Hermit in the Mountains

"Ah...ah, hooray—"

Inside the Hall of Longevity, Gu Changsheng sneezed for no apparent reason and said something instinctively.

"Who's talking about me behind my back?"

"Is anyone trying to take advantage of me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Changsheng began to deduce the future with his fingers, activating his Withering and Flourishing Dharma Eye;

After scanning the causal lines above his head several times and finding no unfamiliar causal lines, Gu Changsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Someone must be talking badly about me behind my back."

The sneeze was glossed over in a single sentence.

With a thought, Gu Changsheng sent the Withered and Flourishing World Pearl into the Dao Tree's Origin Space to suppress the Qi Luck.

He glanced inward at the changes within himself.

Unexpectedly, during his weapon forging process, his cultivation level broke through a minor realm.

He did some quick calculations and realized that this seclusion had lasted a full three months, so breaking through a minor realm was to be expected.

After the thirty-fifth cycle of growth and decay, he broke through another small realm and his cultivation reached the peak of the Dao Tree stage.

The next stage should be the Dao Flowering Period.

Hopefully, this will lead to the development of a new innate ability.

If other cultivators knew what Gu Changsheng was thinking, they would definitely scold him for being ungrateful.

They don't even have any supernatural powers, so what did they say?

Really,

Some are dying of drought, while others are dying of flooding.

Typical,

A well-fed person doesn't know the hunger of a starving person!

On the lotus platform, Gu Changsheng began to plan his journey out to continue his treasure hunt.

The grotto world needs decoration, decoration.

It can transplant spiritual plants containing innate energy and plant them in the cave world, which can also improve the laws of the cave world.

If it weren't for the time spent refining the treasure, he would have gone out to search for treasure long ago.

He felt a sense of urgency.

Since this spiritual energy tide has resulted in the fusion of another world into Earth;

This suggests that with each future surge of spiritual energy, different otherworldly realms may merge into the universe.

This time it's an ordinary mortal world, will the next one be a fusion of martial arts, high-level martial arts, or fantasy worlds?

Legend has it that there are minor worlds, major worlds, myriad realms, and the primordial world...

These worlds may also come to pass!

At that time, countless powerful beings, those with great supernatural abilities, saints, Dao ancestors, and god-demon level experts will descend.

At this moment, Gu Changsheng possessed the embryo of a supreme innate treasure, giving him some confidence.

He believed he was no weaker than those strong individuals, but he also needed time to cultivate and improve his skills.

No matter how talented or gifted you are!

Can you compare to those ancient monsters who have cultivated for tens of thousands, millions, or hundreds of millions of years after ten years of cultivation?

If, ten years from now, the primordial world descends.

Gu Changsheng needed to keep a low profile and immediately find an opportunity to join the sage's lineage and curry favor with him.

Can a dead genius still be called a genius?

Only a living genius can be called a genius!

With the creation of the cave world, Gu Changsheng had a new plan: he would focus on cultivation and treasure hunting.

Innate spiritual root, innate spiritual treasure, innate spiritual vein.

The more the better!

Gu Changsheng discovered some patterns: as time went on, the spiritual energy nodes became more and more deeply hidden.

He wanted to take advantage of the fact that the Heavenly Treasures Guardian Array had just been created to find as many as possible.

There may not be such a good opportunity again in the future.

The first spiritual energy descended in 2024, but there were very few cultivators; there were far more beasts than wolves.

In 2025, during the second spiritual energy surge, there will be more cultivators and more wolves, but there will also be more meat.

The third spiritual energy tide in 2026 will cause a surge in the number of cultivators, ushering in an era of cultivation for all living beings, who will then begin to scramble for meat, especially high-quality meat.

In 2027, the fourth spiritual energy tide caused a great change in the world, the collapse of order, and the influx of beings from other worlds.

Top-tier resources, like divine treasures, have begun to conceal themselves;

The number of beings cultivating themselves is increasing, further intensifying the competition for resources.

Gu Changsheng glanced at the Investiture of the Gods and the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls on the left side of his eye.

His gaze shifted to the right, landing on the Withering and Flourishing Treasure Token, and his divine sense entered it.

The Dao Realm, the Hall of Longevity.

Gu Changsheng summoned his four personal disciples.

The four figures, Di Yuanzi, Zi Yangzi, Yin Yue, and Su Xinghe, appeared in the main hall.

"Disciple greets Master..."

Gu Changsheng glanced at them, and their cultivation levels were immediately apparent.

The eldest disciple underwent three transformations of the Dao tree;

The second disciple's Dao tree underwent a transformation;

The third disciple, the Dao Tree, underwent a transformation;

The fourth disciple, Dao Miao underwent five transformations.

As expected, as one's cultivation level increases, it takes more time to accumulate magical power.

When one's cultivation reaches a certain level and one needs to comprehend the laws, each breakthrough in a minor realm may take tens of thousands of years.

Gu Changsheng calculated his breakthrough speed according to the average;

On average, it takes about two months to break through a small realm during the Dao Tree stage;

It takes him at least half a year to break through from one minor realm to another major realm.

Entering the Dao Flowering stage, it will probably take three months to break through a minor realm, and it is estimated that it will take two years and three months.

Entering the Dao Fruit stage, it will probably take four months to break through a minor realm, and it is estimated that it will take three years.

With a rough calculation, Gu Changsheng obtained an approximate timeframe: in September 2034, under ideal conditions, he would reach the peak of the Dao Fruit stage.

Assuming that the next stage after attaining the Dao Fruit is the Immortal Realm;

Becoming an immortal in ten years—that's definitely the template for a prodigy.

Gu Changsheng suppressed his distracting thoughts, came to his senses, and praised.

"Good, none of you have fallen behind in your studies."

"Continue to maintain this attitude towards spiritual practice."

"You all know about the cataclysmic changes in the world and the arrival of beings from another world;"

There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding.

"I hope you will not slack off in your daily studies and fall behind others."

After encouraging his disciples, Gu Changsheng's gaze fell on his eldest disciple, "Di Yuanzi, as the senior brother, you will be stationed at Kurong Mountain."

His gaze swept over the other three disciples. "The three of you will take turns going into the mountains to train, search for treasures, and hone your combat skills."

The four disciples, including Di Yuanzi, bowed respectfully, saying, "Disciples will remember Master's teachings!!"

Gu Changsheng waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

"This disciple takes his leave..."

After all his disciples had left, Gu Changsheng summoned Yin Kui, Yang Mancang, and Zhang Yuanfu in turn.

He entrusted the task of collecting rare and precious materials to the three men, urging them to expedite the process.

As night fell, Gu Changsheng spread his divine sense and cast the four Myriad Soul Banners in the four directions of east, south, west, and north.

Each of the Ten Thousand Soul Banners is 5,000 kilometers away from Mount Kurong, and they are all hidden in underground caves.

In the dead of night, Gu Changsheng manifested his divine sense and appeared above the Shou'an River carrying the Investiture of the Gods.

He transformed into a streak of light and fell into the river, entering the White Snake's dream.

In the boundless dreamlike blue waters, Gu Changsheng's divine realm stands upon the water's surface.

"Bai Qianqian, where are you?!"

"Splash......"

A white snake with horns on its head flew out of the blue water.

The moment Bai Qianqian saw Gu Changsheng, her snake-like body coiled on the water's surface, and she bowed in greeting.

"Bai Qianqian greets the Mountain Lord."

"I was unaware of your arrival, sir. Please forgive my failure to greet you properly!"

"No need for formalities!" Gu Changsheng said, unfolding the Investiture of the Gods.

"Bai Qianqian, today I, the humble Taoist, use the Investiture of the Gods to exercise the authority of imperial decree on behalf of Heaven, and hereby appoint you as the River God of the Shou'an River Basin."

"I hope you will fulfill your duties as the River God, without bias or prejudice."

As soon as he finished speaking, a ray of divine light flew out and disappeared into the space between the white snake's eyebrows.

The divine light struck the white snake's natal Dao seed.

The pure incense power, thread by thread, elevated her natal Dao seed to a special divine status.

The seed of Tao is imprinted with the mark of a river god.

The white snake nodded its head three times in succession.

"Your subordinate, Bai Qianqian, kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty..."

Gu Changsheng put away the Investiture of the Gods and instructed, "You can ask the Earth God for instructions on the procedure for establishing a river god temple."

"Within the River God Temple, once your statue generates a divine realm, you will naturally sense the people's requests."

After saying that, Gu Changsheng's figure disappeared into the White Snake's dream.

Bai Qianqian called out, "Respectfully seeing you off, sir!"