Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 103 A fleeting glimpse, a glimpse through the fog

The following morning, a misty haze enveloped the entire Changning County.

A long queue had already formed outside the Demon Suppression Bureau's office.

The people queuing up were rogue cultivators dressed in a variety of messy Taoist robes, and even soft armor made of animal hide.

Some of them carried rusty iron swords on their backs, while others held woodcutting axes in their hands. Their eyes held both trepidation about the unknown and a long-lost longing—the lofty ambition they had when they were young and wanted to join the immortal sect.

"Have you heard? The Demon Suppression Division is expanding its recruitment! They're not only giving out spirit stones, but also providing meals! The first batch to go all learned the authentic breathing techniques!"

"I've heard about it too, but could it be a scam? That's the Demon Suppression Division..."

"What a load of rubbish! Look at Zhang Mazi over there. He just started yesterday, and today he's already wearing a brand new uniform, carrying two pounds of spirit pork. He's looking all smug!"

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, their eager gazes frequently drifting toward the tightly closed gates of the government office.

The door creaked open.

The person who came out was not a yamen runner, but Gu Yan, dressed in official robes, wearing a black gauze hat, and holding a bowl of hot tofu pudding.

He had no airs of an official; he just squatted on the threshold and took a big gulp of hot water, which made the rogue cultivators in line swallow hard.

"They're all here?"

Gu Yan wiped his mouth and glanced at the crowd.

"When I, Gu Changsheng, select people, I don't care about their background or past. As long as you haven't spilled the blood of innocent people, I'll let you eat this rice with peace of mind."

Gu Yan stood up, handed the empty bowl to Song Hong behind him, and patted the dust off his hands.

"Let me make this clear from the start: once you're in my ranks, you have to abide by my rules. Anyone who dares to bring their old ways of double-crossing and bullying men and women into the Demon Suppression Division will face consequences; don't blame me for my guillotine being merciless."

As soon as he finished speaking, several shifty-eyed guys in the crowd exchanged glances, shrank back, and quietly slipped away.

The remaining group of men mostly had resolute eyes and looked honest and simple.

Gu Yan nodded in satisfaction.

Although these rogue cultivators are older and their cultivation levels are not high, mostly in the early to mid-stages of Qi Refining, they have the advantage of numbers and have been struggling at the bottom for many years. They have lost their arrogance and know how to be discreet.

With just a little training, they become the best informants and agents spread throughout every corner of Changning County.

Just then, the curtain of rain in the sky was lifted by something.

An immense pressure, like dark clouds covering the sky, rolled in from the southeast.

Amidst churning clouds, a cyan flying boat, dozens of feet long and carved with flowing cloud patterns, broke through the rain and mist and slowly hovered above the county town.

On the flying boat, banners fluttered in the wind, and the emblem of the Flowing Cloud Sect stood out against the gloomy sky.

The rogue cultivators in line changed their expressions drastically and retreated involuntarily, showing their instinctive fear of the advanced cultivators.

Gu Yan narrowed his eyes, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"They arrived quickly."

He straightened his clothes, winked at Xiao Chen behind him, and then announced loudly, "Gu Changsheng, Commander of the Demon Suppression Division of Changning County, respectfully welcomes the Immortal Master!"

The flying boat descended slowly, but did not land. Instead, it hovered three zhang above the ground, exuding an air of arrogant superiority.

Two figures gracefully descended from the flying boat.

On the left is a man dressed in a purple robe, with a thin face and three long wisps of beard. He holds an ancient bronze mirror in his hand, and his eyes are as sharp as a hawk's, as if he can see through people's hearts.

The man on the right is a middle-aged man carrying a heavy sword. He has a square face, an imposing presence, and a restrained sword aura around him, clearly a master swordsman.

"A mid-stage Golden Core expert."

Standing behind Gu Yan, Xiao Chen transmitted his voice secretly, his tone grave: "That guy with the mirror is Mo Qianji, the chief elder of the Flowing Cloud Sect's Punishment Hall. He is an expert in the art of deduction and tracing origins, and is extremely difficult to deal with."

Gu Yan felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive as he quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"Your humble servant, Gu Changsheng, greets the two elders."

Mo Qianji landed without paying any attention to Gu Yan's greeting. His sharp eyes swept across the entire Demon Suppression Division compound like a scanner, finally settling on Gu Yan, but he couldn't see through Gu Yan's breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Commander Gu, what an imposing air of authority!"

Mo Qianji's voice was cold and scathing, carrying a scrutinizing tone: "Luo Lie died here, and you not only aren't terrified, but you even have the leisure to recruit soldiers?"

In short, it's a matter of destroying one's heart.

If Gu Yan were to answer even slightly carelessly, he would be accused of "colluding with foreign enemies and plotting treason."

Gu Yan looked bitter and sighed, "Elder, you are wise. It's not that I'm ignorant of my own safety, but I had no choice but to do it."

He straightened up, pointed at the trembling rogue cultivators behind him, his eyes filled with grief and indignation.

"That demon was incredibly ferocious, and the bodies of Deacon Luo and his group are barely cold. I know my cultivation is too low. If that demon returns, what will become of the people of this city? I can only give away all my wealth to recruit some helpers, even if it means being cannon fodder, to buy some time to send a message to the sect, can't I?"

These words were spoken with sincerity and earnestness, which not only absolved him of any wrongdoing but also established him as a person who was "loyal and devoted to the people."

The heavy-sword-wielding man beside Mo Qianji sneered, "Eloquent tongue. Luo Lie is in the late Foundation Establishment stage, and with the aid of a battle formation, even an ordinary early Core Formation stage cultivator might not be able to capture him. You say it was done by a demonic sect giant, where's the evidence?"

"The evidence is in the mountains."

Gu Yan remained neither humble nor arrogant, and gestured "please" to the side, saying loudly, "If the two elders do not believe me, you may come with me to the scene to see for yourselves. However, the demonic energy there remains heavily, so please be careful."

Mo Qianji gave Gu Yan a deep look, the bronze mirror in his hand shimmering with golden light.

"lead the way."

……

The Burial Dragon Mountain Range, an ancient path leading into the mountain.

After several days of wind and rain, the sword mark lying across the rock still exudes a chilling aura.

The black aura emanating from the depths of the sword mark was unlike ordinary Yin energy. It carried an ancient, noble yet extremely decadent aura. Any vegetation that came into contact with even a tiny bit of it would instantly wither and turn to ash.

Mo Qianji and the man with the heavy sword stood before the sword mark, their expressions finally changing.

"This aura..."

The man with the heavy sword reached out, trying to touch the wisp of black energy, but was pulled back by Mo Qianji.

"Don't move! This is ancient demonic energy!"

Mo Qianji stared at the sword mark, his pupils contracting sharply, his voice filled with undisguised shock: "This level of demonic energy is far beyond the capabilities of ordinary demonic cultivators. The person who created this attack has likely received the true teachings of an ancient demonic sect, and may even be the reincarnation of some ancient monster!"

Gu Yan stood to the side, head bowed and eyes downcast, but his heart was filled with joy.

This is demonic energy formed from the resentment of the Candle Dragon; how could it not be ancient? How could it not be highly pure?

"Elder, look..."

Gu Yan asked cautiously, "Is what I said true? At that time, Steward Luo's battle formation was broken by this sword, and he didn't even have a chance to resist."

Mo Qianji didn't speak; he simply raised the bronze mirror in his hand.

This is a top-grade spiritual artifact called the Mirror of Recalling Light, which can recall scenes that occurred within a certain period of time and is a powerful tool for the Criminal Investigation Department to solve cases.

"Whether it's real or fake, you'll know as soon as you see it."

Mo Qianji bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the bronze mirror.

"Buzz!"

The bronze mirror trembled, emitting a hazy blue light that instantly enveloped the sword mark.

Gu Yan's heart leaped into his throat.

Although he disguised himself, the exciting parts are not to be missed: Chapter 103 A Glimpse, Seeing Through the Fog (Full Text Available Now, Click). But the methods in the cultivation world are endless, what if something is really revealed...

He subconsciously gripped the City God Seal in his sleeve, the Divine Demon Tai Chi Diagram within his body circulated wildly, and the Dragon Pearl that had merged into his Qi Sea became scorching hot.

In the mirrored light, the image began to distort, with blurry light and shadow constantly flickering.

In the dim light, flames could be seen shooting into the sky; that was Luo Lie's Fire Dragon Technique.

Immediately afterwards, a blurry black figure appeared.

The figure was tall and imposing, with his back to the world, surrounded by raging demonic flames. Just his back view was enough to make people breathless and feel a sense of submission.

Just as the image was about to become clear and reveal the person's true face.

"roar--"

A faint dragon's roar resounded from within Gu Yan's body, resonating with the image in the mirror along with the lingering aura of the dragon pearl.

That wasn't a real sound, but rather interference from some higher-level entity.

"Snap!"

The Light-Tracing Mirror in Mo Qianji's hand made a crisp sound, and a tiny crack appeared on the surface of the mirror.

The scene abruptly ended, transforming into a white light like snowflakes.

"puff!"

Mo Qianji suffered a backlash, his face turned pale, and he took half a step back, his eyes filled with horror.

"What terrifying demonic power! Even a mere remnant image could shatter my Light-Tracing Mirror!"

When he looked at the sword mark again, there was no doubt in his eyes, only deep fear.

"This demon... is unfathomable!"

The heavy-sword-wielding man beside him also gasped in astonishment: "Senior brother, to shatter a magical artifact across time and space—that's at least a mid-stage, or even late-stage, Nascent Soul level! Why would someone like that appear in this remote Changning County?"

"When the earth's veins are restored, there must be extraordinary treasures."

Mo Qianji put away the damaged bronze mirror, his expression solemn and his tone stern: "Luo Lie and the others died without cause. They simply couldn't afford to provoke such beings."

At this point, he turned to look at Gu Yan, his gaze less scrutinizing and more filled with pity.

"Gu Changsheng, you're incredibly lucky to have survived such a scoundrel."

Gu Yan quickly feigned lingering fear, wiping non-existent cold sweat from his forehead: "I was just lucky. I happened to be relieving myself and hid in a crevice in the rocks, which is how I escaped this disaster. By the time I came out, Steward Luo and the others were already..."

This excuse is incredibly cliché, but because of the shock of the Light-Tracing Mirror shattering earlier, it seems all the more real.

After all, when facing a demon of that caliber, there is no other way to survive except through luck.

"This matter is beyond your ability to handle."

Mo Qianji pondered for a moment, then took out a cyan jade talisman from his sleeve and tossed it to Gu Yan.

"This is the Flowing Cloud Sword Talisman, which seals the power of one sword strike from our sect's founder. Take it. If that demon reappears, crush this talisman to protect you for a while, and the sect will be notified immediately."

Gu Yan accepted the jade talisman with both hands, carefully tucking it into his body as if it were a priceless treasure, expressing his deepest gratitude: "Thank you so much for the treasure, Elder! This humble official will swear to defend Changning to the death!"

"besides."

Mo Qianji pointed in the direction of Changning County, "Although the earth veins are now open, it's a case of 'a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' Other sects will inevitably have their own ideas. I will report this to the sects truthfully, and array masters will be coming soon to set up a protective array for the city. During this time, you keep a close eye on things and report any suspicious activity immediately."

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

Mo Qianji said no more, and took the heavy swordsman into the air, transforming into a streak of light and flying back to the hovering flying boat.

A moment later, the flying boat turned around, soared into the sky, and disappeared into the depths of the clouds.

Only after the oppressive aura disappeared did Gu Yan straighten up, his respect and fear vanishing in an instant.

He toyed with the warm, smooth jade talisman in his hand, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"The Flowing Cloud Sword Talisman? It's called a protective talisman, but it's probably just a surveillance device."

Xiao Chen stepped forward, looked at the jade talisman, and frowned, saying, "There is a divine sense imprint on this. Your every move is under their watchful eyes."

"It's alright."

Gu Yan casually tossed the jade talisman into the air and caught it steadily. "As long as they don't come in person, I have plenty of ways to fool them with this. On the contrary, this is a free trump card to save my life, so I might as well take it."

"and……"

Gu Yan looked at the sword mark he had fabricated, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "Senior brother, this play has only just begun."

This demon's reputation is now truly well-deserved.

No matter how much trouble Gu Yan causes in Changning County in the future, or if the Blood Swordsmen do something earth-shattering, there will always be a ready-made scapegoat.

Xiao Chen looked at Gu Yan, shook his head, and said with a smile in his eyes, "If you were to cultivate the demonic path, you would probably be even more terrifying than those ancient demons."

"magic?"

Gu Yan turned around and walked down the mountain, his green robe fluttering in the wind.

"My heart is the righteous path; what does it matter if my methods are demonic?"

The post-rain sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the ancient path leading into the mountains.

Gu Yan's shadow was stretched long, half bathed in golden light and half hidden in the shadow of the trees.

Just like his current predicament, he walks between light and darkness, on the edge of a cliff, dancing a dance called deceiving the heavens.

When they returned to the county government office, Song Hong was giving a speech to a group of newly recruited rogue cultivators in the courtyard.

Seeing Gu Yan return, she quickly went to greet him, her eyes questioning.

"Gone?"

"I'm gone."

Gu Yan nodded and said casually, "They even gave us a big gift."

"What wonderful gift?"

"A talisman that says 'I'm dangerous, don't mess with me.'"

Gu Yan smiled and didn't explain further, but simply instructed, "Senior Sister, have the brothers disperse. Especially keep a close watch on the western and northern border areas."

"Are you worried about the Blood River Sect?" Song Hong asked sharply.

"It's not that I'm worried."

Gu Yan looked westward, towards the direction of the Blood River Sect, which was also the location of his clone.

"I'm afraid that if the stage is set up too well, the performers over there might mess it up, and then all my hard work would be for nothing."

He knew that the seven-day deadline was approaching and the Blood River Sect's demonic tribulation was about to begin.

This time, it will no longer be just about killing and plundering.

Rather, it was Gu Yan who, by using his dual identities, oscillated between the righteous and the demonic paths, and took the first step in truly taking control of the game.

"Pass down the order."

Gu Yan's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling aura.

"The entire city is on high alert. Seven days from now, if any demonic cultivators invade, they will be killed without hesitation, without prior authorization!"

Song Hong was taken aback for a moment, then clasped her hands in a fist and bowed, accepting the order: "Yes

Although she didn't understand the deeper meaning behind the order, she trusted the man's judgment.

Gu Yan stood under the old locust tree, gently stroking the rough bark with his palm.

Within his body's dantian, the towering structure trembled gently. The heat of the dragon ball, the Buddhist light of the Heart-Cleansing Mantra, the incense offerings and prayers of the people of Changning County, and the pure demonic energy were slowly merging together.

As the fortunes of Changning County are further unleashed, this land will give birth to many rare and precious treasures in the future.

At that time, the greedy eyes of countless cultivators will inevitably notice this remote and secluded place.

And the opportunity for him to form his core may lie in this impending chaos.