At this moment, on the ninth floor of the Scripture Pavilion.
Gu Yun had already circulated the “Ancient Body Refining Manual” for a full eighty-one cycles. He exhaled a mouthful of turbid air and slowly opened his eyes.
The “Ancient Body Refining Manual” truly lived up to its name as an Emperor-grade technique. Just one hour of cultivation had completely transformed his body. Not only had the meridians within him grown much stronger, but every part of his flesh seemed to have undergone tempering. His whole body felt light and refreshed.
Just as Gu Yun was filled with joy, a voice of praise suddenly sounded.
“In just one short hour, to already grasp the entry stage of the ‘Ancient Body Refining Manual,’ impressive indeed!”
“And with the blessing of the Primal Dao Bone, even at the initial stage, your power is already so fierce. Your progress is astonishingly fast.”
Startled, Gu Yun looked around and noticed that aside from the elders of the Scripture Pavilion, dozens of other figures had appeared at some point. Each of them had white hair but youthful faces. Though they deliberately restrained their aura, they still gave off a vast and immeasurable feeling, like mountains pressing down from the heavens.
Without needing to guess, Gu Yun immediately understood. These must be the Grand Elders or Old Ancestors of the Primordial Holy Land.
Not daring to be disrespectful, Gu Yun quickly rose to his feet and bowed respectfully. “Disciple Gu Yun greets the honored masters.”
The group of elders chuckled kindly, their faces warm and amiable.
One of them stepped forward, nodding with satisfaction. “I never expected that my Primordial Holy Land would one day produce a super prodigy with dual Dao Bones. This is truly a blessing for our Holy Land. But this matter must not be spread too widely, to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
The cultivation world was harsh and ruthless. With dual Dao Bones, Gu Yun was destined to become a peerless powerhouse in the future. If the enemies of the Primordial Holy Land discovered this, they would never wish to see such a day arrive and might even send assassins.
Gu Yun nodded in agreement. He knew well that as the great villain, no matter how strong he was, if he faced a so-called Child of Destiny, he could still be suppressed by the protagonist’s halo. Therefore, keeping a low profile was the path he needed to take.
He immediately said, “Yes, this disciple will remember the masters’ teachings.” This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
At that moment, one of the Old Ancestors grew serious, his tone stern. “Holy Son Gu Yun, listen to my command. In the name of the Founder of the Primordial Holy Land, I bestow upon you the Founder’s Token. From today onward, you may use all resources of the Holy Land at will. When meeting the twelve Grand Elders, you need not bow. You shall stand equal with the Supreme Empress, and all disciples of the Holy Land must obey your orders!”
Gu Yun froze in shock.
The Founder’s Token? That token represented the very Founder of the Primordial Holy Land. To receive it meant standing above all others, second only to his seven masters. Even the nominal ruler of the Holy Land, the Empress herself, could be disregarded.
Holding the Founder’s Token meant he was highly likely to become the next successor of the Primordial Holy Land. Moreover, this token was not ordinary. It was a special Saint-grade artifact. The bearer could channel the Founder’s strength or even use some of his techniques.
Gu Yun drew in a sharp breath. In the original novel, even when the protagonist Ye Bufan had shone brilliantly in the Primordial Holy Land, he had never received such a reward!
Without hesitation, Gu Yun half-knelt on the ground and said with the utmost respect, “Thank you, Master Ancestor!” He extended both hands, awaiting the token.
The Old Ancestor laughed heartily and casually took out a dark-green jade token, placing it in Gu Yun’s palms. “Cultivating the ‘Ancient Body Refining Manual’ requires not only talent but also an immense amount of rare resources. The Five Element Essences are indispensable. Fortunately, in our Holy Land’s treasury, there are both the Fire Essence and the Sunflower Water Essence. Boy, cultivate well. Do not let us old fellows down!”
Gu Yun stood up slowly and nodded firmly. “Yes, this disciple will remember.”
In the following days, with the Grand Elders and Old Ancestors deliberately concealing the truth, no one knew that Gu Yun had already mastered the “Ancient Body Refining Manual.” The abnormal fluctuations within the Scripture Pavilion were explained away with a false rumor, and everyone assumed that one of the elders had broken through.
Within three to five days, the discussions about Gu Yun in the Scripture Pavilion gradually faded.
That day, inside the Primordial Holy Land, Ye Bufan invited Su Wan’er to a tavern. Originally, it was meant to celebrate Gu Yun’s successful entry into the inner sect, but Ye Bufan deliberately acted sullen.
Su Wan’er couldn’t help but ask, “Ye Bufan, what’s wrong? You look troubled.”
Ye Bufan forced a bitter smile, drained his cup of wine, and said helplessly, “I have a friend, just an ordinary outer sect disciple. I heard that because she’s pretty, an inner sect senior brother wants to take her by force. I wanted to help her deal with him, but she told me that senior brother has the support of the Holy Son. She was afraid of dragging me down and refused to let me intervene. I don’t know how my friend is doing now.”
Su Wan’er, who hated injustice, instantly grew furious after hearing Ye Bufan’s embellished tale. She slammed her hand on the table with a loud crack. “What? Gu Yun actually condones such behavior from his subordinates? He’s gone too far!”
Ye Bufan laughed inwardly but quickly feigned righteous anger. “More than condoning, I suspect Gu Yun is the one who ordered it. If Junior Sister Chen really suffers, I will never forgive Gu Yun. Even though I just entered the inner sect, with no background or foundation, I’m not afraid of him!”
Su Wan’er looked at Ye Bufan with newfound admiration. Gu Yun not only held the status of Holy Son but also had a powerful family backing him. Most people would scramble to curry favor with him, yet Ye Bufan was willing to risk becoming his enemy for the sake of a friend. His loyalty was indeed admirable. At the same time, the thought that another woman might be involved made her heart feel strangely uncomfortable. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping(.)com.
She said resolutely, “Since I’ve heard about this, I won’t stand by. You just entered the inner sect; it wouldn’t be wise for you to openly oppose Gu Yun. I’ll go confront him and get justice for your friend.”
Ye Bufan was overjoyed. This was exactly what he had hoped for. With this, Gu Yun and Su Wan’er would only grow more distant, while his own image as noble and righteous would shine brighter. He immediately said, “In that case, I’ll thank you on Junior Sister Chen’s behalf, Senior Sister Su. By the way, earlier you said you wanted my help with something. What was it?”
Su Wan’er’s expression grew solemn. “I suspect someone is secretly targeting me. I don’t know what that person said to my family, but now my parents, uncles, aunts, and even my Old Ancestor look at me with displeasure. I can’t find any clues either. Even the household servants are hiding this person’s identity. I wanted to ask you for advice, to help me uncover this person. But your friend’s matter is more urgent. I’ll go deal with Gu Yun first.”
Ye Bufan was thrilled, about to suggest waiting until after tonight to confront Gu Yun, so as not to ruin his carefully prepared evening. But before he could speak, Su Wan’er had already stood up and left.
He froze, dumbfounded. He had planned everything for tonight to create romance and deepen Su Wan’er’s affection for him. Who would have thought she would leave before it even began?
Humiliated, Ye Bufan grabbed his wine cup and downed it in one gulp, cursing viciously, “Damn it, it’s all Gu Yun’s fault. If not for him, I might have won over Su Wan’er tonight!”
Meanwhile, Su Wan’er headed straight to Gu Yun’s residence, only to find he wasn’t home.
Upon learning that Gu Yun had been invited to the Xiaoyao Pavilion, she gave a cold snort. “As expected of a decadent wastrel. His subordinates bully outer sect disciples, while he himself goes off to seek pleasure. Whoever invited him must not be a good person either!”
With that, she rushed straight to the Xiaoyao Pavilion, determined to seek justice for Junior Sister Chen.
At that same moment, within the Primordial Holy Land’s territory stood the grandest and most luxurious tavern for cultivators—the Xiaoyao Pavilion.
All the members of the Su Family had gathered there, respectfully waiting at the entrance for someone.
Su Ruhai suddenly sneezed. “Achoo!” He rubbed his nose and muttered to himself, “Which bastard is cursing me behind my back?”