Bao Gu took out a gourd of fourth-tier Monkey Wine and drank it all in one go. The spiritual wine transformed into pure spiritual power and alcohol, surging through her body. Before she finished the gourd, a drunken haze clouded her eyes, and by the time she emptied it, she collapsed onto the bed, completely unconscious.
She didn’t know how long she had been out when she saw the Xuantian Sword of her ancestor standing in a void. The surroundings were pitch black, but the sword stood unwavering like a rock, emitting a radiant glow that pierced the darkness. The Xuantian Sword gave her a sense of steadfastness, as if it would remain standing even if the world turned to nothingness.
Bao Gu felt a stirring in her heart, sensing something. She looked at the Xuantian Sword again, but everything around her faded, and she woke up. Was it a dream? Or was the Xuantian Sword trying to enlighten her? Bao Gu was puzzled. She felt someone watching her and opened her eyes to see her Grandmaster standing sternly by the bed. Startled, Bao Gu jumped up, but due to her hangover, she lost her balance and fell back onto the bed.
A slender arm reached out to catch her, enveloping her in a familiar fragrance—it was Yu Mi. Bao Gu looked up at Yu Mi and called out, “Senior Sister.” A wave of emotion swept over her, but she quickly suppressed it, saying softly, “I’m fine!” She steadied herself and stood up, bowing to her Grandmaster, “Greetings, Grandmaster!” Still feeling the effects of the alcohol, her body was weak, and her head spun. She knew Zi Tianjun disliked her laziness, and seeing her hungover, he was likely fuming and ready to scold her, so she forced herself to stand firm.
Zi Tianjun looked Bao Gu up and down, seeing she could barely stand, and said in a deep voice, “Come see me when you’re sober.” He then turned and left.
Once Zi Tianjun was gone, Bao Gu asked Yu Mi, “How long did I sleep?” Her legs were weak, so she sat back down on the bed.
Yu Mi replied, “Four nights and three days.” She looked at Bao Gu sternly, “Aren’t you afraid of hurting yourself?”
Bao Gu was confused, “What?”
Yu Mi gritted her teeth, “You’re only at the second stage of Foundation Establishment. The spiritual power in fourth-tier Monkey Wine is too much for you. Aren’t you afraid of your meridians bursting? Do you want to die?”
Bao Gu paused and said, “Do you remember when I first got the Xuantian Sword and my meridians were torn?”
Yu Mi nodded, “I remember.” Her cold eyes seemed to say: You’ve experienced torn meridians before, and you still dare to mess around!
Bao Gu explained, “After that incident, my meridians became much stronger than ordinary people. The Xuantian Sword resides in me, absorbing any excess spiritual power, so you don’t need to worry.” She lay back on the bed, “I’m tired, I’ll nap a bit more.” And she drifted back to sleep.
※※※
Bao Gu felt she had slept for a long time. When she woke, the alcohol had completely worn off, and her body felt refreshed, like the world after a cleansing rain. She noticed her clothes had been changed. She was wearing a white silk undergarment, and a complete set of clothes was neatly folded on a small table by the bed. It seemed Yu Mi had changed her clothes and prepared these for her.
Bao Gu carefully dressed and adorned herself with the accessories. The outfit was a top-grade magical treasure from the Golden Core stage, exquisite in both function and design. The white base with pear blossom embroidery looked both elegant and noble.
Once dressed, she stepped out of the tent and saw Yu Mi in a red robe sitting under a nearby tree. It was early summer, and the afternoon sun shone through the dense canopy, casting golden rays.
Yu Mi sat on a white jade stool, a pot of spiritual tea on the table before her, reading a jade scroll intently. Sensing Bao Gu’s movement, Yu Mi put away the scroll and stood up, “Awake?” With a wave of her hand, she stored the jade stool and table in her storage bracelet. “Good, the Grandmaster has been waiting for you, and the dragon has visited several times while you were in seclusion.”
Bao Gu lowered her head in embarrassment, “Did I sleep that deeply?”
Yu Mi said softly, “It’s fortunate your constitution is strong and you have the Xuantian Sword to stabilize you. Otherwise, with the way you drank, you’d be dead by now.” She glanced at Bao Gu’s dantian, speechless. Bao Gu had drunk an entire gourd of fourth-tier Monkey Wine, yet after such a long seclusion, her cultivation level hadn’t advanced at all. Even with five spiritual roots, she should have made some progress! She packed up the tent, “Let’s go back to Xuantian Sect.” With that, she summoned her flying sword and soared into the sky.
Bao Gu followed Yu Mi towards the highest peak of the Two Realms Mountain. As they ascended, the clouds thickened, and soon they were enveloped in mist. Surrounded by nothing but white, Bao Gu realized she had lost her sense of direction. Though unfamiliar with the Two Realms Mountain, she knew it wasn’t this high. She had seen the peak during the day before, and there wasn’t this much cloud cover. Seeing Yu Mi unaffected by the mist, flying steadily, Bao Gu understood, “Senior Sister, this mist is strange. Are we in the mountain’s protective array?” She felt she had missed a lot while she was drunk.
Yu Mi replied, “This is the peak’s protective array, guarded by Martial Uncle Chen. The Two Realms Mountain seems calm, but it’s actually in chaos. Currently, Xuantian Sect only occupies the highest peak, while the Demon Cave claims they won’t follow orders without an identity token.”
Bao Gu understood that the situation in the Two Realms Mountain was still unstable. She asked, “Have we figured out which forces are in the Two Realms Mountain?”
Yu Mi said, “No need to investigate. Since Xuantian Sect moved to the Two Realms Mountain and the dragon made a blood oath with you, various cultivators and demon cultivators have united, forming a ‘Demon Alliance’ within half a month.”
Bao Gu was surprised, “A Demon Alliance? Do they have a leader?”
Yu Mi replied, “It’s a jade stone qilin. Formed from qilin blood jade, it gained intelligence from the essence of heaven and earth. It originally resided in the Qilin Ridge west of the Two Realms Mountain. Xuantian Sect’s establishment here provoked it. It’s powerful, having fought with Senior Nanshan without a clear winner, though Senior Nanshan vomited blood afterward.”
Bao Gu said, “Legends say qilins are dragon kin, spiritual beasts with divine abilities in their blood. A dead object gaining life and intelligence from the essence of heaven and earth is often formidable. This jade stone qilin, with qilin blood, is naturally powerful. Xuantian Sect’s establishment here will inevitably clash with it. Now, with various demon cultivators and cultivators joining it, it must be difficult to deal with.”
Yu Mi asked, “Do you have a plan?”
Bao Gu knew Yu Mi wanted her to deal with the jade stone qilin. Unfamiliar with it, she wasn’t confident in handling it, but since Yu Mi asked, she didn’t want to refuse, “There’s always a way, just a matter of time. Senior Sister, let’s see the Grandmaster first.”
Yu Mi agreed, “Alright.”
Soon, Bao Gu and Yu Mi arrived at the peak of the Two Realms Mountain, now the main peak of Xuantian Sect, Xuantian Peak.
In a short time, Xuantian Peak had been built up significantly. The main hall, side halls, rear hall, living quarters, and training grounds were all complete, with corresponding arrays in place. The buildings were made of white jade with red gold tiles, arranged according to specific formations. The entire Xuantian Peak was covered by a massive protective array and a five-element spiritual gathering array, with defensive arrays everywhere, even on the white jade floor tiles.
Bao Gu had heard that the golden tiles of the human emperor’s throne room were as valuable as gold. Now, the construction, array defenses, and layout of Xuantian Peak were worth their weight in spirit stones. Clearly, the Grandmaster had spared no expense.
Xuantian Sect’s disciples were gathered in the main hall’s square, practicing. The sect was still small, with only about thirty people. From their positions, it seemed they were practicing a sword formation, personally taught by her Grandmaster. Bao Gu landed beside Zi Tianjun and bowed, “Bao Gu greets the Grandmaster!”
Zi Tianjun saw Bao Gu and said, “You and Yu Mi, come with me!” He turned and walked into the Xuantian Hall, glancing at Bao Gu’s dantian to check her cultivation level, sighing inwardly.
Bao Gu followed Zi Tianjun into the hall and sat on the left cushion as instructed.
Zi Tianjun sat cross-legged on the main cushion and asked, “Is your body still unwell?”
Bao Gu replied, “No discomfort, Grandmaster. I apologize for my indulgence and prolonged drunkenness.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Cultivation requires gradual progress. Don’t rush to advance, lest you harm yourself.”
Bao Gu replied, “Yes.” She thought, “Grandmaster, did you misunderstand something?” She glanced at Yu Mi, who remained expressionless.
Zi Tianjun said, “You were drunk for days, so you might not know the current situation of Xuantian Sect.”
Bao Gu replied, “Senior Sister told me some things on the way back, about the jade stone qilin.”
Zi Tianjun asked, “What are your thoughts or plans?”
Bao Gu said, “If we can negotiate, we should. If not, we can bring the dragon and the Demon Cave forces, along with Senior Nanshan and Martial Uncle Feng, to fight. Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, winner takes all.”
Zi Tianjun asked, “Are you confident the Demon Cave will follow your orders?”
Bao Gu replied, “Of course. I’ll first help Martial Uncle Chen rebuild his spiritual body, so the dragon will have no choice but to assist us fully.”
Zi Tianjun asked, “How so?”
Bao Gu explained, “The dragon is on the path of life and death transformation, seeking rebirth. The ancient relic’s corpse city has been broken, and the dragon has emerged. It even agreed to a blood oath with me, likely because it’s running out of time. It’s currently surviving in its original form or even as a soul. If Martial Uncle Chen can rebuild his spiritual body, it will be a living example of hope for the dragon. I also have a Nirvana Pill, which will greatly aid its rebirth, possibly giving it a chance to become a true dragon or machine. How could it not fight with all its might? The jade stone qilin is formidable but not insurmountable. Judging by its inability to defeat Senior Nanshan outright, it’s only slightly stronger than him, but far from matching him and the dragon together. With Martial Uncle Feng’s Nascent Soul stage power backing us, and the Demon Cave forces dealing with the Demon Alliance’s minions, we have a seventy percent chance of victory.”
Yu Mi was surprised, “I thought you’d use your merchant skills to win over the jade stone qilin!”
Bao Gu said, “The jade stone qilin wants to defend its territory, and we want to occupy it. There’s a conflict of interest, so how can we win it over? If we have the power to defeat it, and winning it over costs as much as defeating it, why not defeat it? If it only wants to protect its Qilin Peak, we can be good neighbors, making it a forbidden area for Xuantian Sect disciples. But if it wants to make a name for itself by opposing Xuantian Sect, then we must fight.”
Zi Tianjun agreed, “That works.”
Bao Gu said, “We need to do two things quickly. First, help Martial Uncle Chen rebuild his spiritual body. Second, mobilize the Demon Cave. Both require the Grandmaster’s help, as I can’t do it alone.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Explain in detail.”
Bao Gu said, “I need to visit the Demon Cave and bring it under control. Before that, I need to know roughly how many cultivators and demon cultivators are there, and we need enough outer disciple tokens for them. This requires the Grandmaster to have enough tokens made. Secondly, should the Demon Cave be under Xuantian Sect or Lingyun Peak? Please clarify. Thirdly, who will lead the Demon Cave, and how? Fourthly, who will bear the cost of maintaining the Demon Cave, the sect or me? Please clarify. Fifth, I can get a Nascent Soul fruit or a primordial spirit fruit from the Duobao Spirit Monkey for Martial Uncle Chen’s spiritual body, but I don’t know the method or have the cultivation level, so I need the Grandmaster’s help. Sixth, I promised to return the dragon’s skeleton to Martial Uncle Chen once his spiritual body is rebuilt. I hope the Grandmaster will allow me to fulfill this promise.”
Zi Tianjun thought for a while, “You plan to make the entire Demon Cave outer disciples?”
Bao Gu said, “That way, it’s legitimate. Otherwise, a proper sect controlling a demonic force would raise suspicions of shady dealings. Also, it gives the Demon Cave a sense of belonging, preventing them from wanting to establish their own sect. Making them outer disciples, following Xuantian Sect’s rules, encourages them to abandon evil and do good.”
Zi Tianjun nodded, “You have a point. Since you subdued the Demon Cave, you will lead it under Lingyun Peak. We don’t know how many cultivators and demon cultivators are there, so you’ll need to find out.”
He paused, “Do what you need to. Report the number of outer disciple tokens you need.”
Bao Gu was momentarily surprised, then bowed, “Understood.” She paused, “Grandmaster, once Xuantian Sect is stable, I wish to go into seclusion for cultivation.”
Zi Tianjun was surprised, “Why?”
Bao Gu smiled slightly, “In the cultivation world, it’s better to have strong personal power.”
Yu Mi secretly transmitted, “Not vying for the sect leader position?”
Bao Gu looked at Yu Mi, seeing confusion in her eyes. She smiled lightly, offering no explanation.
Zi Tianjun was pleased, “It’s good you want to focus on cultivation, very good!”
Bao Gu summoned the Duobao Spirit Monkey, asking for a Nascent Soul fruit and a primordial spirit fruit, offering them to Zi Tianjun, “Grandmaster, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head to the Demon Cave.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Take Yu Mi with you.”
Bao Gu nodded, “If Senior Sister is free, she can come. If not, it’s fine. The Demon Cave is close, and the dragon won’t dare harm me due to our blood oath.”
Yu Mi said, “I’ll go with you.” She bowed to Zi Tianjun, “Grandmaster, we’ll take our leave.”
Zi Tianjun waved, “Go!” With Bao Gu back and a solution in sight, Zi Tianjun was in high spirits.
Bao Gu bowed and left the Xuantian Hall.
Yu Mi caught up with Bao Gu, transmitting, “Have you really decided to focus on cultivation?”
Bao Gu smiled, “If I die early because my cultivation level doesn’t improve, won’t I have nothing?”
With that, she summoned her flying sword and soared towards the Demon Cave. She knew Yu Mi disliked her vying for the sect leader position, thinking her scheming and frightening. If she could live well and easily, why bother with so much trouble?
Yu Mi silently followed Bao Gu, occasionally scanning her with her divine sense. She felt Bao Gu was different after waking up, but couldn’t pinpoint how.
Soon, Bao Gu arrived outside the Demon Cave. Due to its terrifying array, she didn’t dare enter recklessly, standing at the entrance and calling, “Dragon!”
In no time, a young man with a cold demeanor appeared before Bao Gu, gesturing for her to follow him and Yu Mi into the depths of the Demon Cave.
