I Seek Immortality Through Serendipity

Gu Yuan’s heart was stirred; this was more or less what he had speculated before.

The Artifact Refining Master behind Master Moon Bamboo might also be a Great Demon!

A Great Demon possessing such exquisite artifact refining techniques is truly rare.

And this promise is indeed valuable.

You must know that even between brothers, accounts are settled clearly. Even among fellow disciples, Master Xuan Guang wouldn’t refine an artifact for free.

After all, artifact refining does consume considerable heart power and takes a long time.

”If in the future I need to purchase spiritual materials for artifact refining at the Moon Bamboo Market, could you offer me a discount?”

Gu Yuan pondered for a moment, asking with a smile.

”You really are unwilling to suffer any loss. How come you don’t show any of the grace of a Major Sect Golden Core...”

Master Moon Bamboo smiled helplessly.

”Even Major Sect Golden Cores are not rich, otherwise why would I seek your help?”

Gu Yuan laughed.

”Consider this forming a good bond with you!”

Master Moon Bamboo finally nodded helplessly.

”Do not be despondent, Fellow Daoist. Who’s to say that the next time we meet, I might have to greet you with the courtesy owed to a senior!”

Gu Yuan waved his sleeve and laughed heartily.

Seeing this, Master Moon Bamboo couldn’t help but show a smile, with a look of expectation in his eyes.

For the Demon Race, the greatest limitation is their bloodline. An ordinary peach blossom wanting to become a spirit requires countless years and coincidences.

However, if one is an innate exotic species, they can easily cultivate into a demon.

”No time to lose, quickly sign the contract!”

”Agreed!”

...

...

Liyun Mountain Range.

This mountain range is vast and stretches endlessly, spanning tens of thousands of miles, and is one of the grand mountain ranges of the South Mountain Domain.

In such an expansive forest, naturally many spirit monsters, demon beasts, and evil charm exotic species are nurtured.

The entire mountain range stretches several thousand miles in area, with few human inhabitants. Rarely seen by people or animals, it is an undeveloped area in the South Mountain Domain, a paradise for various spirit monsters.

There are countless Demon Race forces, large and small, within, countless and unending.

Their blood energy is strong, their appetite considerable, and their spiritual wisdom lacking, so daily slaughters continue endlessly across the entire mountain range, with miasmic air everywhere.

On this day, suddenly thunderous light approached from the south like a flash of lightning, streaking over the Liyun Mountain Range.

In no time, it had penetrated deep into the mountains.

The many little demons trembled when they saw this escape light, hiding in underground caves, not daring to make a sound.

Although this place is known as a human forbidden zone, that is relative to ordinary humans and junior cultivators.

That thunderous light was grand, filled with gold attributes, evidently a Golden Core cultivator.

This is already a big figure in the South Mountain Domain.

Immediately, several vast wills in the depths of the Liyun Mountain Range focused on this spectacle.

However, the escape light did not make a grand entrance, finding a spot and quietly landing, concealing its presence.

...

This is a mountain valley, with peaks on either side soaring into the clouds like guardians, revealing a narrow valley pass.

Before the pass stands a giant stone, riddled with countless holes like a honeycomb, but not scattered, sturdily blocking the passage.

”It is actually the Thousand-Hole Mountain Protection Stone!”

This escape light is naturally Gu Yuan.

After finalizing the details with Master Moon Bamboo, both parties officially reached a deal. He then spent a few days refining the Ruyi True Leaf and rushed here without stopping.

But he never expected to see such a rare treasure upon arrival.

The Mountain Protection Stone is a peculiar treasure born of Heaven and Earth, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, comparable to a mountain peak.

Moreover, the stone has openings that absorb magical Qi and then rebound it.

The only flaw is that this stone can only be refined once in its lifetime. Once refined, it cannot be moved over a large area, only shifted slightly.

Hence, this stone is often used to guard Cave Mansions.

The giant stone before him, with a thousand apertures, is a Tier Three High-grade Mountain Protection Stone. It can connect with the Earth Vein and rebound the techniques of Golden Core cultivators, making it extremely formidable.

This single stone is equivalent to a Tier Three High-grade Array.

”Unexpectedly, among the Demon Race there are those so wealthy!”

Gu Yuan marveled, retracting his previous underestimation of the Demon Race after conquering the Eight Rivers Demon Race.

The Demon Race isn’t all shallow in heritage; Master Moon Bamboo is a good example.

”Gu Yuan of the Cyan Peak Daoist School, guided here by Master Moon Bamboo, comes to pay respects to Fellow Daoist Ge Yun, please show yourself!”

Gu Yuan waved his sleeve, calling out loudly to the Mountain Protection Stone before him.

After a brief silence, an ancient voice emerged from behind the stone.

”So it is Master Donghua in person, please enter the valley for a chat!”

With this voice, the giant stone, over ten zhang tall, slowly moved, causing the entire valley to tremble, revealing a passage about a zhang wide.

”Thank you, Fellow Daoist!”

Gu Yuan bowed and then entered the valley through the passage.

Upon entering, Gu Yuan couldn’t help but be astonished.

A Hundred Woods Compete!

Within the vast valley stood ancient trees of various shapes intertwined, some coiled like dragons rooted in cliff sides, some like drawn swords embedded in fertile soil, some like soaring whales leaping through water.

Every ancient tree was as vast as a forest, with branches intertwined, deep bark, and complex tangled roots resembling countless ancient trees turned into spirits, transformed into myriad living forms, standing silently in the valley.

Though motionless, their stances were filled with feral manifestations, blurring the line between motion and stillness.

Yet Gu Yuan felt as if these ancient trees were all living beings.

Should an intruder attack, they could instantly transform into various peculiar wooden puppet creatures to slay enemy cultivators.

”Fellow Daoist Ge, your Wood Cultivation Technique is truly breathtaking!”

Gu Yuan exclaimed in admiration at an unassuming, short old man with a yellow Daoist Robe with white hair and beard standing ahead.

”Master Donghua jests, it’s merely some casual cultivation during leisure time, and can’t compare to the profound mysteries of the Cyan Peak Daoist School!”

The old man, facilitated by Master Moonlight, had promised to assist Gu Yuan in absorbing Exotic Divine Thunder and was Master Ge Yun, a spirit evolved from a millennia-old Thunderwood.

”Fellow Daoist Ge is too modest. With just this Wood Puppet Technique alone, even two or three Golden Core cultivators attacking might find themselves unable to return!”

Gu Yuan shook his head with a slight smile.

This valley had surely been maintained by Master Ge Yun for countless years; the Hundred Woods Compete, with each ancient tree comparable to a Foundation Establishment puppet, could act in concert with potential further profound changes, without a doubt formidable.

”Haha, you’re too kind, Fellow Daoist, too kind!”

Master Ge Yun beamed with joy, though he waved his hand dismissively, he could not conceal the satisfaction in his eyes.

”Come, come, I have exquisite Tier Three Spirit Tea, please have a taste, Fellow Daoist.”

In high spirits, Master Ge Yun quickly escorted Gu Yuan, offering tea.

”I dare not trouble you, as there is pressing business, time is tight. Could you guide me to absorb the Divine Thunder?”

Gu Yuan bowed, making his request with an earnest salute.

His available time was indeed limited.

”In that case, please follow me, Fellow Daoist!”

With a hint of disappointment, Master Ge Yun complied, leading Gu Yuan deeper into the valley.

Passing through the valley, they inevitably brushed past the vast ancient forest. A cold aura enveloped them.

Fortunately, with Master Ge Yun leading the way, everything was peaceful.

Beyond this forest, as they ascended, there was a spacious cliff overlooking the valley.

Atop the cliff stood a colossal tree, several dozen zhang tall, with its branches twisted, flickering with strands of thunderlight.

Compared to this giant tree, the previous ancient trees were like children.

A single tree formed a forest, overshadowing the skies.

This is the true body of Master Ge Yun.

His human form was simply an illusion.

Yet Gu Yuan’s attention was not on this ancient tree.

His gaze flickered as he looked down below the cliff.

Below the cliff lay a steep gorge, a hundred zhang long, barren without a single blade of grass, devoid of life.

The key thing was, the whole gorge was silent, as if sounds were swallowed upon entering.

Gu Yuan, however, felt an immense thundering within himself, making his Divine Soul tremble and thoughts confused.

Astounded, he couldn’t help but exclaim: ”Radiant Heart Gang Thunder!”