Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

”Heaven-Burning Holy Land is indeed more suitable for her. Once there’s a chance to head to Central Province, I must find a way to discover the magic technique for advancing the Vermilion Bird Spirit Body...”

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Gu Sheng sat cross-legged on the bed, holding a High-grade Spirit Stone in each hand, and began to circulate the Nine Dragon Heaven and Earth Technique.

The Spiritual Energy from the Spirit Stones surged into his body like rivers flowing into the sea, coursing through his meridians.

If an outsider were present, they would be utterly astonished—common Yellow Martial Realm Martial Artists would take one to two days to absorb a High-grade Spirit Stone, yet Gu Sheng reduced two stones to dust in the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

”Still not enough...”

Gu Sheng opened his eyes, frowning at the residue of the Spirit Stones in his palm. Advancing further in the Nine Dragon Heaven and Earth Technique requires an immense amount of spiritual energy; at this rate, it would take at least three more days to break through to the Eighth Level of the Yellow Martial Realm.

Without hesitation, he fetched new Spirit Stones from his Storage Ring and resumed cultivating. Repeating this cycle, by the time the fourth stone of the day was depleted, the evening had already fallen outside the window.

”Phew—”

Gu Sheng exhaled deeply, feeling the surging spiritual power within him, nodding with satisfaction.

Just as he was about to leave the room, his brow furrowed, sensing within his spiritual power’s range a Qin Family martial artist rushing toward him.

As expected, in less than three breaths, urgent knocking resounded.

”Young Master Gu! Something bad has happened! Master... Master is in trouble!”

Gu Sheng opened the door, finding a guard, drenched in sweat, kneeling on one knee, his chest heaving violently.

”What happened?”

Gu Sheng’s voice remained calm, in stark contrast to the guard’s panic.

”Master went to Golden Crow City for an auction. On his way back, he was ambushed, gravely injured, and has just been brought back!”

A flash of coldness appeared in Gu Sheng’s eyes.

”Who were the attackers?”

”Not sure, before Master lost consciousness, he only mentioned ’beware of Golden Crow’... Young Master Gu, you should quickly check the council hall!”

”You go on first, I’ll follow shortly.”

Gu Sheng waved the guard away, turning to retrieve several bottles of Elixir Pills from his Storage Ring, and stuffed a handful of Spirit Grass into his sleeve.

Although his spiritual power had probed Gu Lie’s injuries and found them non-lethal, that faintly sweet metallic taste hinted that things were not so simple.

Inside the brightly-lit council hall, more than ten core members of the Qin Family surrounded a temporarily set up bed.

Gu Feng was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing Gu Sheng enter, he rushed to him immediately.

”Gu Sheng! Father...”

Gu Sheng raised his hand to signal calm, and went straight to the bedside. Gu Lie lay there with a ghastly pale complexion, his chest bandaged yet soaked with blood, his lips an abnormal purple-black.

”Poisoned.”

Gu Sheng leaned over and took a sniff, the sweet metallic scent even more pronounced.

He turned to ask Gu Feng.

”What exactly happened?”

”Father went to Golden Crow City for the triannual ’Heavenly Treasure Auction’ and secured the final treasure. On the return journey at Luoying Gorge, he was attacked, and most of the guards were killed or wounded, the treasure was seized.”

Gu Feng clenched his fists tightly.

”The attackers’ weapons were poisoned. The physician said... he said they’ve never seen this poison before and are at a loss.”

Without another word, Gu Sheng pressed down on Gu Lie’s pulse point, spiritual power delving deep. As he probed further, his frown deepened—the poison had already infiltrated the heart meridians; if not for Gu Lie’s profound cultivation, he would likely already be dead.

”Prepare the Pill Furnace.”

Gu Sheng suddenly said.

”Pill Furnace?”

Gu Feng was stunned.

”You want to...”

”Alchemy.”

Gu Sheng succinctly replied, retrieving a Spirit Grass shaped like a phoenix, completely fiery red, from his Storage Ring.

”The poison father is inflicted with is the ’Blood Pigeon Powder’, which requires the ’Profound Yang Qingxin Pill’ to detoxify.”

The hall erupted in an instant. Alchemists were as rare as phoenix feathers in Red Flame City; even the one enshrined by the City Lord Mansion could barely produce Yellow Rank elixirs.

”You... you can perform alchemy?”

Gu Feng stared wide-eyed at Gu Sheng, as if seeing him for the first time.

Gu Sheng gave no explanation, only urging.

”The faster the better, the toxin is corroding the heart meridians.”

”I’ll get it ready immediately!”

Gu Feng turned to instruct the servants when he suddenly stopped.

”What Spirit Grass do you need? I’ll have someone procure them...”

”No need.”

Gu Sheng shook his finger, showing his Storage Ring.

”The Spirit Grasses from Miss Tantai are sufficient.”

Gu Feng sucked in a cold breath. What kind of person is Tantai Xueling? The Spirit Grass she provides would each be worth a fortune!

In less than a quarter of an hour, a bronze pill furnace half a man’s height was brought into the side hall.

Gu Sheng inspected it, though only Mid-grade Yellow Rank, it was barely adequate for refining the Profound Yang Qingxin Pill.

”Everyone step back three meters, do not disturb me.”

With a wave of his sleeve, Gu Sheng sent over ten types of Spirit Grass soaring from his Storage Ring, suspending in the air.

The most eye-catching among them was a small golden flower, its petals naturally etched with patterns of lightning.

”Golden Thunder Flower?!”

An elderly manager behind Gu Feng exclaimed in surprise.

”This is the main ingredient for crafting Xuan Rank elixirs!”

Gu Sheng paid no heed, with a flick of his finger, a wisp of cyan flame dropped into the furnace. The flame grew with the wind, and in no time, the furnace was ablaze.

With a practiced hand, he placed each Spirit Grass into the furnace, his movements smooth and fluid, stunning the onlookers.

”This... this at least requires the proficiency of an Xuan Rank Alchemist!”

The old manager’s beard quivered with excitement.

Gu Feng stared intently at Gu Sheng’s back, his heart churning with waves of shock. In just half a year, what on earth had he experienced? Not only had his cultivation surged, but he had also become an Alchemist...

Amid the crowd’s astonishment, Gu Sheng suddenly uttered a soft ”Hmm” and furrowed his brows.

He withdrew his spiritual power from assessing Gu Lie’s injuries, and his expression turned exceptionally solemn.

”What is it?”

Gu Feng’s heart tightened.

Gu Sheng replied in a serious tone.

”The situation is more complex than I imagined. Father’s poison... is not merely Blood Pigeon Powder.”

”What do you mean?”

”The Blood Pigeon Powder has been mixed with another poison, and moreover...”

Gu Sheng explained.

”It specifically targets Fire Attribute Martial Artists, the ’Cold Marrow Guide’.”

Standing by, Gu Feng shuddered, nearly dropping the pill furnace he was holding.

He swiftly approached and placed the pill furnace on a stone platform three meters away, and a dull sound echoed as the furnace made contact with the ground.

”Second Brother, Father he...”

Gu Feng’s voice trembled slightly.

Gu Sheng didn’t turn around, only signaling with his hand.

”First infuse True Qi into Father, stabilize his injuries. I’ll handle the poison.”

Gu Feng dared not delay, immediately sitting cross-legged on the other side of the bed, placing both hands on Gu Lie’s back. Pale cyan True Qi flowed from his palms, gently pouring into Gu Lie’s body.

Just then, an elderly voice resonated in Gu Feng’s mind.

”Young man, your father is struck by the Five Poison Heart-eating Powder.”

Gu Feng’s heart skipped a beat, responding in his mind.

”Venerable recognizes this poison?”

”Hmph, I’ve lived for hundreds of years, what poison haven’t I seen?”

Venerable Azure Dragon’s voice held an air of pride.

”This is the signature poison of the Five Poison Sect, crafted from five extremely toxic substances. Thirty years ago, the Five Poison Sect used this poison to wipe out three minor sects overnight, those poisoned died in seven days with their bodies festering and the sight was horrific.”

Gu Feng’s face turned pale, quickly conveying the information to Gu Sheng.

While inspecting the pill furnace, Gu Sheng’s hand paused slightly, the coldness in his eyes intensified.

”Five Poison Sect?”

He let out a cold laugh.

”Continue stabilizing Father, I’ll refine the elixir.”

With a flick of his sleeve, the lid of the pill furnace popped open.

With a swift flick of his finger, a wisp of crimson flame leapt to the bottom of the furnace, instantly illuminating the entire pill furnace with a fiery glow.

Gu Feng watched, gaping in disbelief—the flame formed into the shape of a lotus, each petal clearly visible.

”Red Lotus Karma Fire?”

Venerable Azure Dragon exclaimed in Gu Feng’s Sea of Consciousness.

”Where did this youngster acquire a Heaven and Earth Strange Fire?”

Gu Sheng continued without pause, taking out one Spirit Medicine after another from his Storage Ring.

His technique was astonishingly fast, the Spirit Medicines creating trails in the air as they were precisely dropped into the pill furnace. With each addition, the flames inside changed color, and the fragrance of the medicine became increasingly rich.

”Purple Ganoderma, Thousand-year-old Snow Ginseng, Seven-leaf Soul Grass...”

Venerable Azure Dragon identified each ingredient, his voice growing ever more astounded.

”These are all ingredients for Fourth Grade elixirs, is he intending to...”

Gu Feng, while maintaining the flow of True Qi, began to sweat profusely, unable to resist asking.