I have long admired you. To be honest, I have come here today with a request. My servant and I need your help to enter a secret realm to find something. We have heard that you have considerable influence in Xiaguang City and even within the Zixia Divine Sect, so we have come to ask for your assistance."

He cleverly blurred the true relationship between "master" and "servant," positioning Gu Sheng as his follower.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Yuexia's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she did not reply immediately.

Her gaze swept back and forth between Situ Qingfeng and the ever-silent "servant." She had heard of Situ Qingfeng, but although his father, Situ Ting, was a rogue cultivator, he had little interaction with the Zhennan Prince's Mansion or even the Saintess Muxue.

And this token is indeed a token that only core members around Saintess Muxue can possess... This combination is truly too bizarre.

As Nangong Yuexia fell silent, the atmosphere in the quiet room gradually became somewhat subtle and oppressive.

Suddenly, without warning, Nangong Yuexia's inner energy began to circulate, and an invisible yet terrifyingly heavy pressure instantly spread out from her, enveloping the entire quiet room! The teacup on the table trembled slightly, making a soft, rustling sound. (End of Chapter)