Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 212 Cultivation Level Greatly Increased

The bright moonlight, like silver and water, quietly blanketed the entire mountain forest.

The night breeze rustled through the treetops, carrying the crisp scent of grass and trees. It brushed against the bushes on both sides of the forest path, making a soft, rustling sound, before being carried away by the night wind and scattered in the moonlight.

Led by Xu Zhiwei, Gu Guanqi traversed several winding forest paths before finally arriving at a secluded spot deep within a dense forest.

The surrounding trees gradually thinned out, and moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled silvery-white patterns on the ground. The surrounding area was clearly visible.

Gu Guanqi looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Master Xu, why did you bring me here?"

Xu Zhiwei turned around, put her hands behind her back, and looked at him with a smile, saying, "What's wrong? Afraid I'll eat you up?"

As she spoke, she deliberately took half a step forward, her eyes curving into two crescent moons.

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "The Heavenly Dao Sect abstains from meat, so they shouldn't eat me."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiwei laughed and said, "Then you're wrong. They're the ones who abstain from meat, but I love eating meat the most!"

As she spoke, she suddenly looked up, raised her hands to the sides of her face, made a face at Gu Guanqi, and shouted, "Especially someone as fair and delicate as you!"

Gu Guanqi remained calm and expressionless, simply standing there quietly, looking at Xu Zhiwei with a flat gaze.

Xu Zhiwei maintained her funny face for a moment, but seeing that Gu Guanqi had no reaction, her expression gradually fell. She straightened up, pouted, and said, "Boring. Usually when I bring those boys and girls over, they get a fright from me."

Gu Guanqi laughed and said, "You already said it's a boy and a girl, it's not appropriate for you to use that to scare me now!"

"Too."

As she spoke, Xu Zhiwei walked to the side and reached out to push aside a thicket of bushes.

Behind the bushes, a small clearing appeared, with a simple earthen stove on it. The stove was made of several bluestones, with a small iron pot on it. There was also some messy firewood piled up next to it, indicating that it was used often.

Xu Zhiwei said, "There are always some greedy little guys in the sect. They don't dare to drink alcohol because the smell is strong and they'll be easily discovered. But it's no problem for them to secretly eat some meat or something, so they set up a secret base here."

Gu Guanqi laughed and said, "I strongly suspect you did it!"

Xu Zhiwei grinned and said, "Don't say it if you see through it!" Then she pointed around and said, "There's some dry firewood around here, gather some to start a fire. I'll go find you some snacks to go with your drinks."

Gu Guanqi nodded: "Okay."

Xu Zhiwei turned and left, disappearing into the shadows of the forest in a few steps, her footsteps quickly swallowed by the night wind.

Gu Guanqi gathered some dry branches nearby and piled them in the earthen stove, then circulated his inner energy to light the firewood.

The flames quickly leaped up, spreading a ball of light in the night and illuminating the grass and tree trunks within a few feet around them.

He squatted by the fire, occasionally poking at the firewood, causing the flames to crackle and sparks to rise with the heat, shimmering like fireflies in the moonlight.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, footsteps were heard coming from the woods.

Gu Guanqi turned his head and saw Xu Zhiwei walk out from behind the bushes, carrying a plump chicken that had been cleaned and was shiny with oil. The chicken was much larger than an ordinary chicken.

In her other hand, she was carrying two jars of wine, their mouths sealed with red clay.

Gu Guanqi's gaze fell on the fat chicken, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Where did you get such a big chicken?"

""

Xu Zhiwei strode to the fire, placed the chicken and wine jar on the ground, squatted down, and while skewering the chicken with his sword, replied, "Don't worry about where you got it, just eat it. I guarantee you'll want more."

As she spoke, she glanced up at Gu Guanqi, winked, and said with a hint of smugness, "This chicken is no ordinary bird. It grew up eating elixirs and drinking spiritual liquids. For an average martial artist, eating it could be equivalent to several months of cultivation!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Guanqi looked at the plump chicken again and then said, "I've heard that the Heavenly Dao Sect has a rare delicacy called the Eight Treasures Chicken. Could this chicken be the Eight Treasures Chicken?"

Xu Zhiwei raised an eyebrow, her hands still moving, and said, "Hey, you do have some knowledge!"

As she spoke, she placed the skewered chicken above the fire, then took out several small paper packets from her bosom, opened them, and sprinkled seasonings onto the chicken.

Her technique was skillful; she was clearly someone who did this often.

After doing all this, she sat down on the ground, patted the grass beside her, and handed Gu Guanqi a jar of wine: "You're in luck. My roasted chicken is the best in the world."

"Then I'll definitely have to give it a good try!"

Gu Guanqi took the wine jar and, imitating Xu Zhiwei, sat down on the grass next to her.

Xu Zhiwei raised her wine jar and gestured slightly to Gu Guanqi. Gu Guanqi also raised his wine jar and gently tapped it against Xu Zhiwei's, producing a crisp clinking sound.

The two of them tilted their heads back and took a swig.

As the wine entered his throat, Gu Guanqi paused slightly, then took another sip, put down the wine jar, and looked at Xu Zhiwei with some surprise: "Your wine is really good. Even the imperial wine in the palace isn't as good as this."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhiwei's smile deepened. She slightly raised her chin, her tone filled with undisguised pride: "Imperial wine is nothing! This wine was brewed by my own hands; it's the only one of its kind in the world. You're the second person besides me to drink it."

Upon hearing this, Gu Guanqi raised the jar and took another sip, saying, "Then I am truly honored."

Xu Zhiwei chuckled, tilted his head back and took a big gulp, then put down the wine jar and reached out to turn the roasting chicken over the fire.

The firelight reflected on Xu Zhiwei's face, making her already bright eyes even more piercing.

The two of them drank and chatted casually.

Xu Zhiwei occasionally channeled her inner energy to rotate the sword skewering the chicken, ensuring the heat was even. She would peek at the color of the chicken skin from time to time, then sprinkle some seasoning on it, her movements very practiced.

The aroma gradually spread in the night breeze, mingling with the burnt scent of pine and the mellow fragrance of wine, lingering around the two under the moonlight.

After a long while, Xu Zhiwei leaned closer to the chicken and smelled it. Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed happily, "It's ready to eat! Quick, quick, here's the first bite for you. I guarantee you'll never forget it!"

As she spoke, she deftly tore off a chicken leg, and the aroma wafted straight to her nose with her movements.

Gu Guanqi reached out and took it.

However, at that moment, Xu Zhiwei's expression suddenly changed, and she whispered, "Oh no, let's go!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already pulled the long sword with the roasted chicken on it off the fire, grabbed Gu Guanqi's wrist with her other hand, and dragged him into the woods.

The two hadn't run far when Xu Zhiwei pulled Gu Guanqi and slipped behind a thicket of bushes, crouching down and almost completely disappearing into the shadows. She whispered, "Don't speak, and don't move!"

Gu Guanqi squatted down beside Xu Zhiwei, her hand still being held tightly by Xu Zhiwei.

He turned his head to look at Xu Zhiwei.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the bushes, falling on Xu Zhiwei's profile.

He then noticed that Xu Zhiwei was actually quite pretty, but she was just too casual, which made people subconsciously overlook her appearance.

At this moment, Xu Zhiwei frowned slightly, staring at the open space in front of him through the gaps in the leaves.

A moment later, a figure rushed up wielding a giant sword.

He was a Taoist priest with a thick beard, a burly figure, and a full beard that stood out prominently in the moonlight. He rushed to the fire and saw the still-burning flames on the ground, as well as oil stains.

Enraged, his mustache bristled, and he slammed his greatsword into the ground, roaring hysterically, "Which damned brat is it! My chicken—my chicken! If I catch you, I'll skin you alive!"

After he finished shouting, he pulled out a palm-sized compass from his pocket and began chanting incantations. The compass slowly spun in his palm, the needle trembling and veering slightly toward the bushes.

From within the bushes, Xu Zhiwei's expression changed slightly, and she whispered, "Oh no, Senior Brother Liu is serious!"

Immediately, she took Gu Guanqi's hand, sprang out from behind the bushes like lightning, and dragged Gu Guanqi as they ran wildly into the deeper part of the forest.

Behind them, the bearded Taoist priest roared, "Xu Zhiwei! It's you again, you brat!"

Xu Zhiwei pulled Gu Guanqi through the woods, muttering to herself as they ran, "Run, run! We've been spotted. We have to get that chicken in our bellies."

As Xu Zhiwei dragged him along, Gu Guanqi asked, "Isn't this chicken yours?"

Xu Zhiwei said, "I don't have time to raise chickens. That's my senior brother Liu. He loves raising small animals. He's an alchemist, so he has a lot of rare and precious herbs and elixirs. That's why the animals he raises are all delicious! He also has a few spirit fish. I'll try to get you a couple tomorrow so you can try them!"

Gu Guanqi: "————"

The two ran through the forest for a long time until the roar of the bearded Taoist priest behind them was completely swallowed by the night wind. After running for another four or five miles, the two slowly stopped.

The two looked up and saw a wide expanse of grass spreading out under the moonlight, the blades of grass rippling in the night breeze, creating layers of silvery-white waves.

Xu Zhiwei led Gu Guanqi over, then plopped down on the grass, let out a long sigh of relief, and laughed, "At least the chicken is safe! Come on, let's eat, or it'll get really cold."

As she spoke, she reached out to tear off a piece of chicken, but paused slightly. She seemed to realize that she was still holding Gu Guanqi's hand.

Xu Zhiwei looked down at Gu Guanqi, then gently squeezed his hand, and looked up to say, "Your hand feels so good. No wonder there are so many lovelorn men and women in the world who are always so affectionate; so this is what it feels like for a man and woman to hold hands!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "The feelings between men and women are indeed wondrous."

Xu Zhiwei hummed in agreement, then released her grip. She took out a folded lotus leaf from her bosom, spread it out, placed the roast chicken on the leaf, tore off a piece of chicken, and put it in her mouth. After chewing a couple of times, she suddenly seemed to remember something and slapped her thigh in annoyance: "Oh dear! I was in such a hurry just now, I forgot to take the wine!"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and slowly extended his left hand from behind his back. In his hand, he was holding the chicken leg that Xu Zhiwei had given him earlier, as well as two silk threads. The other end of the silk threads was tied to two wine jars.

Xu Zhiwei's eyes lit up, and she snatched the wine jar, praising, "You're amazing!"

As she spoke, she patted the ground beside her: "Come on, sit here, let's drink and eat meat here tonight."

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and, without being coy, sat down next to Xu Zhiwei.

The moonlight fell silently, bathing the two figures in a soft, silvery glow.

Then, the two began to drink together, tearing apart chicken as they drank.

They chatted about all sorts of random things, from all over the world.

Time passed slowly.

Their wine jars were gradually emptied, and the roast chicken was reduced to a skeleton.

Xu Zhiwei's wine was extraordinary, and since neither of them had deliberately used their internal energy to dissipate the alcohol, they were both slightly tipsy at this moment.

Xu Zhiwei lay back on the grass, her arms behind her head, gazing at the full moon overhead, and let out a long breath.

Gu Guanqi also lay down on the grass like Xu Zhiwei, looking at the moon in the sky.

"Gu Guanqi," Xu Zhiwei suddenly spoke up, "I noticed you have a jade flute hanging from your waist. Do you know how to play the flute?"

Gu Guanqi turned his head to look at Xu Zhiwei.

Xu Zhiwei propped herself up on one side, the moonlight shining between her eyebrows and eyes, making her usually carefree face look exceptionally gentle. She said with great interest, "Senior Brother Liu is probably still chasing us everywhere. We can forget about going back tonight. We can only go back when he goes to teach at dawn."

But it's still early, and dawn is far away. How about you play the flute for me, and I'll perform a sword dance for you?

Gu Guanqi was somewhat surprised: "You can dance?"

Xu Zhiwei rolled her eyes at Gu Guanqi: "Who do you think you are?"

As she spoke, she sat up, grabbed the Autumn Water Sword from Gu Guanqi's waist, and casually drew it from its sheath. Moonlight flowed across the sword, as if that wisp of silver had solidified into a tangible form.

She stood up, kicked off her shoes, and then stepped barefoot onto the cool grass, nodding slightly at Gu Guanqi: "Come on."

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly, slowly sat up, and held the jade flute to his lips.

The sound of the flute begins.

At first, it was extremely light and gentle, like the moonlight flowing slowly under the night sky, or like the gentle breeze whispering in your ear.

The melody, with its distant and clear notes, slowly unfolded in the night breeze.

Xu Zhiwei then began to practice swordsmanship to the sound of the flute.

Her sword dance was graceful and slow, her clothes fluttering in the wind, her long hair rising with it, and the moonlight gilded her silhouette with a silvery halo.

The sword light flowed with the rhythm of the flute music, sometimes as gentle as flowing water, sometimes as light as flying snow, and sometimes with an indescribable sharpness.

She spun, stepped, raised her arms, and finished her pose; every movement was perfectly in sync with the sound of the flute.

The moonlight shone on her, making her usually playful face appear exceptionally focused, her gaze clear and bright.

As the sound of the flute grew louder, her sword was drawn accordingly.

His body rose up as lightly as if lifted by the moonlight, the sword light drawing a perfect arc in the air, and where the sword energy passed, a few withered grasses were picked up and fell silently.

Gu Guanqi gazed at the figure dancing in the moonlight, watching the clear, sharp sword light bloom and recede in her hands, and at that moment the sound of the flute rose slightly by half a beat.

Xu Zhiwei's figure soared freely under the moonlight. Her sword dance carried a unique temperament, a kind of unrestrained style that stood alone even amidst the vastness of the world.

Gu Guanqi's flute playing also has its own unique style, and it is just as unrestrained.

He was highly skilled at playing the xiao (vertical bamboo flute), but rarely played it because he found it difficult to immerse himself in the music. However, at this moment, he was unusually engrossed in it.

It's hard to say whether the sound of the flute inspired the sword dance, or the sword dance influenced the sound of the flute.

The moonlight flowed quietly, shining on the two of them.

Overnight, Gu Guanqi and Xu Zhiwei felt like they had found kindred spirits, and their relationship progressed quickly, with no longer any sense of unfamiliarity between them.

That's how it is between people. If you don't get along, you'll be like strangers even if you spend ten years together. But if you get along, you can become very close in a short time.

However, the night of chatting prevented Gu Guanqi from receiving the "Fire Dance Whirlwind Sword Technique".

It wasn't until after dawn that Xu Zhiwei secretly led Gu Guanqi back to the Tianyi Sect. Just as she had expected, the bearded Taoist priest had gone to give a lecture.

Xu Zhiwei led Gu Guanqi to a small courtyard and said, "This is where we've arranged for you to rest. You didn't sleep all night, so go and get some rest. I'll talk to the headmaster and the others and ask them not to disturb you."

With Gu Guanqi's cultivation level, he wouldn't be affected even if he didn't sleep for ten days or half a month. However, he was busy receiving the reward, so he agreed and said, "Okay, I'll go catch up on some sleep."

"I told you your cultivation had made a breakthrough, so you needed to go into seclusion for a while," Xu Zhiwei said. "That way, no one can say you're slacking off!"

Gu Guanqi said, "I don't care."

Xu Zhiwei said, "You are a guest, so of course it doesn't matter, but it's hard to say to my senior brother, the headmaster. After all, they are all guests he invited to help. One of them is sleeping soundly while the others are working hard to figure it out."

Gu Guanqi smiled and said, "That's true."

Xu Zhiwei nodded slightly and said, "I'll go back and catch up on my sleep later. But before I do, I'll go to Senior Brother Liu's treasure land again to steal two spirit fish. I'll make you spirit fish soup when I wake up!"

Gu Guanqi said, "This isn't right. I stole his chicken last night, and today I'm stealing his fish."

Xu Zhiwei waved her hand and said, "Don't worry, this is how we senior and junior siblings get along!"

Since Xu Zhiwei had said so, Gu Guanqi didn't say anything more. After all, he wasn't a member of the Heavenly Dao Sect and didn't know how Xu Zhiwei and the others got along.

He immediately cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Then I'll go in and rest."

"Alright, I'm off too!"

Xu Zhiwei turned around, waved, tucked her hands into her sleeves, and slowly left.

She arrived at the Sutra Repository immediately.

At this moment, Zhang Daoji, the Lotus Pond Saint Monk, Li Wentian, and Leng Lingxi had all gathered together and began to discuss the matter of the Crimson Heaven Demon King.

Upon seeing Xu Zhiwei enter, Zhang Daoji said helplessly, "Junior Sister, you stole your Senior Brother Liu's chicken again last night! You've gone too far! You even brought Alliance Leader Gu with you!"

Xu Zhiwei waved her hand and said, "Oh, senior brother, don't worry about it. Never mind, I came here to tell you that Alliance Leader Gu has suddenly experienced a breakthrough and is going into seclusion for the time being. I'm going to protect him, so neither of us can come to discuss dealing with the Crimson Heaven Demon King for the time being."

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Daoji's eyes. He said, "Since it's a secluded cultivation retreat, it can't be delayed. You should go quickly!"

Xu Zhiwei cupped her hands in greeting to the others, then turned and left the courtyard.

After Xu Zhiwei left, everyone in the room was quite surprised.

"Is this Dao of Passion so heaven-defying?" Li Wentian exclaimed in surprise. "At our level, breaking through usually requires secluded cultivation, or at least a long period of seclusion, to make any progress. Is Alliance Leader Gu's breakthrough really that simple?"

"Amitabha," said the Holy Monk Lianchi, "This reminds me of someone else."

"Who?" Li Wentian asked.

"Sword Master Junzi You," said the Lotus Pond Saint Monk, "I personally witnessed Junzi You break through his realm twice in one day. That time, I accompanied him to eliminate demons and protect the righteous path. He went on a killing spree twice that day, his thoughts were clear twice, and then he broke through his realm twice in succession. At that time, he had also reached the Dao Realm."

Li Wentian sighed, "How come every era produces some people like this! However, the last era had Jun Ziyou and Ye Wudi, but this era seems to only have Gu Guanqi."

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond said, "Perhaps there is one more."

Li Wentian asked in confusion, "Who is it? I've never heard of any younger generation who can rival Gu Guanqi."

The Holy Monk Lianchi said, "That person has been hidden by his family for a long time because they were worried that he would be framed by hostile forces if he was exposed. But now, his cultivation has been completed, and there is no need to hide him anymore. Before long, you will hear about his name."

Zhang Daoji and Leng Lingxi also looked at the Lotus Pond Saint Monk with curiosity.

Li Wentian quickly said, "Holy Monk, please stop keeping me in suspense!"

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond smiled slightly and said, "One of the five great families, the Ying family of Junzhou. Thirty years ago, a celestial being descended to earth, and a strange beast, the Qilin, came to pay homage carrying a spiritual treasure."

Li Wentian said, "I have heard of that, but I haven't heard anything about that divine child since. It is said that he died young."

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond said, "That was an accident deliberately created by the winner to protect the prodigy, so that someone would die in place of the divine child."

In truth, that divine child has been secretly nurtured all these years. His name is Ying Tianshen, and it is said that his cultivation has already entered the Dao. Now that he has appeared in the world, I, this humble monk, cannot even guess how strong he truly is.

Li Wentian clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "The winner actually had such a trick up his sleeve. Impressive! But have you ever seen him in action? Is he truly comparable to Alliance Leader Gu?"

The Lotus Pond Monk shook his head and said, "This humble monk has only met him a month ago, but I haven't seen him make a move. This humble monk can judge that he is very strong, but I cannot estimate his exact strength. The reason why he might be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Alliance Leader Gu is not my opinion, but the opinion of the Ying family head."

Leng Lingxi said, "If the winner said it himself, then its credibility would be questionable. However, I don't care about this Winning God; I'm more curious whether Alliance Leader Gu's breakthrough in the Path of Amorousness is the same as that of ordinary people like us?"

Li Wentian hesitated before saying, "How about we go and see for ourselves? We'll just sense it from a distance and not disturb Alliance Leader Gu."

Leng Lingxi said, "I'm willing to go with you!"

Zhang Daoji grinned and said, "I'm just as curious!"

All three looked toward the Lotus Pond Monk.

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond smiled slightly and said, "Amitabha, this humble monk has no intention of prying into Alliance Leader Gu's profound mysteries. However, since Alliance Leader Gu is in seclusion, this humble monk is very worried that he will be disturbed. Therefore, I am preparing to go and protect him!"

Zhang Daoji:

Li Wentian:

'

'

Leng Lingxi:

'

'

On the other side, Gu Guanqi stepped into the courtyard, sat down at the stone table, poured himself a cup of cool tea, and moistened his throat.

Then, he looked up at the two young Taoist boys standing respectfully at the door.

He waved his hand slightly and said in a gentle tone, "There's nothing wrong here. You can go and rest first. I'll call you if I need anything."

The two young Taoists exchanged a glance, bowed in unison, and then quietly withdrew.

The courtyard returned to tranquility, with only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves.

Gu Guanqi got up, put down his teacup, and went straight into the room, closing the door behind him.

-

Immediately, he walked to the bedside, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and sank his mind into his sea of ​​consciousness. He silently summoned the system and murmured, "Receive."

In an instant, a blazing and powerful swordsmanship essence poured into his mind like magma erupting.

The essence of the Fire Dance Whirlwind Sword Technique—from the first to the thirteenth level, the methods of channeling energy, the variations in sword moves, and the mental techniques—all transformed into flowing images that rapidly unfolded in his mind. The sword technique was sharp and fierce, like a burning flame churning and swirling in his sea of ​​consciousness, dispelling all the surrounding darkness.

Immediately afterwards, a surge of extremely powerful and yang true energy emerged from the depths of the dantian, which was none other than the Fire Dance Whirlwind True Energy.

It began as a thin, hair-like stream of warmth, but it quickly expanded and transformed into a surging tide of flames that flowed and circulated through his meridians.

The appearance of this true energy was like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, instantly stirring up the originally calm dantian. In particular, the extreme yin true energy condensed from the Cihang Sword Manual and the Heavenly Demon Secret within his body surged up like an enraged cold tide, meeting head-on with the newly born Fire Dance Whirlwind true energy.

Yin and Yang, cold and hot, two completely opposite forces intertwined in the dantian.

Gu Guanqi focused his mind, and the true energy of the Longevity Technique surged out from the deepest part of his dantian, like a clear spring, silently seeping into the two streams of true energy.

The true energy of the Longevity Technique contains Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, encompassing all things and possessing the ability to harmonize all things. In an instant, it envelops the two true energies of extreme Yin and Yang within it.

Guided by the Longevity Mantra, the Yin and Yang energies shifted from repulsion to fusion, slowly intertwining. The fiery intensity of the Fire Dance Whirlwind and the chilling coldness of the Compassionate Sky Demon slowly rotated in his dantian, weaving together into a continuously flowing wheel of light.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi's martial arts realm began to rise.

That kind of ascent is not just a simple increase in internal strength, but a fusion between different martial arts realms.

The ultimate state of the Fire Dance Whirlwind Sword Technique is to be free from desires, regrets, and resentment, ultimately achieving oneness with the sword and merging into the laws of heaven and earth.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi's various martial arts realms blended together, successfully entering a state of resonance with heaven and earth.

His Daoist heart, his divine consciousness, and his understanding of heaven and earth all rose simultaneously in this opportunity of Yin and Yang merging.

Originally, he had only entered the Shattered Realm, merging various martial arts to reach the Realm of All Paths Returning to One.

At this moment, however, he was moving rapidly forward in this realm, and the hazy path of the Great Dao was revealing a clear outline.

He vaguely sensed a higher level of existence, a transcendent and destructive truth that seemed to slowly unfold before his eyes. Those truths that he had only "seen" before now became "touchable."

The Shattered Realm has reached its peak.

At that moment, not far from the courtyard, at the entrance of an alley, the Holy Monk Lianchi, Zhang Daoji, Li Wentian, and Leng Lingxi stood side by side.

As soon as they reached the alley entrance, they vaguely sensed a different kind of will that caused them to waver. However, the will vanished in an instant.

But even that brief moment was enough to shock them all.

For a moment, they all looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhang Daoji stroked his beard, a thoughtful expression on his face, and said, "Is this the Dao of Passion? Just one night with Junior Sister was enough to trigger such a profound breakthrough. If she truly fell in love, she might even be able to reach the legendary realm of immortals."

66

"Amitabha." The Holy Monk Lianchi clasped his hands together, lowered his eyes, and softly chanted a Buddhist prayer. A barely perceptible ripple flickered deep within his ancient, well-like eyes as he said, "Truly remarkable. Of all the great paths, only emotions are fleeting and elusive. Alliance Leader Gu's ability to grasp the essence of emotions is indeed a testament to his exceptional talent!"

Li Wentian's tiger-like eyes were filled with shock and emotion: "It's a pity that my Shenji Sect doesn't have any outstanding female disciples, otherwise, I would definitely try to cultivate this good relationship."

Leng Lingxi, who had come with them, remained silent.

She stood there, her plain white robe fluttering gently in the breeze. Her face, cold and aloof as frost, revealed little emotion, but she was already deep in thought.

"Our grandmaster once predicted a calamity for our Tianshan Sect, which will occur in the next few years. If we can establish a good relationship with this Alliance Leader Gu, given his character, he might be willing to help us. However, is Wuqing truly capable of providing him with significant assistance? Does he even possess the kind of personal favor required?"

She thought for a moment, then thought to herself, "Why don't I just find a way to invite Alliance Leader Gu to our Tianshan Sect as a guest? The Tianshan Sect has no shortage of female disciples. If one isn't enough, then ten, twenty. If one favor isn't enough, then we'll offer more. If all else fails—I might as well give it a try!"

The four stood outside the courtyard, looking at each other in silence.

After a long while, Zhang Daoji spoke in a low voice, his tone tinged with emotion: "It seems that Alliance Leader Gu's breakthrough is a natural progression. We don't need to disturb him any longer; let's go back and continue discussing the matter of the Crimson Heaven Demon King."

The Holy Monk of Lotus Pond nodded slightly, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and then turned around first, walking slowly back along the path. Li Wentian and Leng Lingxi also withdrew their gazes and turned to follow.

Meanwhile, on a mountain peak behind the Tianyi Sect, hidden within a mountain guarded by dozens of stone pillars arranged in an array, lies a huge karst cave.

There is a well in the middle of the cave.

Suddenly, the well water churned, and torrents of black water gushed forth, from which a sinister voice echoed: "Has someone from the Heavenly Dao Sect reached the Ascension Realm again?"