Gu Wen furrowed his brows slightly.
He did not voice his opinion, as he was unclear about the situation in the cultivation world, but he could roughly understand what was happening from their conversation.
He had been placed under a bounty, and in any society where such transactions occurred, whether among immortals or mortals, there would inevitably be a commission involved.
However, being targeted by three Tenfold Old Monsters at once made Gu Wen feel a bit uneasy.
This meant he could not act freely on his own, at least not too far from Yu Hua, until he was strong enough to protect himself.
Yu Hua's voice was slightly cold as she said, "Do they have the ability to take your life?"
For a Tenfold, it was merely a matter of a single slap.
"That's true, but it's not the thief's arrival that worries me; it's the thief's intent that does," Ao Tang cursed. "I don't know which old thing is so generous, thinking that Dao soldiers are as common as cabbages? To target a junior like this is truly shameless."
Yu Hua said, "I remember that the number of Xuan Ku True Monarchs is not many. We should send someone from the sect to retract the bounty."
"The Dao Sect dispatched someone to confront them immediately. Xuan Ku apologized and retracted the bounty, claiming that it was an internal disciple who acted thoughtlessly, but they've said that nonsense countless times."
Ao Tang paused, knowing that Gu Wen was not from the cultivation world, and explained in more detail, "Xuan Ku knows that placing a bounty on someone offends people, so they usually connect privately after finding a suitable target. Now, whether the bounty exists or not is no longer important."
Yu Hua showed a contemplative expression, as if there were no other options, and said, "For now, we can only keep a close watch on you."
"That's why what I proposed yesterday is very necessary."
Ao Tang looked at Gu Wen but did not speak directly.
Instead, he transmitted his voice, "Second Ancestor, you must not underestimate those Old Monsters. The difference between the Four Realms is like clouds and mud. If we compare the Four Realms to Golden Cores, then Yun Miao is Xuan Iron, I am stone, and the True Monarch you killed is an egg."
"It’s just that relying on the Dao Foundation, there is a thin eggshell formed outside, and inside is all water. Outside, it still relies on the depth of magical power to possess some True Monarch might, but here it is just a puddle of water. Do you understand?"
Gu Wen nodded slightly.
He did not believe he could face all True Monarchs calmly at this moment.
After all, Ao Tang had easily killed a True Monarch before, one that was even a level higher than the one he had slain.
Ao Tang said, "The Dao Sect has countless treasures. I can seek a treasure to protect your life, but you must let the higher-ups feel that you are worth it. So, I need to report your specific situation. Do you agree?"
"Does this still require my consent?" Gu Wen was somewhat surprised.
Logically, the other party should not need to be so cautious of him.
"I wouldn't have asked before, but I will now. Talent is also a form of strength that commands respect."
"I will follow the arrangements of my senior."
With Gu Wen's agreement, Ao Tang turned and left the room, seeming to transform into a bee, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Once everything settled down, Gu Wen sat by the window, gazing at the gradually darkening Luodu, and suddenly remembered something.
Where is my thousand-jin spiritual medicine, Daoist?
As soon as the thought arose, a flash of white light appeared in the distance, and two figures stood in the air, each striking out with a sword.
The night instantly transformed into day, as if an endless sword intent was being unleashed.
"Amitabha, the third sword of the Human Ranking, I seek to learn the true meaning of the sword from Daoist Xiao."
The two figures intertwined in the night, their sword lights colliding in an ultimate clash.
Eventually, a three-headed, six-armed sword-holding Buddha manifestation collided with a willow tree manifestation.
The Buddha manifestation was cleaved in two by a single sword strike, and everything returned to calm.
The third sword of the Human Ranking seemed to have been defeated.
Knock, knock, knock!
The door was knocked upon.
Gu Wen opened the door to see He Huan standing outside.
He slightly moved aside to invite him in, poured a cup of water for him, and asked, "How much spiritual medicine did you obtain?"
He Huan raised his thumb and index finger, replying, "A total of seven hundred jin. There are two specific distribution plans: the first is that we each take our share. The second is to give all the spiritual medicine to the Fox Immortal, allowing her to refine it into pills, and then distribute according to the number of pills."
Gu Wen asked, "How much does Lu Chan charge for the second option?"
Hiring someone to refine pills requires payment, and Lu Chan, as one of the top alchemists currently, could charge up to half of the produced pills.
In other words, half of the pills produced would need to be given to her, and even then, it might not guarantee a spot in line.
But what Gu Wen needed was Tian Sui, not better-refined pills.
"Only twenty percent. She probably wants to sell a favor."
He Huan provided an extremely favorable price.
Gu Wen pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly, "Then let's go with the second option."
He estimated he could take five hundred jin, or perhaps take a little less to do a favor and settle for four hundred jin, which would be enough for him to enjoy for quite a while.
Consuming it would not only require refining the medicinal power but also, if the quantity was too large, he would need to expel it.
Pills did not have this concern.
Ao Tang could refine pills, but it seemed he would not be back for a while.
Gu Wen changed the topic, "Did you see that duel just now?"
"Of course, I was delayed because of it."
He Huan began to vividly describe the battle that had just occurred and offered commentary on the two participants.
The sword wielder, the king of a hundred weapons, was also the benefit of the human race, and among cultivators, swords were the most widely circulated weapons.
In the early days of the Three Teachings, there were the Three Swords of Buddha, Dao, and Demon, each contending for supremacy through the sword.
Later, it was the Broken Sword Mountain that quelled their disputes.
This generation's Buddha Sword came from the Buddha Sect's Four Vehicles and Ten Earths.
It was said that she was accompanied by the Buddha's fruit position since birth, and at the age of ten, her debate led to the death of a high monk of the Four Realms, thus earning her the title of the Heavenly Buddha Child.
The Buddha Sect held high hopes of cultivating her into a new Buddha.
But for some unknown reason, she suddenly underwent a drastic change in temperament and switched to the sword path, severing her connection with the Buddha's incense and becoming a generation's Buddha Sword.
He Huan also educated Gu Wen about the ranks within the Buddha Sect.
The lowest level of great powers is the Jia Lan, followed by the King Kong, Jie Di, Luo Han, Bodhisattva, and Buddha.
The Buddha Sword's strength and qualifications varied with each generation, and the highest achievers were merely Bodhisattvas, generally only reaching the Luo Han level.
She had essentially gone from a candidate for Buddha to a candidate for Luo Han, which left many puzzled.
Having caught a glimpse of the cultivation world's landscape, Gu Wen quietly took note and then asked, "It seems the third on the Human Ranking lost to Xiao Yunyi."
"If one were to exert their full strength, they naturally wouldn't lose, but they say it was only about the sword. Could Brother Hongchen win without a spear?"
He Huan countered, and Gu Wen shook his head, answering frankly, "If it were only swords, I would undoubtedly lose."
His Yuqing Sword Technique had only reached the fourth level.
To defeat the opponent, he would need at least the seventh or even eighth level.
This was a judgment made based on his own Zhaolie Spear, without employing any other means.
And based on the aura from the recent duel, Xiao Yunyi was clearly stronger than before.
At this moment, He Huan's aura was also significantly stronger than before; it seemed he would soon reach the completion of another realm.
The two chatted for a while, discussing that there was a great demon inheritance outside the city.
He Huan clearly informed Gu Wen that it was a trap.
Entering the Immortal Land required setting up a formation called the Breaking Boundary Array, which could not be reused.
Due to its immense consumption, very few people entered, and gradually, it was almost entirely top-tier talents.
This also attracted some ill-intentioned great powers, who left behind inheritances to lure geniuses to seize their bodies.
Such schemes had persisted for countless years, but each time, someone fell for it.
The reason was that great powers would carry their lifelong knowledge and treasures, and the peculiar nature of the Immortal Land made body-snatching extremely difficult, allowing geniuses to potentially counterattack the Old Monsters.
Rather than a scheme, it resembled a betting agreement.
Moreover, not every genius entering the Immortal Land was affluent; many in the eighth or ninth ranks came from small sects and were quite impoverished, desperately needing the inheritance and resources from great powers.
"The key point is merely the inheritance. Those Old Monsters cannot possibly bring in many immortal pills and miraculous medicines. If they could, I would move the sect's treasury in here, and even Xiao Yunyi would have to flee upon seeing me."
In the end, He Huan boasted as he left the room.
Gu Wen sat cross-legged in cultivation, within his Qi Sea, the Dao Foundation at the third level of completion, still needing one hundred Tian Sui to reach the fourth level of completion and two hundred eighty years' worth of Tian Sui to reach the Yu Jian manifestation.
He needed to refine the Yuqing Sword Technique from the fourth to the seventh level before the Tianquan Mountain opened, achieving the level of the Sword Dao manifestation, to defeat the number one genius of Broken Sword Mountain.
'But it seems that simply reaching the seventh level of the Yuqing Sword Technique is not enough.'
Gu Wen felt immense pressure, as being limited to the Sword Dao was too constraining for him.
Because Xiao Yunyi was too strong in the Sword Dao, he needed to overcome the opponent's advantage with his own disadvantage.
The Heart Sword required time to refine.
Although the speed of his refinement had increased more than tenfold since he reached the level of the Yuqing Sword Technique, it was still too short a time.
Currently, Gu Wen could not unleash the full power of the Yuqing Sword Technique; he could only rely on the thousand-jin spiritual objects to refine over two hundred Tian Sui.
A night passed without incident, and Gu Wen focused on honing his Heart Sword until the sound of birds chirping reached his ears, followed by an increasing commotion outside.
He opened his eyes, breaking free from his meditative state, only to find that sunlight did not stream into the room as it usually did.
Outside, it was neither a rainy day nor an overcast one.
A green mountain obscured the sky, resembling a heavenly sword piercing through the clouds.
The first layer of clouds only reached the mountain's waist, and layer upon layer of auspicious clouds resembled a crown, completely enveloping the city of Luodu in its shadow.
Tianquan Mountain had risen a hundredfold overnight!
Gu Wen tilted his head and could not see the mountain's peak.
Coming back to his senses, he hurriedly went to Yu Hua's room next door, not even bothering to knock, and pushed the door open.
At this moment, Yu Hua was also gazing at the sky by the window, her veil partially obscuring her face, yet one could sense her astonishment.
Gu Wen walked over and asked, "Is it always like this when Tianquan Mountain opens?"
"No." Yu Hua shook her head, her tone grave as she said, "This is the first time in ten thousand years."
(End of Chapter)