Stronger by Killing

Gai Qingcheng lightly laughed and said, "Mr. Rong, for instance, now that the Marquis has destroyed Sword King City, can you be certain that you can find the Grotto Heaven Technique? Or do you know in what form the Grotto Heaven Technique might exist?"

Rong Yichu was slightly taken aback and said, "I... I was habitually thinking it was in the form of documents or an Inheritance Jade Slip."

Gai Qingcheng laughed and said, "Each form of Grotto Heaven Technique inheritance is different. My Gu Family ancestor obtained the Grotto Heaven Technique because he married a successor from a fallen Grotto Heaven force. Otherwise, even if the Grotto Heaven Technique were placed in front of him, my ancestor might not have recognized it.

This is also why Emperor Yu Yang and the royal families of the Seven Kingdoms burned a large number of ancient books and documents at the time, because those ancient texts contained some trace clues to the Grotto Heaven Technique. So many years have passed now, it’s undoubtedly impossible to find them, and the methods of inheritance from that era were definitely different from ours now."

Rong Yichu cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Miss Gu Qi, for your guidance. I have learned a lot!"

Gu Zhan took a sip of tea, gently put down the cup, and asked, "Miss Gu Qi, over the years, the major Grotto Heaven Level forces must have also been thinking of tracing the origin of the Grotto Heaven Technique, right?"

Gai Qingcheng nodded and said, "Naturally, and not to mention that the Grotto Heaven Technique represents another cultivation system, just the fact that the Grotto Heaven Realm can extend lifespan is enough to pursue it."

"Have they discovered anything?" Gu Zhan asked.

Miss Gu Qi slightly furrowed her brows and said, "Marquis, this returns to my initial point: from where did the Grotto Heaven Realm originate, who created it, and what lies beyond the Grotto Heaven? Honestly, we’re not clear about these things. At least, our Gu Family knows very little."

Gai Qingcheng worried that Gu Zhan might misunderstand and quickly said, "Marquis, it’s not that Qingcheng is holding back, but our Gu Family’s Grotto Heaven inheritance is only a few hundred years old, which isn’t considered strong among the Grotto Heaven Level forces. We truly know very little, and I ask for the Marquis’s forgiveness!"

Gu Zhan chuckled lightly and said, "Miss Gu Qi, you speak too gravely. I am merely curious."

Gai Qingcheng said, "In fact, the major Grotto Heaven forces do engage in exchanges. For instance, when my Gu Family was still in Qingzhou, we had interactions with Sword King City, Yijian Sect, Dao Pavilion, the Dugu Faction, and the Ling Family, and there were discussions.

As for the others, I’m not sure, but I know that these families do not necessarily know much more than our Gu Family. Through the exchanges and discussions among various families, there are indeed some conjectures."

Gu Zhan raised an eyebrow and said, "I’d like to hear more about it."

Gai Qingcheng held her teacup and thought for a moment, then said, "Because each family’s inheritance is ancient, tracing history will uncover some inexplicable events. For example, our family ancestor encountered a talking fox over a hundred years ago?"

Gu Zhan and Rong Yichu both showed surprise.

"A talking fox?" Gu Zhan frowned.

Gai Qingcheng nodded slightly and said, "It may sound unbelievable. Our ancestor himself wasn’t very sure about it, as he wasn’t sure if he was under an illusion or had inhaled miasma that caused hallucinations.

At that time, my family ancestor was not yet a Land Immortal, just a Grandmaster, who was chased and badly injured, then accidentally lost his way in a mountain and encountered a talking fox that led him out of the mountains.

Later, after he recovered from his injuries, he could never find that place again nor the fox he once saw, so he also doubted whether it was an illusion due to his injuries or help from a master in hiding.

Similar inexplicable stories exist among major forces with rumors yet to be explained, so they speculate from these kinds of incidents that the Grotto Heaven Technique might be an Ancient Cultivation Method.

As for how far back such an era was, there is no way to ascertain it. However, it is basically certain that era should have been an era far surpassing the current Great Cultivation Era. However, something might have suddenly occurred, causing a break, or perhaps due to drastic changes in heaven and earth that led to the End of the Dharma Era arriving. After all, cultivation based on the Grotto Heaven Technique couldn’t happen without the world’s spiritual energy, which disappeared over time, until the emergence of Martial Arts brought about the resurgence of cultivation."

Gu Zhan frowned and said, "You’re saying that the Grotto Heaven Technique is a complete cultivation system? A system that requires spiritual energy in order to cultivate..."

Before the sentence was completed,

Gu Zhan suddenly furrowed his brow, raised his head sharply, showing a hint of anger on his face, and said in a low voice, "Coming neither early nor late, they had to arrive at this moment, truly dampening the spirits?"

Gai Qingcheng and Rong Yichu both showed puzzlement.

Rong Yichu asked, "Lord, what is it?"

Gu Zhan waved his hand and said, "Two uninvited guests are heading towards Yiling City. Never mind, Miss Gu Qi, please wait here for a while, I’ll be back soon."

Gai Qingcheng asked in confusion, "Where is the Marquis going?"

Gu Zhan stood up, picked up the Horizontal Saber, and stepped out the door, nonchalantly saying, "It’s a small matter. Miss Gu Qi, have a few more cups of tea. I’m off to kill two Land Immortals, be back soon!"

With that,

Gu Zhan lightly tapped his foot, soared into the sky, and disappeared into the night.

Watching Gu Zhan’s disappearance, Gai Qingcheng was momentarily stunned,

Suddenly, she exclaimed, "Could it be that Wei Wuya and Red Flower Granny have come to Yiling City?"

Rong Yichu squinted his eyes slightly and said, "If Red Flower Granny can’t contend with Wei Wuya, in the current Yunxi Land, the only hope might lie here with the Lord. Even though she may not know that the Lord killed the Elder Celestial Master, she knows of the Lord’s reputation as the world’s number one Grandmaster, and his identity as Marquis Yun and the Grand General of the Army. So, it’s very likely they have come, and presently, in Yunxi, only these two are the Land Immortals!"