Refining Ruins Cauldron

If the future is destined to be a dead end, and if we don't even struggle, what difference is there between us and salted fish?

Upon hearing this, Nalan Feixue immediately fell silent.

Many words of persuasion were stuck in my throat, but I ultimately didn't say them.

She knew very well that Gu Qingyun wasn't acting on impulse.

This kid usually seems cautious, even a bit afraid of death, but when he encounters a truly unavoidable opportunity, he's more willing to risk it than anyone else.

The Earth Dragon Spirit Ore is like this.

The same applies to Gulei Amethyst today.

After a long silence, she seemed to have made a decision.

"I will accompany you on this journey."

"With these Nine-Turn Spirit Elixir pills, although I won't be completely cured, I can at least maintain about 60% of my strength."

"Even if we encounter those beasts again, we'll still have a fighting chance."

"Peak Master Nalan..."

Gu Qingyun wanted to refuse, but Nalan Feixue didn't give him the chance at all.

"If you can gamble on the future, so can I."

Nalan Feixue said calmly.

From the very beginning, Nalan Feixue was betting on Gu Qingyun, wasn't she also gambling on her own future?

She cultivated the Supreme Path of Ruthlessness, but was plagued by inner demons for many years.

If Gu Qingyun hadn't refined the Heartbreak Pill, she would have already fallen back to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, and might never have had the chance to advance to the Nascent Soul realm again.

Gu Qingyun is currently lacking Ancient Thunder Amethyst, and she happens to know a clue.

This trip was for Gu Qingyun, but also for herself.

This is Gu Qingyun's best chance to obtain the Ancient Lei Amethyst.

Gu Qingyun was speechless, then smiled helplessly.

In some ways, I am quite similar to Nalan Feixue.

Once a decision is made, not even ten oxen could pull it back!

If that's the case, then let's go together and look out for each other on the way!

I am no longer the novice handyman I once was, who didn't even have the strength to resist external forces.

He is now at the peak of Foundation Establishment, just one step away from Core Formation.

Moreover, he was cultivating the most difficult mixed spiritual root!

What else can possibly stump me?

After finalizing the decision, Gu Qingyun left Nalan Feixue with a few more bottles of healing pills and left the cave, heading towards the main hall of the Longevity Sect.

If we can find our master's help during our trip to the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, even just a wisp of true energy would give us an extra means to save our lives!

This is not because Gu Qingyun is afraid of death.

It is foolish to knowingly venture into danger empty-handed.

Having one more trump card means having one more chance of survival.

……

Inside the main hall.

Master Qinggu sat quietly, meditating. A tea set was placed in front of him, and wisps of green smoke rose slowly, filling the surroundings with the aroma of tea.

It is clearly a high-quality spiritual tea.

This white-haired old man, who had lived for hundreds of years, exuded an increasingly calm and profound aura. Sitting there, he was no different from any other old man.

He may seem to be full of flaws, but if you really take it seriously, he might be cut in two on the spot in the next second!

Master Qinggu is regulating his breathing.

The sword strike that cleaved Xuan Yin seemed effortless, but in reality, it consumed a great deal of energy.

Xuan Yin, after all, is a Nascent Soul cultivator, and even if he is only at the early stage, his strength is still considerable.

If Master Qinggu wanted to establish his authority and suppress others with overwhelming force, how could he not spare some resources?

Moreover, he was already nearing the end of his life.

To outsiders, it was just a single sword strike.

But for Master Qinggu now, every time he goes all out, it feels like he's adding another cut to his already limited lifespan.

crunch.

A crack appeared in the palace door, and Gu Qingyun slipped inside, bowing respectfully to Master Qinggu.

"Disciple Gu Qingyun greets Master!"

"it is good."

Master Qinggu raised his eyebrows slightly and gestured to the prayer mat beside him.

Gu Qingyun strode forward and, without beating around the bush, said directly, "Peak Master Nalan has discovered the Ancient Thunder Amethyst in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range. This disciple would like to give it a try."

Master Qinggu did not rush to answer. He raised the teacup to his lips and took a small sip.

The aroma of tea filled the air, and the hall grew even quieter.

Those once calm and still eyes now held a hint of emotion, slowly settling on Gu Qingyun.

"Do you know how dangerous the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range is?"

"I understand, but I have no other choice."

Gu Qingyun's gaze was firm, showing no intention of backing down.

This is not an act of bravado.

but facts.

With the Taixu Secret Realm about to open, the five elemental spiritual items are still not complete. If he misses the Ancient Thunder Purple Crystal, his path to Core Formation will be delayed for who knows how many more years.

What cultivators fear most is not danger.

Instead, they knew the opportunity was right in front of them, but lacked the courage to reach out and seize it.

Seeing this, Master Qinggu knew that further persuasion would be useless.

He paused for a moment, then let out a long breath.

"Cultivating the Five Elements spiritual roots is far more dangerous than other methods."

"Perhaps this is your fate."

"From the moment you embarked on the path of cultivation, everything was already destined."

With a gentle flick of the finger, a crystal-clear jade slip flew out and hovered in mid-air.

With a casual tap, an extremely powerful surge of true energy entered the jade slip.

The next moment, the aura emanating from Master Qinggu visibly weakened.

That peaceful face now showed signs of fatigue, and even his breathing was heavier.

The aroma of tea lingered in the hall, but Gu Qingyun felt a heaviness in his heart.

Clearly, Qing Gu Zhenren expended considerable effort in refining this jade slip.

"My current condition does not allow me to make a few more moves."

"This amulet is the last chance I can give you."

"Do not use this unless absolutely necessary. Remember this!"

Master Qinggu spoke softly, but Gu Qingyun could hear the gravity in his words.

Although I knew the former's time was approaching, I didn't expect it to be so close!

A protective talisman seemed to have drained the last remaining life force of Master Qinggu.

The old man in front of me looked visibly much older.

Just moments ago it resembled a steadfast mountain, but now it seems as if the winds and frosts of time have quietly stripped away a layer of its outer shell.

Gu Qingyun looked solemn as he carefully accepted the amulet and put it into his pocket.

"Master, is there a solution?"

Master Qinggu naturally knew what Gu Qingyun was asking, and couldn't help but show a relieved smile.

"In the face of death, everyone is equal, even Nascent Soul cultivators are no exception."

"At my stage, each attack consumes not spiritual power, but the true energy within my body and my remaining lifespan."

"Do you still remember that sword strike that cleaved Xuan Yin?"

"It has shortened my lifespan by a full five years."

When the words came from Qing Gu Zhenren, they sounded like he was talking about something completely ordinary, as if it had nothing to do with him.

But Gu Qingyun was shocked when she heard this.

One sword, five years of lifespan!

For a Nascent Soul cultivator at their peak, it might not mean much, but for an old man nearing the end of his life, it is a death warrant!

And how many years of his master's lifespan did the protective talisman he just accepted consume?!

a year?

Two years?

Or more?

Thinking of this, Gu Qingyun couldn't help but feel his pockets becoming increasingly heavy.

This kindness was far greater than he had imagined.

"I will never forget your great kindness, Master."

Gu Qingyun thanked him again solemnly, meticulously and without any ulterior motives.

Regardless of what the future holds, at this moment, it is Gu Qingyun's good fortune to become a disciple of Master Qinggu.

Master Qinggu did not respond to those words, but simply waved his hand gently.

It seemed they didn't want the conversation to become too heavy.

"How is the situation with Peak Master Nalan?"

Master Qinggu had no intention of dwelling on this matter any longer, and changed the subject.

"This disciple has refined the Nine-Turn Spirit Elixir, which is ranked as a top-grade pill."

"As long as the peak master continues to take the medicine, he should be able to recover."

Gu Qingyun answered truthfully.

"A top-grade Nine-Turn Spirit Elixir?!"

Upon hearing this, Master Qinggu was moved and showed a hint of surprise.

"Did you make this yourself?"

"Yes."

Gu Qingyun did not hide it.

At this point, concealing it would be superfluous.

The Nine-Turn Spirit Elixir had already been delivered to Nalan Feixue, and Elder Huo Qian was also watching from the side; he couldn't hide it even if he wanted to.

Upon receiving the result, Master Qinggu's expression changed slightly, and a hint of a smile appeared between his brows.

"It seems there's some extraordinary opportunity for you too."

Master Qinggu did not pursue the matter further, but Gu Qingyun felt a tightness in his heart upon hearing this.

Why is there something slightly off about his words?

It's hard to explain, it's more like an intuition.

Perhaps it's because I've exposed too much along the way.

From the Taiyi Secret Realm to the Heartbreak Pill, then to the Earth Dragon Spirit Ore, and finally to the Supreme Nine-Turn Spirit Charm Pill.

Each one of these items, taken individually, is enough to astound people.

Now that all of this is focused on him, even if Qing Gu Zhenren is his master, it's impossible for him not to have any thoughts about it.

Gu Qingyun suddenly raised his eyebrows and met Qing Gu Zhenren's deep eyes.

Although it was as calm as ever, there seemed to be a few ripples in those eyes that were as still as a deep well, which made Gu Qingyun feel a chill.

That wasn't murderous intent.

It doesn't seem like malicious intent.

Yet it instinctively makes people feel uneasy.

Like a seasoned hunter spotting a rare beast, he doesn't rush to attack, but instead assesses its value.

Gu Qingyun quickly changed the subject: "If Master has nothing else to say, this disciple will go and make preparations."

"This disciple will depart with Peak Master Nalan as soon as possible for the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range."

Gu Qingyun stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

Go ahead, and be careful in everything you do.

Master Qinggu did not try to stop him, but watched Gu Qingyun's departing figure until it completely disappeared.

After leaving the main hall and walking up a set of bluestone steps, Gu Qingyun finally breathed a sigh of relief when the sunlight hit his face and he felt its warmth.

He was surprised to find that his clothes were already soaked with cold sweat.

Those eyes, though not filled with murderous intent, were like those of a seasoned hunter surveying his prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Like a venomous snake lying dormant, its attack is as powerful as thunder!

But that's my master!

Is it just an illusion?