Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 129 Sword Qi Across Autumn, Chapter Flowing Clouds

The setting sun sank into the mountains, its afterglow swallowed by the cliffs.

The once noisy and bustling exit was now so quiet that only the soft sound of gravel rolling down could be heard.

The body of the Blood Blade Sect's Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator was cut in two, with his internal organs scattered on the ground at the clean cut, steaming hot.

The sword strike was so fast that even the fear of death couldn't keep up with its speed, leaving the burly man with a sinister grin.

In mid-air, Ye Gucheng, dressed in white, stood on the void, not holding a sword in his hand. The long sword, gleaming with cold light, hovered beside him, emitting a low buzzing sound, like a satisfied groan after bloodlust.

His face was cold and stern, his brows and eyes held an unyielding frost that never melted. Just by standing there, the restless air around him seemed to freeze into ice crystals.

This is Ye Gucheng, the head of the Lingjian Mountain of the Liuyun Sect, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator at the Great Perfection, known as a Celestial Immortal on the verge of Nascent Soul.

The entire room fell silent.

The twenty-odd cultivators who had just been clamoring to hack Gu Yan to death were now like ducks with their necks being choked; their faces were deathly pale, and the magical weapons in their hands were trembling.

The remaining disciples of the Blood Blade Sect looked at their leader's corpse, their legs trembling, and they didn't even dare to entertain the thought of running away.

As for the people from the Seven Star Pavilion and the Azure Dragon Sect, they wished they could bury their heads in their crotches, lest that white-robed killing god glance at them.

Seeing this scene, Gu Yan's previously tense shoulders instantly slumped, and the arrogant and decisive aura he had just exuded vanished like smoke blown away by the wind.

He sniffed, his eyes reddening, his face showing a complex expression of relief, having endured countless grievances, yet finally seeing his loved ones again.

"Uncle-Master!"

A piercing yet deeply emotional cry shattered the silence of the canyon.

Gu Yan, not bothering to wipe the mud off his face, staggered a few steps toward Ye Gucheng, then clasped his hands together with exceptional smoothness, his voice choked with emotion:

"Master Uncle! If you had arrived even a moment later, this disciple... this disciple would have been chopped up and fed to the dogs!"

That shout, full of energy and emotion, moved listeners to tears.

Li Qingge stood to the side, her lips twitching slightly.

If she hadn't just witnessed this guy insidiously using paper figures to blind the Seven Star Pavilion disciple, and calmly directing the paper figures to break the formation, she would have almost believed his nonsense.

Ye Gucheng frowned as he slowly descended from mid-air.

He didn't immediately pay attention to the terrified rogue cultivators. Instead, his cold gaze swept over Gu Yan, finally landing on Gu Yan's left shoulder, which was bleeding black blood. A barely perceptible emotion flashed in his eyes.

"stand up."

Ye Gucheng's voice was cold, like the chilly wind of late autumn: "What kind of behavior is this, a disciple of the dignified Liuyun Sect crying and sobbing?"

"Yes, yes, this disciple has disgraced the sect."

Gu Yan wiped away non-existent tears, then immediately put on an indignant expression, pointing at the group opposite him and complaining:

"Master Uncle, it's not that I'm weak. It's just that these people have gone too far! Not only did they ambush us at the exit and exploit the rogue cultivators, but they also completely disregard our Flowing Cloud Sect!"

"That Blood Blade Sect guy just said that even if the Flowing Cloud Sect comes, they'll skin them alive to make lanterns! And that Seven Star Pavilion guy even threatened to do something wicked to Princess Yong'an!"

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd on the other side.

"You're talking nonsense!"

An elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Seven Star Pavilion, his beard trembling with rage, pointed at Gu Yan and cursed, "It was clearly you, you little beast, who killed my disciple first and even blinded Junior Nephew Zhao! Senior Ye, this boy is ruthless; don't be fooled by him!"

"I'm ruthless?"

Gu Yan's eyes widened in disbelief: "Everyone, be the judge! How could I, a mere Foundation Establishment stage cultivator... cough, an ordinary disciple, possibly kill a disciple of your Seven Star Pavilion? It was clearly his own magic weapon that went out of control and exploded. What does it have to do with me?"

"You!" the old man exclaimed, speechless with anger.

That's enough.

Ye Gucheng spoke calmly, and those two words resounded like thunder in everyone's ears.

He didn't look at the old man who was trying to explain, but instead looked at Li Qingge, who had been standing behind Gu Yan.

"Princess Yong'an?" Ye Gucheng nodded slightly, as if to greet her.

Li Qingge took a deep breath, forcing her weak body forward, and stepped forward to give a junior's salute: "Li Qingge of Cangxuan Sect greets Senior Ye. Fellow Daoist Gu's words are true. If it weren't for Fellow Daoist Gu's desperate protection, this junior would probably have already fallen victim to the clutches of these villains."

With the testimony of the parties involved, the nature of the case changes instantly.

The old man from the Seven Star Pavilion turned deathly pale instantly.

"What a fine Seven Star Pavilion! What a fine Blood Blade Sect!"

Ye Gucheng's gaze swept over the crowd, his sleeves fluttering even without wind: "Since you've done it, you must be prepared to bear the consequences."

"Senior, please spare me! It's all a misunderstanding!"

"We are willing to compensate!"

The remaining cultivators knelt down and begged for mercy, some even starting to take out their storage bags.

Ye Gucheng remained expressionless, bringing his right index and middle fingers together and making a light sweeping motion in the air.

"Buzz!"

The longsword hovering beside him instantly transformed into a streak of light, constantly weaving through the crowd.

There were no screams, only the muffled sound of a sharp blade cutting through flesh.

The late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who had been shouting the loudest earlier all had a red line appear between their eyebrows, and then they fell straight down.

The remaining people were terrified and lay on the ground trembling.

"Considering the difficulty of spiritual practice, I'll sever one of your arms and send you away."

Ye Gucheng sheathed his sword, his tone indifferent.

The remaining people were granted a pardon. Even those who were not killed ruthlessly cut off their own arms and then scrambled away into the shadows of the canyon.

Gu Yan watched this scene and was secretly amazed.

Although both are at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage, this one is much stronger than the previously weakened Blood River True Man.

He doesn't need a knife to kill; the mere intent of his sword is enough to drive these desperate criminals to self-mutilation in order to survive.

"That's it?"

Gu Yan wondered to himself, "Where is that Golden Core expert hiding in the shadows?"

Just then, Ye Gucheng suddenly turned his head and looked at a cliff on the right side of the canyon, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Since you're here, why hide?"

As his words fell, a powerful sword intent soared into the sky, directly locking onto that void.

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Ye's sword is indeed still as sharp as ever."

A hoarse laugh rang out.

The void distorted for a moment, and an old man in a gray robe with a withered face slowly emerged.

He held a snake-headed cane in his hand, and a faint black mist swirled around him. His aura was cold and sinister, indicating that he was also a powerful expert in the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

"The Venerable Yin Serpent?"

Ye Gucheng narrowed his eyes slightly: "Your Ten Thousand Poisons Valley's reach is a bit too far."

Venerable Yin Serpent chuckled, his gaze sweeping greedily over Li Qingge and Gu Yan: "I was just passing by when I heard that a rare treasure had appeared in Sunset Valley, so I came to join the fun. Since Fellow Daoist Ye is here, I'll give you face."

He claimed it was to save face, but the malice in his eyes remained undiminished, clearly indicating he had no intention of leaving easily.

He is waiting.

Wait until Ye Gucheng reveals a weakness, or wait until Ye Gucheng is distracted by two burdens.

Ye Gucheng snorted coldly: "I'll count to three. If you're still here after three, then stay forever."

"one."

As the count began, Ye Gucheng's white robes fluttered, and the faint phantom of a majestic sword mountain appeared behind him.

Yin She Venerable's expression changed slightly.

He sensed that Ye Gucheng's aura had completely locked onto him; it was pure, extreme killing intent.

This madman is really willing to risk his life for two juniors!

"two."

The sword rang out loudly, and the spiritual energy between heaven and earth frantically converged towards Ye Gucheng.

Venerable Yin Serpent gritted his teeth, weighed the pros and cons, and ultimately dared not gamble with his life.

"The green hills remain unchanged, the clear waters flow on forever. Fellow Daoist Ye, until we meet again!"

After uttering a perfunctory remark, Venerable Yin Serpent transformed into a cloud of black mist and swiftly fled into the distance.

Only when the black mist completely disappeared did Gu Yan finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Even a mere clash of auras between the two cultivators made it difficult for a nobody like him to breathe.

"Thank you so much, Uncle-Master, for saving my life!"

Gu Yan bowed again, this time sincerely.

Ye Gucheng dispelled his sword intent, turned around, and looked at Gu Yan and Li Qingge with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

"The underground palace collapsed, and the elders of the various sects went missing. How did you escape?"

Gu Yan had already prepared his speech and was about to speak.

Li Qingge spoke first, saying, "Reporting to Senior, an anomaly has occurred within the underground palace; it seems an ancient demon has awakened. In order to suppress the demon, the elders of various sects have joined forces to seal the core area. We two were fortunate enough to be on the outer perimeter, and thanks to Fellow Daoist Gu's clever maneuvering, we barely escaped with our lives."

She emphasized the words "cleverly maneuvering" while giving Gu Yan a subtle glance.

Gu Yan understood immediately and chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! The situation was too chaotic at the time, with landslides everywhere. I only managed to get the princess out because I was fast and used my ancestral earth-遁符 (earth-遁符 is a type of talisman that is passed down through generations). As for those elders... sigh, I didn't see them clearly either."

These words are half true and half false, making them the hardest to expose.

Ye Gucheng gave the two of them a deep look, but did not delve into it further.

Everyone has secrets, and being able to survive is the greatest stroke of luck.

"Let's go. The sect's flying boat is waiting outside the valley."

With a flick of his sleeve, Ye Gucheng conjured a giant sword that lifted Gu Yan and Li Qingge, transforming it into a long rainbow that soared into the sky.

……

The flying sword was accompanied by a fierce wind, but it was kept out by a faint protective light shield.

Gu Yan sat cross-legged at the end of the sword, seemingly closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, but in reality, he was taking stock of his gains this time.

Besides the most deadly severed finger, he also took the storage bags of the scarred man and the sinister young man.

These two are quite wealthy, possessing hundreds of mid-grade spirit stones alone, as well as a considerable amount of pills and magical artifacts.

"We're rich! We're rich!"

Gu Yan was secretly overjoyed, but on the surface he still wore that worried expression.

"Gu Changsheng".

Li Qingge's cold voice came from ahead.

Gu Yan opened his eyes and saw Li Qingge standing in the center of the sword, her clothes fluttering, like a fairy on the water.

"What are your orders, Princess?" Gu Yan asked, leaning closer.

Looking at the mountains and rivers rushing past beneath her feet, Li Qingge said softly, "We've already left Sunset Valley. Three hundred miles ahead is a camp of the Cangxuan Sect. Senior Ye will escort me back."

"Thank you for your help along the way."

She turned around, a purple-gold token in her hand, and handed it to Gu Yan.

"This is my personal token. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, or if you change your mind and wish to come to the Prince's residence, you may bring this token to find me."

Gu Yan looked at the token, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to take it.

This thing is a talisman, but also a hot potato.

But refusing at this time would seem pretentious.

"Then this humble official shall respectfully comply."

Gu Yan grinned and tucked the token into his pocket.

"After you return, Princess, remember to drink plenty of hot water and try not to worry. Just treat what happened in the underground palace as a nightmare, and it's best to forget about it."

Li Qingge gave him a deep look but said nothing.

Forgot?

How could I possibly forget?

The figure that turned the tide in a desperate situation, the man who, despite his lies, inexplicably made people feel at ease, was etched into her mind.

Even though the memory is somewhat hazy, the feeling lingers.

……

Half an hour later.

The flying sword landed at one of the Cangxuan Sect's strongholds.

A large number of black-armored guards were already waiting there.

Li Qingge left surrounded by the crowd, and before leaving, she looked back one last time.

The boy in the tattered Taoist robe was standing on the flying sword, waving goodbye to her carefree with his signature silly grin on his face.

"Gu Changsheng..."

Li Qingge murmured the name once, then turned and stepped into the teleportation array.

After seeing Li Qingge off, the flying sword took off again and sped towards the Liuyun Sect.

Only Ye Gucheng and Gu Yan remained on the sword.

The atmosphere became somewhat oppressive.

"Uncle-Master, are we going straight back to the sect?" Gu Yan asked cautiously.

Ye Gucheng stood with his back to him, hands behind his back, and suddenly asked, "Your shoulder, is it still not healed?"

Gu Yan was taken aback and subconsciously covered his left shoulder: "Ah, this... demonic energy has entered my body, it's a bit troublesome. I should be fine if I go back and see the elders of the Pill Peak."

"come over."

Ye Gucheng said calmly.

Gu Yan felt uneasy, but she still gritted her teeth and moved over.

Ye Gucheng turned around, extended a slender, jade-like hand, and placed it on Gu Yan's left shoulder.

"Hiss~"

Gu Yan gasped in pain.

A gentle and mellow spiritual energy flowed into Ye Gucheng's meridians through his palm, like a clear spring, washing away most of the residual blood and evil energy at the wound.

"This is... sword intent?"

Gu Yan was surprised to find that this spiritual energy did not contain Ye Gucheng's sharp sword intent, but was extremely gentle and carried with endless vitality.

"There's a strange power within you that's helping you suppress your injuries."

Ye Gucheng withdrew his hand and looked at Gu Yan meaningfully: "That level of power far exceeds that of the Golden Core stage. Even I cannot fathom it."

Gu Yan was startled.

Those are the insights left behind by the Venerable Sword Burial!

"This...maybe I accidentally ate an unknown fruit in the underground palace..." Gu Yan started making things up.

Everyone has their own destiny, I won't ask.

Ye Gucheng interrupted him, his gaze fixed on the distant sea of ​​clouds: "You did a good job on this trip to Sunset Valley. Not only did you return alive, but you also upheld the sect's honor."

"The sect is never stingy with its rewards for meritorious officials."

As he spoke, he casually tossed a storage bag to Gu Yan.

"There are a thousand mid-grade spirit stones and a third-tier spirit-restoring pill here. After returning, I will go into seclusion to cultivate and strive to break through to the mid-stage as soon as possible."

Gu Yan took the storage bag, his hands trembling.

One thousand mid-grade spirit stones! A third-tier spirit-restoring pill!

Ye Gucheng looks cold and aloof, yet he's incredibly generous!

"Thank you so much for your generous gift, Uncle! You are so generous! You are so powerful!" Gu Yan was truly moved to tears this time.

"besides."

Ye Gucheng's voice suddenly turned serious: "The sect's higher-ups will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter of the underground palace. After you return to the sect, apart from the sect leader and me, if anyone asks you about the details deep within the underground palace, you must claim that you do not know."

"Do you understand?"

Gu Yan felt a chill run down his spine.

It seems things aren't peaceful within the sect either.

The disappearance of elders from various factions is definitely a major earthquake.

There must be spies from other forces within the Flowing Cloud Sect, or it could be a case of factional infighting.

Ye Gucheng was giving him a heads-up, telling him not to get involved in the vortex.

"Disciple understands! After I went in, I was dizzy and didn't see or know anything!" Gu Yan immediately replied.

Ye Gucheng nodded and said no more.

The flying sword pierced the sky, and the familiar outline of the Flowing Cloud Sect's mountain gate appeared at the edge of the horizon.

Gu Yan looked at the rolling mountains and took a deep breath.

Back to this den of dragons and tigers.

This time, however, he was no longer the good-for-nothing who could be bullied by everyone.

He carried the severed finger of a Nascent Soul cultivator in his bosom, his mind was filled with the insights of the Burial Sword Venerable, and behind him stood the formidable Ye Gucheng.

Gu Yan stroked his chin, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

The next second, he reverted to his timid and cowering appearance, hiding behind the sword's tail like a stray dog ​​that had just entered the city and had never seen the world.

Concealing one's talents is always the first rule for living a long life.

The flying sword pierced through the clouds and slowly landed on the main peak square of the Flowing Cloud Sect.

There, countless disciples and elders had already gathered, waiting for news.

When they saw that only Ye Gucheng had returned with Gu Yan, a commotion broke out in the crowd.

"Why is it that only that good-for-nothing Gu Changsheng came back?"

"Where is Elder Wang? Where is Senior Brother Zhao?"

"Oh my god, has the entire army been wiped out?"

Countless gazes, filled with doubt, anger, and jealousy, pierced Gu Yan like sharp swords.

Gu Yan shrank back, hiding behind Ye Gucheng, but inwardly she sneered:

"Go ahead and scream. You'll be crying later."

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