Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 256 - 175: The Heavenly Tribulation of Worldly Calamities, Life Span Tribulation

Chapter 256: Chapter 175: The Heavenly Tribulation of Worldly Calamities, Life Span Tribulation

Outside the Ninth Grotto Heaven, a thin light barrier trembled slightly.

"Has it begun?"

Gu Wen and Jun Yan pressed their ears against the light barrier, faintly hearing collision sounds.

This barrier, impervious to all methods, did not block vibrations; most barriers against the outside world worked likewise, especially fixed arrays.

Because there was no need—vibrations, sounds, light, and so on did not provide outsiders with any useful information. Most cultivators probed with Divine Thought, and guarding against such probes was of the utmost importance.

An additional function in a Daoist Skill meant doubling the effort and concentration; the same was true for arrays. The more complex the functions, the more prone to error.

The truly top-notch spells usually had only one function, either offensive or defensive. Those that were meant for both were generally crude spells from the marketplace of the cultivation world.

"It should have started." Jun Yan nodded and said, "Can Chi Yu Zi manage it? That’s a Demi Immortal we’re talking about. I’ve heard that the Golden Core Path’s Demi Immortal has reached the pinnacle, just one step away from immortality."

Gu Wen spread his hands and said, "What can we do? Do we have any other option?"

Chi Yu Zi’s problem was insoluble; without restoring her three souls and seven spirits, she would die; if she restored her three souls and seven spirits, she’d face her own Demi Immortal sister. Both scenarios led to death, so it was better to take a chance.

Success would mean assuming the form of an Immortal, possessing endless life span.

Although the odds were as slim as winning a lottery, it was still better than sitting and waiting for death.

"So, from the beginning, you never planned to take advantage of the situation?"

Jun Yan looked surprised. He was not like the naive Chi Yu Zi—he could tell from the start that Gu Wen was similar to himself.

For the sake of becoming stronger, Jun Yan could kill, Gu Wen could resort to ignoble queries. Perhaps he still had some conscience, but Jun Yan believed that, given a big enough interest, Gu Wen would become like him.

"The benefit was already taken. Now, I’m just helping her as a friend."

Gu Wen had obtained the method for the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill and several Earth Core Crystal shells from Chi Yu Zi. Now, the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill was close to completion, just a half step away.

If he continued his cultivation as prescribed, he might need at least three times the Heavenly Marrow he had now.

"Beyond favors, there are affections. I am not an abacus, not meticulous about keeping track of favors. I used to like keeping a precise account of favors owed, and they called me ’Gu The Skinner.’"

"I can see that."

Jun Yan was no exception, while Chan Xi, who had a favorable first impression of Gu Wen, tilted her head and asked, "Why don’t you keep track anymore?"

Gu Wen said with a smile, "It’s because I’ve been cultivating, and naturally, I’m not good at tallying accounts. I had no choice before, but now I want to be a good person."

It’s like that saying, if not for survival, who would want to eat shit?

"You were a bad person before?"

Chan Xi asked again, her clear eyes filled with confusion.

Why so many whys? A curious baby, perhaps?

Gu Wen tugged at the corner of his mouth, sometimes wondering if Chan Xi really was like an infant, following her claim of lacking subjective memories from the Three Pure Daoist.

Seeing did not imply understanding. Conversely, if she could understand, Chan Xi would not think of herself as unrelated to the Three Pure Daoist.

It was said that One Qi to Three Pure Ones was the only skill in heaven and earth capable of creating perfect avatars, with avatars able to live like normal people and even possessing improved aptitudes for cultivation.

Chan Xi persisted, "Why? The Daoist sees your face as not that of a bad person. Could it be that my Face Reading Skill is mistaken?"

After several questions, Gu Wen had no choice but to explain, "Good and evil depend on perspective. I provide for my underlings, and they see me as a good man. I crush other merchants, and in their eyes, I am a bad man. This is a case of ’different paths, do not make plans together.’"

"I don’t understand."

Chan Xi stated honestly.

So she’s a simpleton.

Gu Wen had an epiphany and said seriously, "Everyone else is bad, the path of good and evil is within my hands, for I am good."

"Why..."

Chan Xi was about to ask more, but a roaring sound came from afar, and a painting floating in the sky vanished. Four figures appeared and clashed mid-air once more, causing tens of miles of cloud layer to collapse, instantly forming a huge gap.

---

Both Gu Wen and the Devil Clan led by Ao Heng cast their gazes toward the disturbance.

The stake of the Immortality Pill involved a competition of power on many levels. If Demi Immortals couldn’t decide the victor, the younger generation would step up; if they were stalemated, the Demi Immortals would take over; if neither could prevail, both would persist in their standoff.

Currently, in the younger generation’s deadlock, it was time to see the family elders wrestle for power.

Xuan Yue, up against three, faced a Demi Immortal from the Devil Clan who was a Grotto Heaven master, as well as two powerful Devil Saints. The latter he could usually kill with a slap, but restrained by the Angri Cave Heaven Master, these three Devil Saints were like extra limbs for the opponent.

Still, he appeared nonchalant, his numerical disadvantage a testament to his strength—and he had yet to go all out.

Xuan Yue came to aid the Daoist Sect only to disrupt Chi Ling; he did not need to commit fully.

Someone like Qingcang, his resurrection was not something most Demi Immortals would appreciate. For Xuan Yue, it was neither good nor bad; after leaving the Liuyun Sect’s teachings, he stopped caring about the affairs of the Cultivation World, spending nearly ten thousand years in the Void seeking an opportunity for immortality.

Yet, having an overly powerful Immortal in the world was also not good.

At least he had never seen any Immortal capable of killing three peers, especially under siege.

After a quarter-hour of spell casting, the Angri Cave Heaven Master frowned, recognizing he couldn’t prevail and finally, he ceased his efforts and said,

"Xuan Yue, if you truly want to hinder the attainment of the Golden Core sage, why not join us and attack the Daoist Sect’s group? After all, the Heavenly Girl is not present here."