txolops Chapter 128 The Pass is Hard to Cross, Playing the Fool to Deceive the Tiger
Chapter 128 The Pass is Hard to Cross, Playing the Fool to Deceive the Tiger
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At the exit of Sunset Valley, the cliffs on both sides are as if carved by a knife and axe, piercing straight into the clouds, leaving only a narrow passage no more than three zhang wide in the middle.
The rock face is perpetually shrouded in darkness, covered in slippery moss, and the occasional droplets of water that drip from the crevices create a series of echoing sounds.
In the past, this was the path of hope for cultivators who returned laden with their spoils.
At this moment, this place is a veritable slaughterhouse.
Human blood, mixed with the burnt smell of a magical attack.
Beside the pile of rubble at the entrance of the passageway lay dozens of corpses, mostly dressed as rogue cultivators. Their storage bags had long since disappeared, and even their robes had been stripped off, leaving them naked and exposed to the cold wind.
Gu Yan supported Li Qingge, hiding behind a huge gray rock, his gaze coldly surveying the pass ahead through the cracks in the rock.
A magical array of light had been set up there, its pale yellow glow blocking the only way out.
In front of the light screen stood more than twenty cultivators, dressed in different clothes, belonging to three different camps.
On the left, a group of people dressed in blood-red robes and carrying ghost-head broadswords on their backs were disciples of the Blood Blade Sect.
On the right are men dressed in light blue, with dragon patterns embroidered on their cuffs; they are from the Azure Dragon Sect.
The group in the center exuded the most composed aura. They wore black Taoist robes with the Big Dipper pattern painted on their chests, and were stewards of the Seven Star Pavilion.
These three forces, unlike sects such as the Cuiyun Sect and Liuyun Sect, which send disciples into the secret realm to obtain resources, mostly profit by setting up formations at the exit and exploiting rogue cultivators.
"This so-called prestigious sect is utter bullshit."
Gu Yan's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he lowered his voice: "They fight tooth and nail for resources all the time, but now they're all acting like family when it comes to robbing us fat sheep."
Li Qingge's face was pale. She swallowed a Qi-restoring pill, her eyes cold: "In previous secret realm openings, the major sects would join forces to extract 30% of the spoils from rogue cultivators. This is an unwritten rule. Unfortunately, with today's situation, it seems they want more than just 30%."
Gu Yan nodded.
In the past, they only sought money, but judging from their current actions, they clearly intend to kill to silence witnesses or thoroughly search the soul.
The reason is simple: the collapse of the underground palace was too loud, and the fate of the elders from various sects who entered the core area is still unknown.
Those who remained outside panicked and were also tempted by greed.
"Thinking back to the past wasn't easy."
Gu Yan's gaze swept over the group, his eyes grave: "Two Foundation Establishment Perfection experts, five late-Foundation Establishment experts, and one Golden Core expert hiding in the shadows. Judging from that formation, it's probably the Three Talents Dragon Trapping Formation. If you try to force your way through, even in your prime, it will be quite a struggle."
Li Qingge gripped the sword tightly, her knuckles turning white: "I am Princess Yong'an, they dare not touch me."
"Princess, times have changed."
Gu Yan pressed down on her hand, which was about to draw her sword, his tone unusually calm, lacking its usual slickness: "If the elders were safe and sound, your identity would naturally be a golden brand. But now those old guys' fates are unknown. To cover up the truth, or to seize that so-called Nascent Soul inheritance, do you think they would care about killing one more princess?"
To take advantage of your illness, kill you, then destroy the evidence and blame it on a demon beast—this is the most common script in the cultivation world.
Li Qingge fell silent.
She wasn't some naive young lady; she just couldn't accept this sudden change in circumstances.
"Then let's fight our way out." A resolute glint flashed in Li Qingge's eyes. "I still have one more strike to deliver."
"Save your strength to save your life."
Gu Yan released his grip, straightened his tattered clothes, and wiped most of the blood off his face, revealing a handsome face with a scholarly air.
He stood ramrod straight, and his timid demeanor vanished instantly, leaving only the arrogance and indifference unique to scions of aristocratic families.
"Don't forget, I am a person of status too."
Gu Yan pointed to the inconspicuous Flowing Cloud Sect waist token on his waist, then turned to Li Qingge and raised an eyebrow: "Since we are a prestigious sect, let's play by the rules of a prestigious sect. You should speak less and follow my lead."
After saying that, he strode out from behind the rock without waiting for Li Qingge's reaction.
Li Qingge looked at the suddenly upright figure, her eyes narrowed, and she quickly followed after him.
……
"Who goes there! Stop right there!"
As soon as the two appeared, a Blood Blade Sect disciple guarding the formation shouted sharply, his ghost-headed saber humming, and a bloodthirsty aura rushed towards them.
Gu Yan kept walking, his gaze never lingering on the disciple for even a moment, as if the other party were nothing more than an insignificant wisp of air.
He put one hand behind his back and the other hand loosely supported Li Qingge, his expression indifferent, his tone tinged with impatience: "Are you blind? You don't even recognize me?"
The disciple was taken aback by Gu Yan's self-righteous attitude.
In the cultivation world, anyone who dares to be this arrogant is either a fool or has a really powerful background.
"You are Gu Changsheng, Junior Brother Gu, from the Flowing Cloud Sect?"
The sinister-looking young man said with a forced smile, "I heard you're a useless five-elemental-roots cultivator who only managed to sneak into the inner sect by flattering the elders. What, you think you can walk out of Sunset Valley alive?"
As soon as he said this, a burst of laughter erupted from the surrounding crowd.
"Turns out he's just a good-for-nothing who lives off a woman."
"The Flowing Cloud Sect is truly declining with each generation; even this kind of scum can get into the inner sect."
Gu Yan's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't even lift his eyelids.
He merely glanced indifferently at the sinister-looking youth, then suddenly sneered, "Zhao Laosan from the Seven Star Pavilion, is it? I remember last time during the sect competition, you were knocked off the stage by my Flowing Cloud Sect's senior brother with a single sword strike, your face swollen for half a month. What, you've forgotten the pain once the wound heals, and now you dare to bark at me?"
The sinister-looking young man's face stiffened, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes: "Gu Changsheng, you're courting death! Don't think I won't touch you just because you're a disciple of the Flowing Cloud Sect. In Sunset Valley these days, a few deaths are perfectly normal!"
"Try touching me!"
Gu Yan stepped forward, not retreating, but instead pressing his chest against the wall.
He took out a pale blue jade talisman from his pocket and held it high.
The jade talisman emitted a soft light, engraved with the cloud patterns unique to the Flowing Cloud Sect, and faintly revealed a spiritual fluctuation belonging to a Golden Core cultivator.
"The talisman that my master bestowed upon me before his departure."
Gu Yan, spouting nonsense without batting an eye, launched into a boastful tactic: "As soon as my soul perishes, this soul talisman will transmit the image of this place back to the sect. At that time, let's see how your Seven Star Pavilion and Blood Blade Sect will withstand the wrath of my Flowing Cloud Sect's Punishment Hall!"
This jade talisman was a sword talisman given to him by Shen Youwei when he bid farewell to the Flowing Cloud Sect. It contained the power of a Golden Core cultivator's strike.
This is the perfect way to fool others and make them mistakenly believe that you have a powerful background.
The sinister-looking young man was indeed intimidated.
The Flowing Cloud Sect is, after all, one of the most powerful forces in the surrounding area, and its Punishment Hall is notorious for its protectiveness and ruthlessness.
"Hmph, trying to intimidate me with your sect's influence?"
Despite his apprehension, the sinister young man didn't step aside. Instead, he sneered, "Since you're Junior Brother Gu, you don't need to hand over your entire fortune like those rogue cultivators. However..."
His gaze fell on Li Qingge, who had remained silent, and his eyes became lewd and greedy.
"This must be the famous Princess Yong'an, right? Tsk tsk, it seems the princess is quite badly injured."
The sinister-looking young man licked his lips: "We suspect that the princess is carrying the demon that caused the underground palace to collapse. For everyone's safety, we request that the princess hand over her storage bag so we can inspect it. And while we're at it, let us brothers search her body too, just in case the demon is hiding inside her clothes? Hahahaha!"
The surrounding cultivators also let out malicious laughter.
They had noticed Li Qingge's weakness long ago.
If one could take the opportunity to humiliate or even kill a severely injured early-stage Golden Core cultivator, that would be an incredible windfall.
A cold glint flashed in Li Qingge's eyes, and sword energy surged around her; she was ready to fight to the death.
"Snapped!"
A crisp slap rang out abruptly throughout the room.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the scene before them, incredulous.
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Gu Yan was already standing in front of the sinister-looking young man, still in the gesture of slapping him.
A clear, red, swollen handprint appeared on the face of the sinister-looking youth. He was knocked to the side, and his teeth fell to the ground and rolled far away.
"You dare hit me?" The sinister-looking young man covered his face, looking at the notorious good-for-nothing in disbelief.
"I'm going to beat you up, you fool who doesn't know what's good for him!"
Gu Yan slapped him again with incredible speed, landing hard on the other side of his face.
"Snapped!"
This slap was even harder, splitting the corner of the sinister young man's mouth and causing blood to flow freely.
"That's Princess Yong'an! A disciple of the Cangxuan Sect in Dongzhou!"
Gu Yan pointed at the other man's nose, his voice fierce and spittle flying in his face: "Is your Seven Star Pavilion trying to rebel? A body search? Who do you think you are, daring to touch a single hair on Her Highness the Princess's head?!"
At this moment, Gu Yan's aura was extremely powerful, as if he were a loyal minister and martyr who was upholding the dignity of the royal family, exuding an inviolable righteousness.
In reality, his back was already soaked with cold sweat.
He's gambling.
He gambled that these people would be intimidated by his aura, and that this sinister young man would be momentarily stunned after being humiliated by this good-for-nothing in front of everyone.
He was also gambling on something he had secretly stuck to the other person's collar while he was slapping them.
"I'm going to kill you! I'm going to tear you to pieces!"
The sinister young man finally realized what was happening and was filled with shame and indignation.
Being publicly humiliated by a well-known good-for-nothing is worse than being killed.
He roared, his spiritual power surging, and a dark blue dagger appeared in his hand, which he thrust straight at Gu Yan's heart.
The distance was too close; the attack was both swift and ruthless.
"Gu Changsheng, be careful!" Li Qingge exclaimed, but it was too late to rescue him.
However, facing this deadly attack, Gu Yan stood motionless, a strange, cold light flashing in his eyes.
"burst."
Gu Yan parted his lips slightly and uttered the words.
"boom!"
Just as the dagger was less than half an inch from Gu Yan's chest, a halo of light appeared out of nowhere at the collar of the sinister young man.
That was the illusion talisman that Gu Yan used to ensure everything went perfectly.
"Ah! My eyes!"
The sinister-looking young man screamed as the intense light burned his eyes, causing him to go blind instantly. The dagger in his hand also lost its aim, grazing Gu Yan's ribs and tearing his robes.
Gu Yan did not let this opportunity pass. The sword talisman in his hand ignited, transforming into a golden longsword that exuded the unique aura of a Golden Core cultivator. It hummed and charged forward, slicing open the opponent's throat before turning into starlight and disappearing.
All this happened in the blink of an eye.
To outsiders, it looked as if the sinister young man had suddenly exploded and then Gu Yan bumped into him.
"He...he..."
The sinister-looking young man clutched his throat, blood gushing from between his fingers. He stared into his blind eyes, then his body went limp and collapsed.
In the late stage of Foundation Establishment, a single blow can be fatal.
The entire place was deathly silent; the sound of breathing could be clearly heard.
Gu Yan stood beside the corpse, shaking the blood off his hands. The righteous expression on his face did not disappear; instead, it showed a hint of disgust.
"You're asking for it."
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, slowly wiping his fingers, his gaze sweeping across the room, his voice icy:
"Who else wants to search the princess? Step forward and let me see how stiff your neck is."
Those cultivators who had originally wanted to watch the spectacle now looked at Gu Yan with deep apprehension.
To be able to so decisively and cleanly kill a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, regardless of the methods used, Gu Changsheng's strength is by no means simple.
The leader of the Blood Blade Sect, a burly man at the peak of Foundation Establishment, finally lost his temper.
He emerged carrying a ghost-headed saber, his muscular physique taut, his eyes cold and menacing: "Kid, you've got some ruthless methods. You think you can leave alive after killing the Seven Star Pavilion members?"
"The Seven Star Pavilion's attempt to murder the royal princess deserves to die."
Gu Yan remained calm, casually tossing the blood-stained handkerchief onto the corpse of the sinister young man: "As for whether I can leave alive, that depends on whether your Blood Blade Sect wants to follow in his footsteps."
The burly man narrowed his eyes, his killing intent blazing: "You're all alone, with a burden in tow. The Three Talents Trapping Dragon Formation is still active, what makes you so arrogant?"
"On what grounds?"
Gu Yan smiled.
He suddenly raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
"Smack."
With that crisp sound, a sudden change occurred.
Beside the array flags that were maintaining the formation, dozens of paper mice, no bigger than a fingernail, had appeared out of nowhere.
These paper mice are so realistic that they are almost invisible unless you look closely.
They were currently perched on the spiritual energy nodes of the array flag, their tiny mouths open, frantically gnawing at the runes on the flag.
"Sizzle sizzle..."
The pale yellow light screen, which had been flowing continuously, suddenly began to flicker violently, emitting a series of ear-piercing electrical sounds.
"The formation! The formation is unstable!" a disciple in charge of controlling the formation shouted in alarm.
"When...?" The burly man's expression changed drastically.
Gu Yan shrugged: "Just now, while you were watching the show, I was a bit of a coward and didn't like being locked up, so I asked my little pets to help me open the door."
"boom!"
With a loud bang, a corner of the Three Talents Dragon-Trapping Formation collapsed, revealing a passage leading to the outside world.
"The road is open."
Gu Yan turned around, extended his hand to Li Qingge, and resumed his gentle demeanor: "Princess, let's go."
Li Qingge looked at the man in front of her.
The ruthlessness, decisiveness, and scheming she displayed just now are completely different from her current gentle demeanor.
She didn't say anything, but simply followed closely behind Gu Yan.
"Want to leave? Dream on!"
The burly man from the Blood Blade Sect roared, "Charge! Slash him to death! So what if the formation is broken? There are so many of us, we can overwhelm him!"
Now that we've already broken off all pretense of civility, we must nip it in the bud.
More than twenty cultivators simultaneously unleashed their magical artifacts, and various colored spiritual lights poured down on the two like a torrential rain.
"Ugh, this is such a hassle."
Gu Yan sighed, but did not turn around to block the attacks.
He simply grabbed Li Qingge and ran wildly toward the gap.
At the same time, he pulled out a handful of colorful paper figures from his sleeve and threw them behind him.
That was the stock he left behind when he broke through to the pinnacle of paper-making skills.
"Scattered paper soldiers appear, and a hundred ghosts roam the night!"
The paper figures swelled in the wind, transforming into ferocious ghosts with hideous faces and weapons in hand.
Despite only possessing the strength of the Qi Refining stage, their sheer numbers and fearless nature allowed them to directly confront the magical artifacts.
"Boom boom boom!"
Explosions were heard one after another.
The paper figure shattered, turning into countless scraps of paper that successfully blocked the first wave of attack, buying the two precious moments.
"Chase them! Don't let them get away!"
Enraged, the burly man drew his sword and charged out of the dust.
However, just as he was about to break through the gap...
This sword strike was as swift as a startled swan and as powerful as a thunderbolt.
"Pfft!"
The Blood Blade Sect burly man at the forefront was cleaved in two by the sword before he could even scream.
The spray of blood shocked the entire audience.
Everyone stopped abruptly and looked out of the valley in horror.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, a middle-aged man dressed in white, carrying a long sword, was seen walking through the air.
His face was cold and stern, and his body was surrounded by sword intent, like a heavenly sword drawn from its sheath.
"Ye Gucheng, the leader of the Flowing Cloud Sect and Spirit Sword Mountain?!"
Someone recognized the person who had arrived, and their voice trembled.
When Gu Yan saw the person who had arrived, his tense nerves finally relaxed a little, and a sincere smile appeared on his face.