Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 411: Chapter 229: Haoyang Sect Pursues_2

The remaining members of the Haoyang Sect grew anxious upon hearing this and all attempted to persuade him.

”Brother Lin, this guy may be quick due to the enhancement from his treasure, but such a treasure consumes energy at an enormous rate. We just need to drag it out with him! Why bother negotiating with him over this?”

Lin Tianhao shook his head and said, ”The opening window for the Red Cloud Secret Domain is limited. This time, we’ve already wasted too much time on these two treasures. If we keep dragging this on, there’ll be no time left to seize that Spirit Stone vein. Rest assured, the ultimate ownership of such rare treasures will still have to be deliberated by the sect hierarchy itself. What we’re fighting for here is nothing more than some leverage for our respective sects. Regardless of the outcome, we must prioritize the Spirit Stone vein!”

”Wait here for me. I’ll return shortly.”

The disciples of the Haoyang Sect could only stop in place and watch Lin Tianhao’s departing figure, reminding him: ”Brother Lin, you must stay vigilant. That guy’s methods are quite peculiar.”

Lin Tianhao’s voice came through the wind: ”Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

Gu Sheng sprinted another several dozen miles before stopping to catch his breath, only after confirming there was no trace of the Haoyang Sect chasing him.

The consumption of the Riding Wind Boots was too great—just this short while had cost him nearly two-thirds of his energy. Gu Sheng found a spot to stop and rest, taking out recovery pills and consuming them.

After waiting for several minutes without hearing any movement, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of doubt: ”Hmm, why haven’t they chased me? Could it be that they’ve given up?”

As Gu Sheng was wondering, Lin Tianhao’s presence suddenly intruded upon his senses.

”I knew they wouldn’t give up so easily!”

Gu Sheng cursed under his breath and was just about to run again when Lin Tianhao’s voice rang out: ”Brother Gu, I’ve come alone. Let’s talk.”

Hearing this, Gu Sheng paused for a moment and turned to look in the direction of the voice.

Seeing only Lin Tianhao, Gu Sheng cautiously extended his senses to their fullest, searching for any other presences. After confirming that Lin Tianhao was indeed alone, he stopped his flight.

Soon, Lin Tianhao stopped at a distance of several dozen meters from Gu Sheng.

”How do you want to talk?” Gu Sheng asked, his expression somewhat tense as he stared at Lin Tianhao. At the same time, he maintained his vigilance, ready to activate the Riding Wind Boots at a moment’s notice.

Seeing Gu Sheng’s nervousness, Lin Tianhao couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

”Brother Gu, no need to be so tense. I truly just want to have a conversation with you.”

Gu Sheng pursed his lips and said, ”Your name, Lin Tianhao, carries such a reputation, while I’m just someone who’s only recently stepped into the Golden Bone Realm. How could I not be anxious?”

Lin Tianhao shook his head: ”There’s no one else here now, Brother Gu, so you don’t need to keep up the act. You’ve already managed to kill Lu Shu, and my strength is roughly equivalent to hers. Now that I’m alone, I’ll admit—I don’t have full confidence in taking you down if we were to fight to the death.”

Hearing this, Gu Sheng immediately affected an innocent expression and fervently denied: ”Slander! That’s slander! How could I possibly kill Lu Shu? Oh, wait—you’re suggesting Lu Shu is dead?”

A faint look of delight then spread across Gu Sheng’s face: ”Dead? That’s good, that’s really good! Now I won’t have to worry about being pursued by the Governor Mansion.”

Watching Gu Sheng’s exaggerated performance, Lin Tianhao couldn’t help but feel somewhat speechless.

”We found a scorched corpse near a waterfall while chasing after you. Though the remains were burned beyond recognition, I’ve competed with Lu Shu long enough to be intimately familiar with her sword aura. In that area, I sensed traces of her sword aura lingering, along with an even stronger presence—one that surpasses hers. Though I don’t know what it is, clearly it belongs to a Sword Cultivator’s power.”

”Among the Golden Bone Realm cultivators who entered the Red Cloud Secret Domain this time, those with notable strength are all my old rivals. Yet none of them—Sword Cultivator or otherwise—possess the ability to kill Lu Shu single-handedly. You’re the only unexpected factor here.”

Gu Sheng rubbed his nose awkwardly and fell silent.

After some hesitation, Gu Sheng finally spoke: ”What do you want to talk about?”

Lin Tianhao loosened his posture entirely, sitting casually on the ground: ”Brother Gu, you should already know that the two treasures in your possession are no ordinary items. Ultimately, we mere disciples have no say in their true ownership. All we’re doing right now is securing some advantages for our respective sects. To be honest, last time we were in the Red Cloud Secret Domain, we discovered a Spirit Stone vein. However, due to insufficient time, we failed to acquire it completely. This time, our main goal is to transport the Spirit Stones from that vein. I don’t want to waste time on these matters—resolving this issue sooner will allow us to head there together. The Spirit Stone vein is massive; my sect alone couldn’t possibly claim all of it.”

Gu Sheng’s eyes widened in astonishment as he stared at Lin Tianhao.

”You mean there’s such a great opportunity?”

Spirit Stones rank as the most prized cultivation resource in the Red Cloud Prefecture, comparable to essential pills used during the Refining Skin and Blood Refining stages.

The Holy Pill Sect and Haoyang Sect are rivals, so Gu Sheng found it hard to believe Lin Tianhao would willingly share the Spirit Stone vein with him.

Seeing Gu Sheng’s expression, Lin Tianhao smiled and shook his head: ”Don’t be so shocked. I’m obviously not doing this out of kindness. The reason I’m proposing this cooperation is because I have no other choice. That area is guarded by formidable mystical beasts imbued with the blood of monsters—among them, a Wind and Fire Giant Bird comparable to a second-layer Refining Marrow cultivator. This creature is immense, frighteningly fast, and possesses two incredibly troublesome innate techniques. I cannot handle it alone. Originally, I had planned to team up with Lu Shu, but now that she’s gone, I have no choice but to ally with you.”

Observing the doubt in Gu Sheng’s gaze, Lin Tianhao quickly added: ”Relax. That Spirit Stone vein contains more than enough Spirit Stones. Even though my Haoyang Sect has more people, I can guarantee we’ll split it 60-40. If you’re still uneasy, I’m willing to swear on my Martial Heart.”

A Martial Heart Oath is sacred to any Martial Artist. As long as one dares swear upon their Martial Heart, it’s virtually unbreakable.

Gu Sheng nodded: ”Then swear.”

Without hesitation, Lin Tianhao raised three fingers to the sky and swore: ”I, Lin Tianhao, hereby take an oath upon my Martial Heart. Should I and Gu Sheng successfully claim the Spirit Stone vein, I promise to split the Spirit Stones 60% to me and 40% to him. Should I ever violate this oath, I shall face eternal stagnation in Martial Arts, be plagued by a Heart Demon, and die in misery.”

The Red Cloud Secret Domain is vast, and as someone entering for the first time, Gu Sheng felt like a headless fly wandering aimlessly. Without guidance, he might not achieve much during this expedition.

The Spirit Stone reserves of the Holy Pill Sect were nearly depleted. If they could not be replenished, the cultivation progress of their upper echelons would come to a halt. Lin Tianhao’s proposal inadvertently resolved Gu Sheng’s immediate concerns.

After Lin Tianhao swore upon his Martial Heart, Gu Sheng finally relaxed completely.

Since Lin Tianhao was now committed to cooperation, the issue of the Demon Suppression Golden Scroll and the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell wouldn’t escalate further. Gu Sheng proactively approached Lin Tianhao with a smile: ”Brother Lin, how do you propose we resolve this matter? You can speak directly; the sooner it’s settled, the sooner we can claim the Spirit Stone vein together.”

”Simple—we settle it with one move. If you win, the two treasures will remain in your possession, and I will not interfere. Whatever negotiations occur between our sect hierarchies afterward is out of our control. If I win, the treasures will stay in my possession. How does that sound?”

Gu Sheng waved his hand dismissively: ”Since the final ownership of these two treasures will ultimately be decided by the sect hierarchies, why not leave them with me for now? Let’s deal with the Spirit Stone vein first.”

Lin Tianhao shook his head seriously: ”Brother Gu, don’t play dumb. The fact is, whoever holds the treasures now, their sect’s leadership will gain more leverage later. For me, this is a matter of principle. Let’s settle it with one move—I’m also quite curious to see the extent of your strength.”