Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 1411: Chapter 729: Withdrawal (2)

”Starting tomorrow, I withdraw from the Emperor Sect.”

”What?”

Bai Lingtong’s smile froze on his face. His round body suddenly shuddered, and he almost slipped off the chair.

”Th-this... why? Could it be that someone in the Emperor Sect has offended you, my lord?”

Gu Sheng shook his head lightly.

”I’ve provoked an enemy. The Emperor Sect can’t afford this cause and effect for the time being.”

Bai Lingtong’s eyes rolled, and fine beads of sweat seeped out on his forehead.

He knew all too well the weight of Gu Sheng’s words—what kind of terrifying existence must it be to make Gu Sheng voluntarily withdraw from the Emperor Sect to avoid calamity?

”Th-then... what does a lowly one like me need to do?”

Bai Lingtong probed cautiously, his fingers unconsciously twisting together.

”I want you to make your identity within the Emperor Sect public, and in the future work for the Emperor Sect’s Intelligence Hall, under its jurisdiction.”

Gu Sheng said.

The Quiet Room instantly became so silent that a pin drop could be heard.

Bai Lingtong’s expression shifted unpredictably, from shock to hesitation to inner struggle.

The neutral identity he had painstakingly managed for years—once he openly threw in with the Emperor Sect, it would mean tying himself completely to Gu Sheng’s ship, with no way to turn back.

Gu Sheng was neither impatient nor anxious, just quietly watching him.

This was a silent test—in Gu Sheng’s eyes, loyalty would always outweigh capability.

If Bai Lingtong could not make a choice that satisfied him today, then this chess piece could only be discarded.

Time seemed to stretch; Bai Lingtong’s back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Continue being an information broker, stay neutral, play both sides; or completely pledge himself to Gu Sheng and gamble on a greater future...

”Subordinate Bai Lingtong, pays respects to Lord Gu with the identity of Hall Master of the Emperor Sect Task Hall!”

Suddenly, Bai Lingtong slid off his chair, dropped to one knee, and performed a standard sect salute.

A deliberate hint of surprise appeared in Gu Sheng’s eyes.

”Oh? I recall someone once saying that the most important thing for an information broker is neutrality.”

Bai Lingtong raised his head. The obsequious smile on his face had vanished, replaced by a kind of resolve.

”From the day I joined the Emperor Sect, I have been a man of the Task Hall. Operating an intelligence network here is nothing more than gathering information for the sect.”

”Very good.”

Gu Sheng nodded slightly, satisfaction in his eyes.

”Tomorrow, Xiao Yun will arrange a new identity for you.”

Bai Lingtong let out a breath of relief, knowing he had bet right.

He carefully stood up and sat back down on the chair.

”What are your next orders, my lord?”

Gu Sheng extended two fingers.

”Two matters. First, plant people inside the Sun and Moon Sect and the Great Wilderness Alliance. I want to grasp their movements at all times.”

”That’s easy.”

Bai Lingtong patted his chest confidently.

”I already have channels with the Sun and Moon Sect. The Great Wilderness Alliance is tough to chew, but not impossible.”

”Second.”

Gu Sheng’s voice abruptly turned cold.

”In a few days Shen Qingtan will ambush and kill Shen Qingyun outside the city. I want you to use every means at your disposal to investigate this matter.”

Bai Lingtong’s face changed drastically, the fat on his round face trembling.

”An Inner Courtyard disciple of the Great Wilderness Holy Academy? Th-this... this is the greatest taboo for information brokers!”

Gu Sheng stared at him coldly, without saying a word.

The sweat on Bai Lingtong’s forehead grew even denser. He gritted his teeth.

”N-no... no problem! This subordinate will get it done!”

Gu Sheng had seen through his thoughts—this fat fellow was probably planning to run if his new identity wasn’t high enough.

But it didn’t matter. If he couldn’t even handle this much, he truly had no value to be further cultivated.

”Go.”

Gu Sheng waved his hand.

Bai Lingtong hurriedly rose and took his leave.

Just as he turned around, a booming voice suddenly came from outside, echoing through the entire street with the aid of True Qi.

”Guardian Envoy of Huang City, Chen Zhongting, has prepared generous gifts and requests an audience with Linyin Pavilion’s Gu!”

Bai Lingtong’s steps halted, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

”Ch-Chen Zhongting? How could he be here?”

Gu Sheng’s brows furrowed slightly.

Hurried footsteps sounded outside the Quiet Room, and then Chief Auctioneer Hong Ya pushed the door open and entered. The ever-composed her now had a trace of panic on her face.

”Gu, Guardian Envoy Chen has brought dozens of Martial Artists here, they’ve already reached the front courtyard!”

Bai Lingtong looked nervously at Gu Sheng.

”My lord, how about I first...”

”No need.”

Gu Sheng rose unhurriedly, straightening his sleeves.

”Since Lord Chen is being so ’courteous’, we naturally have to entertain him properly.”

Outside the Quiet Room, Guardian Envoy Chen’s knuckles tapped three times on the carved sandalwood door.

From inside came Gu Sheng’s lazy voice.

”Who is it?”

”Guardian Envoy Chen Zhen of Huang City, here specifically to pay a visit and apologize.”

Guardian Envoy Chen’s voice was steady, but the left hand in his sleeve was clenched so tight his knuckles had turned white.

A soft chuckle came from within, and then the wooden door slid open without a sound.

Gu Sheng was leaning sideways on a purple sandalwood Cloud Pattern couch, playing with a Green Jade Wine Glass in his hand, not even lifting his eyelids.

”Guardian Envoy Chen, what an impressive formation—bringing dozens of Martial Artists here to Linyin Pavilion to throw your weight around?”

Guardian Envoy Chen’s face darkened, yet he had no choice but to force out a smile.

”Master Gu, you jest. Those are all some ignorant attendants, I’ve already had them wait outside the pavilion.”

”Oh?”

Gu Sheng finally lifted his eyes.

”The mighty Guardian Mansion of Huang City really isn’t qualified to put on such a show in my Linyin Pavilion.”

These words stabbed into Guardian Envoy Chen’s heart like a knife.

He forcibly suppressed his anger; as he stepped into the room he noticed faint runes flowing along the four walls of the Quiet Room—this was Linyin Pavilion’s highest-level Defensive Array, enough to withstand a full-force strike from a Peak Heavenly Martial Realm expert.

”Sit.”

Gu Sheng casually pointed at the futon opposite.

When Guardian Envoy Chen sat cross-legged, his jade belt brushed the ground, letting out a crisp sound.

He noticed wisps of golden light flowing at Gu Sheng’s fingertips—that was the mark of having cultivated Linyin Pavilion’s core Cultivation Technique, the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Technique, to the Seventh Revolution.

The junior who had needed to look up to him three years ago had now become someone before whom he had to bow and scrape.

”Master Gu is now in the upper echelon of Linyin Pavilion. Back then, this old man truly failed to recognize a dragon.”

Guardian Envoy Chen was the first to break the silence, taking out a Storage Ring from his breast and pushing it over.

”Here are one million High-grade Spirit Stones, plus three stalks of Thousand-year-old Blood Ganoderma—consider it the First Level of compensation.”

As the Storage Ring slid across the low table, dark lines on its surface lit up and then dimmed.

Gu Sheng didn’t even look at it, just gently swirled the wine glass.

The air congealed for ten breaths; fine beads of sweat seeped out on Guardian Envoy Chen’s forehead.

At last, he grit his teeth and said,

”The Second Level of compensation is a piece of information—Lu Chongshan has joined hands with the Guardian Envoys of Heaven City, Xuan City, and Underground City, as well as Shadow Hall; they’re preparing to make a move on you.”

Gu Sheng’s hand swirling the wine glass suddenly stilled.

”With my current status, Lu Chongshan dares to act?”

Gu Sheng narrowed his eyes; the wine in the cup abruptly began to boil, the rising steam condensing in midair into the shape of a small snake.

Guardian Envoy Chen’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

”If Tantai Pavilion Master and Linyin Pavilion’s key battle power are not present...”

He lowered his voice.

”The news came from Lu Chongshan’s own mouth yesterday. The method will be a night raid, as early as tomorrow!”

The temperature in the Quiet Room dropped sharply, a thin layer of frost forming on the surface of the low table.

The golden light at Gu Sheng’s fingertips suddenly flared three inches long, carving a dazzling trail through the air.”

”Why is he taking such a desperate risk?”

”Some time ago, he failed in his attempt to break through to the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Martial Realm, and his Source was damaged.”

Guardian Envoy Chen took out a Memory Stone from his breast; once activated, the withered visage of Lu Chongshan appeared.

”He said he wants to fight to the death to eradicate hidden threats for the Lu Family.”

In the image, Lu Chongshan’s eyes were bloodshot, and cobweb-like black qi spread across his forehead—this was a sign of qi deviation.

Gu Sheng’s pupils contracted slightly, then he suddenly let out a light laugh.

”Why doesn’t Guardian Envoy Chen join forces with him? With the lineup of three Guardian Envoys plus Shadow Hall, the odds aren’t low.”

”This old man does not believe he can win.”

Guardian Envoy Chen suddenly revealed a crafty old-fox smile and took out two Jade Talismans from his sleeve.

”These are two Heavenly Martial Incarnations this old man split off. Though each only has seventy percent of the true body’s strength, they can still hold the line for a while in a crisis—the Third Level of compensation.”

The Jade Talismans landed on the low table with a crisp sound, fine cracks covering their surfaces.

Gu Sheng finally looked at the other man directly and noticed that all the nails on Guardian Envoy Chen’s right hand were tinged purple—this was the Qi-Blood backlash caused by forcibly splitting off Incarnations.

The Quiet Room sank into an eerie silence. From outside came the shouts of Linyin Pavilion disciples practicing Martial Techniques, and farther away was the rumble of Flying Boats streaking past.

Gu Sheng suddenly pressed his hand onto one of the Jade Talismans; at once, a phantom identical to Guardian Envoy Chen surfaced on the talisman’s surface.