Chapter 1332: Chapter 690: Commendable Courage

"Send the order."

His voice was low.

"All elders outside must return immediately, and the mountain gate shall be closed for a hundred days. Additionally..."

He paused for a moment.

"Send someone to investigate Gu Sheng’s whereabouts."

The Great Elder raised his head in astonishment.

"Holy Master, isn’t that traitor being pursued by Qinghe Holy Land..."

"Just go as you are ordered!"

Gongsun Wuji waved his sleeve, shattering the bronze incense burner three meters away.

The ashes from the furnace scattered, forming a blurry character "Heaven" in the air, quickly dissipating.

...

A thousand miles away, at the border of Qinghe Holy Land.

Two figures sped through the dense forest, the young man leading was of ordinary appearance, yet his eyes were as bright as stars.

Following him was a flamboyant young man, with a wine gourd hanging from his waist, making a jingling noise.

"Gu, why not take a break?"

Ling Xiao wiped his sweat.

"Those old folks can’t catch up anymore."

Gu Sheng’s steps continued unabated, his fingers forming a seal, and his breath around him suddenly fell from Earth Palace mid-stage to Qi Cultivation Perfection.

When he turned his head, his features had transformed into that of an honest farmer.

"The Thousand Miles Soul Locking Incense of Qinghe Holy Land can track me for three days. Just endure another half-day, and we’ll reach Black Water River."

"Your Disguise Skill is truly impressive."

Ling Xiao clicked his tongue.

"Even your Divine Soul aura can be changed; no wonder you managed to escape the siege of the Seven Great Sacred Lands."

A shadow clouded Gu Sheng’s eyes.

"Let’s move quickly."

"There’s a city ahead."

Ling Xiao suddenly pointed into the distance.

"Shall we probe for some news?"

Gu Sheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"You disguise yourself and go in, I’ll support you from outside."

An hour later, Ling Xiao hurriedly returned, his face peculiar.

"Big trouble! Elders of the Six Great Holy Lands are dying in succession; everything is in chaos! Qinghe Holy Land has already withdrawn most of those pursuing you."

"What?"

Gu Sheng’s pupils constricted.

He instinctively reached for the yellowed Heavenly Dao Marriage Certificate, the name "Gongsun Yue" on the parchment glowing faintly with gold.

Ling Xiao leaned close and whispered.

"Rumor has it this is the Heavenly Dao Curse. Meanwhile, Tianlan Sacred Land remains unscathed, and there are suspicions..."

He gave Gu Sheng a meaningful glance.

"It’s related to you."

Gu Sheng’s breath hitched. Three years ago, on that rainy night, when he was stripped of the Saint Heir position, he did indeed make a Heavenly Dao vow with blood from his heart.

But at that time, his cultivation was ruined, he thought...

"Is the news reliable?"

"Absolutely!"

Ling Xiao said excitedly.

"I met a girl in a red dress at Drunken Immortal Inn, her figure... ahem, she said she personally saw an elder of Xuanming Holy Land spontaneously combust into a blood mist at a banquet!"

Gu Sheng frowned.

"Can a woman’s gossip be trusted?"

"Hey, don’t underestimate her."

Ling Xiao argued.

"Though that girl seems worldly, she had an emblem from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion hanging from her waist. She said the anomalies of the Six Great Holy Lands point to one reason—"

He deliberately drew out his tone.

"Divine Retribution."

A mournful crow’s cry suddenly echoed from afar.

Gu Sheng looked up and saw a Three-legged Crow flying from the direction of the Six Great Holy Lands, its black feathers stained with dark red blood.

As the crow skimmed overhead, a droplet of blood fell on the back of Gu Sheng’s hand.

As the Blood Pearl seeped into the skin, countless images erupted in Gu Sheng’s mind.

Collapsed mountains, burning palaces, elders turning to ashes in lightning... finally settling on Gongsun Yue sitting by candlelight, repeatedly stroking the Heavenly Dao Marriage Certificate, her profile illuminated.

"Gu?"

Ling Xiao shook his shoulder.

"You look terrible."

Gu Sheng snapped back to reality, noticing the blood stain on his hand had vanished.

He took a deep breath.

"These troubles with the Sacred Lands... are indeed related to me."

"What?!"

Ling Xiao’s eyes widened.

"Since when are you capable of such things?"

"Not me."

Gu Sheng looked towards Tianlan Sacred Land, his eyes complex.

"It’s the Heavenly Dao."

"Gu Sheng, what did you mean just now? Is the chaos in the Six Great Holy Lands really related to you?"

Ling Xiao leapt in front of Gu Sheng, the flame of curiosity burning fiercely in his eyes.

"Explain!"

Gu Sheng continued moving, barely glancing at him.

"Noisy."

"Hey!"

Ling Xiao stomped anxiously.

"How can you talk like this? Leaving something half-said is unbearable!"

Gu Sheng suddenly stopped, and Ling Xiao almost bumped into his back.

Gu Sheng’s brows furrowed slightly, his gaze swept swiftly behind into the dense forest.

"Someone’s following us."

Gu Sheng lowered his voice to a whisper.

Ling Xiao, hearing this, immediately restrained his playful expression and placed his right hand on his sword hilt.

"Since when?"

"Not long after we left the city."

Gu Sheng flicked his fingertips, sending an invisible Qi Force into the forest.

"We’ve changed our appearance and aura three times, yet they always manage to lock onto us again." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Ling Xiao’s eyes glinted with killing intent.

"Why don’t we..."

"Don’t act rashly."

Gu Sheng interrupted him.

"Keep moving."

They resumed their journey, but now at a speed thirty percent faster than before.

After passing through the forest, a dilapidated city appeared in the sunset—a city wall mostly collapsed, and a plaque over the gate hung askew, barely showing the characters "Qinglan."

"This place..."

Ling Xiao frowned.

"It’s filled with Yin Qi."

Gu Sheng’s lips curled slightly.

"Just right."

"Could you be thinking..."

Ling Xiao’s eyes widened.

"Seventy to eighty percent sure."

Gu Sheng said calmly.

"Let’s get familiar with the environment first."

They restrained their aura and snuck into the city.

Potsherds and rotted wooden boards littered the streets, the air thick with a stench.

The deeper into the city they went, the stronger the smell grew.

"Hold up!"

Ling Xiao suddenly stopped Gu Sheng, pointing to a corner.

"What’s that?"

A corpse lay in the shadows, with a large hole in its chest, the edges of the wound tainted with an eerie bluish-black color.

What’s more unsettling was the corpse seemed to have died no more than three days ago.

"Evil Skill."

Gu Sheng crouched, tracing his fingers above the corpse.

"It’s the technique of the Heart-devouring Demon Technique."