I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 739 Rain Curtain (Happy Qixi Festival!)

"Guide?" Sha Tongtian looked at Gu Yuanqing and said calmly, "Since you don't have much of a grudge against these two, then I, Sha, would like to offer a word of advice: these two are wicked, and you have probably been deceived by them. I have a grudge against these two, and it would be best if you didn't get involved. That way, it will be better for everyone!"

Although Sha Tongtian felt he wasn't afraid of Gu Yuanqing, he also didn't want to offend him. After all, he didn't know Gu Yuanqing's background, but judging from Song and Gu's respectful attitude towards him, he guessed that Gu's cultivation level was probably not weak. At the same time, since the two had no conflict of interest, he naturally didn't want to make enemies. However, he was also unwilling to let go of Song and Gu, whom he had finally found.

In his view, this was also giving Gu Yuanqing a way out.

Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping both looked at Gu Yuanqing. Song Tianrui gritted his teeth and said, "Senior, this is a personal grudge between the two of us, I dare not..."

Gu Yuanqing's gaze fell upon him, and Song Tianrui's words came to an abrupt halt.

Gu Yuanqing then looked at Sha Tongtian and said calmly, "If it is a matter of life and death, then I will say nothing today. Since it is not, you might as well consider what I have said."

Sha Tongtian's eyes narrowed slightly. The more indifferent Gu Yuanqing was, the more wary he became. However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he was still unwilling to let Song and Gu go so easily. But before he could speak, the young man who walked out of the stone hall sneered and said contemptuously, "Who are you? How dare you interfere in my uncle's grudges? Why don't you state your name first and let me see if you have the qualifications!"

Sha Tongtian frowned slightly. Although the other party's aura was calm, his composure was not feigned. The fact that Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping, those two shrewd and cunning fellows, were willing to serve as his servants spoke volumes.

However, Zhou Lishan's father was also a powerful cultivator at the Heavenly Transformation Realm, and having him speak was a good way to test the waters. Even if any problems arose in the end, the Celestial Being would be there to cover it up, and they could simply say that the other party was young and impetuous.

On the carriage, Gu Yuanqing's gaze finally shifted from Sha Tongtian to the young man.

There was still no anger whatsoever; his indifference was chilling.

But when Zhou Lichuan was swept by that gaze, the expression on his face suddenly froze, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.

A shiver from the depths of his soul choked him up, preventing him from saying anything more.

He felt as if he were standing naked in the snow and ice, or as if his mind was being gripped by an invisible giant hand. His soul and true energy suddenly became sluggish, his face turned pale, and he subconsciously took a half step back. His legs seemed to be trembling, and he dared not say another word. His eyes were filled with surprise and fear.

Standing to the side, Sha Tongtian had no idea what was wrong with Zhou Lichuan, because just now it was just a meeting of eyes, the instinctive mental pressure brought about by the difference in life level, not a supernatural power, and there was nothing unusual about it.

Outsiders couldn't see anything at all; they just felt that Gu Yuanqing must have done something.

But precisely because of this, Sha Tongtian's expression suddenly became serious, and he stepped forward to block Gu Yuanqing's view.

Gu Yuanqing's gaze returned to Sha Tongtian, and he spoke calmly, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable power:

"The younger generation is ignorant, I can't be bothered to argue with them."

He paused, as if stating something utterly ordinary.

"From what I see, the relationship between you and Song and Gu doesn't seem to be an irreconcilable blood feud, but rather some old grievances and conflicts of interest."

Sha Tongtian's face was gloomy. He neither admitted nor denied it, but stared intently at Gu Yuanqing, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

He wasn't truly mortal enemies with Song and Gu; he had simply been tricked by a scheme back then and had held a grudge ever since.

Gu Yuanqing continued, his tone still calm, yet carrying an air that brooked no argument.

"These two are now serving me, wielding whips and stirring rods, and scouting the Falling Star Plain. During this time, I will be responsible for their safety. If you try to interfere, you will be making things difficult for me."

"Once we leave this plain, those two will be none of my business, and I will not interfere."

That's clear. I've used these two people now, so don't touch them. After I'm done, you can settle accounts however you like; it's none of my business.

Sha Tongtian's expression changed as he rapidly pondered.

The other party's background is unknown, but he is by no means weak. What just happened makes him seem even more unfathomable. It would not be wise to confront such a person head-on here and create enmity over an old grudge that was not necessarily irreconcilable.

Moreover, the other party gave him a way out.

However... if we were to back down now, under the watchful eyes of everyone, it would be a loss of face.

Just as Sha Tongtian was hesitating, weighing whether to take action or swallow his anger for now and deal with it later!

Gu Yuanqing seemed to see through his thoughts and said softly, "Hmm?"

To others, this sound was merely a casual question, but to Sha Tongtian, it was like a thunderclap, or perhaps it contained the supreme Daoist sound.

Sha Tongtian shuddered violently!
Gu Yuanqing's eyes seemed to suddenly transform into a pair of indifferent and lofty eyes, like the heavens, opening deep within his consciousness and looking down at him!
An indescribable pressure, far beyond his comprehension, was not a direct oppression of power, but rather the fear brought about by the absolute difference in life level and Dao realm, which instantly seized his primordial spirit!

Heavenly Transformation Realm? No! It might even be higher!

He also knew cultivators at the Heavenly Transformation Realm, including Zhou Lichuan's father, who was also his old friend, who was at the second level of the Heavenly Transformation Realm. However, his aura was far less intimidating than the sound and glance he received!
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back. All his resentment and consideration vanished in the face of this absolute disparity, leaving only the most primal awe and fear.

He finally understood what had just happened to Zhou Lichuan.

I also understand that the other party is not discussing, but informing me!
His previous bland words were merely Da Xiu's indifference when facing ants.

Sha Tongtian took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and solemnly cupped his hands to Gu Yuanqing on the carriage. His tone became extremely respectful, even carrying a slight, imperceptible tremor:

"S-Senior is absolutely right! I apologize for my presumption!"

He completely abandoned all pride, and his tone was crisp and decisive.

"As for the old score between Sha and fellow Daoists Song and Gu, we will discuss it after this matter is settled, as you have suggested! Please forgive me for disturbing your peace today!"

Having said that, he didn't dare to look at Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping again, nor did he dare to hesitate in the slightest. He pulled Zhou Lichuan, who was still under the intimidation of Gu Yuanqing's gaze, and bowed to Gu Yuanqing again. Then, he almost fled as if he were a stray light, disappearing into the distance in an instant, as if he was afraid that being a step too slow would bring unpredictable disaster.

The turn of events was so sudden that all the cultivators who were there to watch the spectacle were stunned.

They only saw the sudden change in Zhou Lichuan and Sha Tongtian's attitude, from calm confrontation to respect and even fear, before they left in a sorry state.

They didn't know exactly what had happened, but the word "senior" and the fact that it could change the attitude of a cultivator who had reached the Great Perfection of the Void Realm could only mean one thing: the seemingly young man on the bronze chariot was indeed extremely powerful!
Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed to Gu Yuanqing, saying, "Thank you, senior."

Gu Yuanqing lowered the curtain and said calmly, "Let's go!"

"As ordered!"

Song and Gu bowed and accepted the order. They quickly climbed onto the carriage shaft. Song Tianrui cracked the whip, and the two dragon steeds let out a long neigh. Clouds rose from beneath the bronze carriage, and they sped away.

The many cultivators in front of the stone hall watched the carriage depart into the distance.

Only then did the Heavenly Transformation cultivator with the scar on his face slowly walk out. He looked at the carriage in the distance with a slight puzzlement.

……

The bronze chariot kept moving.

Gu Yuanqing sat cross-legged among them, occasionally using the Dao of Space to reach out and grab precious materials that others could hardly find.

With his cultivation level, there were few places on the Falling Star Plain that could stop him. Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping were indeed quite familiar with the Falling Star Plain, and they could find the Xuanqiong Stone Palace to stay in almost every day before sunset.

Each stone hall was much the same, only differing in their degree of damage. Some halls even had a faint aura of malevolence seeping in, but fortunately, they at least concealed the presence of living beings within, preventing them from being besieged by malevolent spirits.

Gu Yuanqing was also curious about the evil spirit and once tried to kill it. However, unless its aura was completely destroyed, the slain evil spirit would re-condense in a short time, giving it a somewhat immortal quality. This was also the reason why cultivators were unwilling to fight it.

Fortunately, most of the evil spirits are of average strength, mostly at the low-level Divine Platform level, with very few at or above the Void Heaven level.

In the following days, they did not encounter any trouble within the stone hall. When there was a conflict of interest, the cultivators on the Falling Star Plains had a tacit understanding and rarely took action against each other.

After all, outside the stone hall, malevolent energy permeates the air. When searching for treasures, protecting oneself from this malevolent energy consumes both true essence and mental energy. Only by returning to the stone hall can one properly recuperate and recover.

Everyone comes here to seek opportunities, not for pointless fighting.

In reality, aside from grudges and competition for opportunities, there are very few battles among cultivators.

It's not that everyone is afraid of life and death, but rather that a struggle without any benefit is not very meaningful. Cultivation has not been easy to achieve to this point, and most cultivators secretly keep their trump cards hidden from others.

You may think that your opponent's cultivation level is lower than yours, but when you actually fight, it's a matter of life and death.

Moreover, even if one is lucky enough to survive, if one is seriously injured, it will affect one's cultivation, damage one's foundation for cultivation, and ruin one's future path. That would be a complete loss, and hundreds of years of hard work would be in vain.

Of course, if an extraordinary opportunity presents itself, enough to defy fate and ascend to the top in one step, then it's a completely different story.

At that point, all caution and weighing of options can be thrown to the back of one's mind.

Perhaps just moments before, they were complete strangers with no grudges, but now, with a single, thunderous strike, they show no mercy and aim to annihilate the body and soul.

The path of cultivation is inherently a narrow bridge strewn with thorns and corpses.

Struggle with others, struggle with Heaven, struggle with yourself.

Gu Yuanqing had actually seen many such things along his journey, and this was also the case on the Falling Star Plain.

Initially, upon seeing the supernatural aura and magical treasures emanating from the battle between cultivators in the distance, Song Tianrui excitedly inquired, "Senior, there must be treasures there. Shall we go and take a look?"

But Gu Yuanqing had no interest in competing with these low-level cultivators for opportunities; those things were probably not as good as what he could get along the way.

After that, Song Tianrui stopped asking questions, took a slight detour, and headed straight for his destination.

Having witnessed all these things, Gu Yuanqing's state of mind had unknowingly changed from when he first left Beiquan Mountain.

There were some things that he had never been able to perceive before.

The cultivation world is different from the demon realm and the exquisite world.

Slaughter is commonplace in the Demon Realm. The influence of the Blood Moon and demonic energy makes the humans and demons there quite irritable, and they might attack at the slightest provocation.

In the Linglong Realm, powerful forces stand atop mountains, everything is in order, and resources are relatively abundant, so they all basically operate within certain rules.

For example, in the Qian Yuan Realm, the Great Qian Dynasty is the absolute hegemon, and everything, including sects, is based on the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty.

The cultivation world is different. Although this world seems boundless and rich in resources, the competition for opportunities is even more intense.

Those who are soft-hearted and indecisive often do not survive long on this path. Only those with a heart as firm as a rock and decisive in killing, who firmly grasp that sliver of opportunity for transcendence amidst the mortal world and endless calamities, can have the last laugh.

But one thing remains the same: wherever it is, power and results are the only eternal and unchanging truths.

Before they knew it, they had been walking on the Falling Star Plain for seven days.

The further you go, the stronger the malevolent aura becomes.

Around noon that day, both Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping frequently looked up at the sky.

Finally, with a slight change in expression, Song Tianrui slowed down and turned back to ask for instructions with a solemn expression: "Senior Gu, I'm afraid we're in some trouble. We may have to change our route."

Gu Yuanqing naturally knew what they were worried about, but simply said, "No need, continue along the original route."

Song Tianrui hesitated for a moment, then said, “Senior, the earth's energy is rising, and the spiritual energy above the nine heavens is gathering. Judging from the wind direction, I’m afraid the spiritual rain will start falling in about an hour. Before that, we may not be able to reach the Xuanqiong Stone Palace ahead. And this bronze chariot won’t hold us off for long. I just calculated the location, and there is a stone palace about three thousand miles to the right. We can temporarily stop there, and we should still have time.”

Gu Chengping also said, "Senior Gu, this is also my opinion. The weather on the Falling Star Plain changes very quickly, and the Spirit Fiend Rain is likely to last for several days in this season. For now, it would be best if we stayed in the Stone Hall for the time being and left after the rain stops."

"I said, just keep moving forward!" Gu Yuanqing's tone was calm, but his words carried an unquestionable air.

Song and Gu dared not refute, and could only move forward, quickening their pace, hoping that their calculations were wrong and that they could reach the next place before the heavy rain began.

Before long, they saw several figures walking in the opposite direction in the distance.

I could vaguely hear voices coming from there.

Should we remind them?

"Mind your own business and that's enough!"

One of them even glanced mockingly at the carriage that was still moving forward.

Song and Gu could only turn a deaf ear.

However, to their surprise, the Spirit Rain arrived earlier than expected. Seeing the ever-advancing rain curtain ahead, Song Tianrui finally stopped the carriage, his expression changing drastically. He turned back and cried out urgently, "Senior..."

Gu Yuanqing said calmly, "Let's go. Don't worry, it's just a Spirit Fiend Rain, nothing serious."

Song Tianrui and Gu Chengping exchanged a glance, but could only continue forward. They thought that Gu Yuanqing was a powerful cultivator of the Chaotic Realm, whose strength was beyond their comprehension, so perhaps they could truly be unafraid of this rain.

However, having spent many years in the Heavenly Gate Forbidden Zone, their fear of the Spirit Fiend Rain was deeply ingrained in their hearts. Even though they trusted Gu Yuanqing, the fear in their hearts could not be completely erased.

In the blink of an eye, the rain began to fall, and the spreading rain and mist continuously eroded the protective array of the bronze chariot, making a hissing sound. The spirit stones embedded in the grooves of the array were being consumed at a speed that was almost visible to the naked eye.

At this rate, even if they take out all the spirit stones they have, they probably won't last long. More importantly, they are still outside the rain curtain and in direct contact with the spirit rain, which is completely different from what they were doing before!

Suppressing the urge to turn and run away, Song Tianrui gritted his teeth and rushed into the room.

At the same time, Gu Chengping poured his true essence into the carriage, pushing the protective array on the bronze chariot to its limit...

　Happy Qixi Festival!

　　May all lovers in the world eventually become brothers... cough cough... family.

　　Also, please be careful!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)