Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 130 The Sect Master's Summoning, on the Flowing Cloud Platform

The main peak of the Liuyun Sect is covered with snow all year round, and the Liuyun Platform is located on a giant rock halfway up the mountain.

The countertop was made from a single piece of lapis lazuli, polished smooth, and hundreds of feet in circumference, as smooth as a mirror.

It was midday, and the sunlight shone on the stone surface, reflecting a cold, bluish light.

A dozen or so disciples, all dressed in matching blue and white Taoist robes, stood in a neat and orderly fashion along the edge of the platform, carrying swords and with solemn expressions.

Ye Gucheng leaped down from the flying sword with Gu Yan in his arms.

As soon as Gu Yan's toes touched the ground, his body swayed slightly, and he instinctively covered the thick bandage on his left shoulder.

His robes were already tattered and worn, and the embroidered patches with the Demon Suppression Bureau pattern had come undone and were covered with dark red bloodstains.

His face was sallow, his lips were chapped, and there was a layer of cold sweat on his forehead. He looked extremely weak.

Many of the disciples around him showed disdain and whispered among themselves.

"I heard that in Sunset Valley, more than half of the elites from various sects were killed or wounded, and even many of the elders who led the teams got caught in the crossfire."

"Of the hundred or so disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect, very few have returned. How come this good-for-nothing with five spiritual roots has returned unscathed?"

"Not only did he return, but he was also personally escorted back by Chief Ye of Lingjian Mountain."

"This is so unfair..."

Gu Yan ignored this, keeping his head down and following closely behind Ye Gucheng, his eyes revealing the fear of having just escaped death.

"Uncle-Master Ye, I'd better return to Changning County first. The scale of this main peak is too grand, and I'm feeling uneasy."

Gu Yan's voice was very low and trembling.

Ye Gucheng didn't turn his head, his voice as cold as ice: "My senior brother, the sect leader, wants to see you. If you don't explain what happened today clearly, you're not going anywhere."

Gu Yan shrank back and stopped talking.

The two walked through the long corridor made of white marble and arrived at the Liuyun Hall.

The temple gates stand tall, with three ancient bronze mirrors hanging above the lintel, seemingly breathing in and out the surrounding spiritual energy.

As soon as I entered, there were already quite a few people sitting in the main hall.

At the very front, an elderly man wearing a loose purple Taoist robe and with a long beard reaching his chest sat upright.

His face was like an ancient well, and his aura was faint, as if he were one with the hall.

This is Qingyunzi, the sect leader of the Liuyun Sect.

To his left, an old man dressed in a black robe was staring intently at the palace gate.

This man had a hooked nose, deep-set eyes, and a gloomy face. The teacup in his hand was already showing fine cracks.

"Disciple Gu Changsheng greets the Grand Elder."

As soon as Gu Yan stepped into the palace and bowed, a heavy, mountain-like pressure crashed down on him.

"Gu Changsheng".

Zhao Wuji spoke slowly, his voice deep and resonant like rolling thunder, causing the screen in the hall to tremble slightly.

Stimulated by this oppressive aura, Gu Yan's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

He was already recovering from his injuries, and this made him turn deathly pale, almost spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Ye Gucheng snorted coldly and waved his long sleeves.

A sharp sword intent rippled out from the center of the hall, abruptly cutting off Zhao Wuji's oppressive aura: "Elder, this boy is still seriously injured. If you have questions, don't lose your dignity."

Zhao Wuji abruptly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, and pointed at Gu Yan, shouting angrily, "Ye Gucheng, don't try to intimidate me with your nonsense! My son, Ling Feng, led the inner disciples into Sunset Valley, with Elder Mo Qianji accompanying and protecting them. Now, only this brat and a few small fry escaped; Ling Feng is nowhere to be found. If this brat hadn't done something shady in the valley, how could he possibly have survived?"

Gu Yan struggled to get up from the ground, knelt down, and his body trembled violently.

He raised his head, his eyes filled with extreme fear and a hint of unspeakable grievance: "Elder, please forgive me. Senior Brother Zhao is incredibly brave. He and Senior Sister Shen and Senior Sister Su from another team were leading the charge in the valley. My cultivation is too low, and I dared not approach them at all."

Zhao Wuji sneered and flashed into view, appearing in front of Gu Yan.

Those withered, claw-like hands gripped Gu Yan's collar tightly, lifting him halfway into the air: "Afraid to come closer? Someone saw you standing nearby when Ling Feng was being attacked by demonic beasts. Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Gu Yan was being strangled and could hardly breathe. His face turned a deep purplish-red, and the wound on his left shoulder started bleeding again from the strain. "Disciple...disciple did indeed pass by."

Gu Yan's voice was broken and choked with sobs: "That was the Fire Phosphorus Swamp. Senior Brother Zhao found a Crimson Flame Fruit there. The fruit was a bright red, about the size of a fist. But there were just too many Fiery Demon Wolves guarding it, at least dozens. For the sake of the sect, Senior Brother Zhao disregarded his own safety and charged into the wolf pack alone. I was terrified and hid in the bushes some distance away, too scared to move."

Upon hearing about the Crimson Flame Fruit, Qingyunzi's brow twitched.

That's a third-tier spiritual medicine, enough to increase the chances of a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator breaking through to the Golden Core stage by 30%.

"And then?"

Zhao Wuji's voice trembled.

"Later... the two-headed fire serpent appeared."

Gu Yan's eyes flashed with a horrified recollection: "That was a mutated demonic beast, its aura even stronger than Elder Mo's. Senior Brother Zhao had already obtained the Vermilion Fruit, but that demonic snake suddenly emerged from the swamp. Elder Mo led his men to fight the snake pack behind them; the scene was chaotic. I saw Senior Brother Zhao lead the wolf pack deeper into the swamp to protect the Vermilion Fruit. I wanted to go and help, but before I could get close, a lone demonic wolf bit through my shoulder."

Gu Yan pointed to his left shoulder, where the wound, after being treated, looked extremely gruesome: "I survived by sheer luck after lying in the mud for a day and a night. Then, the underground palace collapsed, and the entire core area of ​​Sunset Valley sank in. I survived only because I was with Princess Yong'an... no, it was the princess who saved my life."

Gu Yan's words were seven parts true and three parts false.

The matter of the Crimson Flame Fruit is true, the wolf pack attack is real, and Zhao Lingfeng's attempt to shift the blame to Li Qingge is also true.

In Gu Yan's words, Zhao Lingfeng became a hero who risked his life for the sect's treasure, while Gu Yan became a cowardly good-for-nothing who cowered in the back.

"The disciples sent to search for people have reported that there were indeed signs of a fierce battle in the Fire Phosphorus Swamp. The mother plant of the Crimson Flame Fruit was destroyed, and the wolf pack suffered heavy casualties."

Qingyunzi, seated at the head of the table, calmly interjected, "Elder, Ling Feng's soul lamp is still very weak, yet it hasn't gone out. This suggests he is very likely trapped in the cracks of the collapsed underground palace."

Zhao Wuji released Gu Yan, his expression shifting between light and dark.

He didn't completely believe Gu Yan's nonsense, but the story was so convincing that it seemed to fit perfectly for a moment.

Zhao Lingfeng is proud and arrogant, and he would never let go of a valuable treasure, which is indeed in line with his personality.

But he was still unwilling to give up: "Gu Changsheng, how could you, a piece of trash with only five spiritual roots, survive in that situation? Even a Golden Core cultivator like Mo Qianji is still missing, yet you are unharmed. Do you dare say you didn't have something fishy going on?"

Gu Yan lay prostrate on the ground: "It was my great benefactor, Uncle Ye, who saved me, and Princess Yong'an who protected me. The princess possesses a demon-suppressing treasure bestowed by the royal family. When that treasure shines, the demonic energy in the underground palace dissipates. I'm just a lackey carrying things. The princess said that keeping me around would still be of some use, so she brought me along. If the Grand Elder doesn't believe me, he can go and ask the princess himself."

Upon hearing Li Qingge's name, Zhao Wuji's momentum faltered.

Li Qingge is Princess Yong'an, and behind her stands the Cangxuan Sect, a top power in Dongzhou.

Despite the fact that the Flowing Cloud Sect reigned supreme and was incredibly powerful in this area.

But in front of the Cangxuan Sect, they didn't even have the right to shout.

Go and question the princess? Hah, he doesn't have the guts.

Ye Gucheng stepped forward, his gaze sharp as lightning, and spoke with utmost seriousness: "Elder, Gu Changsheng is an inner disciple of my Flowing Cloud Sect. He rendered meritorious service in protecting the princess in Sunset Valley, which brought honor to the Flowing Cloud Sect. If you continue to harbor such unfounded suspicions, can I not assume that you are a spy sent by an enemy sect?"

As the leader of the younger generation, Ye Gucheng was suppressed by Zhao Wuji in his early years. Now that he and Zhao Wuji are both at the Golden Core stage, he is not afraid at all. Given the opportunity, he will naturally take advantage of it to resolve the past grievances.

Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth and stared intently at Gu Yan, as if trying to see through his soul.

"metropolitan."

Zhao Wuji turned his head and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Qingyunzi: "There are many suspicious points about this boy. Elder Mo has not yet returned, and the sect suffered heavy losses during this trip to Sunset Valley. I request that the Soul Searching Technique be used on him."

Upon hearing this, the air inside the hall suddenly turned cold.

Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat.

Soul-searching technique.

That's a forbidden technique that forcibly searches through one's sea of ​​consciousness.

Once cast, the person whose soul is searched will suffer damage to their soul, becoming mentally impaired, or even die on the spot.

Zhao Wuji was no longer just doubting; he was trying to kill Gu Yan.

"absurd."

Ye Gucheng drew his longsword half an inch from its sheath, a chilling aura filling the hall: "Zhao Wuji, do you think Lingjian Mountain is without talent? You want to discourage the entire Liuyun Sect by searching the souls of a meritorious disciple?"

Qingyunzi, who had remained silent, finally spoke up: "Elder, the soul-searching act was indeed excessive."

He looked intently at Gu Yan: "Gu Changsheng, the wound on your shoulder is indeed caused by demonic energy penetrating to the bone. When Junior Brother Ye brought you back just now, he also examined your meridians. If there is something unusual about you, it cannot be hidden from his eyes."

Gu Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The reason he dared to come back was because he had accurately calculated the power struggle between these bigwigs.

He tied himself to Li Qingge and Ye Gucheng, two powerful figures. No matter how arrogant Zhao Wuji was, he wouldn't dare to kill someone in front of the sect leader and another late-stage Golden Core cultivator without evidence.

"Thank you for your wise judgment, Sect Master."

Gu Yan cried out, his voice trembling with tears, "This disciple has one more thing here, entrusted to me by the princess before her departure."

He shakily pulled a jade slip from his robes: "This is a rubbing of a corner of the underground palace recorded by the princess. She said that she was grateful for the protection of the disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect, so she specially left a rubbing of the underground palace, which may be helpful in finding Senior Brother Zhao."

This jade slip is a scene that Gu Yan forcibly imprinted with spiritual power on his flying sword using the illusionary ability of the paper-making technique. The content is nine parts true and one part false.

The scene depicts the terrifying moment when the underground palace collapsed, with boulders rolling down and demonic energy surging.

Qingyunzi waved his hand, and the jade slip fell into his grasp. He scanned it with his divine sense, his expression growing even more grave: "It is indeed deep within the underground palace. The demonic energy is extremely pure, beyond human resistance."

Qingyunzi stood up, looked at Zhao Wuji, and made a conclusion: "Elder, the sect will continue to send people to investigate Ling Feng's matter. As for Gu Changsheng, he is seriously injured, so let him return to Changning County to recuperate first. He is serving in the Demon Suppression Division, which can be considered as serving the sect outside."

Zhao Wuji clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with malice.

He looked at Gu Yan, who was kneeling on the ground trembling, and felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't find any flaws.

"roll."

Zhao Wuji squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.

Gu Yan felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and he scrambled backward out of the main hall.

The moment he stepped out of the main hall, a cold mountain wind blew through him, and he discovered that the back of his clothes was already soaked with cold sweat.

The palace doors behind him slowly closed.

Gu Yan lowered his head and walked silently down the mountain path. Only after he had left the area of ​​the main peak did he stop and look back at the cloud-shrouded mountaintop.

Old man.

Gu Yan sneered inwardly, the fear in his eyes replaced by icy mockery.

You're lucky this time.

If you had dared to make a move just now, I might have torn off several of the karmic threads connecting this mountain.

Gu Yan is no longer the paper craftsman who was at the mercy of others. If Zhao Wuji really dares to openly make trouble and forcibly use the soul-searching technique...

Gu Yan was not incapable of reversing the Golden Core stage with his unparalleled paper-making skills, even though he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage!

Gu Yan stretched his stiff neck. The wound on his left shoulder had already been mostly sealed by the residual power of his summoning spell. The bright red blood seeping out now was just the result of his deliberate control.

"Gu Changsheng".

A cool, clear voice sounded from behind.

Gu Yan shuddered in fright, instantly reverting to his humble demeanor: "Uncle Ye."

Ye Gucheng appeared behind him at some point, under an ancient pine tree, carrying a long sword on his back, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Your acting skills are not bad."

Gu Yan grimaced and waved his hands frantically, "Uncle-Master, please don't make fun of me. I was genuinely terrified just now. That was the Grand Elder, someone whose spit could drown me."

Ye Gucheng ignored his performance and casually flicked out a pill: "This is a tendon-regenerating pill. If that wound is not treated, it will really leave a hidden ailment."

Gu Yan accepted the pill and chuckled, "Thank you for the reward, Martial Uncle."

Ye Gucheng looked at him for a long time before whispering, "The appearance of that Nascent Soul cultivator's will in Sunset Valley, is it really unrelated to you?"

Gu Yan's eyes widened, his gaze crystal clear: "Nascent Soul will? What's that? Martial Uncle, I was completely unconscious at the time. All I remember is the princess radiating light, a light so bright it hurt my eyes..."

Ye Gucheng stared at him for a full three breaths before finally looking away: "Let's go. Go back to your Changning County. Don't return to the mountain until things have calmed down."

"Your disciple obeys."

Gu Yan bowed deeply, then ran down the mountain path without looking back.

He moved incredibly fast, constantly weaving through the mountains and forests like a shadow.

Gu Yan had made up his mind to return to Changning County first thing tomorrow morning.

Whether it was the Flowing Cloud Sect or Sunset Valley, they were ultimately just passing through for him.

He still clutched the severed finger and the Crimson Flame Fruit he had schemed to obtain; those were his greatest gains from this trip.

Inside the Liuyun Hall, Zhao Wuji shattered the jade table beside him with a single palm strike.

"Go check."

He gave orders from the shadows: "Find him alive or dead. And that Gu Changsheng, keep a close eye on him. I don't believe a piece of trash could have such good fortune."

Qingyunzi stood by the window, watching Gu Yan's departing figure, her expression complex.

Chaos is about to break out, and all sorts of people will be mixed together.

He murmured to himself, "Is this Gu Changsheng a fish or a dragon?"