Supreme Sword Exalt

Chapter 169 - Today, I Will Use You All as My Whetstone

It was not the red mist that frightened Gu Han, but the will that lurked within. Through continuous probing, he had just found the perfect equilibrium, absorbing the maximum amount of mist without being affected by that consciousness. Thus, he focused his mind and began cultivating.

With the liquid treasure, cultivation sped along at a pace nearly ten times that of the outside world. In just a short while, he had stepped into the Spirit Profound realm.

At this moment, the benefit of the liquid treasure became apparent. Originally, to birth even a faint trace of spirit nature, the spirit pool demanded unceasing grinding and tempering. Yet, bathed in the stream of divine essence, it was sheathed in a radiant layer of spirit light.

Gu Han soon felt the satisfaction of his cultivation rising. He didn’t know how much time had passed but suddenly, a panicked scream came from outside.

“What... what do you want?!”

Gu Han immediately opened his eyes.

Zhi Xuan!

***

Outside, Zhi Xuan retreated in fright. Yang Lin, Meng Xing, and the others closed in on her, their faces wild with madness.

“D-don’t come any closer!”

Behind Yang Lin, someone flattered, “Young Master, as I passed by just now, I saw this girl standing guard outside alone. That cave must have a secret inside!”

Yang Lin nodded. “You’re right. You did well not to act rashly. You shall be rewarded!”

“Thank you, Young Master!”

A Qixia Court disciple said with a malicious expression, “Senior Brother, look! Isn’t that your storage ring in her hand?!”

Yang Lin sneered. “To think she was the one who picked it up!”

That disciple’s face was full of greed. “You wretched girl! How dare you steal his storage ring? Hand it over immediately!”

Zhi Xuan’s pretty face turned deathly pale, clutching the storage ring tightly to her chest. “No... I didn’t steal it...”

That disciple lecherously leered at her. “Whether you stole it or not, I’ll find out after I interrogate you!”

Nearly a day had passed since the secret realm’s anomaly broke out. The pills in his hand were nearly exhausted. Under the shadow of the death crisis, certain dark thoughts of his had been amplified considerably. He had long forgotten any fellow disciple’s sentiment toward Zhi Xuan.

Meng Xing scoffed, but did not stop them. “You two, go into the cave and see what’s inside.”

“Understood!”

Yang Lin also turned a blind eye to that disciple’s behavior. “Brother Meng, even if everything goes smoothly and we recover all the pills, I’m afraid that still won’t be enough.”

As the red mist gradually thickened, the two of them became increasingly aware of the severity of the situation.

Meng Xing’s gaze became distant. “If it really comes to that, we can only go find the Qingyun Pavilion and those monsters!”

Not far away, looking at the disciple slowly approaching, Zhi Xuan was at a complete loss. “I—! W-we are fellow disciples...”

That disciple licked his lips. “In that case, you should let me have some fun!”

He was already reaching out toward Zhi Xuan’s protective spirit light. The others were aroused and stared maliciously at Zhi Xuan. Since they couldn’t survive, they might as well vent thoroughly.

Recalling certain memories, Zhi Xuan’s gaze darkened, despair and helplessness written across her face. “Why must all of you force me like this...?”

Right at that moment, two agonized screams came from within the cave.

Yang Lin and Meng Xing’s hearts lurched as they sharply turned to the cave. “Who’s that?!”

Even that disciple froze for an instant. The next moment, Gu Han suddenly appeared before him.

That disciple was terrified. “What... How...? Is it you...”

Gu Han’s gaze was icy. “Want to have fun? I’ll show you fun!”

As his words fell, a streak of sword light flashed. That disciple didn’t even have time to react before being cleaved in two. His two halves fell to the ground, the pain making him wail incessantly.

Soon, he couldn’t even wail anymore. Streams of red mist poured into his seven orifices, his body beginning to change. Another streak of sword light was pierced between his eyebrows. That was the end of the transformation.

Looking at Gu Han, who had descended like a heavenly deity to protect her, Zhi Xuan was filled with complex emotions.

Gu Han glanced at her. “You should go. No need for you to keep watch anymore.”

Only then did Zhi Xuan react, reverting to her previous dazed expression. “Then you... What about you...?”

“None of your concern!”

“Thank you...”

Gu Han narrowed his eyes. “Save it. I nearly took them for monsters and felt a powerful urge to slaughter them. It doesn’t have much to do with you. I also don’t like having deadweight when I’m fighting. Do you understand?”

Zhi Xuan nodded hurriedly. “Yes, I understand! I won’t hold you back!”

She quickly went far away.

Gu Han shook his head. He had only discovered one merit regarding Zhi Xuan: she listened very well.

After watching Zhi Xuan leave, someone behind Yang Lin seemed somewhat unwilling. “Young Master, Should I go after her and bring her back?”

Yang Lin stared fixedly at Gu Han. “No. She’s just a small fry. We can always find her after dealing with him.”

Meng Xing also had a chilling look. “At least the small fry became a bait to a bigger fish. This is truly an unexpected delight!”

Gu Han said seriously, “To be honest, I’m even more pleasantly surprised than you are.”

Yang Lin said with a hint of mockery. “Where is that bastard? Where’s Murong Yan and the others? Why are you the only one here?”

Gu Han raised an eyebrow. “What? Am I not enough?”

Yang Lin smiled cruelly. “Then you are definitely going to die today.”

Gu Han also smiled. “Is that so? But I will spare your life. It has a great use!”

“What do you mean?!”

Gu Han slowly raised his sword as his aura gradually climbed. “Nothing. I just want to use your life to exchange for something.”

Yang Lin’s gaze turned cold. “Surround him! Those who hold back, you know the consequences!”

Under normal circumstances, he and Meng Xing would have long since made a move. Now, with few pills left on them, they could only let these people whittle Gu Han’s strength first.

The others’ hearts lurched. “Understood!”

They surrounded Gu Han despite fully knowing they didn’t stand a chance.

Gu Han sighed. “It seems that you still haven’t understood one thing. No matter how many cannon fodder there are, in the end, they are still just cannon fodder!”

He no longer held back. Sounds of rolling thunder echoed from within, and his cultivation instantly soared to the second stage of Spirit Profound realm.

Yang Lin and Meng Xing’s pupils contracted. “That’s impossible!”

Just over half a day ago, Gu Han was clearly still at the ninth stage Essence Gathering realm! How could he cultivate that rapidly?! That speed was out of this world!

Gu Han no longer paid them any heed. “Today, I will use all of you as my whetstone!”

His killing intent gradually rose as his spirit qi surged relentlessly, flowing entirely into the sword.

Finally, Gu Han swept his sword down, sending twenty-one streams of the Great Evolution Sword Qi in all directions. Their speed far surpassed the past, and their killing power exceeded it by an even greater margin.