Longevity: Starting as a menial servant in the Green Wood Sect

The curtain of tent number C in the special protected area was roughly lifted by a large hand covered in black mud and corpse oil.

A cold wind, carrying the heavy darkness of night and the stench of blood, rushed in, only to be instantly swallowed up by the sweet, warm scent of medicine inside the tent.

Gu An resembled a vengeful ghost that had just crawled out of a grave, exuding a suffocating stench. Several strands of unknown flesh clung to his leather armor, and his sallow complexion, originally used for disguise, now bore a genuine ashen hue due to maintaining the Corpse Control Technique for an extended period. Only when his turbid eyes came into contact with the fluorescent light did they slowly regain a trace of human vitality.

"call……"

He pulled the heavy curtain shut tightly with his other hand, and then very carefully channeled several streams of spiritual energy into the hidden nodes of the restriction to ensure that the outside world could not detect him. Only then did he collapse onto the old, worn-out stool as if his body had fallen apart.

"Smack."

He casually tossed a storage bag stained with black blood and dirt into the air, where it arced through the air and landed precisely on the cold jade bed.

Shen Wan did not sleep.

Or rather, in this dangerous place where she could lose her life at any moment, she dared not sleep deeply.

She leaned against the headboard, her pale face covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, clearly indicating that the poison in her body was acting up again. But the moment she saw the storage bag, a startling light suddenly burst forth in her lifeless eyes.

That wasn't greed for possessions, but the longing of a drowning person grasping at the last piece of driftwood.

With trembling hands, she reached out her withered hand, disregarding the filth on the storage bag, and grabbed it. She probed it with her divine sense, and the next moment, three small, jet-black grasses with leaves curled like ghostly hands appeared in her palm.

Ghost Grass.

Moreover, it was a fresh product with intact roots and the unique humus smell from the depths of the No. 3 mine!

"Fifty years old...this condition is even better than I imagined."

Shen Wan's voice trembled slightly with excitement. She raised her head and looked at the man sitting on the stool, panting heavily, with an extremely complex expression for the first time.

The previous contempt was gone, as was the condescending exploitation.

Instead, there is a kind of recognition of one's own kind—the kind of madmen who will stop at nothing to survive and dance on the edge of a knife.

"You really went deep into Mine No. 3? There are armored zombies guarding it there," Shen Wan asked in a low voice.

"Luckily, that beast was asleep."

Gu An didn't explain much, nor did he mention how he had set a trap to kill the monster at the sixth level of Qi Refining. He pulled out a hard, dry flatbread from his pocket, and without caring about getting his hands dirty, he took a big bite, saying indistinctly, "Stop talking nonsense and eat quickly. This stuff loses its medicinal effect quickly when it's removed from the soil. My old bones almost turned into a pile of rotten flesh over there for these few herbs."

Shen Wan gave him a deep look, but didn't ask any more questions.

She knew very well that in the cultivation world, so-called "luck" was often a synonym for strength and scheming.

Without further hesitation, she picked up a ghost grass, and without even wiping the dirt off it, stuffed it directly into her mouth.

When the Yin Soul Grass entered the stomach, it did not have the usual fragrance of spiritual medicine; instead, it carried a strong bitterness and coldness.

"Well……"

Shen Wan groaned and curled up on the cold jade bed, her brows furrowed.

A chilling black aura swiftly traveled along her meridians. Wherever it passed, the fiery poison that had been restless and gnawing at her soul like maggots seemed to have encountered a natural enemy, emitting a hissing sound before being forced to retreat and lie dormant.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed.

Shen Wan slowly exhaled a breath of black, turbid air.

She reopened her eyes, and although her previously ashen face was still pale, it finally had a touch of the rosy glow of a living person. The light in her eyes had also become much more focused, no longer as easily lost as before.

Thank you.

Shen Wan said softly. The two words were light, but they carried great weight.

Gu An swallowed the last bite of bread, dusted off the crumbs on his hands, and said indifferently, "It was just a transaction. Now that I've gotten back what you wanted, it's time for you to fulfill your promise."

He stood up, walked to the cold jade bed, and stared intently at Shen Wan: "What exactly is the Nine Dragons Demon-Suppressing Cauldron? Don't try to fool me with that talk about sealing Tai Sui. The Corpse Puppet Sect went to such great lengths, even joining forces with the Blood Blade Sect, to get it; it's definitely not just for a seal."

Shen Wan remained silent for a moment, then a sarcastic smile appeared on her lips.

"You are very perceptive."

She adjusted her posture, making herself appear slightly more imposing. "Everyone believes that the Nine Dragons Demon-Suppressing Cauldron is a top-grade magical artifact used to suppress demons, and even most of the elders in the sect think so. But in reality, that cauldron... is a key."

"The key?" Gu An frowned slightly.

"That's right." Shen Wan's voice was very low, as if he was afraid of disturbing some kind of existence in the dark. "Many years ago, the founder of the Qingmu Sect chose to establish the sect here not only because there was a Yin vein here, but also because he discovered a broken ancient teleportation array deep underground."

"That Nine Dragon Cauldron is the core of this teleportation array, and also the only activation hub."

"An ancient teleportation array?!"

Gu An's heart skipped a beat.

In "The Record of Immortal Cultivation", anything related to "ancient times" or "teleportation" is an earth-shattering opportunity.

"To be precise, it's a 'small teleportation array'," Shen Wan corrected. "Its teleportation distance isn't far, at most only a thousand miles. But in this certain death situation, a thousand miles away is the only way to survival."

Gu An's breathing became rapid instantly.

His original plan was to find a way to sneak out, or to take advantage of the chaos of the war to escape. But either way, the risks were extremely high. There were Foundation Establishment cultivators blocking the way outside, and a powerful array surrounding the area; the slightest mistake would mean certain death.

But what if there were a teleportation array...?

Don't get too excited yet.

Shen Wan seemed to see through his thoughts and poured cold water on him, "That formation is incomplete, and its activation conditions are extremely demanding. Unlike ordinary teleportation arrays that consume spirit stones, it requires a purer, more primordial energy to activate the nine dragon souls on the cauldron."

"What kind of energy?" Gu An asked in a deep voice.

Shen Wan raised her head, her deep eyes fixed on Gu An, and said, word by word, "A massive amount of... Yi Wood essence."

"It's not ordinary wood spirit energy, but rather the purest wood essence, which must contain both life and death attributes. Only this kind of power can awaken the dragon soul without causing the broken formation to collapse due to energy overload."

At this point, Shen Wan's eyes became somewhat meaningful, "This kind of energy is almost extinct in the current cultivation world. Unless it's a freak who has cultivated an ancient top-tier wood-type technique and has been dealing with yin and evil things for many years..."

Upon hearing this, Gu An's pupils suddenly contracted.

The essence of Yi Wood.

Life and death coexist.

This sounds... so much like the "Life Forest Wood Technique" he cultivates, and the mutated spiritual power in his body that has fused with Tai Sui Blood Spirit Dew and Corpse Poison?

"You mean..." Gu An pointed to himself, his expression turning somewhat strange.

"Not bad." Shen Wan nodded, a half-smile playing on his lips. "When I first discovered that you could absorb my poisonous blood to cultivate, I knew you were the only one who could be the 'key.' That's why I'm willing to cooperate with a shameless scoundrel like you."

"I see……"

Gu An touched his chin, a sudden realization dawning on him, but also a chill running down his spine.

This woman was indeed scheming from the very beginning.

She had long recognized the unique nature of her cultivation technique, which was why she had remained patient and even cooperated with her own "practice." She knew that only by cultivating herself and making her spiritual power sufficiently abundant could she activate the teleportation array and escape to safety.

What kind of cooperation is this?

This was clearly a premeditated "pig-raising plan." And he himself was the "pig" she was feeding, used to open the gate of life.

"Aren't you afraid I'll abandon you and run away?" Gu An sneered.

"You won't," Shen Wan said confidently. "That formation not only needs the essence of Yi Wood as its energy source, but also requires special hand seals to manipulate spatial coordinates. Only I know those hand seals. Without me, even if you drain all your spiritual energy, you'll only end up teleporting yourself into the earth's lava veins."

Looking at the seemingly weak but actually deep-thinking girl in front of him, Gu An felt both annoyed at being schemed against and a sense of satisfaction at meeting a worthy opponent.

In this cruel world of cultivation, it's not the use of others that's scary, it's having no value.

Since both sides have bargaining chips that the other cannot refuse, this alliance is more reliable than any oath made by inner demons.

"it is good."

Gu An took a deep breath, the murderous intent in his eyes vanishing, replaced by extreme calmness. "Now that we've found the path and the key, the next step is to find an opportunity to 'transport' you to the bottom of that sinkhole."

"It's difficult," Shen Wan shook her head. "Although Zhou Tong gave you a job in the recovery team, the special protection zone is keeping a very close watch on you. Especially on me... they won't let me leave this Jade Bed even a step easily."

"It all depends on human effort."

A ruthless glint flashed in Gu An's eyes, "As long as this Soul-Severing Valley becomes even more chaotic, as long as Zhou Tong can't attend to this side..."

Step, step, step.

Just then, a series of hurried and frantic footsteps came from outside the tent without warning.

The footsteps were extremely heavy, unlike those of patrolling disciples, but rather like... a desperate scramble for survival in the face of imminent disaster.

Gu An's expression changed instantly, almost as an instinctive reaction. He sprang away from the cold jade bed and returned to the old stool, grabbing a palm-leaf fan. The shrewd and cold look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by his usual dullness and timidity.

"Splash!"

The heavy curtain was suddenly ripped open, and half of the hook was broken off along with it.

A gust of cold wind blew in, causing the fluorite lamps inside the tent to flicker wildly.

Standing at the door was Zhou Tong.

But his appearance at that moment made Gu An and Shen Wan's hearts sink at the same time.

This usually ruthless and aloof elder of the Enforcement Hall was now covered in sweat, his gloomy face filled with morbid excitement and... an undisguised extreme panic.

He didn't even glance at Gu An, his gaze passing right past him and fixed firmly on Shen Wan on the cold jade bed.

That look in his eyes was like a butcher eyeing a livestock about to be sold – eager, greedy, yet tinged with a hint of fear of the buyer.

"Lu Guan!"

Zhou Tong's voice was shrill and distorted, "What are you all standing there for! Hurry! Clean this woman up! Wipe away all those sores and pus! Put her in that... that red robe that was sent over before!"

Gu An dropped the palm-leaf fan in his hand with a "thud." He pretended to be terrified and stood up shakily, "M-Sir? Changing clothes at this hour? This...this lady just went to bed..."

"Sleep for whoever it is! If you're going to die, you'd better die standing up!"

Zhou Tong rushed into the tent, grabbed Gu An by the collar, and spat in his face. "Someone from above is here! Do you understand? A big shot!"

He lowered his voice, the chill in his tone more biting than the night wind outside: "The vice sect leader of the Blood Blade Sect... a Foundation Establishment cultivator like him, is personally inspecting the special protection zone tonight! He specifically requested to see that living alchemy furnace!"

"A living alchemy furnace..."

Upon hearing these four words, Gu An's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints.

He subconsciously looked at Shen Wan.

The girl, who had just been calm and calculating, suddenly trembled uncontrollably at those four words. It was a fear that came from the depths of her soul, as if those words represented an end a thousand times worse than death.

"If this woman is too dirty or doesn't look good, and she offends that lord..."

Zhou Tong stared intently at Gu An, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible. "Don't even mention you, even I will be thrown into the corpse-refining furnace and boiled into lamp oil!"

"Hurry up! There's only half an incense stick's time left!"

Zhou Tong shoved Gu An aside, then turned and roared outside, "Someone! Bring in those boxes of the best painkillers and rejuvenating pills! No matter what medicine you use, even if it takes a toll on her life, you have to make her look like a human being!"

Outside the tent, a series of chaotic footsteps and sounds of things being moved could be heard immediately.

The entire special protection zone erupted into chaos upon receiving this sudden order.

Gu An stood there, head bowed, seemingly tidying his clothes, but his mind was racing.

Huge variables.

He had originally planned to take things slowly, using his identity as a member of the recycling team to gradually find an opportunity to transport Shen Wan out.

But now, the deputy sect leader of the Blood Blade Sect has come in person to inspect the alchemy furnace.

What does this mean?

This means the transaction has been brought forward. It means that Shen Wan, this "medicine" that has been nurtured for so long, is finally ready to be harvested.

Once she falls into the hands of that late-stage Foundation Establishment monster, let alone activating the teleportation array, her very soul will probably be extracted and refined.

There's no time left.

All plans and preparations were crushed in the face of absolute power and sudden change.

Gu An slowly raised his head, and his gaze met that of Shen Wan, who was lying on the cold jade bed.

The fear in those eyes had faded, replaced by a resolute determination to destroy everything.

She nodded slightly.

Gu An understood that look in his eyes.

That was a silent declaration of war.

Since they're not giving us a way out, then... let's flip the table.

"Yes...yes! I'll take care of it right away!"

Gu An's face once again contorted into a fawning and flustered smile as he frantically reached for the blood-red robe that lay on the rack.

But in the instant he turned his back to Zhou Tong.

His left hand silently slipped into his sleeve and gripped the array plate that controlled the traps surrounding the entire camp.

His right hand, meanwhile, reached very discreetly for the jade bottle containing the "Tai Sui Mystic Mist" in his robes.

Tonight, this Class C camp is destined to become a battlefield of carnage.