I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 738 Hatred

"Okay!" Gu Yuanqing replied calmly.

He wasn't really concerned about the itinerary; his purpose in coming out was simply to see the world.

Gu Yuanqing was naturally familiar with the so-called safe place, which was the protective place established by the cultivation world in ancient times: the Xuanqiong Stone Palace, where the magic array could block the invasion of spiritual evil energy.

These stone halls are scattered throughout the Falling Star Plain. Cultivators who seek opportunities on the Falling Star Plain will stay in the halls at night.

It's not that there aren't other ways to defuse the nighttime attack of evil energy. At the Celestial level, it's not too difficult to spend a night on this plain using one's own domain, but it still consumes a lot of true essence. Relying on a magic array to resist alone is too costly and not worthwhile.

In addition, at night, the evil spirits hidden deep underground will also emerge from the ground as the earth's energy rises. These evil spirits, formed from resentful and malevolent energy, are very difficult to deal with, and killing them does not bring much benefit. Except for some special needs, no one is willing to confront them.

Song Tianrui drove the carriage, making a slight turn, and headed towards the Xuanqiong Stone Palace.

The sky grew increasingly dark as the sun sank below the horizon. The yang energy between heaven and earth receded, and malevolent energy gradually seeped out from the ground, writhing and rising like living creatures, emitting faint whimpering sounds. This malevolent energy could freeze spiritual power and erode the soul.

The distance of three hundred li was only about a quarter of an hour, and the Xuanqiong Stone Palace was already in sight.

The massive palace was forged from Netherworld Mystic Stone, which could block evil energy. Its surface was covered with hidden runes. Although there were many damaged and repaired parts, it still exuded an indestructible and profound Daoist charm.

At the entrance, the array of light curtains flowed continuously, and the ever-burning lamp that warded off evil spirits cast a hazy glow, forcefully dispelling the increasingly dense evil energy around them.

The carriage stopped in front of the gate.

Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping both waited respectfully in front of the car door.

Gu Yuanqing stepped down from the carriage.

Song Tianrui immediately stepped forward and said, "Senior Gu, this is the Xuanqiong Stone Palace, which was left over from ancient times. Although it has been repaired and patched up and is not as good as it used to be, it can still block evil energy and evil spirits."

Gu Chengping respectfully added, "There is a large hall like this every tens of thousands of miles on the Falling Star Plain. Most cultivators who seek opportunities here will stay here at night, so there should be quite a few people in the hall. The 'Mysterious Turtle Spirit Gathering Array' inside the hall needs to be continuously injected with pure spiritual power to maintain it. You can only get a place by paying high-grade spirit stones or equivalent spiritual items."

Gu Yuanqing looked up and glanced at it, then chuckled and said, "Let's go!"

Gu Yuanqing stepped forward, while Song Tianrui raised his hand to put away the carriage, and he and Gu Chengping quickly followed.

Stepping into the hall, the air seemed to become clearer, and one felt a little lighter.

This is because outside, there is a lot of malevolent energy surrounding the area, which requires true essence to form a protective shield, creating constant pressure. However, inside, the malevolent energy is blocked outside the light barrier.

The scene inside the hall also came into view.

The main hall was incredibly spacious, nearly a hundred feet long and wide. Twenty or thirty cultivators were scattered throughout, yet it didn't feel crowded. The lowest cultivation level among them was at the seventh level of the Divine Platform Realm. Several cultivators exuded a slightly profound aura, each occupying a corner alone, and no one dared to disturb them. They were clearly cultivators of the Void Heaven Realm.

Gu Yuanqing's gaze swept across the room, finally lingering briefly on the burly man who was alone in a corner, leaning against the wall of the main hall and meditating with his eyes closed. This man was tall and strong, with a hideous scar on his face. The reason he took a second look was simply because this was the only Celestial cultivator in the hall.

Even without a close look, one could roughly sense that this person was probably around the second calamity of the Heavenly Change.

In the center of the main hall is the core of the Xuan Turtle Spirit Gathering Array, where a ten-foot-tall stone carving of a Xuan Turtle lies prostrate on the ground.

Runes are engraved on the tortoise shell, and grooves are formed where the runes intersect, with dozens of high-grade spirit stones embedded in them.

Song Tianrui dared not delay and quickly stepped forward, taking out three high-grade spirit stones with extremely abundant spiritual energy. He embedded them into the three slightly shimmering array eye gaps, and the array trembled slightly. It was clear that the spirit stones had replenished the array, and the power of the array had increased slightly.

Although there were many people in the main hall, it was very quiet. Even when someone spoke, they did so in a low voice or by transmitting their voice in secret.

Gu Chengping had already spotted a relatively secluded corner where a lone traveler at the ninth level of the Divine Platform Realm was originally standing. However, under the pressure of Gu Chengping's cold gaze and the faint aura of the Void Heaven Realm emanating from him, the man's expression changed, and he finally snorted coldly and moved away.

Gu Chengping took out a futon with a core of calming warm jade and a surface of ice silkworm silk, put it down, and then turned around and bowed to Gu Yuanqing, saying, "Senior, please rest here."

Upon hearing Gu Chengping's words, the cultivators in the main hall all turned their attention to him to varying degrees.

Since Gu Chengping just revealed a trace of Void Heaven aura, yet addressed a young man as a senior, this young man's cultivation level must be higher, either at the Great Perfection or Peak of Void Heaven, or even at the Celestial Being level.

Moreover, Gu Yuanqing's aura was restrained, and none of the cultivators present could discern his true nature, making him even more unfathomable.

Gu Yuanqing remained calm and composed as he took his seat, his gaze sweeping across the hall.

When their eyes met, the others either nodded in goodwill or quickly looked away.

His nonchalant attitude, treating all the powerful figures in the hall as nothing, caused many cultivators who wanted to investigate Gu Yuanqing's background to quietly retreat, filled with even more surprise and suspicion.

Song Tianrui also came to Gu Yuanqing's side, and the two of them stood guard on either side of Gu Yuanqing. The aura of the Void Heaven emanated from them, as if warning all directions.

Gu Yuanqing glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, "You two should rest too. You don't need to stay here with me. You must be tired after a long day."

"Yes!"

The two bowed and accepted the order, not daring to get too close to Gu Yuanqing, but also not too far away, blocking any path that came from other places.

Time passed slowly, and the hall seemed even quieter because of Gu Yuanqing's arrival, with only the long breaths of the cultivators remaining.

Most of them closed their eyes and regulated their breathing, but some cultivators turned their gazes to the outside of the Xuanqiong Palace, seemingly searching for the evil spirits hidden in the evil energy.

In the darkness, the malevolent aura intensified, and the howling wind whipped up particles of malevolent energy powerful enough to tear metal apart, emitting a piercing shriek that sent shivers down one's spine.

Suddenly, two figures appeared rapidly in the darkness.

Halfway there, a sudden roar erupted, and the light of magical treasures and supernatural powers flashed. After a fierce battle, the two figures quickly left the battlefield and entered the hall.

It can be seen that the protective magic treasures on the two people are faint and have been corroded, and they are standing in the hall panting heavily.

Both were Void Realm cultivators, their auras sharp and fierce. They had clearly recovered from the intense battle and the extremely dangerous evil spirits they had just encountered had nearly cost them their lives.

The people in the main hall glanced at it, but didn't pay much attention, since such things were commonplace in the Xuanqiong Stone Hall.

There is only one Xuanqiong Stone Palace every tens of thousands of miles. It is perfectly normal for it to be delayed by something or to get lost in the fog.

The leader of the two newcomers was a middle-aged cultivator in black robes with a sinister face and sharp eyes like a hawk. Judging from his aura, he was clearly at the Great Perfection of the Void Realm, seemingly only one step away from becoming a Celestial Being.

Beside him was a slightly arrogant young man, who was also at the mid-stage of the Void Realm.

In the cultivation world, this would be considered the work of a master.

After the two regulated their breathing slightly, they strode into the hall. The black-robed cultivator's gaze swept across the hall like lightning. At first, he didn't care, but when it landed on Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping, a cold and cruel smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

When Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping saw the two enter the hall, their expressions changed slightly, but then they thought of Gu Yuanqing behind them and felt somewhat relieved.

The black-robed cultivator took a step and was already five zhang in front of Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping.

"Hmph! So it's Fellow Daoist Song and Fellow Daoist Gu!" The black-robed cultivator's voice, filled with undisguised malice, shattered the tranquility of the hall. "It seems we've met again sometime in the world! It looks like we can settle some old scores from back then?"

Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping both stood up, secretly on guard.

Song Tianrui forced a smile and said, "Brother Sha, it's been a long time. This is the Xuanqiong Stone Palace, where many fellow Daoists are also engaged in quiet cultivation. It's not appropriate to settle personal grudges here, is it? Whatever the matter, why don't we wait until we leave the Falling Star Plains? What do you think?"

Gu Chengping also said in a deep voice, "Brother Sha, there are right and wrong in the past. Besides, the business was based on mutual consent. Today, let's keep to ourselves and not interfere with each other, shall we?"

The black-robed cultivator was named Sha Tongtian. He had patronized their business in the past, so the outcome was self-evident.

Their words of concession were not entirely out of fear of the other party's cultivation level, but more out of fear that a fight would disturb Gu Yuanqing, and they could not bear the consequences.

The man in black robes gave a cold laugh, but he didn't dare to actually make a move inside the hall.

He understood the rules of this stone hall. To make a move here would be to provoke all the cultivators who had taken refuge here, especially those few Void Realm cultivators who also possessed extraordinary auras. The two people in front of him were also quite powerful, and they couldn't be taken down just by raising their hands.

"Heh, so you've learned to find a place to cower like a turtle." Sha Tongtian sneered, his voice full of disdain.

"Very well, I'll let you live a few more hours. We'll see who's truly capable outside the palace tomorrow morning!"

Sha Tongtian uttered a harsh remark and walked to the other side, where several Divine Platform cultivators who had been sitting quickly moved aside.

The arrogant young man walked over and asked in a low voice, "Uncle, who are these two? Do they have a grudge against you?"

Sha Tongtian smiled as if his expression had changed: "It's just some old grudges. We just happened to run into each other here, so we can settle things tomorrow. Nephew, don't worry, these two can't cause any trouble."

The young man smiled and said, "Of course I believe you, Uncle. With your cultivation level, in this cultivation world, only the Celestial Realm cultivators from the major sects need to be wary of you!"

Sha Tongtian laughed heartily: "Compared to your father, I am far inferior. Back then, I roamed the world with him, but now he is..."

Just then, the burly man who had been meditating with his eyes closed in the corner of the main hall suddenly opened his eyes and glanced at Sha Tongtian.

When Sha Tongtian saw this, he felt a chill run down his spine, his laughter stopped abruptly, his face turned pale, and sweat appeared on his forehead.

Upon seeing this, the young man exclaimed in astonishment, "Uncle..."

Sha Tongtian quickly pulled the young man aside and whispered, "Don't say anything more today."

The young man was no fool. Following Sha Tongtian's gaze, he saw the burly man with scars on his face. He matched the man with someone he had in mind and immediately fell silent. The two then sat down cross-legged in the corner, not daring to say another word.

On the other side, Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping breathed a sigh of relief, but cold sweat had seeped out on their backs. They weren't afraid of Sha Tongtian, but rather of what if they had lost control of the situation just now.

They glanced cautiously at Gu Yuanqing, and seeing that he remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard the conflict at all, they felt somewhat relieved.

Silent all night.

The following morning, as the malevolent aura outside the hall gradually dissipated, some impatient cultivators began to leave.

Gu Yuanqing slowly opened his eyes.

Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping immediately stepped forward, respectfully tidied up the prayer mats, and followed behind with their heads bowed and eyes down as they walked out of the stone hall. However, as they left the hall, they couldn't help but glance at Sha Tongtian in the other corner.

Came outside the temple.

Song Tianrui took out the bronze chariot, cast a spell, and activated his magic power, which quickly transformed it into a real chariot.

Gu Yuanqing stepped forward and entered the car.

Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping stood on either side of the carriage shaft, preparing to drive it.

Just then, a mocking voice rang out from behind:
"Song Tianrui, Gu Chengping, you two think you can just leave like this? Heh, I thought you'd found some powerful backer, but it turns out you've gone off to be someone's coachmen and lackeys! Song Tianrui, Gu Chengping, you two are also Void Realm cultivators, but you're really getting more and more out of touch with reality!"

Sha Tongtian's voice was quite loud, attracting the attention of many cultivators who were about to leave. Some of them hadn't left yet because they wanted to see the excitement.

Suppressing his anger, Song Tianrui said with a gloomy face, "Sha Tongtian, I've already said, whatever grudges we have, we can settle them after we leave the Falling Star Plains."

Gu Chengping also cupped his hands and said, "Brother Sha, as the saying goes, it is better to resolve enmity than to create it. Can we put aside our past grievances for now? In the future, the two of us will find a place to host a banquet for you and personally apologize to you."

In fact, Sha Tongtian was still somewhat wary of Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping's respect for Gu Yuanqing this morning. After all, although their cultivation was much weaker than his, they were still Void Heaven cultivators.

But in his opinion, the young man in the car probably wasn't very skilled either, otherwise the two of them wouldn't have been so cowardly when he went there last night.

Seeing the two men backing down now, my worries seemed to lessen considerably.

At the same time, if that person were truly a celestial being, how could he not sense them at all? If they were below the level of a celestial being, he would have no reason to fear them!

Sha Tongtian sneered: "The future? You two are like rats. You leave today and who knows which hole you'll hide in tomorrow. We cultivators believe in settling scores quickly. Since we've met today, let's have a fight and settle our grudges!"

As he finished speaking, the aura of someone at the peak of the Void Heaven Realm rose up, as if he was about to make a move.

The surrounding cultivators retreated to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

They all stared intently, wanting to see what kind of person the young man from yesterday really was.

In this Fallen Star Plain, besides the original perilous lands and evil spirits, the most dangerous thing is people.

Under normal circumstances, it would be fine, but once a treasure appears, all sorts of battles are to be expected.

Song and Gu's expressions changed slightly, and they also activated their magical treasures.

Just then, a gentle voice came from the carriage: "Fellow Daoist, these two are now my guides. You can settle your grudges with them after this matter is over. What do you think?"

　Before I knew it, I had written two million words.

　　Well, happy Qixi Festival to all my fellow cultivators!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)