Woosh!
A luminous defensive shield erupted from Gu Ran's body.
Thud, thud, thud, bang, bang, bang!
Vibrant waves of energy collided with the shield, producing an array of power ripples.
But the strength of Gu Ran's bloodline was extraordinary; its enhancement bolstered his combat prowess to the Half-step Inquiring Journey realm, surpassing the elderly man.
The onslaughts from those in the Heavenly Origin realm were insufficient to penetrate his defenses.
However, to sustain his shield, Gu Ran had to forfeit his invisibility skill.
"Act fast, capture this rascal alive!" Suddenly, Feng Liu's voice cried out as he charged towards Gu Ran.
The elderly man was even faster, rapidly closing the distance to Gu Ran.
The rest of the cultivators also pounced on Gu Ran in a unified rush.
"Hahaha!" Feng Liu jeered, "Niu Qing, you little rat, today I vow to seize you alive and make you endure every torment I've honed!"
"Do you know what my preferred method of punishment is? Castration!"
"Hehehe, kneel and plead for mercy now, share your invisibility secret, and I might consider sparing you."
"But if you insist on being stubborn, don't fault me for being merciless!" he warned, watching as a throng of cultivators encircled Gu Ran.
"Heh!" A scoff adorned Gu Ran's face. "Feng Liu, you're a despicable creature. I could handle ten of you single-handedly."
He declared, "Since castration is your favorite punishment, I'll be sure to fulfill your desire!"
"You!" Feng Liu seethed, his fury blazing like wildfire. "Defiant even at death's door!"
"Seize him!" He commanded, shooting a venomous glare at Gu Ran, as if wishing to consume him whole on the spot.
"Pathetic loser," Gu Ran scoffed, fixing his gaze promptly on a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator.
He would commence by eliminating the weakest!
Though the cultivation base attained from slaying a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator was minimal, every little bit counted.
He was teetering on the edge of a breakthrough; it was highly likely that dispatching a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator would furnish just the right amount of cultivation base he required.
In the blink of an eye, Gu Ran was on the verge of striking down that Mysterious Platform cultivator.
Abruptly, a sound of a sword's hum pierced the air!
Faster than the sound, a streak of white light targeted Gu Ran in a flash!
"What?!" Gu Ran's expression morphed in an instant, and he hastily retracted his attack to defend.
Fortuitously, his intended victim was merely a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator, so he hadn't exerted much force and could swiftly adjust his course.
Ding!
The sharp resonance of metal clashing reverberated.
Gu Ran's hands quivered as he hastily retreated.
"Elder Zhang!" Feng Liu's voice, laden with surprise and elation, rang out.
From a rooftop, a figure emerged.
It was Jiang Chen's Death Warrior, Zhang San!
Should Gu Ran manage to kill anyone, his cultivation base would expand, potentially triggering a dangerous upward spiral.
Jiang Chen wasn't about to grant him that opportunity, hence he dispatched Zhang San into the fray immediately.
"Seize him!" Feng Liu's followers, thrilled by this unexpected turn of events, swiftly launched an assault on Gu Ran.
With Zhang San, who was in the Inquiring Journey realm, at their side, the likelihood of capturing Gu Ran alive had significantly improved.
'An Inquiring Journey realm expert!' Gu Ran's expression shifted, realizing, 'It's that Zhang San!'
'Why would he happen to surface here at this critical juncture?' His eyes flickered with hesitation before promptly transforming into a determined gaze.
He was originally a disciple of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect.
While his aptitude wasn't stellar, he had learned a range of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect's martial techniques and secret arts.
Among these were a self-harming, power-enhancing secret art and some formidable offensive techniques.
To avoid exposing his true identity, he had refrained from using these techniques on Black Wood Island.
But now, he was left with no choice.
If he withheld these techniques, he might face a crushing defeat.
'As long as I annihilate them all, no one will discover that I hail from the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect!' With an unwavering resolve, Gu Ran's internal Yuan Power started to alter its course, aligning with the meridian routes of the self-harming, power-enhancing secret art— 'Ageless Spirit - Extinguishing Origin!'
Boom!
An extraordinarily potent aura erupted from Gu Ran's body, momentarily reaching the Inquiring Journey realm.
"What!" Someone exclaimed.
"He's actually ascended to the Inquiring Journey realm!"
"I've seen this secret art before, it belongs to the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect!"
"This Niu Qing is actually a member of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect, why didn't he disclose this earlier!"
The expressions of Feng Liu and the others shifted drastically.
Even a mere disciple of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect was someone they would have to carefully consider before daring to provoke.
Just then, Zhang San's voice resonated, "I've heard that the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect is pursuing a disciple named Gu Ran!"
"This Niu Qing is likely Gu Ran! He adopted a false name and refrained from using the secret art earlier, fearing it would reveal his true identity!" Upon hearing his revelation, comprehension dawned on Feng Liu and the others, their fear swiftly dissipating.
Since Gu Ran was a nemesis of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect, they found relief.
Aware now that Gu Ran had been expelled from the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect for some reason and was on their hit list, they were confident his downfall was imminent.
If they could assist the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect in capturing Gu Ran, they might even reap some invaluable rewards!
Moreover, the secrets Gu Ran harbored were worth probing into!
"Elder Zhang, the stage is yours now!" Feng Liu hollered in sheer delight.
Zhang San did not respond but persisted in his relentless onslaught on Gu Ran.
Jiang Chen had instructed him not to kill Gu Ran, and he adhered to this directive meticulously.
By this juncture, the skirmish on Golden Leaf Street had reached a deadlock.
Gu Ran was growing increasingly restless.
His secret art had a finite duration!
Furthermore, additional cultivators from the Feng Clan were hastening over to bolster this side!
'This isn't working! I must extricate myself from here first!' Driven by desperation, Gu Ran once more activated his secret art, causing his combat prowess to spike up another level.
This subtle enhancement in power surprisingly granted Gu Ran a slight advantage over Zhang San.
However, it was still insufficient to vanquish Zhang San.
Nevertheless, Gu Ran had no intentions of toppling Zhang San at the moment.
He seized a fleeting opportunity to swiftly retreat, utilizing his Inquiring Journey realm combat power to withstand the siege of the Heavenly Origin realm cultivators and successfully cloak himself in invisibility!
With his combat power reaching the Inquiring Journey realm, Gu Ran's bloodline power wielded a more potent influence, boosting his invisibility.
Even while moving at an accelerated pace, the effect of invisibility remained undiminished.
"Elder Zhang!! Quickly, execute an area-effect attack!" Upon witnessing Gu Ran vanish without a trace, Feng Liu hollered in a state of panic.
"Ptui!" However, Zhang San suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his complexion turning slightly ashen.
"Elder Zhang! Elder Zhang, are you alright?" Feng Liu's expression petrified, and he darted in front of Zhang San, his anxiety apparent as he was relying on Zhang San for his protection.
"Old wounds have flared up." Zhang San stated, his breathing slightly labored. "Don't fret over Gu Ran. Once the effect of his secret art expires, it will signify his demise."
As he spoke, Zhang San retrieved some pills and swallowed them, commencing his wound healing process.
Upon hearing Zhang San's reassurance, Feng Liu's eyes sparkled with exhilaration. "Absolutely, absolutely!"
"That Niu Qing, no, that Gu Ran, the rogue, has employed a self-harming secret art. Once its duration expires, his combat prowess will undoubtedly plummet!"
"At that juncture, I might even be capable of apprehending him personally!" he mused, a confident smirk forming on his lips.
Simultaneously, system prompts echoed within Jiang Chen's sea of consciousness.
[Ding! You have successfully altered the plot, the protagonist Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value has decreased by 1000 points!]
[Ding! You have accrued 2000 Villain Value points!]
A Message from AlphaWIA:
By joining the membership, not only do you support the ongoing development of the novel, but you also gain access to read up to Chapter 330.
The first protagonist, armed with a system, takes the stage.
Patreon: [https://bit.ly/3OHBfqz]
Ko-fi: [https://bit.ly/3KJOiH3]
Today's releases: 2/2. Chapter 244: [https://bit.ly/3Oy8eO0]
There will be no release tomorrow. See you next week!
Woosh!
A luminous defensive shield erupted from Gu Ran's body.
Thud, thud, thud, bang, bang, bang!
Vibrant waves of energy collided with the shield, producing an array of power ripples.
But the strength of Gu Ran's bloodline was extraordinary; its enhancement bolstered his combat prowess to the Half-step Inquiring Journey realm, surpassing the elderly man.
The onslaughts from those in the Heavenly Origin realm were insufficient to penetrate his defenses.
However, to sustain his shield, Gu Ran had to forfeit his invisibility skill.
"Act fast, capture this rascal alive!" Suddenly, Feng Liu's voice cried out as he charged towards Gu Ran.
The elderly man was even faster, rapidly closing the distance to Gu Ran.
The rest of the cultivators also pounced on Gu Ran in a unified rush.
"Hahaha!" Feng Liu jeered, "Niu Qing, you little rat, today I vow to seize you alive and make you endure every torment I've honed!"
"Do you know what my preferred method of punishment is? Castration!"
"Hehehe, kneel and plead for mercy now, share your invisibility secret, and I might consider sparing you."
"But if you insist on being stubborn, don't fault me for being merciless!" he warned, watching as a throng of cultivators encircled Gu Ran.
"Heh!" A scoff adorned Gu Ran's face. "Feng Liu, you're a despicable creature. I could handle ten of you single-handedly."
He declared, "Since castration is your favorite punishment, I'll be sure to fulfill your desire!"
"You!" Feng Liu seethed, his fury blazing like wildfire. "Defiant even at death's door!"
"Seize him!" He commanded, shooting a venomous glare at Gu Ran, as if wishing to consume him whole on the spot.
"Pathetic loser," Gu Ran scoffed, fixing his gaze promptly on a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator.
He would commence by eliminating the weakest!
Though the cultivation base attained from slaying a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator was minimal, every little bit counted.
He was teetering on the edge of a breakthrough; it was highly likely that dispatching a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator would furnish just the right amount of cultivation base he required.
In the blink of an eye, Gu Ran was on the verge of striking down that Mysterious Platform cultivator.
Abruptly, a sound of a sword's hum pierced the air!
Faster than the sound, a streak of white light targeted Gu Ran in a flash!
"What?!" Gu Ran's expression morphed in an instant, and he hastily retracted his attack to defend.
Fortuitously, his intended victim was merely a Mysterious Platform realm cultivator, so he hadn't exerted much force and could swiftly adjust his course.
Ding!
The sharp resonance of metal clashing reverberated.
Gu Ran's hands quivered as he hastily retreated.
"Elder Zhang!" Feng Liu's voice, laden with surprise and elation, rang out.
From a rooftop, a figure emerged.
It was Jiang Chen's Death Warrior, Zhang San!
Should Gu Ran manage to kill anyone, his cultivation base would expand, potentially triggering a dangerous upward spiral.
Jiang Chen wasn't about to grant him that opportunity, hence he dispatched Zhang San into the fray immediately.
"Seize him!" Feng Liu's followers, thrilled by this unexpected turn of events, swiftly launched an assault on Gu Ran.
With Zhang San, who was in the Inquiring Journey realm, at their side, the likelihood of capturing Gu Ran alive had significantly improved.
'An Inquiring Journey realm expert!' Gu Ran's expression shifted, realizing, 'It's that Zhang San!'
'Why would he happen to surface here at this critical juncture?' His eyes flickered with hesitation before promptly transforming into a determined gaze.
He was originally a disciple of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect.
While his aptitude wasn't stellar, he had learned a range of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect's martial techniques and secret arts.
Among these were a self-harming, power-enhancing secret art and some formidable offensive techniques.
To avoid exposing his true identity, he had refrained from using these techniques on Black Wood Island.
But now, he was left with no choice.
If he withheld these techniques, he might face a crushing defeat.
'As long as I annihilate them all, no one will discover that I hail from the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect!' With an unwavering resolve, Gu Ran's internal Yuan Power started to alter its course, aligning with the meridian routes of the self-harming, power-enhancing secret art— 'Ageless Spirit - Extinguishing Origin!'
Boom!
An extraordinarily potent aura erupted from Gu Ran's body, momentarily reaching the Inquiring Journey realm.
"What!" Someone exclaimed.
"He's actually ascended to the Inquiring Journey realm!"
"I've seen this secret art before, it belongs to the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect!"
"This Niu Qing is actually a member of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect, why didn't he disclose this earlier!"
The expressions of Feng Liu and the others shifted drastically.
Even a mere disciple of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect was someone they would have to carefully consider before daring to provoke.
Just then, Zhang San's voice resonated, "I've heard that the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect is pursuing a disciple named Gu Ran!"
"This Niu Qing is likely Gu Ran! He adopted a false name and refrained from using the secret art earlier, fearing it would reveal his true identity!" Upon hearing his revelation, comprehension dawned on Feng Liu and the others, their fear swiftly dissipating.
Since Gu Ran was a nemesis of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect, they found relief.
Aware now that Gu Ran had been expelled from the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect for some reason and was on their hit list, they were confident his downfall was imminent.
If they could assist the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect in capturing Gu Ran, they might even reap some invaluable rewards!
Moreover, the secrets Gu Ran harbored were worth probing into!
"Elder Zhang, the stage is yours now!" Feng Liu hollered in sheer delight.
Zhang San did not respond but persisted in his relentless onslaught on Gu Ran.
Jiang Chen had instructed him not to kill Gu Ran, and he adhered to this directive meticulously.
By this juncture, the skirmish on Golden Leaf Street had reached a deadlock.
Gu Ran was growing increasingly restless.
His secret art had a finite duration!
Furthermore, additional cultivators from the Feng Clan were hastening over to bolster this side!
'This isn't working! I must extricate myself from here first!' Driven by desperation, Gu Ran once more activated his secret art, causing his combat prowess to spike up another level.
This subtle enhancement in power surprisingly granted Gu Ran a slight advantage over Zhang San.
However, it was still insufficient to vanquish Zhang San.
Nevertheless, Gu Ran had no intentions of toppling Zhang San at the moment.
He seized a fleeting opportunity to swiftly retreat, utilizing his Inquiring Journey realm combat power to withstand the siege of the Heavenly Origin realm cultivators and successfully cloak himself in invisibility!
With his combat power reaching the Inquiring Journey realm, Gu Ran's bloodline power wielded a more potent influence, boosting his invisibility.
Even while moving at an accelerated pace, the effect of invisibility remained undiminished.
"Elder Zhang!! Quickly, execute an area-effect attack!" Upon witnessing Gu Ran vanish without a trace, Feng Liu hollered in a state of panic.
"Ptui!" However, Zhang San suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his complexion turning slightly ashen.
"Elder Zhang! Elder Zhang, are you alright?" Feng Liu's expression petrified, and he darted in front of Zhang San, his anxiety apparent as he was relying on Zhang San for his protection.
"Old wounds have flared up." Zhang San stated, his breathing slightly labored. "Don't fret over Gu Ran. Once the effect of his secret art expires, it will signify his demise."
As he spoke, Zhang San retrieved some pills and swallowed them, commencing his wound healing process.
Upon hearing Zhang San's reassurance, Feng Liu's eyes sparkled with exhilaration. "Absolutely, absolutely!"
"That Niu Qing, no, that Gu Ran, the rogue, has employed a self-harming secret art. Once its duration expires, his combat prowess will undoubtedly plummet!"
"At that juncture, I might even be capable of apprehending him personally!" he mused, a confident smirk forming on his lips.
Simultaneously, system prompts echoed within Jiang Chen's sea of consciousness.
[Ding! You have successfully altered the plot, the protagonist Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value has decreased by 1000 points!]
[Ding! You have accrued 2000 Villain Value points!]
A Message from AlphaWIA:
By joining the membership, not only do you support the ongoing development of the novel, but you also gain access to read up to Chapter 330.
The first protagonist, armed with a system, takes the stage.
Patreon: [https://bit.ly/3OHBfqz]
Ko-fi: [https://bit.ly/3KJOiH3]
Today's releases: 2/2. Chapter 244: [https://bit.ly/3Oy8eO0]
There will be no release tomorrow. See you next week!
