Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

When Gu Changjin returned to the secret chamber on Lingdao Peak, the moon and stars were already shining brightly outside.

The night was very deep.

But the nights in the cultivation world are different from those in my previous life.

Above the sky, the stars shone with an astonishing brightness, like precious stones nailed to the firmament.

It wasn't that distant and indifferent light.

Instead, it carried a certain inexplicable sense of oppression.

It's as if when you look up at them, they are looking at you too.

Gu Changjin stood outside the secret chamber and looked up.

Starlight fell on his aged face.

It's cold.

It's also very bright.

He suddenly recalled some fragmented rumors from the original owner's memories.

It is said that beyond the Western Wilderness, there is also the Central Region.

In the Central Region, sects are numerous and holy lands are entrenched; even Nascent Soul cultivators wouldn't dare claim they can roam freely.

Some even say that deep within the ancient immortal dynasty of the Central Region, there are relics of immortals.

Some of the more outrageous rumors even claim that there are truly living immortals in this world.

Gu Changjin used to treat such things as stories.

But things are different now.

He possesses the fruit of enlightenment within his sea of ​​consciousness.

Deep within the Dao Fruit, among those blurry figures, there are some things that cannot be examined closely.

Like a person.

It doesn't look like a human.

Like gods and demons.

It is deeper, darker, and more indescribable than gods and demons.

Gu Changjin didn't believe there were no immortals inside.

Some of them might even eat immortals as snacks.

Thinking about this, Gu Changjin felt an indescribable excitement.

These are all his.

No.

To be precise, these were originally his.

However, he is still too weak right now.

So weak that he could only catch Daohen, a hundred-year-old sword god from a martial arts world.

But sooner or later, the traces of the Dao will return to their rightful place, and all of me will become one.

He will truly take control of this Dao Fruit.

By then, sects, families, and Nascent Soul cultivators will all be a joke.

Gu Changjin withdrew his gaze and turned to enter the secret room.

The stone gate closed.

The formation lights up.

Most of the starlight outside was blocked, but some tiny specks of light still shone in through the gaps in the array patterns, shimmering slightly on the stone wall.

He didn't waste any time.

First, take out the Soul-Splitting Star Marrow.

A small glass cup floats in the palm of your hand, with half a cup of silver liquid flowing quietly inside.

looks beautiful.

It resembles a small, crushed piece of galaxy.

But Gu Changjin knew very well that this thing was not gentle.

Soul-Splitting Star Essence.

The name "Soul Splitter" itself describes its effect.

It doesn't simply nourish the soul; it first tears it apart and then repairs it.

Tearing apart again and again, expanding again and again.

If you can get through this, your spiritual foundation will grow exponentially.

If you can't make it through, even if you don't die, you'll go insane.

Gu Changjin stared at it for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

crazy?

He's hardly a normal person to begin with.

I died once.

He was given a body that was about to die.

He then inherited the memories of a hundred-year-old sword god.

Memories of three lifetimes are piled up in his mind; none of them were exactly easy to deal with.

What difference would it make if we went even crazier?

Gu Changjin tilted his head back and swallowed the Soul-Splitting Star Marrow in one gulp.

next moment.

pain.

excruciating pain.

It was as if someone had forcibly torn his soul apart from the middle.

Then take a red-hot fine needle and sew it in inch by inch.

Gu Changjin's forehead veins bulged, and his fingers instantly dug into the futon.

His teeth were grinding together.

The array in the secret room lit up layer by layer, sealing his aura tightly.

It must not be leaked.

Not at all.

If you let others notice anything unusual at this time, you'll only be asking for trouble.

Silver starlight exploded in his mind.

His soul was torn apart.

It was forcibly opened again by the star marrow.

That kind of pain is beyond anything the physical body can compare to.

Gu Changjin was tormented by illness in his previous life.

This body has also endured the depletion of lifespan and the collapse of the golden elixir.

But none of that is as good as it is now.

The pain in one's soul is so intense that it can make one want to kill oneself.

But Gu Changjin didn't call out.

Not a sound.

He just endured it.

No matter how intense the pain, it couldn't suppress the longing in his heart.

longevity.

Become stronger.

Take control of your own destiny.

No more being lied to by my wife.

No longer betrayed by her son.

No longer forced to die by their families.

They were no longer treated as a dispensable stepping stone by the sect.

This thought is more effective than any magic pill.

Gu Changjin endured it all.

I don't know how much time passed.

The tearing sensation in his mind finally subsided.

Instead, there is an unprecedented clarity.

His soul was more than twice as big as before.

With a slight movement of his divine sense, he could cover the entire Spirit Path Peak.

He could even expand further if he wanted to.

Gu Changjin did not do that.

He was very clear-headed.

His spiritual strength has now faintly reached the Nascent Soul level.

But he himself is not yet a Nascent Soul cultivator.

If one were to rely on one's powerful divine sense to scan the entire sect, that would not be impressive, but rather courting death.

It's not like the Xuan Yang Sect doesn't have Nascent Soul cultivators.

Other Nascent Soul stage cultivators might not notice the subtle differences, but Yun Qingli's master was in seclusion in the back mountain.

Who knows if that old man is dead or not?

If he doesn't die, and his divine sense sweeps over, the other party might sweep it back, which would be troublesome.

Before achieving anything, concealing one's abilities is the way to survive.

Of course, it can't be hidden forever.

If you hide for too long, others will really see you as an easy target, and everyone will want to take advantage of you.

The balance here is very important.

Gu Changjin slowly exhaled.

The hurdle of the soul has been overcome.

Next up is the Star Sword Embryo.

With a flick of his sleeve, the dark blue sword embryo appeared before him.

The sword embryo was no bigger than the palm of my hand, with starlight flowing inside, as if it contained a piece of the night sky.

Gu Changjin looked at it, becoming more and more satisfied.

nice one.

Really good stuff.

Unfortunately, the normal process is too slow.

Logically speaking, once you get your hands on this sword embryo, you should nurture it with alchemical fire, refine it with your spiritual sense, and then gradually merge it with your natal spirit sword.

It can take anywhere from several decades.

It can take up to a hundred years.

Only then can it be transformed into a natal spirit sword that truly suits oneself.

Gu Changjin couldn't wait.

He didn't want to wait either.

"Let's melt it first and then talk about it."

He raised his hand and gestured.

The crimson Jin Yang Sword flew out from his dantian and hovered in front of him.

This sword had been with its original owner for many years.

It has decent killing power.

However, the materials are mediocre.

In the hands of an ordinary Golden Core sword cultivator, the sword is well-prepared.

But in Gu Changjin's eyes now, that's not enough.

In particular, the path he will take in the future cannot stop at the Golden Core stage.

If the Jinyang Sword isn't upgraded, it will eventually become a hindrance.

Gu Changjin pointed with his finger.

The sword intent pressed down.

The Starry Sky Sword Embryo and the Ember Sun Sword vibrated simultaneously.

The next moment, the two collided violently.

boom!

Inside the sealed room, starlight and crimson flames exploded simultaneously.

The formation flickered violently.

Gu Changjin's face paled slightly, but he did not stop.

He forcefully suppressed the conflict between the two swords with his Nascent Soul level divine soul, and then dripped his life essence into them.

The crimson sword light was gradually swallowed up by the ghostly blue starlight.

A moment later, the appearance of the Ember Sun Sword completely changed.

The once sharp and slender crimson spirit sword has vanished.

Instead, there was a long, dark, strip-shaped object.

Like a sword.

It doesn't resemble a sword.

Dull gray.

It's consistently ugly.

Even calling it a sword would be a bit of an insult to the word "sword".

Gu Changjin stared at it for a long time, and his lips twitched.

"What is this thing?"

He knew this was normal.

Forced fusion, before it's fully refined, naturally won't look very good.

After that, as long as you nurture it slowly with your mind and spirit, and completely integrate the Starry Sky Sword Embryo and the Ash Sun Sword into one, it will naturally regenerate into a sword shape.

By then, not only will the grade of the Ember Sun Sword increase dramatically, but it will also be able to absorb the power of the stars, making its killing power and growth potential far surpass what it used to be.

But look at it now...

It really is a disgrace to sword cultivators.

Gu Changjin thought for a moment and decided to store it in his dantian.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Anyway, since it's a death match tomorrow, we don't necessarily have to use the full sword form.

The more pathetic the fight becomes, the better.

That's why he's forcibly fusing the sword now.

We must fight to the death to win.

But we can't win too easily.

It must be tragic.

Ideally, everyone should believe that Gu Changjin burned through his last bit of life force, sacrificing the Golden Core of the Crimson Cloud Sect.

Then he should return and pass away peacefully.

In this way, the sect would not only be unable to continue pressuring him, but would also have to give him face.

After all, you can't just rush up to a dying man who has just made a great contribution and ask him when he's going to return the treasure.

Yun Qingli, that innocent and pure girl, would never do something like this.

She cares about her image.

The authority of the sect leader must also be maintained.

They must also maintain their dignity as "righteous and principled".

Gu Changjin understands this kind of person all too well.

He had even planned out the aftermath.

After tomorrow's death match, news of Lu Huaizhen's death should most likely reach the sect.

Yun Qingli will definitely lose her composure then.

The Crimson Cloud Sect will not give up.

A major battle between the two factions is about to erupt.

Everyone's attention will be drawn to Lu Huaizhen's death and the Chixiao Sect's revenge.

Who would still be eyeing an old Golden Core cultivator who's about to pass away?

When they finally realized what was happening and turned their attention back to themselves...

Excuse me.

At that time, Gu Changjin may have already entered the Nascent Soul stage with his sword.

He went from being a sect elder to a sect grandmaster.

At that point, it won't be others deciding his fate.

He turned the tables and decided other people's fates.

Gu Changjin chuckled softly.

This game went very smoothly.

Of course, this is all on the premise that tomorrow's scene is performed well.

It can't be too fake.

But it can't be too real either.

If you get seriously injured, then you've lost out.

If it's fake and others can see through it at a glance, it's also troublesome.

Ideally, one should appear fierce on the outside but be incredibly stable on the inside.

Gu Changjin took out the Xuanji Pill, glanced at it, and then put it back.

There's no rush to eat now.

Having just broken through to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, one needs to solidify their foundation.

With a small pot, a 50,000-year-old spiritual herb, a profound pill, and a Dao fruit, the Nascent Soul stage is no longer out of reach.

He closed his eyes.

The "Jinyang Sword Scripture" began to circulate slowly.

Inside his dantian, the dark, unshaped sword embryo trembled slightly.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the Dao Fruit floated silently.

The remaining starlight from the Soul Rift Star Marrow was still gradually expanding the boundaries of his soul.

Outside the sealed room, the stars still shone brightly.

The light pierced through the array and fell onto the stone wall, like fine silver threads.

Gu Changjin waited quietly for dawn in this dim light.

Tomorrow's deadly battle.

It's going to be very exciting.