Chapter 1608: The emerging clues
The Heavenly Tower crumbled into dust and was scattered into the wind.
Gu Qing Shan remained still for a bit longer while staring at the Samsara Wicked Mask in his hand, slightly lost in thought.
——this is the final mask of the Wraith realm, the Wicked Mask that the ghostly being manifested using the last of its power in that branch of the dark tunnel.
This mask had never appeared in the history of the Wraith realm ever before.
From the void of s.p.a.ce, lines of glowing text remained in front of Gu Qing Shan’s eyes:
[You’ve used the Samsara Wicked Mask to absorb the Heavenly Tower’s Thaumaturgy: Heavenly Consciousness Summoning]
[Thanks to the power of the Samsara Wicked Mask, ‘Heavenly Consciousness Summoning’ has been upgraded by one step]
[Because the Wicked Mask originated from the Wraith realm, the upgraded ability has been automatically converted into a Wraith realm Guise Hex]
[Guise Hex: Past Wraithly Form is about to be created]
Under these glowing text, a line of bright red text was reflected in Gu Qing Shan’s vision:
[This Guise Hex is the manifestation of an immeasurable powerful Wraith of the past, its power is unpredictable, do not use it arbitrarily]
It was because Gu Qing Shan read these lines of text that he temporarily took the Samsara Wicked Mask off.
There were too many things that he needed to do right now that he had decided to explore this Wicked Mask’s ability later tonight.
Gu Qing Shan put the mask away.
He turned to the cultivators prostrating on the ground and calmly spoke: “Whatever our Bai Hua sect had given out, we would also be able to retrieve. From now on, there will no longer be any Immortal Craft inheritances in the Xian Wu world”
“As for your lives——”
The hearts of these cultivators had already risen to their throats, but Gu Qing Shan had paused.
He gave it some thought.
With the new {Yama King} realm Tribulation, Bai Hua sect is no longer under any threat, so killing more people is meaningless.
—–and Gu Qing Shan had never been someone who did meaningless things.
“You may live, if you truly feel remorseful and want to advance further on your cultivation, then I’m also willing to give you another chance”
Gu Qing Shan continued: “From where you’re all standing right now, if you prostrate once every step you take until you reach the green rock under our Bai Hua sect, I’ll forgive you for what you’ve done and allow you to face the {Yama King} realm Tribulation”
The cultivators all kept their heads down without replying.
Continue to prostrate for every step for thousands of miles?
All of us here are great cultivators with status, who would be willing to do such a thing?
An old man among them asked: “If I may, fellow Dao seeker Gu, what are the current rules of the {Yama King} realm Tribulation? How should we face it?”
This was an issue that the entire cultivation world was currently interested in.
Gu Qing Shan replied: “It’s very simple. All you need to do is arrive at our Bai Hua sect and work for ten days, then when you leave, you must make a vow to heaven and earth that if the Bai Hua sect faces any issues, you’d come to aid them”
Everyone was speechless, even the heavenly beings were shaken into not knowing what to say.
—–Gu Qing Shan had essentially turned the Heaven’s Tribulation into a vow to heaven and earth that forced all cultivators who faced this Tribulation to stand on Bai Hua sect’s side.
From now on, in the tens of thousands of Cultivation-type worlds in this Reality, all cultivators who had achieved {Yama King} realm would become an ally of Bai Hua sect.
Who else would be willing to offend such a sect?
“You’re all dismissed”
After saying that, Gu Qing Shan stopped caring about those cultivators.
He then turned to the heavenly beings:
“Alright, there’s temporarily nothing else to do here, so everyone can return to the Divine Mountain—– but before you leave, can you ask the Divine Mountain if it can leave me a method of communication?”
One of the heavenly beings pulled out a grey rock from his chest and tossed it to him: “This was left by the Divine Mountain, you can contact the Divine Mountain any time you wish through this rock”
Gu Qing Shan caught the rock and clasped his fist: “Everyone, I won’t keep you here any longer. Let’s all have a drink next time I come to the Divine Mountain”
All the heavenly beings smiled as they bid him farewell and flew into the sky, swiftly disappearing into the clouds.
With everything done, Gu Qing Shan flew back to Bai Hua sect.
Only the sect leaders and elders of the larger sects remained on the spot.
These great cultivators slowly stood up one by one, exchanged glances, sighed, then flew back to their sects.
Only two old men remained.
They both appeared conflicted, then finally knelt down again after a while.
They turned towards Bai Hua sect, prostrated themselves, took one step forward, then prostrated again, slowly moving in that direction.
This scene was naturally noticed by Gu Qing Shan as he flew.
He nodded slightly, then sped up and returned to Bai Hua sect at full speed.
——s.h.i.+fu’s situation is truly worrying.
What exactly happened to her?
Xiao Lou and the rest were the last people who saw s.h.i.+fu, so they surely know something.
Gu Qing Shan decided as he manifested a ma.s.s of white fog and vanished in mid-air.
A second later.
He reappeared in Bai Hua sect.
“Third Brother, you were so impressive!”
Xiu Xiu jumped and cheered.
Gu Qing Shan paused.
He swallowed the words he was about to ask back down.
He picked Xiu Xiu up and boastfully told her: “It was nothing, they were only a rag-tag group after all”
Qin Xiao Lou delightfully asked him: “Junior brother, is it true that everyone who faces the Tribulation from this point would have to remain in our sect for a period of time?”
“That’s right. From now on, you can be responsible for testing them, don’t forget to have them make a vow to heaven and earth to protect Bai Hua sect” Gu Qing Shan told him.
“Ahaha, I’d like to see who else would dare to offend our Bai Hua sect again” Qin Xiao Lou happily laughed.
Wan Er and Qing Rou both felt a.s.sured.
“How impressive, who would have thought that you’d be the one to decide the rules for Heaven’s Tribulation now” Wan Er cheerfully praised.
Qing Rou nodded while smiling.
Seeing their happy expressions, Gu Qing Shan changed his train of thought.
——-I must ask about s.h.i.+fu, but I can’t make them worry about it as well.
They wouldn’t be able to help even if they worry, so it would only cause more trouble and hinder their cultivation, especially Xiu Xiu who was the youngest and most easily influenced by external forces.
After making some considerations, Gu Qing Shan said: “There’s actually no need for you to worry about s.h.i.+fu. I went through a Tribulation with her not too long ago, and she’s the current most powerful cultivator of all Cultivation worlds, so no one would dare to infuriate her—– I suspect that she discovered another treasure from the Heaven realm that she left in such a hurry”
Xiu Xiu asked: “Senior brother, between you and s.h.i.+fu, who exactly is stronger?”
Gu Qing Shan smiled: “s.h.i.+fu is easily a hundred times stronger than I am, being able to defeat me with one hand. You can use that to imagine how impressive she currently is”
“Really?” Xiu Xiu asked.
“Really. When I ran into some issues during my Tribulation, it was fortunate that s.h.i.+fu was there to help me that I managed to smoothly pa.s.s it”
Gu Qing Shan was currently unbelievably powerful, even the heavenly beings of the legendary Divine Mountain of Sumeru had to listen to his orders.
But s.h.i.+fu was over a hundred times stronger than he was.
Then who would be able to offend s.h.i.+fu?
Hearing him say that, everyone imagined briefly and sighed in relief.
At this point, Gu Qing Shan put Xiu Xiu down and rolled up his sleeves: “Alright, it’s been a long time since we’ve all gathered like this, let me and Qin Xiao Lou make dinner for everyone tonight, ok?”
Xiu Xiu, Wan Er, and Qing Rou all cheered.
Qin Xiao Lou also smiled: “Alright, I’ve learnt a few new dishes recently, it’s quite opportune for everyone to enjoy as well”
Gu Qing Shan patted his shoulder and said: “I currently don’t have any cooking ingredients, so please prepare something fresh, I’ll go find you later—- Wan Er, Qing Rou, the two of you clean up the hall first, then get some water from the nearby spirit spring to brew tea and prepare the table; Xiu Xiu, stay here and talk to me for a bit”
“Right away!” Qin Xiao Lou flew behind the main mountain.
Wan Er and Qing Rou also didn’t refuse and swiftly left.
Xiu Xiu nervously looked at Gu Qing Shan and asked: “Third Brother, did you have something to tell me?”
Gu Qing Shan glanced at the sky a bit before smiling mysteriously and asked: “Xiu Xiu, do you know why that monkey earlier called me the Orange Sovereign?”
Xiu Xiu shook her head, still a bit nervous, but was more curious.
Gu Qing Shan spun and transformed into a large orange cat.
Xiu Xiu was stunned.
After a little bit, she reached out and embraced the large orange cat with both hands.
“Waa! Third Brother, how can you be so cute!”
She started rubbing the orange cat’s fur.
“Easy! Easy! This is just my transformation, I’m not an actual cat” Gu Qing Shan hurriedly sent his voice
Xiu Xiu pinched the orange cat’s tail and caused him to jump a bit.
“And you said you aren’t an actual cat!”
All of Xiu Xiu’s nervousness was gone, she was now happily smiling.
“That’s right, Xiu Xiu, senior brother has travelled to many different worlds, so I have a few presents for you”
While continuing to send his voice, Gu Qing Shan took out a few rare and unusual plants.
——usually, it was Xiu Xiu who took care of the plants in Bai Hua sect.
“Thank you Third Brother, I like these flowers a lot” Xiu Xiu happily said.
She carefully put those flowers and plants into her bag.
“I’ll leave them to you, make sure to take care of them, ok?” Gu Qing Shan said.
“Don’t worry, senior brother, I’ll plant them all tomorrow” Xiu Xiu declared.
Gu Qing Shan suddenly asked: “Speaking of which, did s.h.i.+fu give everyone some gifts when she returned?”
Xiu Xiu was in high spirits, so she didn’t think too much and answered him: “s.h.i.+fu didn’t bring back any gifts, but she did give me two presents before she left”
Gu Qing Shan became focused, but purposely asked with a curious tone: “What did s.h.i.+fu give you when she left?”
While still hugging the orange cat, Xiu Xiu reached into her Inventory Bag at her waist and took out two gems.
One of them was giving off a bright red glow.
While the other gave off a profound blue glow.
“This one is a Life Source Immortal Stone, it can reinforce all Fire-type techniques by 30%, an extremely rare treasure”
“While this one is a Dim Sea Polar Ice Crystal, while I carry it, it will continuously nurture my soul vessel!”
Xiu Xiu explained to him like she was a merchant of precious treasures.
Gu Qing Shan released his inner sight to carefully examine them and found that they were indeed two very precious gems.
But that was it.
There were no clues.
Gu Qing Shan felt a bit disappointed and sighed: “s.h.i.+fu truly does love you”
Xiu Xiu tilted her head a bit and smiled: “That’s true, when s.h.i.+fu left, she left a present for everyone, but only I got two of them instead. So I asked s.h.i.+fu why she left me two presents but didn’t leave you anything”
“What did s.h.i.+fu say at the time?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
“s.h.i.+fu said that you’re really impressive now, perhaps you’d even be able to help her with a few things, so you didn’t need these small presents, and that if we brothers and sisters all work as one, there would be nothing that we don’t know and nothing that we can’t do” Xiu Xiu answered.
Hearing this, Gu Qing Shan felt shaken, all the blood in his heart practically freezing up.
s.h.i.+fu was a considerate and fair person who would not ever single out any of her disciples.
But she didn’t leave anything for me and instead left Xiu Xiu two things.
Was she troubled by something that she couldn’t say?
Could these words she left be trying to tell me something?
Xiu Xiu seemed to have thought of something and smiled: “Senior brother, how about I give you one of these gems? You can choose which one you like more”
Gu Qing Shan jumped out of her lap and transformed back into a human.
“Are you really willing to give me one of them?” he smiled and asked her.
“Hm! You can pick!” Xiu Xiu put up both gems for him to see.
“Let me take a closer look”
He accepted the two gems from Xiu Xiu’s hand and placed them on his open palm.
——s.h.i.+fu said that I’m very impressive now and that perhaps I might even be able to help her with a few things.
—–it’s very possible that she needs some support.
After all, I’m currently the only Star River Saint realm cultivator in the entire Bai Hua sect.
Even if s.h.i.+fu doesn’t know about my current cultivation, I’ve also just faced the {Mahesvara King} realm Tribulation the last time she met me, which puts me far beyond the entire Xian Wu world.
If I follow this train of thought——-
She said… there would be nothing we wouldn’t know.
There would be nothing we wouldn’t know…
What am I about to find out?
Gu Qing Shan carefully thought about Xiu Xiu’s words just now.
Right, s.h.i.+fu also said that I didn’t need a present and that we brothers and sisters should all work as one.
…what is the keyword here?
Most likely ‘work as one’…
Gu Qing Shan put the red and blue gems into one hand, holding them as one.
The glows of the two gems came into contact with one another.
The red and blue light overlapped and fused into a dark purple glow.
“Purple… red and blue equals purple”
Gu Qing Shan muttered.
For some reason, he suddenly recalled a certain memory.
At that time——
Shroud and I were talking.
…
“I found her. She’s currently ma.s.sacring a city” Boss spoke with a heavy tone.
“Can you recognize what kind of Apocalypse it is?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
“A dark purple glow… capable of absorbing the unique qualities of all living beings to achieve destructive evolutions and reduce living beings to dust——“
“This is the power of the Spirit s.n.a.t.c.her Apocalypse”