Mo Bufan's expression shifted before he finally let out a cold snort.
Suspicious and calculating by nature, seeing Gu Yang's shameless and rascally behavior actually made him doubt whether his own perception was wrong.
This cold sneer went unnoticed on the noisy first floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
Shrinking his neck, Gu Yang looked exactly like a destitute bottom-feeder who had stumbled into dumb luck and was terrified of being robbed. Clutching the rusty black iron box tightly to his chest, he slipped past Mo Bufan as if his feet were oiled, instantly disappearing into the crowded stream of people in the market.
Mo Bufan stood in place. His original gentle, jade-like smile gradually faded, replaced by an extreme sense of rationality and scrutiny.
He asked in a deep voice within his sea of consciousness, "Demon Venerable, how is it? Is there a trick to that box?"
The remnant soul of the ancient demon realm titan remained silent for a moment before a suspicious voice sounded, "How strange... Just now, from a distance, this Venerable indeed detected an extremely obscure fluctuation. It seemed to be the aura of a 'Biluo Stone'."
"But when that brat got close, that aura vanished without a trace. Even that iron box truly looked like a piece of ordinary iron. Could it be... did this Venerable really sense it wrong? After all, this old man is but a remnant soul now."
Mo Bufan's brows furrowed tightly. Looking in the direction where Gu Yang vanished, he finally snorted coldly, "Forget it. A stray dog at the fifth level of Qi Condensation wouldn't be able to protect a great treasure even if he had one. The most urgent matter is to go to the second floor and retrieve that 'Blood God Grass'. There's no need to waste time on a madman."
...
Half a quarter of an hour later.
Gu Yang twisted and turned through the alleys of the market. Only when he was certain no one was following him did he slip into an abandoned civilian house.
His fingertips trembled slightly as he shot a faint stream of spiritual energy into the crevice of the black iron box.
"Click."
The rust-mottled iron casing peeled away, revealing a token inside that emitted a faint azure light. The front of the token was engraved with the two characters "Biluo," while the back featured complex star patterns, exuding a sense of desolation that seemed to span through the ages.
[Ding, successfully intercepted a purple fortuitous encounter—Biluo Token.]
[Reward obtained: 50 Destiny Points.]
[Host's current Destiny Points: 210.]
Almost at the exact moment the token was revealed, Mo Bufan, who was far away on the second floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, had a drastic change in expression!
"The aura of the 'Biluo Stone' has appeared again, and it's even stronger!"
In his sea of consciousness, the Demon Venerable's voice carried a hint of chagrin. "The Biluo Stone must be in the hands of that person from earlier. He definitely has some secret technique to conceal treasures; he even fooled me!"
"What?!"
The gentle aura surrounding Mo Bufan instantly exploded.
No longer caring about maintaining his composure, his figure turned into a blur as he crashed through the doors of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
To think he dared to snatch away my fortuitous encounter right in front of my face!
Today, even if I have to turn this entire market upside down, I will drag out that scar-faced man who took the iron box!
In a place where no one could see.
Mo Bufan's face turned somewhat ferocious. The frustration of being a master strategist played for a fool by a mere ant nearly drove him into a frenzy.
However, the streets were bustling with crowds. Where was there any sign of that sallow-faced rogue cultivator?
...
Meanwhile, the instigator, Gu Yang, had already altered his appearance again using the Withered Wood Breath Concealment Art. He was walking back to Cold Moon Peak with a calm and composed demeanor.
The Biluo Token in his embrace had been stored in his holding bag, its aura once again concealed.
"Mo Bufan, I, Gu, will gladly accept this gift."
...
Cold Moon Peak, in front of the cave dwelling.
Withered yellow leaves had piled up thickly on the stone steps. After being soaked by last night's rain, they emitted a rotting dampness.
"Martial Uncle Gu, the two-day deadline has arrived."
That familiar Disciplinary Hall disciple once again stood before the cave dwelling.
He pinched a black "Restriction Breaking Token" in his hand, his face bearing a business-like indifference, and even a hint of impatience.
"If Martial Uncle is physically indisposed, then this Martial Nephew will have to act on your behalf and help Martial Uncle pack your bags."
As he spoke, spiritual energy surged in his palm, preparing to forcibly break open the cave dwelling's door.
In his eyes, what kind of waves could a cripple with shattered meridians and a depleted origin make in two days? He was just shamelessly refusing to leave.
However, at the exact moment his hand was about to touch the stone door.
"Boom—!"
The heavy stone door opened inward without any warning.
An extremely scorching wave of air, like floodwaters bursting from a dam, roared out from the dark cave dwelling, carrying an unparalleled, domineering coercion!
"What?!"
The Disciplinary Hall disciple's expression changed drastically. He felt as if what rushed at his face was not wind, but a red-hot iron wall.
He had absolutely no time to react before his entire body was violently sent flying by the air wave. The soles of his feet plowed two deep grooves into the slick bluestone slabs until he crashed into an ancient pine tree, coming to a miserable halt.
"Cough, cough..."
He raised his head in absolute horror.
He saw a slender figure standing at the entrance of the cave dwelling with his hands behind his back.
Gu Yang was wearing a dusty gray handyman disciple uniform, yet he wore it with a profound and towering presence that made others afraid to look him in the eye.
His complexion was ruddy, and a faint golden light flowed as his eyes opened and closed. Where was there even a trace of the terminally ill, deathly aura from two days ago?
"What did Martial Nephew just say you were going to help me pack?"
Gu Yang's voice was very light, yet it carried a scalding sense of oppression like flowing magma.
Perfected Qi Condensation!
And it wasn't an ordinary Perfected Qi Condensation; the density of that spiritual energy was even more terrifying than that of an ordinary cultivator who had just reached Foundation Establishment!
"This... how is this possible?!"
The Disciplinary Hall disciple's pupils trembled as if he had seen a ghost.
His origin was clearly shattered, and his meridians were completely severed. How could it be that after only two days, not only was he fully healed, but his cultivation had advanced even further?
"A misunderstanding! Martial Uncle Gu, this is a misunderstanding!"
The Disciplinary Hall disciple instantly changed his tune, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
In the cultivation world, strength was reason.
As long as Gu Yang's cultivation was still there, he was a true inheritance disciple. How could a lowly Disciplinary Hall disciple like him afford to offend him?
"My cultivation went slightly awry a few days ago, and I suffered some minor injuries. It seems I've caused the Disciplinary Hall to worry."
Gu Yang stepped out of the shadows. The sunlight spilled over him, yet it could not pierce the profundity hidden in the depths of his eyes.
He patted the disciple's shoulder, a sliver of scalding "Golden Crow Spiritual Energy" flickering in his palm.
Sizzle—
The fabric on the disciple's shoulder instantly turned charred black. He grimaced in pain, but he didn't even dare to move a muscle.
In the cultivation world, rules were made for the weak.
The strong were the rules.
Since Gu Yang had recovered his strength, the previous demotion order was nothing but a piece of scrap paper.
"Go back and tell Hall Master Li that I, Gu, am living very comfortably in my cave dwelling, and there is no need for him to worry."
"Yes, yes, yes! This Martial Nephew will scram right now, scram right now!"
The Disciplinary Hall disciple acted as if granted a grand pardon, scrambling and crawling away from Cold Moon Peak, not even daring to pick up the "Restriction Breaking Token" that had fallen to the ground.
Watching that panicked retreating back, the smile at the corners of Gu Yang's mouth slowly faded.
He turned around, returned to his cave dwelling, and reactivated the restrictions.
Sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, Gu Yang felt the spiritual energy surging like a mighty river within his body.
The Desolate Ancient Extreme Yang Physique was peerlessly overbearing. Just a preliminary awakening had granted him combat prowess far surpassing others of the same realm.
But it was still not enough.
Facing a Golden Core old monster like Zhao Wuji, his current self was still nothing more than a slightly larger ant.
If he wanted to avenge his master and uncover the truth behind his poisoning, he needed to become stronger!
He absolutely had to reach Foundation Establishment.
Furthermore, it had to be—Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment!
...
Midnight had arrived.
The void before Gu Yang rippled slightly, and the familiar ethereal blue screen of light materialized once more.
[Daily Intelligence System is refreshing...]
[Ding! Detected that the host possesses sufficient Destiny Points. Do you wish to spend 100 Destiny Points to upgrade the system to Lv2?]
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
