Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Pan Zhuang laughed at himself and slapped his face hard.

”Really ridiculous!”

He calmed his emotions. As a Core Disciple, his cultivation had already reached the Early Stage of the Heavenly Palace Realm, far surpassing that of Gu Sheng, who was just a newcomer to the Inner Sect.

The momentary unease just now must have been an illusion.

”Hmph, you’ll soon know my power.”

Pan Zhuang coldly tossed out a remark, waved his large hand, and his figure swept towards the depths of the forest.

At the entrance of the cave, Ling Xiao clenched his fist, fire of anger hard to quell in his eyes.

”Gu Sheng, why didn’t you let me make a move just now? With our strength, taking Pan Zhuang down would be a piece of cake!”

Gu Sheng’s expression was calm, but his gaze was deep as an abyss.

”Pan Zhuang’s strength is insignificant, but here, we are in the Xuanming Divine Mountain.”

He looked up at the cave ceiling.

”That Great Power might be watching us. It’s not wise to reveal our strength too early.”

Ling Xiao frowned.

”But just let him walk away like that?”

”Let him walk away?”

Gu Sheng’s lips curled into a sneer.

”He will soon regret his decision.”

Just as he was speaking, deep from the cave came a sudden ”boom” of a giant explosion. The entire mountain cave trembled slightly, with rubble falling from the ceiling.

”Here it comes.”

Gu Sheng’s eyes flashed with keen insight.

”Pan Zhuang’s plan, indeed concerns this Demon Beast.”

Ling Xiao’s expression tightened.

”Did he purposely lure us in to feed the Demon Beast?”

Gu Sheng didn’t answer but stepped into the depths of the cave.

”Stay close to me, don’t fall behind.”

The two advanced along the damp passageway, the air filled with an increasingly strong smell of blood.

After rounding a bend, their view suddenly opened up — a huge underground cavern appeared before them.

In the center of the cavern, a massive Demon Beast was pacing back and forth anxiously.

It was shaped like a giant wolf but had three eyes and was covered in gray-black scales, with a row of sharp bone spikes on its back glinting coldly.

The most striking feature was a ferocious wound on its abdomen, still oozing dark red blood.

”Early Stage Heavenly Palace Realm, Three-eyed Scale Wolf.”

Gu Sheng instantly recognized the Demon Beast’s species.

”Badly injured, its strength remains only at three or four-tenths.”

The Demon Beast sensed a human presence, suddenly turned around, its three blood-red eyes glaring at Gu Sheng and Ling Xiao.

Upon discovering the intruders not fleeing but instead critiquing it, it became fiercely enraged.

”Roar—!”

A deafening roar, sound waves carrying irresistible power swept forward, stones on the cave wall shook and fell.

Gu Sheng stood unmoved, merely waving his hand lightly, an invisible barrier repelled the sound waves entirely.

Though prepared, Ling Xiao was still pushed back two steps by the aftershock, his face slightly changed.

”Gu Sheng, this beast is hard to deal with, we should team up...”

Before Ling Xiao could finish, he saw Gu Sheng stride forward.

”No need.”

Gu Sheng spoke in a calm tone.

”Step back a bit, so blood doesn’t splatter on you.”

The Three-eyed Scale Wolf saw this human dare to approach alone, and it was incensed.

Raising its forepaw, its sharp claws grew to three feet, making a sharp whistle as they shredded the air, aiming straight for Gu Sheng’s head!

The power in this strike was enough to crush an ordinary Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator into pulp!

Yet Gu Sheng did not even blink.

Just at the moment the wolf’s paw was about to touch the top of his head, his figure suddenly blurred —

”Swish!”

A cyan shadow flashed by, and Gu Sheng had appeared above the scale wolf’s head.

In his hand, he somehow held a longsword, its entire body glistening like Green Jade, the blade flowing with a faint glow.

”Next life, remember to see clearly before you act.”

Gu Sheng said faintly, casually slashing down with the Green Jade Sword.

”Pfft!”

The sound of a blade piercing flesh rang out distinctly in the cavern. The Green Jade Sword effortlessly penetrated the scale wolf’s protective spiritual energy, tough scales, and solid skull as if slicing through tofu.

The sword edge entered right in the center of the wolf’s head, cutting downwards continuously until it reached the chest cavity where it stopped.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

”Boom!”

The massive wolf corpse crashed to the ground, blood gushing out from the wound like a fountain, instantly staining the surrounding ground red for several meters.

The three blood-red eyes remained open, but they had lost all their luster, leaving only a rigid expression of disbelief and horror.

Ling Xiao stood frozen, his mouth involuntarily agape.

He knew Gu Sheng was strong, but he hadn’t expected him to be this strong—to slay a Heavenly Palace Realm Demon Beast with one sword strike, even though it was injured; this was astonishing!

”Let’s go see what it was guarding.”

Gu Sheng flicked the Blood Pearl off the sword, as if he had just easily squashed an ant.

The two stepped over the wolf carcass and walked deeper into the cave.

In the depths of the cave, the purple-red Holy Infant Grass trembled slightly in Gu Sheng’s palm, emanating a bone-chilling Yin Qi as if it were alive.

The cold Yin Qi pierced the skin like needles, yet it made the corners of Gu Sheng’s mouth curl up in satisfaction.

”This Yin Qi... is three times stronger than the rumors say.”

Gu Sheng’s fingers closed, gripping the Spirit Grass tightly in his palm.

”Looks like there is hope to break through the Second Level of the Nine Dragon Heaven and Earth Technique.”

Ling Xiao, feeling bored, kicked at the Demon Beast’s carcass beside him. The massive body had already stiffened, and the dark red blood had soaked the surrounding ten meters of land, emitting a strong stench.

”At least this trip wasn’t in vain.”

Ling Xiao pouted, his gaze sweeping over the scattered Spiritual Artifacts around.

”Even though these are useless scraps, at least we got what you needed.”

Gu Sheng nodded slightly and carefully placed the Holy Infant Grass into a specially made jade box in his arms.

The surface of the jade box was engraved with intricate runes. As soon as it closed, the overwhelming Yin Qi was completely isolated.

”Pan Zhuang and the others should arrive soon.”

Gu Sheng suddenly spoke, his gaze directed towards the entrance of the cave.

Upon hearing this, a playful light appeared in Ling Xiao’s eyes.

”That group of useless folks has been waiting outside for so long, they probably think we’ve been ripped apart by this beast, right?”

”They will be disappointed soon enough.”

Gu Sheng sat down cross-legged, placing his hands on his knees, as the Spiritual Power in his body began to circulate slowly along the path of the Nine Dragon Heaven and Earth Technique.

”Let’s rest for a moment and prepare to welcome our guests.”

Ling Xiao chuckled, plopping down onto the Demon Beast’s carcass, pulling out a wine gourd from his waist, and taking a swig.

”I really want to see what expressions those guys will have when they see this scene.”

Outside the cave, Pan Zhuang and his group of five were cautiously advancing.

The ground beneath their feet was becoming increasingly soft, sinking with each step, producing an unsettling squelching sound.

”Is this... blood?”

Jin Xianyun suddenly gasped, lifting her foot to find the sole covered in a thick, dark red liquid.

Yu Tianyi crouched, dipping a finger into it and bringing it to his nose, his face suddenly changing.

”It’s Demon Beast blood! And... it’s still fresh!”

Pan Zhuang’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace sharply.

”Move quickly! Something’s wrong!”

The five of them dropped their attempts to conceal themselves, rushing towards the cave depths at full speed.

As they progressed, the bloodstains on the ground grew denser, eventually forming a blood swamp, with each step splashing up blood.

The earth underfoot emitted a disconcerting, sticky squelch, each step feeling like it was on decayed flesh.

Pan Zhuang’s brows knitted tighter, the torchlight flickering unsteadily in the damp air, distorting their shadows onto the cave walls.

”Something’s not right...”

Pan Zhuang muttered softly, the odd sensation from his boot causing him to pause.

The Yu Tianyi almost collided with him from behind.

”What’s wrong?”

Pan Zhuang didn’t reply but slowly lowered the torch.

Under the orange-red light, the ground, which should have been earthy brown, was now a strange dark red, with the viscous liquid reflecting a sickening gleam.

”Is this... blood?”

Jin Xianyun’s voice quivered slightly, and she instinctively took a half-step back, her embroidered shoes’ edges already soaked in the dark red fluid.

Pan Zhuang crouched, dipping his fingers into it and bringing them to his nose.

The pungent iron scent rushed into his nostrils, causing his face to change dramatically.

”It’s blood! And it’s Demon Beast blood!”

”How is that possible?”

Yu Tianyi exclaimed in disbelief.

”What kind of Demon Beast can have so much blood? Unless...”

”Unless it’s the Seven-tiered Blood Pattern Python guarding the Holy Infant Grass.”

Pan Zhuang’s voice was dry, his eyes filled with fear.

”But who could kill it?”

A sinister wind blew from the depths of the cave, making the torch flicker violently, nearly extinguishing it.