Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 477 First Battle with Upper Cultivation
The current disciple of the Red Heart Sect is surnamed Gu, with the given name Cheng Sen. He comes from a small family in Fazhou and was separated from his parents and relatives at a young age. Because of his outstanding talent in a single spiritual root, he was fortunate enough to become a disciple of the Second Elder of the Red Heart Sect, the Pill Master.

His cultivation path was remarkably smooth. When Gu Chengsen was forty, he had already established the Ice Leaf Dao Foundation and was bestowed the title of Dao Child of the Red Heart Sect. Afterward, following his master's orders, he severed all his close relatives to sever his emotions and desires, and diligently practiced the Red Heart Sect's supreme cultivation technique, the lower-grade "Blood Universe Extinction Scripture."

Two Jiazi later, he was bestowed with the superior spiritual object, the Three-Aperture Red Tassel Heart, and went into seclusion to seek the Golden Elixir.

Unfortunately, the timing was unfortunate. Just when a powerful enemy was invading and a large army was pressing on the border, Gu Chengsen was fortunate to be protected by the Dao Ancestor and made a breakthrough in battle, a common story in folk tales. He then attained the lower-grade Golden Core and was able to live to the age of ninety years.

After forming the Golden Core, they immediately joined forces with the Red Bone Cultivator, the leader of the Red Heart Sect, to annihilate the private army of the Yunwei Zheng family, causing the Zheng family patriarch, Zheng Taibai, to flee in panic. Then, they joined forces to fight Chu Yanran.

This should have been a close battle, but Hong Gu Shangxiu was still injured and Gu Chengsen was only at the realm level, his core essence had not yet been solidified and transformed, and he had a rare magic weapon. So, they became Chu Yanran's main target.

In this battle, the Red Bone Cultivator was unable to provide adequate support. Gu Chengsen had just reached the Golden Core stage when he was severely injured by Chu Yanran's superior magic treasure, the Six-Sided Embroidered Bamboo Bone Golden Silk Lamp. Only after the battle was over did he manage to recuperate in the forbidden area of ​​the Red Heart Sect.

But only a few days later, they sent people to their door again.

Anyone would be furious if this happened to them.

However, the anger on Gu Chengsen's face, who was opposed to Kang Dabao and Jiang Qing, gradually subsided, and he appeared to be neither sad nor happy, his emotions unreadable.

The scene fell into an eerie silence. Kang Dabao trembled slightly in his short halberd, and the fake elixir head on the tip of the halberd was slashed to pieces and scattered on the ground.

Blood and flesh were scattered haphazardly on the ground, merging with the mangled bodies of the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators who had just died. It was impossible to tell which part was noble and which part was respectable.

While making these movements, he didn't dare to take his small eyes off Gu Chengsen. The golden light in his pupils became even brighter. Even Gu Chengsen, who was a Golden Core cultivator, seemed to be stung so much that he squinted slightly.

"This is a Golden Core!" Headmaster Kang said without changing his expression, but his heart was pounding.

It's important to know that the cultivation of the Golden Core stage is not so worthless; in remote areas like Yunjiao Prefecture and Puzhou, it often takes two or three hundred years for one such person to emerge.
Those who attain the Golden Elixir, if they are devoted to the Celestial Dynasty and willing to join it, may be granted titles of nobility and fiefdoms; if they wish to live a carefree life, they may also find a place to be granted land and title, and seclude themselves to become ancestors.

In the eyes of the Great Immortal Dynasty, no matter how mediocre a Golden Core cultivator is or where he goes, he will always be treated as an honored guest and considered a person of importance.

To be honest, if it were up to Kang Dabao's true nature, he would not want to provoke a Golden Core cultivator. Even though Gu Chengsen's Golden Core was not yet solidified and it was not impossible for him to fall in realm, even the weakest Golden Core was still a Golden Core!

Kang Dabao flicked the blood-stained storage bag at his waist, and muttered to himself in self-reflection, "Still too greedy."

But lamenting was useless at this moment. As the headmaster Kang's eyes shot out golden light, he shouted, "Third brother, let's go!"

"Go?! Where do you think you're going?!" Gu Chengsen threw the shiny red-patterned copper lock in his hand forward. He thought that Kang Dabao's pupil technique would collapse upon contact, but to his surprise, the golden light did indeed disappear, but the red-patterned copper lock in his hand was also shaken and fell back into his hand like a leaf.

Gu Chengsen felt a tightness in his chest; the internal injuries were aggravated, and he almost coughed up blood.

At this moment, his expression suddenly became much more serious. Without stopping, he flicked his fingers and drew spiritual light onto the red-patterned bronze lock. As the pure-colored spiritual light gradually enveloped the lock, this top-grade spiritual artifact, which had been nurtured by Gu Chengsen for over a hundred years, calmed down and regained a layer of dazzling mysterious light.

"This fellow is indeed quite skilled. I have never seen such a pupil technique in my nearly three decades of cultivation!" Gu Chengsen was surprised and muttered to himself. Suddenly, the profound technique in his hand changed, and the red-patterned copper lock leaped into the air, grew to the size of a millstone, and slammed down.

Sect Leader Kang showed no sign of panic, only urging up the Chess Immortal Plate to block. However, this rare and top-grade defensive magical artifact only withstood Gu Chengsen's charged attack before cracking and developing cracks on its surface.

Kang Dabao could see several fragments of the Chess Immortal Disc falling to the ground, causing him to frown and think to himself, "I can't defeat it, and I can't even block it. The power of the Golden Core is indeed not to be underestimated."

"Now, the only option is to hope that Lady Qi will decide the outcome soon, or that this Daozi's injuries have not fully healed and he is unwilling to fight this worthless fellow."

Master Kang quickly regained his composure, only to find that Third Master Jiang Chongming beside him had not retreated. Although he was annoyed by his junior brother's stubbornness, he was helpless. A halberd and a sword flashed with fierce light, slashing down at the Crimson Copper Lock that Gu Chengsen was charging at again.

Even though Jiang Qing's swordsmanship was superb, he was still slightly lacking when facing an opponent of the Golden Core level head-on. The sword light that came out first was crushed to pieces by the Crimson Copper Lock, and its power was only slightly stopped when it collided with the halberd light.

"This fierce-looking man is a bit troublesome. I've heard that the Liangyi Sect has two veteran alchemists, Yue Lin and Yuan Buwen, who are quite skilled in combat and have attracted many Golden Core cultivators to bow down and treat them as equals. This man may be comparable to them. He is indeed worthy of being the son-in-law of a prominent family and deserves this respect."
This young man has probably cultivated the Sword Essence, but he is only a mid-stage True Cultivator and can only be a regular Pseudo-Core cultivator. If that's all there is to it..." Gu Chengsen, having estimated the approximate strength of the two people opposite him, felt reassured. The solemn expression on his face gradually softened, and he even dared to divert his attention to probe his surroundings with his divine sense.

A few breaths later, most of the followers fled like headless flies. Many of them, despite their considerable cultivation and skills, generously exposed their backs to the daring cultivators pursuing them, allowing them to easily reap the rewards of their battles—a truly lamentable situation.

Gu Chengsen's expression suddenly turned ugly. Normally, a cultivator who could abandon his closest relatives to pursue the Dao should not have any emotional fluctuations over the deaths of these low-level disciples.

However, his change of heart was not due to heartache over the death of his disciples. After all, even after learning that his master had been killed by Kang and Jiang in a joint attack, this Daoist did not show a trace of sorrow in his eyes.

Gu Chengsen knew very well that the Red Heart Sect was different from those sanctimonious sects that claimed to be righteous. There was fierce competition among its members, and people often lost their lives.

Because of this, even though he had cultivated in this sect for nearly three decades, he still could not say that he had any feelings for the Red Heart Sect. However, this did not mean that he could sit idly by and watch his disciples all perish.

Regardless of his attitude towards the Red Heart Sect, if the latter remains stable, Gu Chengsen, this newly promoted upper cultivator, can safely obtain an extra annual salary that other rogue cultivators of the same level could only earn through hard work; he can purchase inexpensive spiritual items from the sect's treasury at a much lower cost; and he can have several thousand fairly elite disciples at his beck and call.
Given this situation, how could Gu Chengsen bear to part with his important identity and his disciples? To put it simply, these cultivators from the Chongming Alliance weren't harming Gu Chengsen's fellow disciples, but rather ruining his crops!

Given this, why would Gu Chengsen be willing to continue dealing with Sect Leader Kang? He even diverted half of the spiritual power that was suppressing his injuries, placing it on the Crimson Copper Lock and then letting it fall onto the two people in front of him.

Now, when Sect Leader Kang urged Yi Xianpan to step forward and block again, Gu Chengsen could already see that the former's top-grade defensive spiritual artifact was cracking, and it would probably collapse soon.

Before Gu Chengsen could feel any sense of triumph, he felt another gust of wind sweep across his cheek.

The sword light was dazzling, but Gu Chengsen did not dodge it. He used the Blood World Annihilation Scripture to break the law with the law.

When this technique is practiced to a high level, one must swallow molten iron made from a hundred kinds of spiritual metals to forge the internal organs into an indestructible state and soak the blood in the body as if it were made of gold.

When Gu Chengsen reached such a level, when he exhaled the wind, golden energy would be generated, capable of destroying all things.

Gu Chengsen swallowed hard and exhaled a stream of brilliant golden energy. Jiang Qing's sword light was no match for it, and it vanished into vapor. The power of the attack, rising and disappearing in a flash, caused Jiang Qing's handsome face to turn solemn.

However, the Grand Master Kang did not find anything amiss. If this Daoist could only fight to a standstill with his own brothers, wouldn't he be too worthless?
Gu Chengsen showed no mercy. Having gained the upper hand, he was unwilling to give Kang and Jiang any chance to retaliate. He wielded the Crimson Copper Lock with increasing speed, and the golden energy emanating from his mouth swept across the land without restraint, causing even the top-grade spiritual sword that Jiang Qingcai had obtained to lose its brilliance and its sharpness.

The current sect leader Kang is only slightly blocked by the Chess Immortal Disc. This top-grade defensive spiritual artifact, which he carefully selected, is extremely resilient. Even after being bombarded by a Golden Core cultivator more than ten times, it can still barely survive.

Seeing the terrible state of the artifact, Kang Dabao knew that regardless of whether he won or lost against this disciple of the Red Heart Sect, it would be difficult to repair it afterward, which was a pity.

Given the vast difference in cultivation levels between the two sides, it would be remarkable if word got out that Master Kang and Third Master Jiang were able to maintain their defensive posture under the opponent's strong pressure.

However, Kang Dabao, who is usually low-key, was quite ambitious at this time. He could see that Gu Chengsen's injuries had not fully recovered. In addition to resisting the Crimson Copper Lock and Golden Qi, he dared to step forward and close in, either wielding a halberd to fight or directly using the Eight Desolations Mountain Suppression Set on this newly promoted cultivator.

The disciple of the Red Heart Sect could see that this man's skills, whether in halberd techniques or body refinement, had far surpassed the realm of Foundation Establishment cultivators. Although he was not afraid, it would be an exaggeration to say that he could deal with the situation effortlessly while suffering from illness.

Even though Jiang Qingming knew he was no match, he still dared to roam outside with his now dimmed flying sword, occasionally unleashing a sharp sword light that was extremely difficult to deal with.

Gu Chengsen came from a heretical sect. Despite his poor background, he was able to achieve the Golden Core stage before his fellow disciples from prominent families. His combat experience must be incredibly rich.

He knew that at this time, he should look for a breakthrough by exploiting Jiang Qing's weakness. Although the latter's pace was still considered mysterious among those of the same level, it was still traceable in the eyes of Gu Chengsen, a Golden Core cultivator.

After silently calculating in his mind for a while, Gu Chengsen immediately figured out Jiang Qing's escape route. He then decisively urged the Crimson Copper Lock and Golden Qi to block the Great Master Kang, and took out several spiritual artifacts and talismans to use one by one, finally completely locking down all of Jiang Qing's escape routes.

Just when he thought he could easily get rid of this fly, Kang Dabao abandoned the Chess Immortal Plate, blocked the Crimson Copper Lock, and then withstood a blow of golden energy. Afterwards, he rushed to Jiang Qing's side, coughing up blood.

At the last possible moment, the man wielded his butcher's knife and smashed several magical artifacts and talismans, finally creating an opening for the two brothers in Gu Chengsen's tight formation, allowing them to escape with their lives.

Gu Chengsen felt no frustration. Compared to eliminating Jiang Qing, this handsome fly, it was certainly more worthwhile for him to hurt Master Kang.

However, after he put away the Crimson Copper Lock and swallowed the Golden Qi to nourish it, he was surprised to find that the two people who he thought would immediately flee did not make any move. Instead, after each swallowing a few pills, they landed more carefully at a distance to observe their movements.

"What a killer!" Gu Chengsen's face darkened as he thought it would be another easy chase. He could feel that the red-patterned copper lock in his hand was getting hot.

He probed with his divine sense again and found that there were no disciples or followers still resisting the enemy. This made him feel anxious. Ignoring his injuries, he began to activate the copper lock and golden energy in order to quickly kill the two troublesome people and save the day.

Having lost the Chess Immortal Disc, a top-grade spiritual artifact nurtured for many years, Sect Leader Kang was indeed struggling to cope with the Red Heart Sect's full-force attack. Fortunately, with Jiang Qing by his side and a mostly damaged talisman treasure found in the storage bag of the newly acquired Huanglin Mountain Lord, he was able to barely withstand the most intense offensive.

They fought for about an hour, and Gu Chengsen gained the upper hand, but he couldn't win. Kang Dabao and Jiang Qing were covered in blood and looked disheveled. Despite their obvious defeat, they didn't show any weakness.

Gu Chengsen's expression grew increasingly grim. After all, in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, it was probably difficult to count many cultivators as disheveled as himself.

He pulled out a dark bone arrow from his hand, pondered for a long time, but then put it back. Just then, a group of soldiers with brightly colored armor plates slowly advanced from afar.

Unlike the loyal followers who had long been beaten to the point of losing their backbone, these monks were full of energy and calm and composed.

Following the golden gong banner, they advanced and retreated in an orderly manner. Each small formation was neatly arranged, and streams of spiritual energy were evenly distributed over each cultivator along with the banners and flags, greatly boosting their courage. Even though they knew that their master was leading them to fight a superior cultivator, they still showed no fear.

To be honest, Bian Hu, who seemed somewhat out of place and hadn't quite integrated into the group, looked a little uneasy. But at this moment, he couldn't afford to let his fear of battle get the better of him.

The sect leader Kang had not expected that Yuan Jin would have the audacity to bring the Qingjue Guards to his aid. After all, these four hundred men were almost all the elite troops of Chongming Sect. If they were all lost here, his fellow disciples would probably die of pain.

A familiar breeze suddenly rose in the arena, washing away the surrounding stench of blood and gore.

The six-petaled azure lotus platform rose again in the arena. Yuan Jinqin beat the war drum, and disciples at various points held array flags. The lotus petals immediately unfurled, swirling and spinning intermittently, separating Gu Chengsen's spiritual weapon from Kang and Jiang.

Bian Hu was on high alert and dared not relax for a moment. Gu Chengsen wanted to find out the details of this army before he could make a decision. So he used all his strength to smash the copper lock hard against the lotus leaf. He also spat out a lot of golden energy from his belly.

Just then, the Azure Lotus Six-Leaf Formation, presided over by Yuan Jin, also faced immense pressure and had to immediately change its formation. The sharp azure lotus leaves closed up, protecting all the disciples in the formation within the lotus core.

The sound of flags breaking could be heard from within the formation, and it was common for the flag bearers at key points to vomit blood and die. However, they managed to withstand Gu Chengsen's all-out attack.

"Yu Ling!" Yuan Jin narrowed his eyes and shouted sharply.

The disciples in the Chongming Formation raised their heads and shouted, and then landed on the six star positions one after another. Spiritual mist appeared in the core of the formation and slowly seeped into the internal and external wounds of each disciple.

"Cough!" Gu Chengsen coughed up golden energy mixed with foul blood from his abdomen. The lotus leaves of the Azure Jade Six-Leaf Soldier Lotus Formation trembled violently, and even he, an outsider, could hear the painful cry from inside.

"This small family has a surprisingly disciplined way of training their disciples, which is quite remarkable." Gu Chengsen narrowed his eyes. At this point in the battle, he needed to carefully weigh the options.

Whether to break through this army formation at all costs and drag my crippled body to help the sect leader fight against an even more terrifying Golden Core cultivator, or to abandon this mountain gate where I have cultivated for nearly three hundred years and temporarily avoid the brunt of the attack, is a difficult choice.

Yuan Jin didn't know what he was thinking, but he didn't want to keep taking the beating in silence, so he shouted, "Show your troops!"

Suddenly, the lotus leaves that had been tightly closed within the Chongming Formation unfurled, and sharp rays of light intermittently shot out from within. This caused Gu Chengsen to pause, turn around, and leap out, temporarily avoiding the sharp edge of the military formation.

Bian Hu's blade energy came again along with the golden light of Master Kang and the sword light of Jiang Qing. Gu Chengsen gritted his teeth and blocked them one by one. However, his internal organs, which had been trained to be indestructible, were in excruciating pain again, which made him stop hesitating and turn around and leave without caring about his reputation.

(Thanks to reader 20210301106576334466 for the 2,000 coins, and to Wuhuang Leige for the 1,500 coins)
(Tomorrow, Lao Bai will need to ask for leave from the factory to go back to his hometown, so there's a high probability he'll have to take leave. Even if he doesn't take leave, the update will be very late, so please bear with me.)
(End of this chapter)