Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 1514: Chapter 780: Far from Simple

Gu Sheng drank dozens of pounds of Spiritual Spring Water in one gulp.

The cool liquid entered his throat and instantly transformed into a surging torrent of Spiritual Energy, rushing into his meridians.

Gu Sheng groaned softly, beads of sweat emerging on his forehead.

The energy of the Spiritual Spring Water was even more violent than he imagined; if not for his physique having reached the ninth layer, his meridians might have been directly torn apart.

”Nine Dragon Heaven and Earth Technique!”

Gu Sheng muttered under his breath, operating the cultivation technique to guide the spiritual energy to circulate within his body.

The spiritual energy gradually transformed into pure True Qi, merging into his Qi Sea Dantian.

He could feel his cultivation steadily rising, growing ever closer to that threshold.

The sky darkened as the blood-like sunset cast an eerie red across the desolate valley.

Immersed in cultivation, Gu Sheng was oblivious to the changes in his surroundings.

Meanwhile, outside the valley, a group of martial artists advanced cautiously with torches in hand.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with a menacing scar on his face, wielding a Ghost Head Saber and scanning the surroundings with a fierce gaze.

”Everyone, stay alert!”

The scarred man shouted loudly.

”As long as we find clues about Gu Sheng, there are heavy rewards from the Divine Sect! I heard that kid has treasures brought out from the Purple Mist Cave Heaven, any one of which could set us up for life!”

The dozen or so martial artists in the group were stirred by his words, their eyes burning with eagerness.

A small man muttered softly.

”Scar, if it’s that important, why doesn’t the Divine Sect send their own people to search?”

The scarred man’s face darkened, glaring at the speaker.

”Scaredy-cat, if you’re afraid, get back to the city and don’t stand in my way of making money!”

The small man shrunk his neck but still insisted.

”I’m not afraid... just that whoever the Divine Sect is after is definitely not someone we can handle. I heard Gu Sheng killed more than a dozen elders of the seventy-two Divine Sects deep in the Southern Border...”

”Nonsense!”

The scarred man interrupted harshly.

”Those are just rumors! How could a young punk have such abilities? Besides, we’re only looking for clues, not fighting him to the death!”

Others in the group echoed his sentiments.

”Yeah, if you’re scared, just go back!”

”Don’t shake up the group’s morale!”

The small man sighed, speaking softly.

”I’m here for training, not to die...”

The scarred man snorted coldly, surveying the group.

”Anyone else want to leave? Go now, don’t give me trouble after we enter the mountain!”

”Bah! A bunch of gutless cowards!”

A young martial artist spat forcefully on the ground, eyes full of disdain.

He had a short saber with a greenish glow at his waist, and the red silk tied to the hilt fluttered in the wind.

The small man gave one last look at the sixty-plus person group, silently shouldered his pack, and turned to leave.

Behind him came the raspy shout of the scarred man.

”If you’re going, go now! Don’t be envious when I get the Divine Sect’s reward!”

Laughter rose from the group, mixed with the clashing sound of weapons.

The small man continued without stopping, his heart as cold as ice.

He recalled the scene he had witnessed three days earlier outside Southern Emperor City... cultivators in purple robes from the seventy-two Divine Sects swarming like locusts, turning even the land dark red wherever they went.

”Old Zhou, are you really leaving?”

A middle-aged martial artist with a pockmarked face caught up, speaking in a low voice.

”That’s a million high-grade Spirit Stones!”

The small man shook his head, pointing to an unhealed scar on his left arm.

”Wang Mazi, look at this. Seven days ago in Black Water Town, I saw with my own eyes, a Divine Sect outer disciple casually sliced through three Qi Sea Realm martial artists. Do you think we can even fill their teeth?”

The pockmarked man shivered at the words, instinctively rubbing his neck.

Distantly, the scarred man’s angry roar erupted.

”What are you dawdling for! It’ll be dark soon if we don’t move!”

The small man took one last glance at his greed-blinded companions and walked unwaveringly towards the path down the mountain.

The sunset stretched his shadow long, like an ominous omen.

”It’s here!”

The tracking martial artist squatted down, fingers caressing a patch of moss with a strange luster.

His nostrils flared, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

”No mistake! He stopped here; the aura is fresh, no more than two hours old!”

The scarred man grinned, exposing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

The Nine-Ring Great Saber at his waist jingled, the veins bulging on his sturdy arm.

”Brothers, the chance to get rich is here! The Divine Sect says capturing him alive is worth a million Spirit Stones, even his corpse fetches half that!”

The group immediately became agitated.

The young martial artist pushed to the front, his short blade already drawn.

”Scar Lord, what are we waiting for? Let’s kill our way in!”

”What’s the rush!”

The scarred man smacked the young martial artist on the back of the head.

”You brat, your hair’s not even fully grown. Do you know what’s inside the cave? What if it’s a trap set by Gu Sheng?”

He said, pulling out a yellowed talisman from his chest and biting his finger to draw a Blood Talisman on it.

The talisman paper ignited without wind, transforming into a sparrow made of flame that flew into the cave.

Moments later, the scarred man’s face turned odd.

”Strange... There’s no one in the cave, but...”

”But what?”

Everyone craned their necks.

”There’s a strong smell of blood.”

The scarred man put away his smile, eyes wary.

”Third Brother, take five men in first to have a look.”

The martial artist named turned pale, but under the watchful eyes of the group, he gritted his teeth and chose five companions.

They advanced into the cave carefully, torches raised, weapons drawn.

Firelight gradually swallowed by darkness, outside, people could only hear the increasingly heavy thumping of their own hearts.

”Ah...!”

A piercing scream suddenly erupted, startling a flock of birds into flight from the woods.