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

"I told you I'm innocent! Why don't you believe me?!"

The girl retorted passionately, tears finally streaming down her face, but she still stubbornly held her head high.

At this moment, Gu Yuanyuan, who was standing behind Gu Sheng, quietly tugged at her master's sleeve and transmitted her voice.

“Master, I feel... she doesn’t seem to be lying.”

Gu Sheng glanced calmly at the girl and replied telepathically.

"Feelings may not be true. This matter is none of our business, so let's not meddle and just wait and see."

Gu Yuanyuan obediently said "Oh" and stopped talking.

Tantai Bingyu felt a headache coming on as she looked at the girl who was unyielding and would rather die than have her mind searched.

He rubbed his temples, finally sighed, and said...

“Young lady, if you continue like this, it will be very difficult for me. Since you insist on your innocence and refuse to cooperate with the investigation, then I have no choice but to…”

He hadn't finished speaking, but his meaning was clear: if the girl didn't give in, he would call the people from the Enforcement Hall.

Upon hearing this, the girl's face drained of color, and a hint of despair flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a resolute determination. She closed her eyes, tears silently streaming down her face, and murmured something.

"I would rather die... than allow my consciousness to be dishonored..."

Tantai Bingyu frowned slightly as she looked at the emotionally charged girl who was threatening suicide. Then, she pointed her fingers like the wind, and a gentle yet irresistible stream of true energy instantly entered the girl's brow.

The girl's body went limp, and before the stubbornness and tears in her eyes had faded, she lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

"Sigh," Tantai Bingyu sighed softly and gave instructions to Elder Cheng beside her.

"First, settle this girl in a safe place and keep a close watch on her, but don't neglect her. We can interrogate her after she wakes up and Uncle Mingjing returns."

He turned to Gu Sheng, a helpless smile on his face, and explained.

"Brother Gu, you flatter me. It's not that Bingyu is indecisive, but this woman has a strong temper. If we forcibly search her sea of ​​consciousness with the Soul-Seizing Technique, she might really trigger her soul to self-destruct, at which point not only will the clues be cut off."

My Tantai family will inevitably earn a reputation for bullying the weak and driving people to their deaths. Although this delay might mean missing the best opportunity to apprehend the main culprit, there are some bottom lines that cannot be crossed.

His tone was calm, yet it carried a sense of integrity and perseverance that came from an ancient family.

"Our Tantai family has been able to achieve its current success not only because of its strength, but also because of its principles of conduct. Bullying the weak is not something our family does."

Upon hearing this, Gu Sheng's impression of Tantai Bingyu improved even further. Although she was of noble birth and possessed formidable strength, she adhered to her principles and was not someone who would stop at nothing to pursue efficiency.

Tantai Bingyu seemed unwilling to discuss this troubling matter any further. He changed the subject, his face regaining its gentle smile, and invited Gu Sheng to speak.

"This place is too chaotic for a conversation. Brother Gu, why don't we move upstairs and have some tea to discuss this in detail? You seemed quite interested in the Heavenly Origin Treasure Pool we just mentioned?"

Gu Sheng was eager to learn more about the Heavenly Origin Treasure Pool, so he nodded in agreement.

"Very well, thank you for your trouble, Brother Bingyu."

The group ignored the chaos in the main hall and, led by Tantai Bingyu, headed towards the upper level of the Wanbao Hall.

……

Meanwhile, about 30,000 miles away from the Tianyuan Imperial City, on the outskirts of a remote town.

In the night sky, a streak of azure light, which had been moving swiftly, suddenly became flickering and swayed like a candle in the wind. Then, it fell from the sky like a meteorite!

"boom!"

The figure crashed heavily to the ground, cracking the hard earth and sending dust billowing into the air.

Amidst the smoke and dust, a young man dressed in black struggled to stand up, but suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his already frozen chest with an even darker red.

By the dim moonlight, it was clear that his clothes had been torn open at the heart, with a hole the size of a bowl, and the flesh and bones beneath were also pierced through, forming a terrifying penetrating wound that let the light through!

The edges of the wound were covered with a layer of crystalline frost; it was this extreme cold that sealed off the gushing blood and barely saved his life.

"Cough...poof!"

The man coughed up several more mouthfuls of blood mixed with ice crystals, his face as pale as paper, but his eyes held a hint of relief at surviving a disaster.

"That was close...that was close! That Tantai Bingyu from the Tantai family...she truly lives up to her reputation! A finger strike from nearly three thousand miles away not only shattered my protective aura and avatar, but the residual force also managed to injure me to such an extent...I almost didn't make it back..."

He felt the meridians in his body that were almost completely frozen and broken, as well as the extremely cold Daoist aura that lingered and hindered his recovery, and a bitter look appeared on his face.

"This is troublesome... Without months of hard work, it will be difficult to recover."

Moreover, this icy Daoist aura is extremely difficult to dispel..."

He forced himself to stand up, quickly changed out of his blood-stained night clothes, and took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket. After crushing it, a strange fragrance of pollen filled the air, cleverly masking the lingering smell of blood.

After doing all this, he staggered toward an inconspicuous farmhouse not far away and pushed open the door to a side room.

The room was simply furnished, but simple arrays for maintaining life and gathering spiritual energy were inscribed around it. The arrays emitted a faint glow, which intertwined with the cool moonlight streaming in through the window, illuminating the wooden bed in the center of the room.

On the bed lay a girl whose face was so pale it was almost transparent, and whose breath was extremely weak.

Her eyes were tightly closed, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyelids, making her resemble a fragile porcelain doll. The light from the array flickered, seemingly struggling to sustain her life force, which was like a candle flickering in the wind.

The man walked to the bedside, looking at the girl's increasingly worsening complexion, a trace of pain and helplessness flashed in his eyes, and finally turned into a heavy sigh.

……

The top floor of the Wanbao Hall in Tianyuan Imperial City.

The environment here is far more elegant and luxurious than the lower floors, with a wide view. Through the huge stained-glass windows, one can overlook the dazzling lights of most of the imperial city. On a round sandalwood table, there are several exquisite spiritual fruits and pastries, as well as a pot of fragrant spiritual tea.

Gu Sheng sat around the table with Tantai Bingyu, Tantai Xueli, and Tantai Xuefei, while Gu Yuanyuan and Qi Diao Yaoyao sat quietly at a slightly further distance.

Tantai Bingyu personally poured tea for Gu Sheng. Her speech was still elegant, but compared to the formalities of their first meeting, she was much more natural and casual, and more restrained, no longer making him feel distant.

Gu Sheng had a good impression of him, largely because when they were on the first floor, he did not take overly harsh measures against the seemingly innocent girl in his eagerness to investigate clues.

After a few casual words, the topic naturally returned to the "Tianyuan Treasure Pool".

Gu Sheng directly expressed his interest.

"To be honest, Brother Bingyu, I am indeed in dire need of improving my strength. I have heard that the Heavenly Origin Treasure Pool is incredibly effective. I wonder which level of martial artist it is most effective at?" Tantai Bingyu took a sip of tea and smiled.

"Brother Gu speaks frankly. The Heavenly Origin Treasure Pool contains the power of origin and fragments of the Great Dao, and its effects are most significant for martial artists below the peak of the Venerable Realm. It is especially sacred for body cultivators or martial artists who aspire to solidify their foundation and temper their physical bodies."

With Brother Gu's current foundation of thirty acupoints of power, if he can persist long enough in the treasure pool, and with the help of its immense energy and the baptism of the Great Dao, perhaps... he truly has a chance to forge a 'Great Completion Golden Body' in one fell swoop!

"Great Perfection Golden Body!" A glint flashed in Gu Sheng's eyes.

He knew full well that although his golden body was powerful, it was still some distance from the true realm of physical sainthood and indestructibility. If the Heavenly Origin Treasure Pool truly had such miraculous effects, its allure to him would undoubtedly be immense.

"Such an opportunity is indeed tempting."

Gu Sheng nodded, then asked.

"What conditions are required to enter this Heavenly Treasure Pool? Besides the stolen token, are there any other ways?"

Tantai Bingyu put down her teacup, looked at Gu Sheng, and spoke sincerely.

"If Brother Gu really wants to get in, Bingyu might be able to help him negotiate. After all..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Sheng shook his head, interrupting him.

"I appreciate Brother Bingyu's kindness. However, I would prefer to strive for it myself. Besides, I am new here and do not want to cause any trouble for the Tantai family because of this matter."

Upon hearing this, Tantai Xuefei, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but interject.

"Oh, Gu Sheng, don't be so polite! Cousin Bingyu's maternal grandfather is the current Holy Master of the Tianyuan Holy Land! Getting a token for him, although a little troublesome, is not too difficult!"

Tantai Bingyu glanced helplessly at her outspoken cousin and smiled wryly.

“Xuefei… This matter concerns the allocation of resources in the Holy Land. Even with my grandfather’s connections, certain rules must be followed, and it cannot be done at will. However, since Brother Gu has spoken, Bingyu will do her best.”

He paused, looked at Gu Sheng, and his eyes were sincere.

Gu Sheng remained steadfast in his opinion and bowed respectfully.

"I will always remember Brother Bingyu's kindness and loyalty."

However, please allow Mr. Gu to find a solution to this matter himself.

Seeing this, Tantai Xuefei blinked and suddenly spoke to Tantai Bingyu in a tone that was both teasing and inquisitive.

“Cousin, don’t force him! This guy is very stubborn! Besides, he helped me so much, he has a good relationship with Sister Xue Li, and he even saved Sister Bing Tang. Our Tantai family owes him a lot of favors, so it’s normal that he doesn’t want to trouble us anymore.”

Her words, seemingly meant to offer advice, actually revealed the close relationship between Gu Sheng and the Tantai family.

After listening, Tantai Bingyu glanced at Gu Sheng and her two younger sisters, a meaningful look flashing in her eyes. Then she smiled as if she suddenly understood and stopped insisting.

He pondered for a moment, then said to Gu Sheng.

"Since Brother Gu insists on relying on his own strength, then Bingyu will provide a clear path. Tomorrow evening, my Wanbao Hall will hold a monthly auction, at which time an entry token for the Tianyuan Treasure Pool will be auctioned as the grand finale. If Brother Gu is interested, you may give it a try."

Upon hearing this, Gu Sheng's eyes lit up with interest.

"An auction? That's a fair way to compete. Thank you for informing me, Brother Bingyu."

After finishing their business, Tantai Bingyu stood up and said apologetically.

"Brother Gu, Xue Li, Xue Fei, there are still some matters to attend to downstairs, so Bingyu will take her leave first. Please make yourselves at home."

He nodded gently to Gu Yuanyuan and Qi Diaoyao before turning and leaving.

Seeing that it was getting late, Gu Sheng also got up to say goodbye with Gu Yuanyuan and Qi Diao Yaoyao.

When Tantai Bingyu left, she deliberately gestured with her eyes for Tantai Xuefei and Tantai Xueli to stay, as if she had something to say.

Only the Tantai sisters remained in the private room on the top floor.

On the top floor of the Wanbao Hall, in that elegantly furnished quiet room.

With a wave of her hand, Tantai Bingyu unleashed her pure true energy, which acted as an invisible barrier, completely isolating the inner and outer spaces.

His gentle smile faded, and his gaze, now scrutinizing, fell upon the somewhat uneasy Tantai Xuefei.

"Xuefei," Tantai Bingyu's voice remained calm, but carried an undeniable seriousness.

"What exactly is your relationship with that Gu Sheng? Don't try to fob me off with those empty words."

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Tantai Xuefei immediately jumped up, her pretty face slightly red, and said urgently.

"Cousin! What nonsense are you talking about! What relationship could I possibly have with him?! It's just... it's just that he helped me restore my cultivation, and I'm grateful to him! Don't overthink it!"

Looking at her eager denial yet somewhat evasive eyes, Tantai Bingyu gently shook her head, her tone carrying an all-knowing indifference.

“Xuefei, you’ve never been able to hide your feelings since you were little. The way you look at him and the tone of your voice when you talk to him are different from how you talk to others. Your cousin isn’t a pedantic person. If you really have feelings for him, you can just say so.”

"Who...who has feelings for him! Cousin, if you keep talking nonsense, I...I'll tell Father!"

Tantai Xuefei was filled with shame and anger, and stomped her feet in rebuttal, but her flushed cheeks and evasive eyes only made her attempt to cover up the truth more obvious.

Looking at her like this, Tantai Bingyu understood immediately. Her cousin, who was always fearless and quirky, probably really had feelings for Gu Sheng, and those feelings were probably quite deep.

He stopped pressing for answers, but simply sighed and said...

"Alright, you can decide what you want to do. However, I'm afraid this matter won't escape Uncle Mingjing's notice. Go and call Xue Li here; I have something to discuss with her."

Tantai Xuefei felt as if she had been granted a pardon, and quickly responded before running out of the quiet room as if she were fleeing.

……

On the other side, after Gu Sheng led Gu Yuanyuan and Qi Diao Yaoyao away from the top floor, the stewards of Wanbao Hall respectfully stepped forward and arranged a quiet guest courtyard and a meditation room for them.

After settling his two disciples in, Gu Sheng was about to meditate when the Heavenly Fate Star Chart at his waist, which had been dormant, suddenly emitted a subtle yet clear fluctuation without warning!
A thought struck him, and he immediately took out the astrolabe.

On the ancient compass, the needle, which had remained motionless, now emitted a soft, continuous glow, trembling slightly as it pointed in a clear direction—somewhere on the distant horizon.

'The last time the Will of Fate descended to suppress the ancient true demon, it seemed to be related to the anomalies in this star chart…' Gu Sheng's gaze narrowed slightly as he pondered, 'This time, the star chart is once again issuing a warning with a clear indication. Could it be that something related to the Fate lineage, or the River of Destiny, is happening again?'

Without further hesitation, he immediately activated his Dao Body, slowly channeling a wisp of pure Daoist essence, imbued with the mysteries of destiny and the stars, into the Heavenly Fate Star Chart. (End of Chapter)