Yefutidaolu

Chapter 343 Observe My Methods! (Excellent Chapter, Bonus Chapter! 12,000 Words!)
The stone house doors shut out the outside world, and also shut out the lingering scent of cypress wine left by Xia Youdu.

Gao Jian stood alone by the window, hands behind his back.

Thinking is the most important thing, especially when you are in a desperate situation. You need to use your brain more. He did not relax because he had temporarily "stabilized" Xia Youdu. On the contrary, his brain was working at a speed far beyond that of ordinary people, colliding, deducing and piecing together the known fragments of information.

“Liangzhou…a billion people…” Gao Jian murmured to himself.

This cold, hard number, like a cornerstone, was first placed at the core of the analysis by Gao Jian.

He ruined the Netherworld's plans and thwarted their grand scheme to harvest ten billion resources. Such overwhelming hatred is enough to make any force, especially the ruthless Netherworld, grind him to dust.

"However, I did not die."

With the Netherworld Ancestor at the peak of the twelfth realm and possessing unparalleled strength, crushing a sixth-realm cultivator like him would be easier than crushing an ant.

“Because I am a student of the Imperial Academy…and an imperial envoy of the Divine Dynasty…” Gao Jian continued to ponder.

These two identities were like talismans; he was almost certain that it was these two identities that made Youming hesitate to attack his ancestor.

Moreover, judging from the other party's attitude, it's not just that he's hesitant to act; he seems to need my help with something!

He captured me and deliberately arranged for me to come into contact with Xia Youdu. It must have been the other party who summoned Xia Youdu. There must be something going on here. Xia Youdu can be used as a 'bargaining chip' to interfere with my value judgment. The Old Ancestor of Youming thought that I would choose to help him because of Xia Youdu?

What can we do to help him?

There's really no choice here. Even with his eyes closed, Gao Jian could figure it out. For a powerhouse at the twelfth realm, there's probably only one thing to think about in this life: how to break through the Gate of Longevity, advance to the Earth Immortal realm, and achieve immortality.

"To break through to the Earth Immortal realm... requires a massive amount of resources, even to the point of harvesting a billion living beings to provide them with resources... How insane! Such people have only one core principle in their actions—advancement! All their actions and goals will only serve their goal of becoming an Earth Immortal."

"Killing me would do more harm than good, and might even backfire, interfering with his ultimate goal—to become an Earth Immortal! This is something he absolutely cannot tolerate!"

“Capturing me alive would be more beneficial than harmful. It would avoid the risk of direct conflict and allow him to try to extract value from me, whether it be intelligence, abilities, or value as a bargaining chip... As long as it can help his path to enlightenment, even if there is only a sliver of possibility, he will not let it go!”

"And in this process, did he think Xia Youdu would make me stand on the side of Youmingdi? Or would he persuade me to abandon darkness and embrace light later on? Abandon the Imperial Academy and the Divine Dynasty, and join Youmingdi?"

To force me to submit, to turn me against my will? To place me under their absolute control, to use the threat of death and the lure of resources from the Netherworld to force me to reveal my true intentions in disrupting Liangzhou, the mastermind behind it all, or even... to try to recruit me for their own use? After all, my performance is enough to prove my worth.

So, he captured me and examined me closely to see what I had to rely on besides my status as a student of the Imperial Academy and an imperial envoy.

And then there's the question of extracting value? A living, insightful opinion is far more useful than a dead one. My very existence might become a bargaining chip for him in negotiations with the Imperial Academy or the court? Or… to achieve some goal he can't personally intervene for?
Gao Jian guessed at the other party's purpose and Xia Youdu's role. Although Xia Youdu herself didn't seem to realize it, that was all the silly girl was like. There was no need to consider her thoughts; she was just a little bit clever.

So, what role does Xia Youdu play? Can she really pull it off? A honey trap?
Admittedly, Gao Jian acknowledged that Xia Youdu was a beautiful girl, but that was obviously nothing to him. However, her physique was indeed special, which piqued Gao Jian's interest.

Ordinary people might be thinking about Xia Youdu himself, but what Gao Jian saw was a wondrous method related to 'fate' and 'cause and effect' in the Netherworld. It must be something far more profound. Starting from these things, perhaps one can... see through the origins of that twelfth-realm ancestor of the Netherworld!
Once he knows the other party's cultivation method and background, Gao Jian is confident in deducing the other party's opportunity to become an Earth Immortal, thereby gaining control of the other party, escaping, and even obtaining the other party's promises and assistance!

However... before that, we need to further improve our own bargaining power.

Although all of this is just speculation based on limited information, and he cannot be 100% certain of the ancestor's true thoughts, the logical chain is clear and the probability is extremely high.

The blocking of the gate is complete. To be honest, it wasn't difficult at all. With Gao Jian's level of skill, frankly, there's no one below the eighth realm who could rival him right now. He didn't even go all out; he was just holding back. Otherwise, once the two gates are open, he could take on these people in a heartbeat with his rusty knife.

His foundation was too profound. The vision brought by the Xuanhua Tongmen Daoda Song, the applicability of the Yiyuan Sword Technique, and his control over the demonic thoughts of the Desire Realm were all things that these people could not resist.

But those are unnecessary; what was revealed yesterday was enough to deal with the mere true teachings of the Netherworld.

Gao Jian slowly exhaled, the sharp light in his eyes fading into a deep calm.

"So, my situation is clear: I'm safe for now, but like a moth trapped in a spider's web. The ancestor won't kill me easily, but he will try every means to squeeze out my value until he confirms that I'm useless, or... my existence threatens his core plan to become an Earth Immortal."

"Passive waiting is by no means the best strategy. Waiting for the opponent to make a move will only lead you to gradually fall into their rhythm and eventually be completely controlled."

"Since he wants to see my worth and find out my secrets... then I'll just show them to him openly and honestly!"

"Not only must we display it, but we must display it in a way that frightens him, makes him wary, and makes him... reluctant to easily destroy this piece!"

"Moreover, we must demonstrate... that my insightful views are not a soft persimmon to be easily manipulated, but a double-edged sword that can hurt people!"

"The ultimate foundation of the Netherworld, in the end, is still the Yellow Springs..." Gao Jian's gaze seemed to pierce through the stone house and fall into the depths of the Netherworld, where the legendary water veins that connect to reincarnation were located. A bold and impactful plan quickly took shape in his mind.

Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and walked to the only stone bed in the room, where he sat down cross-legged.

Anyway, let's rest first.

Get yourself into peak condition first before thinking about anything else.

A day passed in meditation.

When Gao Jian opened his eyes again, his eyes were bright and clear, all fatigue gone, and his energy and spirit had reached their peak.

He stood up, pushed open the door of the stone house, and without any attempt to conceal himself, walked straight towards the core area deep within the Netherworld, where the Yin energy was most concentrated and which was also forbidden to all the disciples—the Yellow Springs.

To put it bluntly, the entire Netherworld was built around the Yellow Springs.

His steps were steady and firm, not fast, but carrying an indomitable spirit.

The disciples of the Netherworld they encountered along the way, whether servants or true disciples, were all horrified and turned pale when they saw this evil star who had blocked the gate of the true disciple just yesterday, now swaggering towards the forbidden land of the Yellow Springs. They all gave way.

The news spread rapidly throughout the realm of the living and the dead, like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond.

"Insightful! That guy from the Imperial Academy! He's gone to the Yellow Springs!"

"What does he want to do? Is he looking for death?"

"Could it be... that he wants to cause another scene at the edge of the underworld?"

Whispers, bewildered and uncertain gazes, a mixture of fear and curiosity, followed Gao Jian's solitary figure as if they were tangible objects.

He ignored all insightful opinions and remained oblivious to everything else. His only goal was—the underworld!
Soon, the turbid waters, churning with endless yellow-gray hues, exuding a dense aura of deathly stillness and seemingly capable of devouring all life, appeared at the edge of the horizon.

The shore is lined with jagged rocks, and a chilling wind howls. Ordinary disciples would lose their composure if they approached within a hundred feet, and if their cultivation was insufficient, even a slight touch would wipe them out.

Gao Jian once used this trick to kill members of the Zuo family.

Without pausing, he walked straight to the most precipitous rock on the shore, stood with his hands behind his back, and his clothes fluttered in the cold wind.

He looked around and saw that many disciples and elders from Youmingdi who had rushed over after hearing the news were gathered at a safe distance, watching him with surprise and uncertainty.

Gao Jian's gaze calmly swept over the onlookers, finally landing on the unfathomable waters of the Yellow Springs.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like the clang of metal on metal, clearly piercing through the howling wind and resounding in the ears of every onlooker:

"Fellow practitioners of the realms of the living and the dead."

He paused slightly, then the cold smile on his lips returned, carrying an almost defiant confidence.

"A brilliant insight from the Imperial Academy, found on the shores of the Yellow Springs..."

"Please, everyone, witness my skills!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Gao Jian's aura suddenly changed!
He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers spread, not gripping a knife, but rather vaguely aiming at the surging waters of the Yellow Springs!
What is he going to do? !

All the onlookers were puzzled.

What to do
Of course it's... a disgrace.

The brilliant idea is to show everyone, especially that high and mighty ancestor, a great move at the edge of the Yellow Springs, a place symbolizing reincarnation and devouring life!
On the banks of the Yellow Springs, a chilling wind howls, and turbid, grayish-white waves surge ceaselessly, exuding an aura that devours all life, carrying surging souls into the cycle of reincarnation.

He looked around, and countless gazes filled with surprise, fear, and even malice were cast upon him from afar. The disciples, deacons, and even the elders hidden in the shadows of the Netherworld were all observing, wanting to see what tricks this audacious madman was up to.

Gao Jian remained oblivious to all of this. His mind had already sunk into a state of absolute clarity—his heart was like a mirror!
His heart was as clear as ancient ice, reflecting the origin of all things. All his senses and all his will were concentrated on the seemingly broken, rusty knife at his waist. The remaining three inches of its edge shone brightly.

He slowly closed his eyes.

Om-!
Through the last three inches of sharpness of the rusty knife, Gao Jian "saw" it!
What he saw was not turbid waves, nor churning death.

What he saw was... the flowing river of "fate"! What he saw was the magnificent boundary where life and death intersected! What he saw were the strands of origin stripped away during the reincarnation of the soul! What he saw was the cold and mysterious divine essence that supported the operation of this vast cycle of reincarnation!

That is the true essence of the Yellow Springs, which countless disciples of the Netherworld have devoted their entire lives to arduous cultivation, attempting to comprehend and touch, yet often only managing to glimpse its superficial aspects! It is the core origin of this forbidden land!

Takashi suddenly opened his eyes!

There was no confusion or hesitation in his eyes.

He turned his hand around and gripped the handle of the rusty knife!
It's not for chopping, but for using the knife as a pen!

"Drink!" With a deep breath, Gao Jian's aura suddenly erupted! It wasn't a violent force, but a profound fluctuation that stirred the laws of heaven and earth! He seemed to merge with the reef beneath his feet, with the surging Yellow Springs, and with this netherworld space!
Moved!

He moved!
His figure moved like a ghost among the rugged rocks on the shore of the underworld! The rusty knife in his hand was no longer a weapon of slaughter, but a pen imbued with the spirit of the netherworld!

The blade sliced ​​through the black reef, which was harder than refined iron!

Chi Chi Chi -!
A harsh scraping sound rang out, and stone chips flew everywhere! The movement was utterly devoid of any grace, even appearing somewhat clumsy and rough, like a child's scribbles! He wasn't carving intricate patterns, but rather rapidly drawing lines of varying depths and crooked shapes across the rock face! These lines were completely irregular, some deep, some shallow, some straight, some curved, scattered haphazardly across the black reefs extending for dozens of meters along the shore.

From a distance, it doesn't look like a painting at all; it looks more like the mess left by a drunken madman slashing wildly at a rock with a broken knife!
"He...what is he doing?"

"Is this what he calls 'method'? Scribbling and drawing on the edge of the underworld?"

"Are there problems with the people at the Imperial Academy?"

The disciples of Youming Land who were watching from a distance were initially dead silent, but then burst into suppressed discussions, full of confusion. They had expected to see an earth-shattering secret technique or some powerful treasure being displayed, but what they saw was... this.

However, the mocking expressions on the faces of the elders hidden in the shadows froze instantly!
Their cultivation level is higher, and their senses are more acute!

As Gao Jian's knife tip sliced ​​across the reef, leaving those seemingly crude marks, they clearly felt that something was being branded into those marks!

It's not lifelessness!

It's... Shen Yun!
It is the vastness, coldness, and the divine essence of the Yellow Springs itself, imbued with the aura of reincarnation and destiny!
Each seemingly chaotic engraving seems to capture a segment of the surging trajectory of the Yellow Springs! Each indentation of varying depth is like a tiny vortex of reincarnation! Those crooked lines intertwine, though extremely simple, they subtly form a... flowing map of the "intention" and "momentum" of the Yellow Springs!

It is not a concrete image, but an abstract "traces of the Tao" that go straight to the core!
"This...how is this possible?!" An elder with white hair and beard exclaimed in disbelief, his voice trembling. He had immersed himself in the Way of the Underworld for hundreds of years and considered himself to have a deep understanding of it, but now, looking at those crude engravings, he felt an unprecedented shock!
Brilliant insight! You understand the Underworld even better than him!

------------

Many disciples, deacons, and even some elders of the Netherworld discovered this astonishing reality at this moment!

Now, on the banks of the Yellow Springs River, the true and pure essence of the Yellow Springs contained in those carvings far surpasses what they have gained through years of arduous cultivation and enlightenment!
On the riverbank, Gao Jian directly pierced through the surface and crudely reproduced the "bones" and "marrow" hidden in the deepest part of the Yellow Springs using extremely crude painting techniques!
Another elder stared intently at the carvings, his eyes gleaming, his breathing becoming heavy: "Observe its spirit! Grasp its meaning! Forget its form... This, this picture... This picture..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone who sensed the mystery within it was filled with a tremendous surge of emotion!

Gao Jian moved with incredible speed, his figure flashing along the shore, his rusty knife like a tireless carving pen.

*Sizzle!* *Sizzle sizzle sizzle!*
The sound of metal clashing against stone was deafening and piercing! Stone chips flew like rain! Gao Jian's knife work was bold and unrestrained, completely lacking any rules or refinement, and devoid of any beauty whatsoever.

Some cut straight down like splitting a mountain, some slash diagonally like tearing silk, some swirl like churning the sea; the knife marks, deep and shallow, crooked and twisted, are scattered across the dozens of feet of reef. Their posture is wild and unrestrained, like madness and madness, as if a drunken old man is scribbling on a cliff with a withered branch, or as if ancient people were carving with stone axes.

Beneath the seemingly crude and chaotic knife marks, a divine essence burst forth! It was not spiritual energy or death energy, but the divine will of the Yellow Springs surging forth, the cycle of life and death, and the separation of souls!

Every crooked engraving seems to capture a segment of the true meaning of the Yellow Springs; every deep and shallow depression is like a depiction of a vortex of reincarnation! The various chaotic lines intertwine, and although the appearance is extremely crude, the spirit, momentum, and charm contained within them actually outline a visualization that points directly to the core of the Yellow Springs! Returning to simplicity, great skill without artifice!
In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he completed the "graffiti" covering an area of ​​dozens of meters of reef.

He stopped and stood in the center of the carving, his face slightly pale, clearly exhausted. The rusty knife in his hand, its three-inch edge, seemed to have dimmed considerably, leaving only about an inch of sharpness.

He looked around at the "masterpiece" he had left behind, his face showing no pride, but rather a calm, scrutinizing expression.

He abruptly stopped, standing in the center of the carving, his face slightly pale and his breathing a little rapid, clearly having expended a great deal of energy. The rusty knife's edge had also dimmed somewhat, but his gaze swept over his masterpiece, calm and undisturbed, like a craftsman examining an ordinary piece of work.

Immediately, he raised his head and said loudly:

"I am grateful for the insightful opinion of the Imperial Academy and have not failed in my mission. This painting is crude and unrefined, but it is a small token of my appreciation."

"The realms of the living and the dead, the spirit of nature is perfectly formed. This humble work may help new disciples to gain a glimpse into the path of learning."

Having said that, he didn't linger. He turned and, following the path he had come from, calmly departed under the gazes of countless eyes that shifted from surprise and mockery to horror, stunned silence, and even fanaticism. He left behind only the chaotic yet breathtakingly beautiful stone formations.

Dead!

A deathly silence fell over the shores of the underworld!

Only the mournful sound of turbid waves crashing against the rocks, and... the heavy, suppressed breathing of countless people!
Those disciples who had initially scoffed now sensed the strange atmosphere.

Although they couldn't directly perceive the divine essence like the elders, the aura emanating from those carvings, which stirred and attracted them to the depths of their souls, was undeniable! It was definitely not just ordinary random carving!

"He...what did he do?"

"Those stones... they feel different! It's like... like they've come alive?"

"My God! Look at Elder Zhang! He... he's sat down on that stone! He's comprehending something?!"

Finally, a disciple noticed that a respected elder, disregarding his status, sat cross-legged next to the inscription left by Gao Jian, his eyes closed, his aura subtly merging with the inscription.

It was like lighting a fuse!

Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!
Several figures shot out from the shadows; they were all elders who were usually high and mighty and rarely seen!

They seemed to be scrutinizing, as if in disbelief, but they all chose to rush to the rocky area covered with "graffiti," each occupying a section to examine the divine charm of the underworld contained within!

They had only one thought in their minds! Impossible!
An outsider! A mere sixth-realm youth from the Imperial Academy, who has never practiced the core techniques of the Netherworld! He merely stood by the Yellow Springs for a day! With just a broken sword, he could glimpse the true meaning of the Yellow Springs? And even imprint it on his soul? This is utterly absurd! It is the greatest mockery of their centuries, even millennia, of arduous cultivation and comprehension!
Absolutely impossible. This child has never practiced the techniques of the Netherworld. Therefore, they are all testing the authenticity of this picture, using their own understanding of divine will to verify the true nature of Gao Jian's picture.

But soon, a serious matter came to the fore.

An elder with graying hair and an ancient face traced a deep, seemingly casually slashed mark with his fingers. At first, his brow was furrowed, the magical energy emanating from his fingertips fluctuating steadily, carrying a scrutinizing air. But gradually, his fingers began to tremble uncontrollably! He abruptly opened his eyes, and what he saw deep within his pupils was no longer a cold reef, but rather a surging, grayish-white torrent carrying countless fragments of shattered fate! That aura… that cold, vastness, that heavy sense of karmic reincarnation… it was clearly a projection of the core essence of the Yellow Springs! Though only a trace, it was so pure that it shook his very soul!

“This…this line…” he murmured absentmindedly, his voice dry and hoarse.

On the other side, an old woman in black robes, renowned for her "Yellow Springs Soul-Guiding Technique," stared intently at a grotesque "vortex" inscription formed by several shallow lines, her ghostly eyes capable of piercing through illusions. Her ghostly eyes shone brightly, attempting to see through its essence. However, the seemingly chaotic lines began to flow and rotate on their own in her eyes! A faint yet incredibly clear suction force seemed to be dragging her very consciousness into a miniature vortex of reincarnation! This feeling… was even more direct, more… essential, than the primal pull she sensed when she invoked the true power of the Yellow Springs!
"Hiss!" She gasped, as if pricked by an invisible needle, and staggered backward. The ghostly light in her eyes dimmed instantly, and all color drained from her face, leaving only extreme shock.

More and more elders, their faces filled with doubt and scrutiny, melted and crumbled as if thin ice had been thrown into a raging fire! In their place came an ever-growing sense of horror and... an indescribable heaviness!

They used their own spiritual cultivation, their own insights, and their own experience of immersing themselves in the netherworld and the underworld for a lifetime to verify it.

They used secret methods and expended a great deal of effort to try to find flaws in the story and prove that it was just a joke.

however……

The result was like a cold iron hammer, heavily striking the hearts of every elder and the entire consciousness of the Netherworld!
Those seemingly crude graffiti, those crooked and twisted scratches...

They contain the true, pure, and core essence of the Yellow Springs. Beneath their simple exterior lies a "tracing" of the Yellow Springs!
Wow, this outsider... he actually did it!
The news swept through the entire Netherworld like a hurricane!
An outsider!
A jinx to the Imperial Academy!

Just to observe from the edge of the underworld for one day!
Then, he used a broken knife to carve haphazardly on the stone!
The result... was a drawing imbued with the spirit of the underworld, a potential introductory visualization for the younger generation in the netherworld?!
Absurd! Shocking! Unbelievable! Yet it truly happened before my eyes!

Indeed, this picture is only suitable for introducing newcomers to the basics. For these elders, it is actually of little use; it merely serves as a reaffirmation of what they already know.

However, after this shock, a deeper, more complex, and even... subtle sense of frustration quietly began to grow among the elders.

This painting truly contains the spirit of the underworld, but it is not some earth-shattering, supreme secret.

For these elders who have immersed themselves in the ways of the underworld for centuries and have long since attained mastery, the essence contained in these carvings is something they already understand! It's even more profound and extensive than what the carvings themselves reveal. These carvings are merely a further confirmation of what they already possess, like showing a scholar a beginner's book.

However, it is precisely this "beginner-friendly" quality that gives this shock a completely different weight!

However, for new disciples, this picture will greatly shorten their progress. You see... even if these elders understand the essence of these things, they may not be able to carve it themselves.

Yes… it’s not profound. These elders are like professors who are well-versed in advanced mathematics, handling calculus with ease. But asking them to write an introductory textbook that allows elementary school students to understand the essence of “1+1=2,” and to write it so simply, so incisively, and so engagingly… they might not be able to do it!

This picture is a perfect introductory textbook to the Underworld!
What does this picture mean for newly initiated disciples, those ignorant young men and women who can't even clearly perceive the aura of the Yellow Springs?
This means they can skip countless obscure steps!
This visualization diagram allows them to lay the most solid foundation in a very short time!

"Shortening the progress... It's more than just shortening!" An elder in charge of instructing new disciples trembled, his eyes blazing with fervent light. "With this diagram by our side, the efficiency with which new disciples comprehend the essence of the Yellow Springs will conservatively double! It... it will become the cornerstone of the future of my Netherworld!"

This value has nothing to do with the individual cultivation levels of the elders, but it is related to the most core lifeline of a sect—its inheritance!
With a wise insight, Gao Jian presented Youming Land with an irresistible "gift"—a priceless treasure that could elevate the starting point of cultivation for the entire younger generation of Youming Land—using an outsider, a rusty knife, a day of observation, and a pile of crude engravings!

At this very moment, as the Yellow Springs stretched out, the ancestor's dark blue flame eyes stared intently at the chaotic yet magnificent rock formations reflected in the mirror, as well as the elders sitting around in contemplation.

For the first time, his unchanging aura fluctuated violently!
"The divine charm of the Yellow Springs... I witnessed it in a single day... and it has reached such a level..."

The old ancestor's voice was low and hoarse, containing unprecedented shock and... a trace of apprehension that even he himself had not noticed.

He watched Gao Jian's departing figure, his eyes beneath the blurred face displaying an extremely complex expression.

The killing intent? It remains.

But at this moment, it is overshadowed by an even stronger greed for "value" and... a deep fear of the "unknown"!

at the same time……

Everyone else knows, so how could Gao Jian not know?

Of course not!
The brilliant insight was intentional.

Gao Jian's move was a carefully designed survival strategy—using these values ​​to exchange for the means to survive.

This isn't just for the Netherworld to see; I imagine... the news should reach the Divine Dynasty soon.

However, since the Netherworld is geographically close and has ample opportunity to express its 'sincerity', it can come and negotiate terms before the Divine Dynasty discovers the situation here and sends people over.

Discussing voices, exclamations, doubts, and gasps of disbelief echoed throughout every corner of the Netherworld. From the lowest-ranking servants to the core disciples in seclusion, everyone was talking about the "Yellow Springs Diagram" and the name "High Insight."

The entire sect was in an unprecedented state of excitement, filled with both fervent longing and awe at the unfathomable depths of Gao Jian, along with... a hint of subtle reverence.

On the shore of the Yellow Springs, the rocky area covered with graffiti is now under the strict protection of a powerful barrier set up by several elders.

The protective barrier swirled, emanating a chilling pressure that kept all lower-ranking disciples from approaching. Inside, the elders remained seated beside the inscriptions, their expressions focused and complex. Some were still repeatedly verifying and comprehending its meaning, while others had already begun whispering discussions about how to use it to optimize the sect's newcomer training system.

An atmosphere filled the air, a mixture of excitement, heaviness, and urgency.

In stark contrast to the turmoil outside and within the confines, the simple stone house where Gao Jian lived was like a strange, pure land in the eye of a storm.

The stone house doors were tightly shut.

Outside, a number of disciples from the Netherworld had already gathered after hearing the news. Some were curious and wanted to catch a glimpse of the Fiend Star's demeanor, some were eager to curry favor with him, and there were even a few self-important true disciples who came with scrutinizing and unconvinced gazes, attempting to challenge or question him.

However, no matter who knocked on the door or what the reason was, the only response was silence.

Inside the stone house, it was as quiet as an empty valley.

Gao Jian seemed completely isolated from the outside world's clamor. He neither pressed his advantage to contact the higher-ups of Youming Land, nor did he show the slightest pride or concern for the "Yellow Springs Map" that had shaken the sect. He simply sat quietly cross-legged on the stone couch, his eyes slightly closed, his breath calm and still, as if all the earth-shattering events happening outside were irrelevant to him.

He is waiting.

Amidst this strange interplay of noise and silence, a figure appeared outside the stone house.

Summer worries and bookworms.

She straightened her slightly wrinkled sleeves, trying to regain her composure, but the deep shock in her eyes remained. She walked to the door and, instead of knocking rudely like others, extended her slender fingers and tapped the door three times, neither too hard nor too softly.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound was crisp and clear, standing out particularly well from the slightly noisy outside doorway.

The door opened.

"Squeak..."

With a soft sound, the stone door that had isolated the noise from the outside world slowly opened a crack inward.

The room was dimly lit, and Gao Jian's figure, sitting cross-legged, could be vaguely seen, along with his calm eyes that gazed out from the darkness.

"Miss Xia?" Gao Jian's voice came from inside the door, calm and composed, as if he had already anticipated her arrival. "Please come in."

Xia Youdu looked at the open door crack, then at the incredulous gazes cast upon her from behind, and the astonishment in her heart intensified instantly.

He actually... opened the door for himself?

He refused visits from so many people, but opened the door only to himself.

I don’t know how to say it… but… Xia Youdu is a little happy and secretly pleased.

He refused visits from so many elders, true disciples, and curious onlookers, but opened the door only to himself.

Although reason told her that this was likely just because of their brief conversation yesterday, or... part of some kind of calculation? But deep down, a woman's instinctive thought still surfaced uncontrollably: I am special.

The slight sense of pride brought by this "special" feeling was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, rippling out waves of joy. She subconsciously straightened her back, raised her chin slightly, and with a hint of barely perceptible reserve, stepped across the threshold.

Women always like to see themselves as special, and when they actually become special, they always feel secretly delighted.

The stone door closed gently behind her, isolating her from all the noise and prying eyes of the outside world.

The stone house was dimly lit, with only a faint lamp in the corner illuminating Gao Jian's figure sitting cross-legged on the stone bed.

He was still wearing that simple robe, his expression calm, as if the raging waves outside caused by him were just a gentle breeze.

"Mr. Gao, you have quite the methods." Xia Youdu got straight to the point, his voice cold, trying to suppress the inappropriate smugness in his heart, and steered the conversation back on track, "Yesterday you asked me about the foundation of my cultivation technique, and today you've made such a world-shaking commotion on the shores of the Yellow Springs. Blocking the door to establish your authority was just a prelude, and this Yellow Springs inscription is also for something big. So... why did you try to extract my cultivation technique? What exactly is my position in all of this?"

She walked to the low table, but instead of sitting down, she looked down at Gao Jian, her clear eyes now sharp as knives: "What exactly do you want to do? Or rather, what do you want to do to Youming? Did you carve all those things just to save your life?"

Gao Jian looked up, meeting her scrutinizing gaze. In the dim light, his eyes remained deep and unfathomable, but instead of answering her question directly, he smiled faintly and asked, "Miss Xia, what kind of person do you think I am?"

This sudden, almost casual question startled Xia Youdu slightly.

She was waiting to hear his plans or excuses, but instead he asked for... his evaluation?
"You?" Xia Youdu frowned slightly, instinctively wanting to use words like "scheming," "ruthless," "unreasonable," "intelligent," and "highly perceptive." But as the words reached her lips, looking at his calm, almost innocent eyes, and the envious and jealous gazes outside the door... a strange sense of awkwardness welled up inside her.

She didn't want to praise him!
Especially when he made such a big fuss and clearly controlled the initiative! It's as if praising him would put me at a disadvantage and make me admit his strength.

So she turned her head slightly to avoid his gaze, and said vaguely with a tone of arrogance that she herself was unaware of, "He's just... a guy who's hard to figure out."

"Oh? Just unexpected?" Gao Jian's voice carried a hint of amusement, seemingly unsurprised and unconcerned by her assessment. Instead of pressing further, he changed the subject, his gaze gently falling on Xia Youdu, and began his own "evaluation":
"Miss Xia has a unique bone structure and an innate noble air. This is a gift from heaven and cannot be achieved by human effort."

"Yesterday, during the tea tasting, although I was disturbed, my demeanor was graceful and I did not lose my composure."

"Upon hearing of this unexpected turn of events, you were able to suppress your astonishment and come here directly to question them, which demonstrates your strong will and commendable courage."

“What’s even more remarkable is that…” Gao Jian paused, his tone filled with genuine appreciation, “that the lake of the heart can retain such a rare clarity and agility, untouched by filth, is truly an anomaly.”

He spoke one sentence after another, his tone steady, his praise reasonable and well-founded, from his bone structure to his temperament, from his courage to his character, as if he were listing the merits of a rare treasure.

He didn't say a word, but immediately started praising her.

Xia Youdu: "..."

She felt like she'd punched cotton! Her full-bodied questions and inquiries were overwhelmed by his rambling, relentless praise.

A strong sense of irritation arose spontaneously!

She didn't come to listen to his flattery! She came to get to the bottom of things!

Why did he try to find out about her cultivation techniques before? What does it have to do with the Yellow Springs Carving today? What is he planning?
This feeling of being deliberately avoided, shrouded in mystery, and treated like a child with pretty words made her extremely unhappy!

"Enough!" Xia Youdu finally couldn't hold back any longer. Her voice rose a few decibels, clearly showing her displeasure. She turned around abruptly and glared at Gao Jian. "Mr. Gao! I didn't come here to hear you say that!"

She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling slightly, as if she had made up her mind, and spoke rapidly with a hint of desperation:

"Yes! I admit it! You're amazing! Okay?!"

"You've mastered the art of blocking the gate for ten consecutive losses—you're amazing!"

"He observed the Yellow Springs and comprehended its divine essence, carving out those... those ghostly scribbles, no, those Yellow Springs divine intentions, which were ridiculously powerful! So powerful that they caused an uproar throughout the entire Netherworld! They even made those arrogant elders circle around the stone!"

"Your insight is brilliant, your methods are extraordinary, your cunning is boundless, and your plans are flawless! Is that acceptable now?!"

She finished speaking in one breath, her cheeks flushed slightly from excitement and a touch of embarrassment, her beautiful eyes fixed on Gao Jian with a final stubbornness and an unyielding insistence:

"Now, Mr. Gao! Can you please tell me? What was your purpose in going to such lengths to ask me about the origins of your cultivation technique?! What does that have to do with what you did today?! Stop trying to fool me!"

A brief silence fell over the stone house.

Only Xia Youdu's slightly rapid breathing echoed.

"Miss Xia, why are you in such a hurry?" His voice was calm, with a kind of irritating composure. "I only learned about your cultivation technique yesterday, and it's only been a day. Even a mortal chef would need to simmer a pot of broth over a low flame for three days, wouldn't he?"

Xia Youdu was almost amused by this evasive attitude: "Impatient?! In just two days, you blocked the gate, defeated the true master, carved the divine map in the Yellow Springs, and turned the entire Netherworld upside down! And now you think I'm impatient?" She took a step forward and said, "Mr. Gao, are you playing me?"

Gao Jian remained unmoved, even leisurely pouring himself a glass of water, taking a small sip, before raising his eyes to look at her, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as an ancient pool:

What if I told you that these... are really just appetizers?

"Absurd!" Xia Youdu retorted subconsciously, but as soon as the words left her mouth, a chill crept up her spine, causing her to choke on her next words.

Appetizer?

If blocking the door to establish authority is an appetizer, and carving the Yellow Springs map is also an appetizer... then what is the main course?
What an earth-shattering thing that would be!
And what role do I play in Mr. Gao's scheme? Am I a pawn? An ally? Or... a sacrifice?
She suddenly recalled how she had turned the tables on him yesterday, smugly revealing the foundation of her martial arts. That small sense of smugness and control vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling feeling of being fooled and looked down upon. Her little "tricks," in his eyes, were probably as clumsy as child's play!

Gao Jian seemed to see through her inner turmoil. He put down his teacup, his voice still calm: "Miss Xia, there's really no need to rush now. Sit down, have a cup of tea, and observe how things unfold."

He paused, his gaze falling on Xia Youdu's face, which was slightly flushed from her emotions, and added meaningfully, "Besides, regarding the origins of your cultivation method, you only mentioned superficial things like 'fate,' 'luck,' and 'preparation' yesterday. You kept your mouth shut about the specific cultivation methods and core techniques, not revealing a single word. What are you worried about?"

“I wasn’t worried before!” Xia Youdu blurted out, her voice carrying a hint of panic she herself didn’t realize. “But now I’m a little worried!” She stared intently into Gao Jian’s eyes, which seemed to see through everything. “You…you didn’t really deduce something incredible just from those few words, did you?!”

Gao Jian simply looked at her, his smile deepening, carrying a profound and unfathomable meaning, but he remained silent.

Silence itself is an answer.

Xia Youdu's heart sank. His smile clearly said—so what if it is?
Gao Jian appeared calm on the surface, but his mind was as clear as a mirror, reflecting all the clues and deductions.

It's important to know that the black-robed patriarch Yuan Lu could see through cause and effect! This was the information he obtained when he was captured in Liangzhou and taken to the Netherworld. He used this information to find himself and to learn that he had killed Xue Haijun and Huang Chengshi, and that he was the mastermind behind it all. (See Chapter 331 for details).

This clearly demonstrates that the twelfth-realm giant who invited him possesses a terrifying ability to glimpse the threads of cause and effect! This is no ordinary method.

Xia Youdu, this core disciple with a bizarre destiny and treated with "genuine sincerity" by Youming, was sent by the Ancestor to contact him. Could there be no connection between these events? The Ancestor's sending her here was no random decision!

His actions these past few days have been a two-pronged test and demonstration!
Testing the Netherworld, especially the black-robed patriarch's true attitude and bottom line towards him—to kill? To imprison? Or to extract value? Blocking the door was to test the intensity of the reaction, while contacting Xia Youdu was to test the intentions of the higher-ups.

The Yellow Springs Carving, on the other hand, is a way to demonstrate its value.

He wanted to make the ancestor understand that his wisdom was far more valuable alive than dead! And this value was enough to move the ancestor of the Netherworld!

The deeper purpose was to uncover the foundation of the ancestor!
The Ancestor captured him for the sake of Liangzhou, but more importantly, for his secret plan to break through to the Earth Immortal realm! At this moment, the Ancestor of Youming needs a massive amount of resources!
So, what Gao Jian needs to do is cater to his preferences and give him an irresistible bait!
The key to this "bait" lies in understanding the ancestor's foundation! Understanding his core needs for breaking through to the Earth Immortal realm and the potential weaknesses he might have!
Xia Youdu's technique—"starting with 'fate,' observing people's destiny, and laying the groundwork for wealth or calamity"—is a key to gaining insight into the foundation of the ancestor!
Is there some connection between the ancestor's ability to see through cause and effect and Xia Youdu's technique of manipulating "fate" and "calamity"?
Is the ancestor's high regard for Xia Youdu because her cultivation method was directly inherited, or does it offer some special benefit to his path to becoming an Earth Immortal? For example... helping him avoid the tribulations during his breakthrough? Or... more directly "paving the way" for his path to enlightenment? Or is it simply a matter of inheritance, not so complicated?

In any case, judging from Xia Youdu's methods of observing fate, the breakthrough to finding the ancestor's foundation lies in her.

Through Xia Youdu's fragmented words, combined with his observations of the environment of the Netherworld, his understanding of the spirit of the Yellow Springs, and his contemplation of the Black-Robed Ancestor's style of doing things, Gao Jian is building a vague model in his mind about the Ancestor's foundation and needs.

He needed to find that key point—the key point that the ancestor was willing to pay a huge price and even temporarily put aside the grudge of Liangzhou in order to prove himself as an Earth Immortal!
Once this point is found...

His life is not only safe.

He could even turn the tables and take what he needed from the treasure trove of this demonic giant!

Xia Youdu seemed to have some concerns about this.

She didn't know what Gao Jian was up to, but a certain feeling she got from observing fate through her cultivation techniques, as well as a woman's intuition, made her feel that something was wrong, so she came here specifically to question Gao Jian.

However, just as her mind raced and she was about to press the matter again—

The expert's opinion has been raised.

Instead of answering, he slowly stood up from the stone bed.

He began demonstrating the martial arts technique in front of Xia Youdu.

Gao Jian once saw the Yellow Springs.

The Yellow Springs seen in Cangzhou, the Yellow Springs seen in the netherworld, the Yellow Springs recorded by the celestial beings, and the Yellow Springs in the divine charm of the Xuanhua Tongmen Dadao Song.

All the insights, all the essence, all the "meaning," at this moment, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, were forcibly blended, compressed, and refined by a powerful, suffocating will to deduce! Everything was combined by him, and then, driven by the little bit of 'inspiration' that Xia Youdu had mentioned before, he began to create the cultivation method.

This is just a rudimentary form of the technique—

However, Xia You was filled with fear and apprehension.

This technique has a bit of the flavor of her cultivation method.

She couldn't go on. A tremendous fear gripped her.

This isn't just amazing comprehension, this is monstrous! This is a thief of the Dao!
He actually managed to touch the very edge of her cultivation technique in such a short time, based solely on the superficial concept he had revealed yesterday, and even attempted to... create a rudimentary cultivation technique with a similar divine essence?!
(This is a great chapter! Thank you everyone, here's an extra one!)
(End of this chapter)