"Do you want to chase her?" Duan Qingming asked.
"No," Gu Pinglin put away his sword, "Let's go in first."
Those instigating words were of course the trickery of Mr. Lu, but what happened outside the door just now was not, it was a real scene, like a play. However, the two of them skipped over this matter at the same time, and no one mentioned it. On the road afterwards, Duan Qingming really kept his promise and stopped interfering. The further they walked, the higher the terrain became. Gu Pinglin had the memory of his previous life, so the remaining checkpoints were easy to pass, but two of them took some time. The two were not in a hurry, and each meditated in the formation to practice.
After an unknown amount of time, the two finally opened the last stone door, and the sky suddenly appeared before their eyes.
At the end of the passage was a huge, round, bottomless well with smooth walls. Strong earth energy was rising from the bottom, with faint wind sounds, rising straight into the sky. In the center of the well, a stone platform was suspended above the earth energy, tied and fixed by eight thick chains. The other end of the chain was deeply embedded in the well wall. Over time, it was eroded by the earth energy without breaking, which showed that the material was extraordinary.
There are many other passages on the wall of the well. Just as Duan Qingming said, all roads eventually lead here.
"This is the center of the cave, the place of inheritance..." Duan Qingming paused, "The suppression of cultivation is even more serious."
The successor will inevitably face siege and suppression of cultivation, just to protect the successor. Gu Pinglin said: "The ancestor has a heart."
The Art of Creation was on the suspended stone platform. Although it was separated by dangerous ground energy, it was not difficult to get there. The chains connecting the stone platform were as thick as wheels, just enough to separate the rising ground energy, forming a narrow gap that could allow adults to pass through in a single line. Gu Pinglin was familiar with the route and stepped onto the chain bridge first, followed by Duan Qingming. The two of them climbed onto the stone platform smoothly along the chains. As soon as they stepped on it, they felt their feet shaking. When they looked up, they could see a round sky above their heads. The sun was shining brightly outside, but they didn't know how many days had passed.
The stone platform can accommodate about a hundred people. There is another small stone platform in the center, on which is a stone table with a stone box on it.
Duan Qingming did not go over immediately: "Is the Creation Art in the box?"
"Of course," Gu Pinglin said, "If you are curious, you can take it and have a look."
Duan Qingming asked: "Aren't you forbidding me to interfere?"
"No problem," Gu Pinglin stepped aside, "Please."
Duan Qingming smiled at him and walked up to him. Just as he reached the stone steps, he heard a "click" sound, and a sword energy suddenly burst out of the stone box. The sword energy was so strong that it condensed into a real shape, a virtual sword shadow, rushing straight to Duan Qingming's forehead!
"Oh, you're using me as a laborer."
In the blink of an eye, the tip of the sword was less than three inches away from his eyebrows!
His long hair was flying in the wind. He looked at the sword shadow in front of him, his thin lips were smiling, his eyebrows were slightly cold: "You are just a residual shadow, you are qualified to stop me?"
The sword stopped.
Ignoring the sword pointing directly at his forehead, he walked forward calmly. He took a step forward, and the sword shadow shattered, dissipated into the void, and disappeared.
At the same time, the stone box on the table opened with a "bang", a silver scroll flew out, and eight large silver characters appeared in the air - Tao exists and does not exist, creation creates yin and yang.
The two of them looked up at the same time, until the eight big words disappeared. Then Gu Pinglin took the scroll in his hand, opened it and took a quick look at it. After confirming it, he closed it again and walked up to the stone platform.
"I'm doing my best, and you feel at ease." Duan Qingming followed him to the table and tapped it lightly with his fingers.
Just as the sword is used by people, the sword energy must also submit to the sword intent. When the mind moves, the sword comes out. This is an irreversible master-servant relationship. When it comes to sword intent, no one in the world can defeat him. It is most appropriate for him to subdue this innate sword energy.
It is undeniable that Gu Pinglin’s cultivation in his previous life was completely wasted, and he spent a lot of effort to break this level. Hearing his complaints, Gu Pinglin casually threw the scroll to him: "Thank you."
Duan Qingming smiled and looked at the scroll, but did not open it. He then looked at the stone box and frowned, "Qi-transforming pill?"
"Surprised?" Gu Pinglin remained calm.
The Qi Transformation Pill is a rare holy pill that can help cultivators break through without damaging their foundation. Only a cultivator at the ninth level of the Dan God Realm can refine it, not to mention how precious the materials are. This box of Qi Transformation Pills contains nine pills, which are truly rare treasures. In his previous life, Gu Pinglin's cultivation was completely wasted, and he relied on the "Creation Art" to repair his Dao Meridians. Then he was able to re-form the inner elixir in a short period of time, all thanks to this thing.
However, for a cultivator to fall to the point of relying on Qi-Transforming Pills to break through and advance is itself a dangerous thing.
Ignoring the two eyes fixed on him, Gu Pinglin put away the Qi-transforming pill, looked at the "Art of Creation" scroll in his hand, and took it: "Would you like to learn more?"
His deep black eyes showed no emotion, and Duan Qingming let him take the scroll back: "Do you need it?"
He really didn't need it. Gu Pinglin put the scroll back into the stone box, then took out a box of precious top-grade elixirs and put them in the place where the Qi-transforming elixir had been.
Duan Qingming said: "Switching the pillars, making thorough preparations."
"I have a plan and I am familiar with this place." Gu Pinglin looked at him from the side. "People who speak in a veiled and sarcastic way are usually sinister and cunning people."
Duan Qingming said: "You scold me again, are you sure you don't need my help?"
Gu Pinglin closed the lid: "Please."
"You're so rude of you to order me around." Duan Qingming said as he closed the lid of the box.
What he left behind was no longer sword energy, but sword intent. How powerful was the sword energy of the ancestor, who dared to pretend to be him? Insufficient power would only arouse suspicion, but sword intent was easy to say, and the ancestor might not be able to claim first place in front of him.
After they finished all this, they returned the same way and found a corner to meditate and practice.
After about ten days, there was finally movement outside.
"Two groups of people, one is from the Kuxue Sect, and the other two are from the Yuan family." Gu Pinglin stood at the entrance of the passage, looked intently for a few times, and turned back to say, "Even the Inner Alchemy Master was helpless. Your sword intent is really extraordinary."
Duan Qingming said "Oh" and said, "Who is the sinister villain who speaks in a veiled and sarcastic way?"
Because of the ground's blocking, the people on the other side didn't notice any movement here. Gu Pinglin laughed and turned his head to listen carefully again, only to hear a familiar, timid voice coming from the passage above.
"Is that... inheritance?"
Qi Yanfeng? Gu Pinglin was a little surprised. He exchanged glances with Duan Qingming, and the two of them tacitly kept silent and continued to listen.
"Do you... want to go up?" Qi Yanfeng asked in a low voice when he saw that the other party did not answer.
"What should I do?" The other party finally spoke, and it was the voice of Shi Ding, the deputy leader of Huanle Tian.
Gu Pinglin has roughly guessed what happened - the people of Huanletian were led into a trap, and Qi Yanfeng still failed to escape. It was probably because Shiling was not trapped in the trap, so the two of them walked together. From this, it can be inferred that Shiling did not save Empress Huanxi.
"Just sit back and reap the benefits?" Qi Yanfeng asked cautiously, "Aren't you afraid that your inheritance will be taken away?"
"You have bad intentions, little girl," Shi Ling's tone sank, with a hint of deliberate intimidation, "You are still a little naive to play tricks, so stay still. If something bad happens, I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead or alive."
Qi Yanfeng immediately burst into tears: "I... woo woo, I... don't dare."
"Who!" Shi Ling suddenly shouted.
The movement in the passage did not last long. The intruder had low cultivation level and was inexperienced, so he was quickly captured.
"Shi Ling!" The visitor was shocked and angry, "Jiu Niang, why are you with this monster?"
"I do not… "
Shi Ling said "Yo", interrupting the conversation between the two: "Being with me and having fun every night, what's wrong with that?"
"What!" The man was shocked, but he quickly reacted, knowing that saving his life was the most important thing at this time, and immediately softened his tone, "The Yuan family and Huanletian have never had any grudges. If Deputy Sect Master Shi can show some mercy, I will definitely repay this favor one day."
Another member of the Yuan family? Gu Pinglin thought to himself.
"Hey, of course I listen to the beauty," Shi Ling's voice came, with deliberate gentleness, clearly teasing people, "Qingqing, don't cry first, tell me, should I forgive him, or..."
Qi Yanfeng cried, "Kill him."
…
The passage above fell into a strange silence. Gu Pinglin couldn't help but twitch his lips. He could almost imagine the expressions of Shi Ling and the Yuan monk.
Just at this moment, two Yuan monks on the stone platform started arguing for unknown reasons.
Hearing his companion's voice, the monk Yuan in the passage immediately shouted: "Help..." The word was stuck in his throat, and then there was no sound. Due to the obstruction of the earth's energy, his two companions did not hear it either.
After a moment, Qi Yanfeng cried softly: "I... I don't want to."
Gu Pinglin had already guessed what happened up there.
It was no wonder that Qi Yanfeng made this choice. She was a girl from a famous family, and Shi Ling was notorious. If the two of them were together, it would be a big scandal. The head of the Qi family would not let her go. This was the helplessness of the girl from the famous family. Moreover, there were already two people from the Yuan family. If they were allowed to meet, it would form a one-sided situation. Once the "Creation Art" fell into the hands of the Yuan family, the Yuan family would definitely kill the people who knew about it. Even if there was a relationship between relatives, Qi Yanfeng was born in the Qi family after all. Profit was the most important thing, and it was hard to say what would happen at that time. And Shi Ling wanted to reap the benefits, and would not sit idly by and watch the Yuan family succeed. Even if Qi Yanfeng did not take action, he would deal with this person, so this person must die.
"I never thought you were such a cruel girl." Shi Ling let out a breath and said meaningfully.
Qi Yanfeng choked with sobs: "He... he will say... get out."
"If you and I are seen together, your innocence will be ruined," Shi Ling laughed, not minding it. Zhu Xiao tapped his palms lightly, "Yes, yes." After a pause, he joked, "Sooner or later, someone will see you, and you will still die. Why not just follow me, live together, and be in ecstasy every night, isn't it better than going back? I, Shi Ling, will make sure you are satisfied with my dual cultivation skills."
He said it so bluntly that Qi Yanfeng was probably used to it, so he just covered his face and shrank into a corner crying.
"Oh, are you shy?" Shi Ling followed.
"No!" Qi Yanfeng cried, "Don't touch me... ugh!"
"Why are you yelling? I didn't really do it to you." Shi Ling covered her mouth. "You are a smart person. If you follow me, you can still survive. If they find you, neither you nor I will survive."
Qi Yanfeng stopped struggling.
Shi Ling let her go: "I've never seen anyone cry more than you. If you move on the bed, you will probably cry too. I'd make you cry even if I was in the mood."
…
On this side of the wall, Gu Pinglin was a little surprised, then raised his eyebrows with interest.
Shi Ji has a very bad reputation, but he is always courteous to women he has failed to get, and at least he pretends to be somewhat graceful. I didn't expect him to be so vulgar in front of Qi Yanfeng, revealing his true nature... Interesting.
Looking at the stone platform again, the three people were all stumped by the sword intent left by Duan Qingming, and no one succeeded. As a result, the atmosphere was not as tense as it was at the beginning.
In fact, no matter sword energy or sword intent, it always depends on cultivation. If you want to break the sword intent, you only need sufficient cultivation. The three of them are all in the inner elixir realm. The reason why Duan Qingming's sword intent can stump them is purely because of the suppression of cultivation here.
The three of them remained in a stalemate for two hours, and none of them were able to do anything. Everyone knew that if they kept wasting time like this, more people would arrive. Not only did they become more and more anxious, even Shi Ling who was hiding in the passage became a little anxious. Only Gu Pinglin was not in a hurry. He walked slowly up the passage, quietly approaching Shi Ling and Qi Yanfeng, and finally stopped in the passage next to them, separated from the two by only a wall.
At this time, there was movement inside again.
A figure suddenly flew out from a passage on the wall of the well, stepped on a long sword, and rushed towards the stone platform along the chain!
The three people on the stage reacted very quickly and attacked at the same time, trying to stop the person coming. Unexpectedly, the long sword under the man's feet flashed, and three powerful sword waves were separated, which caused the earth's energy to stir and completely neutralized the three people's attacks.
"You all came so early." The man on the sword laughed.
"Feijian Palace, Wang Yong!" The monk from Kuxue Sect had a sinister look in his eyes.