Chapter 9 Breakthrough to the Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage

No sooner had the words fallen than a Nascent Soul Aura erupted from within Gu Heng's body.

Crack—The Golden Core Bottleneck shattered instantly.

...

Nascent Soul Middle Stage! Nascent Soul Late Stage!

It was only when he reached the Nascent Soul Late Stage that his Aura gradually subsided.

His Pass By range had also expanded to two hundred and forty meters.

"Nascent... Nascent Soul Late Stage!?"

The Soul Transformation Peak instantly widened his eyes. Just what kind of person was this? One moment he was at the Golden Core, and the next, he was already at the Nascent Soul Late Stage?

"No! Third Brother's power... was stolen by him!" Blood Crow instantly came to his senses, suddenly realizing the truth, his face filled with shock.

What kind of evil technique was this? To be able to steal someone's cultivation out of thin air?

"Kill him! This brat must not be left alive!"

A small blood-colored bell shot into the sky. Blood-red patterns swirled across the bell's body, causing the trees to sway frantically like wild grass.

"Blood Evil Bell! Suppress!"

Hum—Just as the Magic Treasure was about to descend, it suddenly hovered in mid-air.

Blood Crow's pupils constricted.

At that same moment, a terrifying suction force emanated from the white-clad youth below.

[Detected a high-value target entering the Pass By range!]

[Target: Soul Transformation Peak Cultivator (one).]

[Executing operation: Pass By all of their cultivation!]

"No—"

Blood Crow let out a miserable shriek as his Soul Transformation Peak cultivation surged out of his body like a flood.

Gu Heng's Aura expanded, breaking through the Nascent Soul Stage, and he hung suspended between heaven and earth like a deity.

The Blood Evil Bell, having lost its master, drifted down docilely and hovered before Gu Heng.

The winds and clouds in the sky shifted violently.

Soul Transformation Tribulation clouds gathered, black clouds pressing down upon the peaks. Purple lightning intertwined and roared within them, a destructive Aura shrouding the entire mountain range.

Gu Heng merely looked up at the tribulation clouds, and that Lightning Tribulation, which would have made any Soul Transformation Cultivator turn pale, was... passed by.

The tribulation clouds circled for a moment, seemingly unable to find their target, and eventually dissipated slowly.

Heaven and earth returned to silence.

"Why... why..."

He murmured, his eyes hollow. "My cultivation... the Lightning Tribulation... why did it end up like this?"

The other Nascent Soul assassin stood frozen in place, watching as Gu Heng's Aura climbed until it reached the Soul Transformation Peak.

His Pass By range doubled, increasing to four hundred and eighty meters.

Gu Heng opened his eyes, and his Divine Sense spread outward like a tidal wave.

One thousand li! Two thousand li! Nearly three thousand li!

The vast territory extending three thousand li around the Qingyun Sect, those thousands of affiliated cities, and the joys and sorrows of the billions of living beings within them—all of it flooded into his mind.

"Is this... the Soul Transformation Peak?"

He couldn't help but whisper.

If merely the three thousand li surrounding the Sect was already this vast, what kind of grandeur must the Qingyun Sect headquarters, which spanned a radius of one hundred thousand li, possess?

It truly deserved to be ranked at the head of the nine top Sects.

However, beyond the East Province, there were four other provinces.

And even above those four provinces, there was the Central Province, which gathered the peak Legacies of this world.

Gu Heng withdrew his thoughts and looked at the remaining Nascent Soul assassin.

The moment their eyes met, the man shuddered uncontrollably.

Gu Heng raised his hand, intending to finish them off.

"Don't... don't kill me!"

The man shouted hoarsely. "Senior, spare me! I can tell you who sent us to kill you! I also have a secret! A secret regarding you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Heng was already in front of him.

"Slap."

The palm descended.

The Nascent Soul assassin and the two crippled men on the ground had their bodies explode, turning into blood mist, their Divine Souls completely destroyed.

"I don't care about your secrets."

Gu Heng withdrew his hand and whispered.

Well played, Wang Teng.

Since you've shown killing intent, don't blame me for being ruthless.

Should he go to the Cliff of Reflection to kill him now?

Gu Heng frowned, but quickly dismissed the thought.

It wouldn't do.

The waters within the Sect were deeper than he had imagined.

Especially that mysterious Qingxuan Old Ancestor; it was said he was a peerless expert who had returned from the Central Province. Now that he himself had broken through to the Soul Transformation Stage, such a massive disturbance would likely have already alerted him.

From here on out, every step he took could be a risky gamble.

The Yao Beasts in this mountain range were at most at the Nascent Soul Stage.

Being able to break through to the Soul Transformation Peak here had already far exceeded his expectations. If the opportunity arose, he had to find a way to increase his cultivation even faster.

He raised his head and gazed toward the heart of the Qingyun Sect.

Surrounded by mountains, a giant tower reached straight into the firmament, with stars orbiting it, flickering on and off.

That's right, there was still the heaven-reaching tower!

When the time came, he would find an opportunity to "pass by" that thing as well.

Gu Heng glanced at the sky.

"There's only half an hour until the banquet begins; I need to hurry."

His figure flickered and vanished from the spot.

He had to first take a stroll through the nearby affiliated city, Baihua City, and change out of this cloud-brocade white robe.

Not long after Gu Heng left, the entire Qingyun Sect was thrown into a state of shock.

Countless Elders and Disciples were jolted awake, looking up at the dissipating tribulation clouds, speculating in shock and uncertainty.

"That Aura just now... it was the Soul Transformation Stage!"

"The direction... it seems to be in the outer Sect territory, the mountain range near Baihua City! How could a Soul Transformation phenomenon leak from there?"

"Could it be... that one of our Sect's core Elders was traveling outside, happened to encounter an opportunity, and broke through to the Soul Transformation Stage in one go?"

"Go and investigate immediately!"

Countless figures soared from the various peaks, speeding toward the direction where the phenomenon had originated.

Ye Wentian stood at the peak of the Qingyun Sect's Forbidden Ground, his hands behind his back as the evening breeze gently brushed against his robes.

He gazed toward the outer regions, in the direction of the Baihua mountain range, his brows tightly locked as he murmured,

"Soul Transformation..."

Within the Qingyun Sect, it was impossible for him not to know which Elder or Grand Elder was breaking through outside.

And outside the Sect, if an expert of that level had been born or was just passing by, it was even more impossible for it to be so quiet.

Unless...

He suddenly remembered the handyman from earlier that day.

From their first meeting at the Guanyun Platform to his handling of the Wang Teng incident, and even the way he had left just now—appearing flustered but actually having a clear purpose—this youth was full of too many unfathomable mysteries.

Especially his Heart-Nature, being able to remain calm when facing his own pressure; that was definitely not something an ordinary person could possess.

"Could it be... really him?"

Or perhaps he had been hiding his cultivation from the very beginning? How high must his cultivation be to be able to do that, to the point where even he couldn't see through it? How did he do it?

He pondered, while an Elder appeared silently behind him and reported in a low voice,

"Sect Master, the time is nearly upon us. The Guest Welcoming Hall is already prepared."

"Mm."

Ye Wentian withdrew his thoughts. "Pass down the order: for tonight's banquet, no one is to be absent, except for the Handymen and Outer Sect Disciples. Also... closely monitor all abnormal movements both inside and outside the Sect. If there are any suspicious individuals, report to me immediately."

The Elder was stunned, seemingly recalling something, before replying with a somewhat joyful expression,

"Yes! I shall strictly follow the Sect Master's instructions."

Meanwhile, in Baihua City, Gu Heng had just finished strolling around the outskirts of the Qingyun Sect. He arrived in the city and bought several sets of fine clothes inside the Wanbao Pavilion, and also acquired a Storage Ring.

The master of the Wanbao Pavilion branch gazed puzzled at Gu Heng's retreating back and muttered, "This Senior is surprisingly lavish with his Spirit Stones. He spent tens of thousands without a second thought, as if the Spirit Stones he was spending weren't his own."

Gu Heng stepped out of the Wanbao Pavilion, having changed into a different white brocade robe.

This robe was one of the Wanbao Pavilion's treasures, named the "Flowing Cloud Dust-Avoiding Garment." It remained unstained by dust, and as he walked, faint, hidden patterns of flowing clouds seemed to ripple across it.

At this moment, he looked exactly like an Advanced Young Master from a top family in the Central Province.

"Tsk, is this the feeling of a rich person?" Gu Heng rotated the Advanced Storage Ring on his finger and sighed, "Even the air I breathe feels a bit fresher."

The Wanbao Pavilion master was currently standing at the door, watching this mysterious big client leave with a flattering expression.

Gu Heng's gaze swept across the street.

Baihua City truly lived up to its name; everywhere he looked, there were female Cultivators wearing Qingyun Sect attire, gathered in groups of three or five, each with their own unique grace.

The shops on both sides of the street were dazzling, with Medicinal Pill shops, Artifact Refining workshops, and Spirit Beast shops offering everything one could need. There were even many "Hehuan Towers" and "Yihong Courtyards" hanging pink lanterns, with graceful female Cultivators standing at the entrances, casting charming glances at the passing Cultivators.

The industrial chain here was truly a one-stop service.

From the supply of Cultivation resources to the relaxation of body and mind—there was nothing you couldn't imagine, and nothing you couldn't buy with Spirit Stones.

"Pity, I can't muster any interest!" Gu Heng shook his head. His current cultivation was still too weak; until he reached the Undergoing Tribulation stage, he would never have a sense of security.

Furthermore, the banquet at the Guest Welcoming Hall was the main event.

It seemed he would have to find an opportunity to take a trip to the Yao domain and "pass by" it?

He was just about to turn and leave when a burst of noisy chatter drifted over on the night breeze.

"Sigh, what bad luck! Why are the items in the Wanbao Pavilion so expensive? A Flying Sword that is a Low Grade Spiritual Artifact actually costs three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones! Why don't they just go rob someone?"

"Alright, Senior Brother Zhao, stop complaining. Even though we didn't get a good ranking in the Grand Competition this time, we've still broadened our horizons. Being able to come to Baihua City tonight to have some fun is already a rare blessing."

"Exactly. Compared to those Senior Brothers still bitter-cultivating in the Sect, our lives are not bad at all."

Not far away, at the entrance of a tavern named "Zuixian Building," several youths wearing the attire of Qingyun Sect Inner Sect Disciples were swaying as they walked out.

Their faces were flushed. The one leading them was none other than Zhao Qingfeng, whom he had seen at the bridge that night.

Zhao Qingfeng was currently holding a wine flask, his face cynical as he muttered to himself.

"Carefree? Carefree, my ass! You guys calculate it; just for this trip out, each of us spent fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones just to ride the Sect's teleportation array!"

Hearing this, the several Disciples beside him also looked pained.

"Who's to say otherwise? Our Qingyun Sect occupies one hundred thousand li. From the Inner Sect to this Baihua City, if we don't take the teleportation array and rely solely on flying on our swords, it would take at least two days and two nights. It's just too time-consuming."

"If only we were at the Nascent Soul Stage." One Disciple looked enviously at the sky, where high-level Cultivators occasionally flew through the air. "As long as you Cultivate to the Nascent Soul Stage, you can ignore the Low Grade flight Restrictions within the city and cross the Void Realm with your Physical Body directly. That way, why would anyone need to waste money riding some teleportation array?"

"Nascent Soul?" Zhao Qingfeng tilted his head back and took a gulp of wine, sighing. "There are tens of thousands of Inner Sect Disciples in our Qingyun Sect, and very few can even Cultivate to the Golden Core, let alone the Nascent Soul Stage. That is a privilege reserved only for True Disciples or even Elders! In this lifetime, if we can manage to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection and secure a position as a deacon in the Sect, it would be as if smoke were rising from our ancestral graves."

At this point, everyone's mood became somewhat dejected.

The Cultivation world is just this cruel.

Talent, resources, and background—all are indispensable.

These ordinary Inner Sect Disciples of theirs, while seemingly glorious, are actually just high-level laborers who are slightly better off than Handymen or Outer Sect Disciples.

In front of true Prodigies, they aren't even worthy of carrying their shoes.

"Eh? Senior Brother Zhao, look at that person in front..."

A Disciple suddenly grabbed Zhao Qingfeng's sleeve, pointing at the white figure ahead, with a hesitant tone, "That back... why does it look a bit familiar?"

Zhao Qingfeng raised his head with bleary, drunken eyes, looking in the direction the finger pointed.

He saw a young man in white robes standing with his back to them at the dim end of the street, where the lights were fading.

"Familiar? You must have drunk too much."

Zhao Qingfeng let out a drunken hiccup, "Someone who looks like a Young Master from a prominent family at a glance, how could we possibly know him? I think you've gone crazy wanting to climb the social ladder."

"No... that's not it, Senior Brother."

That Disciple rubbed his eyes, "Look at that figure, and that stance... doesn't it look a bit like the sweeping Handyman we met at the bridge that night?"

"Handyman?"

Zhao Qingfeng was stunned, then laughed out loud, "What kind of joke are you making! What was that Handyman wearing that day? That was gray hemp clothing! What is this person wearing?

That is the Flowing Cloud Dust-Avoiding Robe, the treasure of the Wanbao Pavilion! A single piece costs one hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones; even if you sold yourself, you couldn't afford a sleeve!"

"Besides, that Handyman was only at the Early Stage of Qi Refining, while this person's Aura... uh..."

Zhao Qingfeng's voice came to an abrupt halt.

Because that figure slowly turned around.

Under the dim lights,

a handsome face appeared before everyone's eyes.

But...

Zhao Qingfeng's eyes widened instantly, and his drunkenness vanished by half.

This face was indeed Gu Heng, but that feeling... it had completely changed!

Just by that gaze sweeping over, Zhao Qingfeng felt a chill run through his entire body, and the Spiritual Qi within his body became sluggish at this very moment.

This sense of oppression...

he had only ever felt it from Inner Sect Elders!

"This... how is this possible?!"

Zhao Qingfeng's heart was in turmoil, and he subconsciously extended his Divine Sense, wanting to probe the other party's cultivation level.

However, the moment his Divine Sense touched Gu Heng, it instantly vanished without a trace.

Inscrutable!

"How about it? Senior Brothers, do you not recognize me anymore?"

Gu Heng chuckled and stepped forward, walking toward them.

As he approached, his Aura descended upon everyone instantly like Mount Tai pressing down.

Gu Heng wasn't intentionally releasing it; it was just the Aura from breaking through to the Spirit Severing Peak that hadn't fully receded.

"You... you are..."

Zhao Qingfeng nearly collapsed to the ground.

The Disciples behind him were even paler.

"What? That night at the bridge, weren't you all chatting quite happily?"

Gu Heng stopped three steps in front of Zhao Qingfeng, "I heard you all discussing the benefits of the Nascent Soul Stage just now? What, are you all planning to go back to attend the banquet?"

Once these words were spoken, Zhao Qingfeng finally confirmed it.

This was Gu Heng!

But why... why had his cultivation become so terrifying?

Could it be that he had always been a high-level Senior hiding his cultivation? That night at the bridge, was he just playing around in the mortal world?

"Sen... Senior!"

Zhao Qingfeng stammered, "Jun... Junior Zhao Qingfeng, greets... greets Senior!"

He called out this "Senior" with heartfelt sincerity.

The night before, he had still been high and mighty, calling the other person Junior Brother. But now, because of the cultivation level, calling him "Senior" carried no psychological burden at all.

In the Cultivation world, those who are more accomplished are teachers.

No matter how young Gu Heng looked, as long as his cultivation was higher, he was a Senior!

"Sen... Senior, we... we were indeed preparing to return to the Sect..."

Zhao Qingfeng lowered his head and slightly cupped his hands, "May I ask if Senior... has any instructions?"

Gu Heng looked at these Inner Sect Disciples in front of him who were scared like quails, finding it somewhat amusing in his heart.

Is this the change brought about by power?

"No need to be nervous."

Gu Heng retracted his Aura a bit more, "It just so happens that I am also returning to the Sect to attend the banquet. Since we are going the same way, let's go together."

"Ah?"

Zhao Qingfeng was stunned, suddenly raising his head, "To... together?"

"What? You don't want to?" Gu Heng raised an eyebrow slightly.

"No, no, no! I'm willing! One hundred percent willing!"

Zhao Qingfeng shook his head like a rattle-drum, "Being able to travel with Senior is a blessing the Junior has cultivated over several lifetimes! It's just... our cultivation is low, and we can only take the teleportation array; I'm afraid we might delay Senior's time..."

"Teleportation array?"

Gu Heng glanced at the distance, in the direction of the teleportation array, and then looked at the sky.

"Too slow."

He spat out three words indifferently.

"We shall just go directly."

Before the words had even faded, everyone's figures had already vanished from the spot.

The next moment, they discovered they were already high up in the sky, ten thousand feet above.

Beneath their feet,

the brightly lit Baihua City was retreating backward at an astonishing speed.

"This... this is..."

Zhao Qingfeng and the others looked around in terror.

Gu Heng was actually using his Physical Body to carry them as he flew through the air!

And this speed... it was ridiculously fast! The surrounding gale was isolated by a layer of Spiritual Qi, and they couldn't feel the slightest bump.

"Traversing the Void Realm with his Physical Body... carrying people while teleporting..."

Zhao Qingfeng swallowed his saliva, his inner guess becoming increasingly clear.

This absolutely wasn't something the Nascent Soul Stage could achieve!

Soul Transformation!

This is a powerful expert of the Soul Transformation Stage!

Heavens!

In the Qingyun Sect, the Soul Transformation Stage is already considered a rare existence!

In the entire Qingyun Sect Inner Sect, there are only a few dozen Soul Transformation Elders in total.

And this person before him... looking so young, is actually also at the Soul Transformation Stage?

Zhao Qingfeng felt his brain couldn't keep up.

Just at this moment, a Disciple secretly used voice transmission to Zhao Qingfeng,

"Senior Brother Zhao... could this Senior... be taking us to some desolate wilderness to kill us and silence us because we spoke disrespectfully to him after he left yesterday?"

Once this was said, Zhao Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat.

His heart instantly rose to his throat.

That couldn't be, right? Stop talking nonsense!

Zhao Qingfeng just wanted to use voice transmission to scold his Junior Brother, but he found his lips trembling so much that he couldn't make a sound.

Because he saw Gu Heng, who was flying in front, suddenly turn his head and glance at them with a half-smile.

Zhao Qingfeng's vision went black.

A Soul Transformation Stage expert has heaven-reaching Divine Sense; what was the difference between using voice transmission at such close range and shouting right in his ear?

"Senior, spare our lives!"

Zhao Qingfeng roared frantically in his heart, "We really didn't do anything!"

Gu Heng took in that Disciple's voice transmission and Zhao Qingfeng's expression entirely, immediately having a face full of black lines.

Is he some heinous Devil Head?

Although he admitted he wasn't a good person, he certainly wasn't evil to that extent.

Kill these few small fries?

What would he gain? The few broken Spirit Stones on them? Or their bodies that don't even have two taels of meat?

These guys are purely passerby A, B, C, and D; killing them would only dirty his hands.

"Sigh... the young people these days, their persecution complex is too serious."

Gu Heng shook his head, too lazy to explain.

His speed skyrocketed once again.

...

The Guest Welcoming Hall,

on the square outside the hall,

was also bustling with people coming and going.

Swish —

Gu Heng and his group descended from the sky, landing in a quiet corner at the edge of the Guest Welcoming Hall square.

"We have arrived."

Gu Heng said indifferently.

"Ugh — —"

As soon as their feet touched the ground, apart from Zhao Qingfeng who could barely manage to stand, the other Disciples collapsed to the ground, their faces pale, clutching their chests and retching.

It was too fast.

This extreme speed experience, for small Cultivators like them at the Foundation Establishment Stage, was simply like having their souls shaken out of their bodies.

Zhao Qingfeng leaned against a Spirit Tree, gasping for air, looking at the familiar Guest Welcoming Hall before him, feeling an indescribable emotion in his heart.

All that talk about the thirty years of the river flowing east... it was just his own vision that was too narrow!

Zhao Qingfeng realized what was happening and bowed and cupped his hands to Gu Heng repeatedly, "Senior's great kindness; if there are any tasks in the future, I will go through fire and water, and will not refuse!"

The other Disciples also realized, hurriedly following suit and kowtowing, their mouths incoherent as they shouted thanks for sparing their lives.

Gu Heng watched this scene and helplessly covered his forehead.

"Alright, alright, hurry up and get lost."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

After saying that, he pulled up his few Junior Brothers and ran hurriedly toward the side door of the Guest Welcoming Hall.

Watching their flustered, fleeing backs, Gu Heng shook his head.

"What is all this."

But now, he had more important things to do.

Gu Heng turned around, his gaze looking toward the Handyman Peak and the endless mountain ranges on the outskirts.

That was the place where he had lived for three years.

It was time to pay a visit to Ma Datou!

Gu Heng's figure flashed, and he instantly vanished from the spot.

...

Handyman Peak.

Halfway up the mountain, in an independent small courtyard.

Ma Datou was lying on a grandmaster chair, holding a pot of Spirit Wine in his hand, humming a little tune happily.

On the table in front of him, there was also a pile of scattered Spirit Stones and a few bottles of Low Grade Medicinal Pills.

Suddenly.

An Aura of the Soul Transformation Stage descended.

Hum —

In the small courtyard, the chirping of insects came to an abrupt halt.

"This... this is..."

Ma Datou's entire body stiffened, his eyes widened to the size of balls.

As a Cultivator at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining, although he hadn't seen much of the world, he knew that this was the pressure of a powerful expert!

Moreover, the strength of this pressure was countless times more terrifying than his brother-in-law, who was a manager at the Foundation Establishment Stage in the Outer Sect!

Which Inner Sect Elder was it?

Why would they suddenly descend upon this godforsaken Handyman Peak?

Could it be that his embezzlement of public funds had been exposed?

Thinking of this, Ma Datou was scared to the point of his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and the wine pot in his hand fell to the ground with a snap, shattering into pieces.

He scrambled out, pushed open the courtyard door, and then knelt on the ground, kowtowing without getting up,

"I do not know which Senior has arrived!"

"Junior Ma Datou, fails to welcome you!"