“Then many thanks, Daoist Master.”
Gu Lan felt a surge of warmth and took out the pill formula for the Nine Revolutions Fire Spirit Pill from his robe, along with the two main ingredients he already had, and handed them over.
“Daoist Master, I have already gathered most of this pill formula.”
“Only the Demon Saint relic listed on it has not been obtained yet. I don’t know whether the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has one; if it does, I might be able to buy it.”
Gu Lan had great confidence in his wealth.
The Huajian Sect, plus the wealthy Liu family he had just plundered, had left his System space stocked with mountains of gold and silver.
Although the Demon Saint relic was precious, it should still be possible to seek out and purchase one.
Going to the Demon Realm to get it would also work, but that would take a long time and carry the risk of exposure; unless absolutely necessary, Gu Lan tried not to choose that option.
Daoist Master Yunlong shook his head repeatedly after hearing this: “Fellow Daoist, since you agreed to save my disciple, that is a tremendous favor to our Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. How could this poor Daoist let Fellow Daoist pay for it?”
In the end, Gu Lan still underestimated the young Daoist priest’s standing in the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion!
Daoist Master Yunlong knew his lifespan was running out, and his only hope rested on this one disciple… the next generation’s Heavenly Secrets Pavilion Master!
As long as he could help him safely survive the heavenly tribulation, Daoist Master Yunlong would ask for nothing else.
“To be honest, our Heavenly Secrets Pavilion does not have a Demon Saint relic. However… this poor Daoist is willing to make a trip to the Demon Realm for Fellow Daoist and retrieve this relic!”
“By then, I will refine it all at once and hand it over to Fellow Daoist.”
Daoist Master Yunlong said sincerely.
Gu Lan froze for a moment, then a surge of joy welled up in his heart!
With Daoist Master Yunlong’s help, this originally arduous pill-refining matter instantly became much simpler!
Tonight had indeed not been a wasted trip…
“Then very well. I certainly won’t go back on my word.” Gu Lan said briskly, cupping his fist in salute. “Daoist Master Yunlong, Young Daoist Master Zhong Ren, farewell!”
“Fellow Daoist, please wait!”
The old Daoist priest took out a jade slip from his robe, considered it for a moment, and finally handed it solemnly to Gu Lan.
“Fellow Daoist agreed to save my disciple based on nothing more than a single meeting… This shows that you truly are fated to be connected with our Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. This is the secret art of my pavilion, the qi-observing technique; today I give it to Fellow Daoist as well!”
“From now on, Fellow Daoist will be the only honored guest in our pavilion.”
『Immortal-rank · qi-observing technique』(Upgradeable)
『Description: Can see through a person’s fortune and fate, and know the future, but prying into heavenly secrets easily incurs heaven’s jealousy; it cannot be used often unless one is protected by fortune』
Gu Lan gave it a quick glance, and his heart burned hot!
Although this secret art was a lost teaching of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, looking across all under heaven, there was probably no one more suited to use it than he was!
With the fortune granted by his immortal physique, as long as he did not recklessly pry into some top-secret heavenly secrets, the side effects of the heavenly tribulation would not occur!
“Daoist Master doesn’t even know what I’m called or what I look like, and yet you dare to give me your most treasured lost teaching?” Gu Lan said with a slight smile, still wearing his face covering.
“Since Fellow Daoist is unwilling to reveal your identity, this poor Daoist naturally won’t ask further, nor will I be curious… this poor Daoist only seeks to act with a clear conscience, and I am certain that Fellow Daoist is not someone who breaks promises.”
Daoist Master Yunlong smiled frankly and adjusted his daoist robe.
“If Fellow Daoist can one day raise this art to the sacred rank, then this poor Daoist will not have betrayed it, and it will not remain buried in dust as a pearl in our pavilion.”
Tsk, this old Daoist really knew how to talk.
“Then I shall respectfully accept!”
Gu Lan cupped his fists in farewell. “Daoist Master may send Zhong Ren to Langzhou City at any time; once I sense it, I will go meet him.”
“All right!”
Daoist Master Yunlong smiled and, pulling the young Daoist priest along, waved goodbye together. “Fellow Daoist, until we meet again!”
The two watched Gu Lan turn into a streak of light and disappear into the horizon.
At that moment.
Daoist Master Yunlong stood there staring at Gu Lan’s back, but he did not move to leave for a long time.
A trace of confusion slowly appeared in his eyes and brows!
The young Daoist priest Zhong Ren raised his little face and asked, “Master, what are you thinking?”
Daoist Master Yunlong came back to his senses, stroked his white beard, and lightly shook his head: “Perhaps this master saw wrong… That Fellow Daoist just now actually seemed to carry a trace of Great Jing’s dragon aura…”
“Great Jing? Didn’t Uncle-Master Jianzheng calculate years ago that their dynasty’s national fortune would decline and perish within 100 years?”
Old Daoist Yunlong patted his disciple’s head and said with a calm smile, “Mm… but now it seems there have been some changes.”
“…”
The next day.
Early morning.
Before the people of the Jing Kingdom had woken up, the standoff between the border army and the Demon Realm had already begun.
In Yunzhou territory, outside Jade Gate Pass.
Dark clouds pressed down on the city as if they would crush it!
Wu Feng stood atop the city wall and looked through the thick fog toward the demon army camp in the distance.
Half a year had passed since he had become Governor of Yunzhou and taken over his father’s post; he had been rooted at the border ever since, personally taking charge of the heavy duty of resisting the Demon Realm.
The immaturity of youth had faded, and his face was gradually becoming resolute.
But at this moment, a deep worry showed in Wu Feng’s eyes!
Originally, with the miracle rice grain bestowed by the court, the border army had been fairly confident in defending their homeland.
But half a month ago, as if realizing they could not afford to keep consuming resources, the 3 Demon Sovereigns of the Demon Realm suddenly descended on Jade Gate Pass together!
They caught everyone completely off guard!
Today, 300,000 demon soldiers launched a full assault!
Even though Wu Feng was utterly loyal to Great Jing, no one could withstand the edge of a 300,000-strong great army.
He had thought hard day and night, yet still could not come up with a single countermeasure.
It was hard!
Worse still, morale in the city was already unstable; faced with 300,000 demon troops blotting out the sky, the soldiers simply could not muster any fighting spirit!
“If this goes on, even if we abandon the city to save the people, there will be no chance of winning the wars that follow.”
Wu Feng sighed helplessly in his heart.
He felt lost about the future of the Jing Kingdom!
He also felt unworthy of the kindness the Empress had shown the Wu family!
Yunzhou had held out for months; the men were exhausted and the horses were weary. At this point, the Jing Kingdom urgently needed a victory to break the deadlock before it might have any chance of reversing the Demon Realm’s momentum!
But to hope to defeat 300,000 troops and 3 Demon Sovereigns?
That was nothing but a fool’s dream!
The memorial had already been sent back to the capital, but he did not know how long it would be before His Majesty’s reinforcements arrived… Wu Feng sighed, donned his armor, and was just about to walk down the tower.
Suddenly.
An old Daoist priest with an immortal bearing appeared behind him and smiled at him.
Wu Feng was startled.
Then he heard the old Daoist priest mutter to himself, “Sure enough, there have been some changes in the Jing Kingdom. The loyal ministers who should have died unjustly have now actually been put to use. Strange…”
Why did this old man speak so ominously… Wu Feng frowned subconsciously.
But after sensing the extraordinary aura around the other party, he suddenly came to his senses!
This old man was definitely a cultivator… Wu Feng hurriedly bowed and said, “This junior greets the old immortal!”
“This poor Daoist was originally going to find that Demon Sovereign to ask for some things. I passed by here and saw that your fate had completely changed, so I became a little curious.”
This old Daoist priest was naturally Daoist Master Yunlong, who had parted with Gu Lan only the night before.
It had to be said, this Daoist Master really did get things done; when he promised something, he truly did not drag his feet at all!
At this moment, Wu Feng had not yet fully grasped what he meant.
Daoist Master Yunlong extended his whisk and gently brushed it over the crown of his head!
“You are fated to be connected with the honored guest in my pavilion. This poor Daoist grants you a fortunate opportunity, which can also count as helping you protect the common people of all under heaven and accumulate a bit of good karma.”
The moment those words were spoken, Daoist Master Yunlong’s figure gradually dispersed!
Wu Feng froze!
Honored guest? What honored guest?
He already had the fate of having lost both parents and having enemy troops at the city gates, and yet he still had a fortunate opportunity?
However.
Wu Feng quickly discovered that this old Daoist had not lied to him.
Inside his body, a warm current surged out from his dantian and flowed through every limb and bone!
15 minutes later!
When he opened his eyes again, brilliance flashed within them; he had already advanced from mortal to the Innate realm!
Leaping across 4 major realms made Wu Feng wild with joy!
However.
This might be enough to kill ordinary demon beasts, but to deal with a Demon Sovereign… it was still far from enough!
As Wu Feng fell into thought, he casually swept his gaze over the pitch-black demon army tents in the distance.
But he suddenly discovered!
The demon soldiers, who had originally been gathering in orderly fashion, suddenly fell into chaos!