To comprehend all laws and attain immortality

Gu Fan had no idea how much benefit Qi Zongyuan had obtained from the states of Chen and Qin.

But he was certain that it was an amount that would cause both countries immense grief.

After all, such an opportunity is truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If either country had a better option, they would never choose to submit to the Lingxiao Sect.

Gu Fan took stock of the spiritual materials he urgently needed.

First and foremost are the essence of heaven and earth, namely the water and wood elements.

He has already refined his golden core five times. According to the plan, the next refinement should be the water element essence.

The fact that the states of Chen and Qin came to him conveniently saved him the time and effort of refining his essence.

Secondly, there are the materials needed for refining treasures.

The Cloud-Covering Umbrella is, after all, only a mid-grade magic weapon. Although it has been nurtured and recovered after being damaged last time, it is still a step weaker. Moreover, Gu Fan also has three Thunder Soul Stones, which require spiritual materials to complement them.

Finally, there were a large number of cultivation pills.

Whether cultivating the Crystal Pure Heart Bamboo or leaving the Qionghua Realm, cultivation level is an unavoidable hurdle.

The next day.

Qi Zongyuan sent someone to invite Gu Fan again.

When Gu Fan arrived at Lingxiao Palace, he indeed found Juezhen there as well.

Compared to yesterday, Juezhen's face showed a more bitter expression.

"Elder Gu has arrived," Qi Zongyuan greeted him with a smile.

"Greetings, Master." Gu Fan bowed first, then turned to Juezhen and handed him a jade slip: "Master, this is the reward I need. Please take a look."

Juezhen lowered his eyes, silently accepted the jade slip, examined it, and slowly nodded: "Good. As Benefactor Gu requests, this humble monk agrees on behalf of the Chen and Qin states."

Gu Fan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "I didn't ask for too little, did I?"

However, the jade slip had already been given out, and raising the price at the last minute would be excessive. Gu Fan decided not to make any further changes, as the jade slip contained all he needed to become rich overnight, more than doubling his wealth.

Juezhen tucked the jade slip into his sleeve and said in a deep voice, "I have already accepted the rewards from your esteemed sect and Benefactor Gu. Upon returning to Chen Kingdom, I will entrust the preparations to the sects of both countries. However... I wonder when Elder Gu will be able to depart?"

"When I arrived, the cauldron was already leaking foul odors, causing heavy casualties among the living beings within a hundred miles. If I had arrived a day later, countless more would have died."

Gu Fan turned to look at Qi Zongyuan, and seeing him nod, he said, "Master is right. I am ready and we can set off now."

Before leaving today, he made sure to arrange the affairs of Wendao Peak and left Qi Lingyun with a lot of "lessons" before setting off.

At this moment, Chang Yuan was coiled on his forearm, while the gourd was fast asleep in the spirit beast pouch.

Juezhen's face lit up with joy, and he nodded, saying, "That's excellent. Without further ado, please accompany this humble monk to the State of Chen!"

"Please, Master." Gu Fan gestured with his hand.

......

Clouds and mist over the sea.

Gu Fan and Jue Zhen rode in a lotus-shaped magic boat and sped towards the Western Continent.

He never imagined that he would have to return to Xizhou only twenty years after leaving the State of Chu.

However, this time it was an invitation from the sects of Chen and Qin, which was worlds apart from hiding it in Chu.

With nothing much happening along the way, the two began to chat.

"Master, I have a question. Could you please enlighten me?" Gu Fan asked.

"Please feel free to ask, benefactor."

"If the master alone can represent both Chen and Qin, does that mean the two countries have a very good relationship?"

"What you say is true, benefactor." Juezhen nodded and said, "Or rather, the relationship between Qin and Chen and Chu is very good, and there have almost never been any disputes."

"Why is that?" Gu Fan asked in surprise.

It's important to understand that although the three kingdoms of Dongzhou didn't break the six-kingdom alliance and start a life-or-death war, minor skirmishes were frequent, resulting in countless deaths and injuries. If it weren't for the three sects of Wei annexing Manghuang Mountain and suppressing the kingdoms of Yan and Wu, the borders would probably still be in turmoil.

"This all begins with the lineage of legal traditions during the Three Kingdoms period."

Juezhen pondered for a moment and said:

"The State of Chu reveres the Taiji Dao Ancestor, cultivates the Yin-Yang spiritual method, and is extremely skilled in defense. The immortals lead all the cultivators in the country, and no one dares to disobey their orders. It can be described as easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"The State of Chen reveres the Ancestor of All Things and values ​​mortal beings the most. Once the two countries go to war, mortals will inevitably suffer calamity. The three sects cannot bear to see the living beings suffer, so they rarely provoke disputes."

Gu Fan shook his head inwardly upon hearing this.

Chen Guo may genuinely value mortal beings due to his cultivation method, but he cannot bear to see them suffer. Gu Fan, however, absolutely does not believe this.

As far as he knew, Wang Jingshuo, the patriarch of the Wang family, used the secret technique of buying life money to transfer the disaster to eight thousand mortals overnight when he was trying to form his core, so how could he not bear to see the lives of the people suffer?

Of course, Gu Fan could understand that Juezhen was from the Chen Kingdom.

"What about the Qin state?" Gu Fan pressed.

"Qin Kingdom..." Juezhen said, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, "Qin Kingdom believes in the [Reincarnation Dao Ancestor], and all cultivators belong to the Rebirth Sect. Although there is only one Nascent Soul True Man, True Monarch Duchen, no one is willing to provoke him because of the characteristics of his cultivation method."

Gu Fan asked in surprise, "Is True Monarch Du Chen really this powerful?"

Both the State of Chen and the State of Chu have three Nascent Soul cultivators, so it was truly unexpected that this True Monarch Duchen could fight against all three of them alone.

"Fellow Daoist, you've misunderstood." Juezhen shook his head and said, "The techniques under the Samsara lineage are extremely strange. Besides being good at killing with divine sense, they also have some secret techniques that can sever lifespan and manipulate karma."

"Severing lifespan and manipulating karma?"

Gu Fan was greatly shocked and immediately understood why the states of Chu and Chen were unwilling to provoke the state of Qin.

Foundation Establishment cultivators have a lifespan of 240 years, and Golden Core cultivators only 500. In the current state of decline of spiritual energy in the Qionghua Realm, longevity-extending elixirs are almost extinct, and even a Venerable Master Xuanji has not been able to find one.

If one were to fight against a cultivator from the Qin Kingdom, one might lose their lifespan, so no one would want to provoke them.

As for driving karma, that's even more complicated.

When one's cultivation level is low, karma has little impact. However, if one needs to undergo tribulation, karma may erupt, causing one to fail at the last moment.

Even more seriously, karma can affect a cultivator's reincarnation.

Those burdened with heavy karma may be reborn as pigs, dogs, cattle, or sheep in their next life. No wonder no one dared to provoke the Qin state even though it only had one Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Juezhen chuckled twice and said, "Benefactor, there is no need to worry. Firstly, releasing such a secret technique requires a huge price, which can be described as hurting the enemy a thousand while losing eight hundred of your own. Moreover, you are a distinguished guest invited by both countries, so how could they dare to offend you?"

"What the master says makes sense."

Gu Fan nodded in agreement, then pondered, "The three kingdoms of the Western Continent are hesitant to start a war, fearing the consequences, while the three kingdoms of the Eastern Continent are completely unscrupulous, wishing they could slaughter entire clans and families. The difference is truly like heaven and earth."

......

The lotus-shaped Dharma boat traveled through the sea of ​​clouds for several days before arriving at the border of the Chen Kingdom.

Due to the urgency of the situation, Juezhen did not take Gu Fan back to Jianglong Temple, but instead headed straight for the border area with the Qin Kingdom.

Half a month later, Gu Fan saw a dark stone mountain in the distance.

"Benefactor Gu, that mountain is where the seal of the Filthy Cauldron is located," Juezhen said in a deep voice.

The pitch-black stone mountain was about a hundred feet high, and its entire body was emanating a thick black mist. In mid-air, it condensed into a black cloud that blocked out the sunlight for miles around, making it even more sinister and terrifying.

Wherever the black mist passed, vegetation withered, and countless creatures rotted into sewage, resembling a living hell.

Upon seeing this, Gu Fan's expression also turned serious.

The lotus-shaped Dharma boat landed a hundred miles away from the dark stone mountain. Just then, a streak of light rushed towards the scene. When the light stopped, it revealed a beautiful female cultivator dressed in a light yellow palace dress.

The female cultivator had cascading black hair, gentle and warm eyes, and a fair face like the bright moon, exuding a sense of holiness.

"Benefactor Gu, this is the Holy Maiden of the Rebirth Sect, Fellow Daoist Yun," Juezhen introduced.

"My name is Yun Shuwan. I greet you, fellow Daoist." The female cultivator smiled gently.

"Gu Fan greets fellow Daoist."

As Gu Fan returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his divine sense detected Yun Shuwan's cultivation level, which surprised him somewhat.

It wasn't that his cultivation level was too high, but rather too low; he was only at the early stage of the Golden Core realm.

Along the way, he had already learned about the Qin State's Rebirth Sect from Juezhen.

In the Rebirth Sect, the High Priest, True Lord Duchen, is the most revered, followed by the Sect Leader and the Holy Maiden, and finally the Golden Core Elder.

Gu Fan didn't quite understand why a Saintess in the early stage of the Golden Core realm could have a status above elders in the middle or even late stages of the Golden Core realm. This didn't seem to conform to the rules of the cultivation world.

However, Gu Fan couldn't ask about the specific reasons in person, so he could only keep them to himself.

Update released! Readers have all gone to check it out!