Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 174 The Appearance of the Magic Crystal, Two Sects Cease Their Conflict

Behind the main peak of Cangxuan, the cave is cold and damp.

Water droplets dripping from the rock wall hit puddles, making a crisp, pattering sound.

The core light sphere of the Taiyi Dividing Light Array once again emitted a gentle golden light, illuminating the cavern with intermittent light and shadow.

Gu Yan was being supported by Li Qingge, his face as pale as paper, and he had to gasp for breath with every step he took.

His blue Taoist robe was mostly stained dark red with blood, a shocking sight.

Li Qingge clung tightly to him, continuously channeling her pure spiritual energy into Gu Yan's body, attempting to stabilize his fragmented meridians.

The two emerged from the dark cave.

The sky outside was an eerie dark red.

The strong wind whipped up the blood on the ground, turning it into a thick blood mist that permeated the mountains and forests.

Broken purple bamboo covered the mountains and fields, broken flying swords were stuck in the soil, and the corpses of Cangxuan Sect and Guixu Sect disciples could be seen everywhere.

Gu Yan raised his head and looked at the sect's protective formation in the distance.

The once indestructible golden shield was now covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

Outside the protective barrier, the three giant black warships of the Guixu Sect, like dark clouds looming overhead, were continuously unleashing destructive spells.

Of the 100,000 white-robed disciples of the Cangxuan Sect, less than 70% remain, and the light of the sword formation has dimmed to an extreme degree.

If the fighting continues, the formation will surely break within half an hour at most.

Zhou Chongyue sat upright on the white jade floating stone, his hair disheveled, his golden Tai Chi robe already soaked with his own blood.

Of the eight Nascent Soul elders beside him, three had collapsed to the ground, their fates unknown.

Outside the formation, Mo Tianwen, the Grand Elder of the Guixu Sect, was also suffering.

His once azure beard and hair had turned gray, and the giant whale island lord behind him had lost an arm, with blood cascading down like a waterfall.

Looking at this apocalyptic scene, Li Qingge's eyes welled up with tears.

She gripped the black crystal in her hand, which radiated pure demonic energy, and turned to look at Gu Yan.

Gu Yan coughed weakly twice and patted the back of her hand.

"Go, stop this farce, and don't let Dongzhou bleed anymore."

Li Qingge nodded heavily, her eyes becoming incredibly resolute.

She abruptly released Gu Yan and drew her long sword from her waist.

The ultimate icy sword intent of the Supreme Forgetfulness Record erupted without reservation at this moment.

A dazzling, icy-blue sword light, like a waterfall flowing upstream, shot into the sky from the back mountain of the Cangxuan Sect, tearing open a vacuum passage amidst the rain of blood and the storm of spiritual energy.

"Stop! All of you, stop!"

Li Qingge's clear, cold voice, mixed with powerful spiritual energy, instantly resounded throughout the battlefield, which spanned thousands of miles.

The sound was like ancient ice, giving a sudden jolt to the spirits of the disciples on both sides who were blinded by rage.

Li Qingge's figure rose higher, hovering at the highest point of the Taiyi Dividing Light Array.

Ignoring the lingering magical shockwaves that threatened to shatter her at any moment, she raised the palm-sized black crystal in her right hand high.

Under the stimulation of spiritual power, the crystal burst forth with an ancient and weathered purple magical light.

As soon as this demonic energy appeared, the temperature in the world dropped to freezing point.

The terrifying aura that looked down upon all living beings, existing purely for destruction, immediately overwhelmed the spiritual energy fluctuations of everyone present.

"Grand Elder! Fellow members of the Guixu Sect!"

Li Qingge shouted loudly.

"The real mastermind just infiltrated the core of the Cangxuan Sect's protective array, attempting to detonate the array's foundation. If it weren't for Senior Brother Gu's desperate intervention, the Cangxuan Sect would already be in ruins. This demonic crystal is the array core left behind by that person."

"Those who secretly plotted against my Cangxuan Sect and Guixu Sect come from the Central Continent Demonic Sect!"

The moment the words "Central Continent Demonic Sect" were uttered, a brief silence fell over the once deafening battlefield.

Zhou Chongyue suddenly raised her head and stared intently at the purple crystal in Li Qingge's hand.

As a powerful cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage, he instantly recognized the level of that demonic energy.

That is definitely not something that could be nurtured by the land of Dongzhou.

That ancient and domineering aura was enough to terrify even him at his peak.

Mo Tianwen, who was outside the formation, also stopped what he was doing.

His deep blue eyes were filled with surprise and uncertainty.

The Guixu Sect, having guarded the deep sea for many years, is most sensitive to the various energies of heaven and earth. They immediately judged that this demonic energy was absolutely genuine.

"Stop it, everyone!"

Zhou Chongyue bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence to forcibly stabilize the Taiyi Dividing Light Array, which was on the verge of collapse. He then gave orders to the Cangxuan Sect disciples below.

Mo Tianwen's expression was uncertain. After weighing the pros and cons, he also raised his right hand.

"The Guixu Sect should retreat ten miles! Form ranks and be on alert!"

Both attacks ceased simultaneously.

The countless magical artifacts and flying swords flew back to their respective camps like the receding tide.

The air was filled with the strong smell of blood and the lingering smoke of spiritual energy.

Seeing that the two sides had stopped fighting, Li Qingge immediately descended and landed back on the mountain path behind the mountain. She helped Gu Yan up again, and the two of them transformed into streams of light and landed steadily on the white jade floating stone where Zhou Chongyue was.

As soon as Gu Yan landed, he stumbled and almost fell.

"Nephew Gu!"

Ignoring her own injuries, Zhou Chongyue quickly stepped forward and supported Gu Yan's arm.

When he extended his divine sense and sensed the chaotic state of Gu Yan's body, with his meridians shattered, the eyes of this iron-blooded elder, who had lived for hundreds of years, immediately reddened.

Gu Yan's face was pale, and blood was still flowing from the corner of his mouth.

Despite this, he merely waved his hand weakly and said:

"Elder Zhou, you are incompetent in achieving immortality. You failed to keep that demonic cultivator alive and only managed to seize this demonic crystal used to corrupt the array's core."

Li Qingge handed the black magic crystal to Zhou Chongyue, her voice choked with emotion.

"Elder, that person was controlling a Nascent Soul level puppet, attempting to self-destruct and destroy Lotus Peak. To save me and protect the array's core, Senior Brother Gu used the primordial trump card bestowed by the Nascent Soul senior, forcibly absorbing the power of the explosion, which is why he suffered such a severe backlash."

Zhou Chongyue took the magic crystal and felt the pure destructive power inside, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

He turned his head and looked at Mo Tianwen in the distance outside the formation, letting out a mournful laugh.

"Mo Tianwen! Open your dog eyes and see clearly! The people from the Central Plains Demonic Sect have already reached into the core of my Cangxuan Sect's formation! Our two sects are fighting like rivers of blood here, while others just watch from the shadows as we bite each other like mad dogs! Is this the explanation your Guixu Sect wants?"

Mo Tianwen stood at the bow of the warship, his face ashen.

At this moment, all the clues were connected, and he understood immediately.

From the theft of the Heavenly Fire of the Cangxuan Sect to the murder of the Second Elder Wang Tianying, and now to the great war between the two sects.

Every step was part of the Central Plains Demonic Sect's calculations.

Their goal was to use someone else to do their dirty work and take over Dongzhou without bloodshed.

Mo Tianwen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and his gaze pierced through the formation, landing on the heavily injured and dying Gu Yan.

He had heard of Gu Changsheng, an inner disciple of the Liuyun Sect, before.

The rumored direct disciple of the Nascent Soul stage expert.

If this young man hadn't risked his life to protect the core of the Cangxuan Sect's formation today, the sect's protective formation would have exploded from within. While all 100,000 Cangxuan disciples would have perished, the Guixu Sect, being so close, would have also suffered a devastating counterattack, resulting in a stalemate.

In a sense, Gu Changsheng indirectly saved the lives of the two sects in Dongzhou.

"Zhou Chongyue, things have come to this point, and I admit that this was a treacherous scheme by the Central Plains Demonic Sect."

Mo Tianwen's voice was no longer as domineering as before, but rather carried a hint of weariness.

"But the dead cannot be brought back to life. Our Guixu Sect's army has pressed in, and so many have died in battle. We cannot simply slink back because of a single stone. Moreover, our sect's Zhou Tianqi and two elders are still in your dungeon. If you do not release them today, even if we know we have fallen into a trap, we must continue fighting."

This is the Guixu Sect's bottom line, and it is also the sect's dignity that Mo Tianwen must uphold.

Zhou Chongyue tightened his grip on the magic crystal.

Release them?

The Cangxuan Sect lost its second elder and thousands of elite disciples, and 30% of its great formation was destroyed.

If Zhou Tianqi is released unharmed now, the Cangxuan Sect will lose all face, and he will lose his position as the Grand Elder of Law Enforcement.

However, if they don't let go, and the two sects start fighting again, the Central Plains Demonic Sect will reap the benefits.

This is a difficult choice, a dead end that cannot be easily resolved even if the truth is known.

Just as the atmosphere reached another stalemate, and the disciples on both sides gripped their sword hilts again.

Gu Yan, who had been leaning against Li Qingge's chest and seemed to be on the verge of death, suddenly let out a violent cough.

"Cough cough cough..."

He coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with pieces of internal organs and struggled to stand up straight.

Li Qingge tried to help him up, but he gently pushed her away.

Gu Yan walked to the edge of the white jade floating stone, facing alone the vast and mighty army of Guixu outside the formation.

The wind whipped his blood-stained green robe, making him resemble a bamboo stalk that might break at any moment, yet would never bend.

"Elder Mo, Elder Zhou, please allow me to speak."

Gu Yan's voice was weak, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Now that the truth is out, the Central Plains Demonic Sect is eyeing us covetously. If the two seniors continue to fight each other for the sake of so-called face, that would be true disloyalty and injustice, and would be a disservice to the comrades who died in battle."

Mo Tianwen looked at Gu Yan and frowned.

"Nephew Gu, you saved the Cangxuan Sect, which indirectly helped my Guixu Sect. I am grateful for this favor. However, this matter involves the laws and regulations of our sect. As long as Zhou Tianqi is not released, my Guixu Sect will not withdraw its troops."

Zhou Chongyue also looked troubled.

"Chang Sheng, this matter is not something a junior like you can interfere with. The blood of the Cangxuan Sect cannot be shed in vain."

Gu Yan sighed softly and took out an ancient jade pendant from his bosom that showed no signs of spiritual energy fluctuations.

"Since neither of you seniors is willing to put aside your pride, then I, Changsheng, will venture to devise a compromise for you."

Gu Yan held the jade pendant high.

"My master once said that harmony should be valued in the cultivation world. I am willing to vouch for him in my master's name. Please ask the Cangxuan Sect to remove Young Sect Master Zhou Tianqi from the dungeon, but not to release him without charge. Instead, please entrust him to the Liuyun Sect, where I am from, for safekeeping."

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Should it be handed over to the Liuyun Sect for safekeeping?

Ignoring the surrounding chatter, Gu Yan continued speaking.

"The Liuyun Sect is located in a remote corner of Dongzhou and has no interest in this matter. The young sect leader Zhou's visit to the Liuyun Sect not only preserves the reputation of the Guixu Sect and proves that he is not a prisoner, but also preserves the laws of the Cangxuan Sect and proves that the matter is not yet over and that he is still in custody."

Gu Yan's gaze swept across the faces of the two big shots.

"Once you two seniors have uncovered the spy from the Central Plains Demonic Sect and identified the true culprit behind the Falling Maple Peak massacre, Young Sect Master Zhou can naturally return to the Guixu Sect with dignity. What do you two think?"

Zhou Chongyue and Mo Tianwen both fell silent.

This is indeed an excellent stepping stone.

Although Liuyun Sect was only a third-rate sect, Gu Changsheng was backed by a mysterious Nascent Soul cultivator.

With a Nascent Soul cultivator as guarantor, handing the person over wouldn't be considered shameful for either the Cangxuan Sect or the Guixu Sect.

This can be considered as giving both sides a legitimate reason to cease hostilities.

"Very well! I agree!"

Zhou Chongyue was the first to express his opinion.

This is the best outcome he can get right now, saving face while avoiding the destruction of his sect.

Mo Tianwen pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Since you have the guarantee of a Nascent Soul senior, and Nephew Gu has risked his life to find clues about the Demonic Sect, I will trust you this once. Once Zhou Tianqi arrives safely at the Flowing Cloud Sect, my Guixu army will immediately withdraw from the Cangxuan territory."

A catastrophe that could have destroyed the entire Eastern Continent was abruptly stopped by Gu Yan's few words.

Everyone looked at Gu Yan with boundless admiration and respect.

For the sake of all living beings, he did not hesitate to destroy his foundation to block the demonic sect; for the sake of peace between the two sects, he disregarded his serious injuries and stepped forward to mediate.

This is a true peerless genius, a model of righteousness in Dongzhou.

Standing behind Gu Yan, Li Qingge looked at his slender yet imposing figure, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

However, no one knew.

At this moment, Gu Yan, who was facing away from everyone and appeared extremely weak, had been in a state of shock during the brief half-incense stick's time that the fighting had just ended.

His dantian, hidden beneath his green robe, was like a hungry man greedily devouring the extremely rich blood and qi power on the battlefield.

The residual energy left by the battle of 100,000 cultivators was completely absorbed by the Grandmaster-level Evergreen Technique and transformed into the purest power of creation.

Inside Gu Yan's dantian, the golden core that was half-god and half-demon suddenly developed a small crack on its surface.

Immediately afterwards, the golden core burst forth with a dazzling light, and its size increased by a full circle.

Before long, an even more powerful and terrifying spiritual force surged within his body.

Late stage of Golden Core, achieved!

Amidst this mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, and under the watchful eyes of all the top experts, Gu Yan, under the cover of righteousness, secretly completed a leap in his cultivation level.

Not only that, he also successfully and naturally brought Zhou Tianqi, the future leader of the Guixu Sect, under his control.

Having Zhou Tianqi in hand is like holding a dog chain that can restrain the Guixu Sect.

As for that so-called Central Plains Demonic Sect...

A murderous glint flashed in Gu Yan's eyes.

He knew that when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact.

If the Central Plains Demonic Sect were to truly occupy the entire Eastern Plains, breaking the balance of power among the three major hegemonic forces, how would he then be able to navigate between the two sides and pursue his own interests?

The game of chess has ended.

The disciples of Cangxuan Sect began to quietly clean up the battlefield, and the army of Guixu Sect slowly retreated, setting up camp a thousand miles away to await the handover of power to Zhou Tianqi.

Gu Yan turned around, gave Zhou Chongyue and Li Qingge a weak smile, then rolled his eyes and fainted in Li Qingge's arms.

This dizziness wasn't feigned; it was because after breaking through to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, the body needed time to digest the immense power.

"Senior brother!"

Li Qingge exclaimed in surprise, picked up Gu Yan, and flew towards Tingquan Pavilion without regard for anything else.

Zhou Chongyue watched the two figures leave, let out a long sigh, then turned to look at the devastated Cangxuan main peak, his eyes burning with a fierce fire of revenge.

"Send word to the Enforcement Hall!"

Zhou Chongyue gritted his teeth.

"Seal off the mountain gates and thoroughly investigate the entire sect! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find that traitor who colluded with the Central Plains Demonic Sect!"

A great battle has ended, but an even greater undercurrent is already surging beneath the surface of Dongzhou.